Being active outdoors doesn’t have to be complicated or require a lot of gear or planning – it can be as easy as exploring a local park or playground with your kids. Playgrounds are more than just a collection of swings, slides, and climbing walls—they are vibrant canvases for children’s imagination and creativity. While the traditional ways to enjoy playground equipment are always fun, introducing unique and inventive games can transform a routine park visit into an unforgettable adventure. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver, finding new ways to engage kids on the playground can promote physical activity, social skills, and creative thinking. In this post, we’ll explore a collection of fun, creative, and unique playground games designed specifically for little kids and preschoolers. Get ready to spark joy and excitement with these inventive ideas that go beyond the ordinary, turning any playground into a magical world of endless possibilities.
Exploring playgrounds in your area
Summer means long days and plenty of time to get outside to play. Allowing kids to play outdoors does all kinds of wonderful things for their minds and bodies. Getting outside is easier than you can imagine, no matter where you live. Checking out a new park allows parents and kids to be adventurous without needing to leave the city or spend a lot of time researching or packing for an exotic outing. Most of the parks near us have wooded areas, lakes or ponds, hiking trails and a playground, which is always the most attractive feature for my kids and definitely the first thing they want to check out upon arrival.
However, not all playgrounds are suited for toddlers and preschoolers. Sometimes the ladders are too steep, the slides are too high and the climbing walls give me a panic attack just looking at them. I end up hovering over my kids, watching them like a hawk and barking orders at them to be safe. That’s not fun for anyone. In addition, my kids don’t seem to be all that interested in the traditional playground equipment. They love a good slide, but after a few minutes of initial exploration and conquering, they quickly grow bored with most playgrounds.
Encouraging independence and creativity
When I’m at the park with the kids, I love playing and interacting with them, but I also want to encourage their independence and creativity. I want them to feel confident and inspired to play together on their own, exploring the playground and inventing new games without me dictating their every move. By giving them the freedom to use their imagination, they can discover new ways to see things and create their own adventures, all while burning off that boundless energy in a safe environment.
Best playground games for kids
To strike this balance, I’ve put together a list of games that we play at the playground, perfect for preschoolers. These activities allow me to join in the fun without completely steering the direction of the play. Each game is designed to foster their creativity and curiosity, encouraging them to explore their surroundings and interact with each other in imaginative ways. This approach not only helps them develop social and problem-solving skills but also ensures they enjoy the park to its fullest, running (a little) wild and having a blast.
Slide races
While “slide races” may sound like a contest to see who can make it down the slides the fastest, this is a slightly safer version for smaller kids where you race small objects instead. We usually keep a little bag of goodies in our backpack that can be used for slide races, like toy cars, marbles, plastic coins and action figures. This is usually the same bag of goodies and trinkets we use for trading when we go geocaching.
Have the kids each choose and object and let them go at the top of the slide at the same time. Loser gets to pick a new object out of the bag and re-race the winner. This is a great way to teach preschoolers about speed, distance and why some objects are faster than others (weight, shape, etc.).
Obstacle course / follow the leader
One of my kids’ favorite park games is when we create obstacle courses around the playground. I usually go first and come up with elaborate ways to go all over (up, over, through and around) the playground equipment. They follow behind me and do whatever it is that I do (follow the leader style). I like to mix things up by making them hop on one foot during parts, jump like a frog, pretend swim, go backwards, do cartwheels, skip, etc. Once I’ve started them off, they’re on their own to come up with the next course with a new leader.
If you really want to wear the kids out and get your workout in, create an outdoor fitness circuit obstacle course by incorporating exercise activities like pushups, pull-ups, jumping jacks, sprints and burpees into the obstacle course!
Find the shapes
This is a great game to play with toddlers learning their shapes and preschoolers that are learning their letters. Explore your park and playground while looking for objects in the basic shapes (square, triangle, circle, etc.) and/or letters. You’ll be amazed at how creative kids can be and how they’ll start to notice the shape of things after playing a few times. If you can’t find objects in the shape of letters, you can also use park or street signs.
If you want to take it up a notch, take a photo of the shape/letter with your phone and make an album with all the pictures of the shapes and alphabet. You can include the park where you found the shape and the date to create a physical memory book and also help with recognizing letters.
Animal movement game
Assign different playground equipment to represent different animals. For example, the monkey bars could be for “swinging like a monkey,” the slide for “sliding like a penguin,” the climbing wall for “scaling like a spider,” swings can be for “soaring like an eagle,” and the sandbox can be for “burrowing like a mole.” Start the game by calling out an animal, such as “monkey.” The kids will then run to the monkey bars and swing across them like monkeys. After a few minutes, call out a different animal, and the kids will move to the appropriate equipment and mimic that animal’s movements.
