30+ Outdoor Party Games for Kids

More than ever, kids need time to play outside. And while we’re huge fans of free play for kids, sometimes we need something a bit more structured and will still get kids to play together and have fun. Today, Tine Voeten, a Belgian mom of two, is here sharing her family’s favorite outdoor party games, crafts, and activities. So, whether you’re hosting a birthday party, a BBQ, a family reunion, or just having some kids over for a playdate, keep them outside and entertained with these 30+ outdoor party games for kids. 

Outdoor party games for kids

Summer holidays are the time for our family reunions, picnics at the park, and gatherings with friends. Not only were we invited to all those amazing BBQs and summer parties, but every year, we have nine birthdays to celebrate during the summer months. With all those events, we are always in need of fun game ideas to keep the kids occupied and entertained! We’ve become pros at throwing outdoor parties and today we’re sharing our ideas for the best fun outdoor party games for kids. 

No big budget parties!

First, I would like to share a secret. We never spend big budgets on our birthday parties. The simpler, the better, which lets us get creative. Because we don’t like spending a fortune on entertainment, all of the following fun party games listed are easy to play and set up, with little to no prep. If you do need anything, the materials can be found somewhere in the house or purchased very inexpensively at your local dollar store. Bottles, carton boxes, wooden pieces, water guns, you name it! And if you don’t have exactly what you need, feel free to get creative and improvise! Don’t make it complicated! You’ve got this!

Are you ready for an unforgettable kid’s party? Let’s get started!

30+ favorite outdoor party game ideas for kids

1. Bob for apples
2. Water balloon fight
3. Go fishing for treasure
4. Water cup relay race
5. Squirt gun cup race
6. Tug of war
7. Ring toss
8. Hide & seek
9. Obstacle course
10. Relay race
11. Egg-spoon races
12. Sack race
13. Balloon pop races
14. Hula hoop ball race
15. Skip ball race
16. Cup pyramids
17. Water bottle bowling
18. Balloon stomp
19. Hula hoop contest
20. Keepy uppy
21. Ice art
22. Marshmallow bites
23. Puzzle fun
24. Cup stacking
25. Giant bubble contest
26. Squirt gun painting
27. Drawing shadows
28. Rock painting
29. Superpower smash
30. What time is it
31. Flying carpet
32. Scavenger hunt
33. Treasure hunt
34. Sensory trail
35. Sandbox dig
36. Twister 
37. Micado
38. Finding words

Outdoor water games for kids

1. Bite the apple (bob for apples)

This is our kids’ absolute number one favorite outdoor party game! It’s simple, it’s delicious, healthy, and it’s so much fun! The only thing you need is a wide bucket and apples for each kid. Just fill the bucket with water and let the kids try to catch one with their teeth. Just make sure all the contestants have teeth! Our six-year-old is missing two important ones. It didn’t go the way she wanted!

2. Water balloon fight

Water balloons are a staple at any outdoor kids party. And when it’s hot outside, a water balloon fight is a must on your party games list. Without a doubt, it will cool off the kids and cause them to squeal in delight! Or, do a water balloon toss. Line the kids up across from each other and let them toss the water balloon back and forth, getting farther away by taking a step backwards for each successful catch. The last team with an unpopped balloon wins. 

Pro tip: Don’t love the trash and mess of traditional water balloons? Check out these reusable and refillable water balloons! 

3. Go fishing for treasure

In the summertime, most of us have a small kiddie pool in the garden or backyard, which you can use in a variety of ways. One fun thing to do is to make a DIY fishing pole (a stick, rope, and a hook will do the trick), drop some toys in the pool, and let the kids fish! If you don’t want to pretend to fish, you can look for treasure in the pool. Fill the kiddie pool with water and hide a small weighted ring (or other treasure) on the bottom of the pool. Then fill the pool with inflatable balls and toys (or water balloons) to make it difficult to see the bottom. Let the kids wade around the pool looking for the hidden treasure using only their feet.

4. Pass the water relay

Make lines with kids standing one behind the other. The first person holds the bottle and tries overhead to fill the cup of the one behind. Next, this second person will pass on the water overhead to the person behind them. If you do this on a sunny and hot summer day, the kids will thank you later on. Honestly, this is my favorite outdoor game to play and watch!

5. Squirt gun cup race

For this game, each team will have an equal number of squirt guns and will need to try to move a cup on a clothesline to the other side, just using water. To start, tie 2 lengths of clothesline up (both the same length) with a plastic cup on the line (cut a hole in the bottom for the line to go through). Each team lines up on one side and has to squirt the cup to the other side of the line. 

The classic outdoor party games

6. Tug of War

Every parent and most probably each and every family member is familiar with tug-of-war. Most of them probably played it themselves as a child. Tug-of-war is a simple game and the perfect game to organize during a backyard party with a lot of kids. All you need is a long (and, if possible, thick) rope, a handkerchief and another rope or line indicating the middle point. Just be careful not to set foot on enemy territory. And pull, pull, pull!

7. Ring toss

This classic party game should not be left out of your party! It’s a great way to reuse some of your old empty bottles before recycling them and give them a longer life. All you need to do is gather your empty bottles and let the kids try to toss a ring around them. If you want to get fancy, you can paint them in different colors and assign them point values by color. The child with the highest score wins. No bottles, no problem! You can make a variant with human bodies and hula hoops to toss!

8. Hide and seek

Hide and seek is a classic game that always gets all the kids engaged and having fun! It’s a classic party game that can be played almost anywhere! And kids love it! It’s a good game to play when the kids don’t really know each other well to warm up and get into the party spirit. 