Encourage the kids to make animal sounds and gestures while moving. For example, they can make monkey noises while swinging or flap their arms like wings while on the swings. Continue calling out different animals every few minutes, allowing the kids to experience various movements and pieces of equipment. Mix it up by adding new animals and corresponding movements as the game progresses.
The game taps into children’s natural love for animals and imaginative play. Pretending to be different animals allows them to explore new roles and scenarios, fostering creativity. While the game provides a structured activity, it also allows kids the freedom to explore the playground equipment in new and creative ways. They can experiment with different movements and discover new aspects of the playground.
Mother May I
A childhood favorite of my own playground days, Mother May I is still really fun for little kids and teaches them about patience, following rule and listening. Have all the kids stand on one side and have “the mother” stand on the other and give each person a command to move forward a certain way. The person must ask “Mother May I” before moving and the first person to reach the mother wins.
This is a fun game to play with a group of kids and taking turns being the mother is great if you have multiple kids that like to be the leader. If you need a refresher on how to play the game, here’s a great post with the classic directions, plus lots of fun variations.
Superhero Training Camp
The Superhero Training Camp game turns the playground into an action-packed training ground for budding superheroes. This game harnesses kids’ love for superheroes, allowing them to develop their physical abilities and imagination while engaging in a variety of fun and challenging activities.
Before starting, identify different pieces of playground equipment and assign each one a superhero training activity. For example:
- Monkey Bars: “Super Strength Training” – Kids must swing across the bars like they’re building arm strength.
- Slide: “Speed Training” – Kids slide down as fast as they can, simulating a quick escape or fast flight.
- Climbing Wall: “Agility Training” – Kids climb up and down to improve their agility and reflexes.
- Swings: “Flight Training” – Kids swing high and pretend they are flying through the sky.
- Sandbox: “Rescue Mission” – Kids dig and search for hidden “rescue items” like small toys or objects buried in the sand.
Gather the kids and explain the game. Each piece of equipment will help them develop a different superhero skill. Encourage them to come up with their own superhero names and powers. Guide the kids through each training station, explaining the superhero skill they are working on. Allow them to spend a few minutes at each station practicing their skills.
Introduce specific challenges or missions to make the game more dynamic. For example:
- “Villain Chase”: One child pretends to be a villain, and the others use their training skills to chase and “capture” them.
“Save the Day”: Hide “danger” objects around the playground, and the superheroes must find and “neutralize” them within a time limit.
“Hero Teamwork”: Set up tasks that require collaboration, such as two kids working together to complete the monkey bars or lift a heavy object.
Swing games
Some playground mothers will probably get irked at me for saying this, but there are so many fun ways to play on the swings, other than just swinging on them. While that can be fun, it’s also really fun to mix things up by swinging on them like Superman, standing on the swings (with supervision), and twisting on them. These variations help with balance and encourage creativity.
Swing and drop
Place targets (like hula hoops or soft mats) on the ground in front of the swings. Kids swing high and try to drop small objects (like beanbags) onto the targets as they swing forward. See who can get the most drops on target. This game adds an element of skill and precision to swinging. Kids enjoy the challenge of aiming and dropping objects accurately while in motion.
Swing High, Touch the Sky
Kids take turns swinging as high as they can, trying to “touch the sky” with their feet. Encourage them to describe what they imagine touching or seeing in the sky (like clouds, stars, or birds). This game fosters imagination and creative thinking while helping kids build confidence and develop their swinging skills. The joy of swinging high and sharing their imaginative thoughts adds to the excitement.
Swing Counting Game
Kids swing while counting out loud. They can count by ones, twos, fives, or tens, depending on their ability. For added fun, they can count in different languages or sing counting songs. This game is both educational and entertaining. It helps preschoolers practice counting and language skills while enjoying the rhythmic motion of swinging. The combination of learning and play makes it a favorite among young kids.
Action verb races
Parents can make anything a competition by having kids race each other. Mix it up a notch by making the races silly with various action verbs. Instead of running, make them gallop, hop, pounce, twirl, skip, sashay, roll and totter to get to the finish line. This not only teaches them to listen carefully, but can greatly expand their vocabulary and get them thinking about how many types of actions and movements they can do.
Sidewalk chalk
Sidewalk chalk isn’t just for your driveway at home. Bring a box of chalk to the park where kids have a huge area to color, draw and create. Let other kids join in on the fun and have them all create a giant collaboration. Assign them all a letter to draw and have them also draw objects or animals that begin with that letter and create an alphabet storyboard. Give older kids a theme or setting (the ocean) or have them recreate scenes from their favorite book or movie. Have little kids work on colors and shapes.
What games do your kids like to play at the park?
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