9. Obstacle course

Build an outdoor obstacle course with simple things that everyone has in the house, such as brooms, buckets, rope, pillows, pool noodles, etc. If you have backyard playground equipment (swings and slides), add them to the course. Then divide the kids into teams and have them make their way through the obstacle course one at a time. When the kids can challenge each other in teams this is such a fun outdoor game!

The fast classics – outdoor party game races

10. Relay race

Relay races are a fun way for kids to build team spirit and work together for a common goal. There are a million different variations of relay races, but in their most basic form, you have 2 teams that compete against each other, and one person is racing at a time. We like to play a simple “down and back” relay race, where one kid from each team lines up and has to run down the lawn, around a cone, and then back. When they get back, they tag the next runner on their team, who does the same thing. The team that finishes first, wins! 

11. Egg-spoon races

Another popular game to play at a kids’ birthday party is egg-spoon races! Young and older kids love this fun backyard game, which is easy to set up with items you already have at home. Have the kids run holding the egg on the spoon and then, when they reach the next runner, they’ll need to pass it off their spoon and onto the other player’s spoon. If you have little kids (or you just don’t want to deal with egg mess), you can boil the eggs to prevent it from breaking and leaking everywhere. But that’s also the fun part of this game, of course. If you don’t want to use eggs, another option is small balls, like golf balls or ping-Pong balls. The disadvantage is that when they start running, the balls might fall off. Nevertheless, this will be hilarious!

12. Sack races

Gather all the pillow cases or potato sacks in the house for the most hilarious game ever! Sack races are so much fun (and harder than they look). Line 2 kids up to race against each other, with both of their feet in the bag. First one to hop down and cross the finish line wins!

13. Balloon pop races

Divide the kids up into two even groups and place them on one side of the yard. On the other end, set out 2 chairs. When you say “go,” the first kid races across the yard with their balloon to one of the chairs, places the balloon on the chair, and must pop the balloon by sitting on it. When they pop it, then they run back to their team and the next kid goes. The first group to get all the kids to pop their balloons on the chair and make it back to the start line wins.

Outdoor kids’ ball games

14. Hula hoop ball toss

A hula hoop ball toss is a fun outdoor game for kids and is perfect for teams of two. To play, give each child a bucket of filled with balls (tennis balls, inflatable balls, or even water balloons). Set out a few hula hoops and assign each hoop a point value. Let the kids take turns tossing the balls or balloons into the center of the hula hoops to see who can earn the most points. The player with the highest score wins!

15. Skipping ball race

Do you have skipping balls available? Skip balls are a fun way to take a traditional race to the next level. Kids not only have to go forward, but they have to think around keeping the ball spinning and jumping over it! It can lead to a lot of hilarity! Divide up the kids into teams, create a circuit for the course, and let the race begin!

16. Cup pyramids (throw-over cups)

Building the highest pyramid with colorful cups is so much fun! But throwing a ball and knocking all the cups down is even more fun! Let the kids take turn building a cup pyramid as high as they can. Then, they stand back and toss a ball at the cups to see how many they can knock down. The kids with the least cups standing wins. Throw-over cups is one of the popular backyard games, but of course it can also be played indoors.

17. Water bottle ball

No need to say it, but water games are really kids’ favorites in summertime! Every child gets a bottle filled with water and an equal number of balls. Could be tennis balls, but we used petanque balls (bocce balls). Then let the kids stand in a circle in the middle of the yard. It’s up to each child to protect his/her own bottle. It’s also their mission to rolls balls and try to knock over the bottle of the others. The child that in the end has the most water in his or her bottle wins the game.

More outdoor party games for kids

18. Balloon stomp

To play balloon stomp, tie a long ribbon to the end of a blown-up balloon and tie the other end of the ribbon on a player’s ankle. Everyone has a balloon tied to their ankle. When you say “go,” all the kids try and stomp on the other kid’s balloons and pop them, while also trying to guard their balloon. When a kid’s balloon pops, that child is out. The winner is the last person with an unpopped balloon at the end of the game!

19. Hula hoop contest

Have a hula hoop contest with the kids by seeing who can keep a hula hoop up and going the longest! You can do this the traditional way (on their hips), or get creative and let the kids spin the hoops on their arms or legs. Turn on some music to make this extra fun! 

20. Keepy uppy

This probably is the easiest game ever and kids of all ages will love it. Blow up a balloon and throw it into the air. The object of the game is to take turns hitting the balloon to keep it up in the air. Don’t let it touch the ground! You can let the kids run and play, or assign them each a spot to cover, where they’re limited to move. It’s such a simple, but magical fun game! And when it gets cold outside, it is also one of those perfect indoor party games!

Cool down games

21. Ice art

Beat the summer heat with this cool kids’ birthday party game. Before the party, freeze water in various containers of different shapes and sizes to create an assortment of ice blocks. Supply kids with washable paint and paint brushes and let them paint the frozen ice shapes with their brushes, fingers, or even toes. The ice will melt as they paint (and as it sits out), creating cool paint designs and changing the color and texture of the paint. This sensory activity is a great option for younger kids, but older ones will still enjoy getting a little messy.

22. Marshmallow bites (or donuts on a string) 

Hang up a clothesline and hang some fun food off of it for the kids to eat! We love hanging marshmallows and letting the littles ones take turns trying to catch the marshmallows in their mouth and eat them without using their hands. You can also do this with donuts! The best part of this game? The kids can eat all the food and snacks they can take off! This classic kids game always is a winner!

23. Puzzle fun

If you have some kids’ puzzles, bring them outside to play on a picnic table. Or, you can make your own DIY puzzle by printing out a drawing or picture and cutting it into small jigsaw pieces. Divide the children into two teams and let them each solve the puzzle as fast as possible. As a reward, the winning team gets to choose a prize or a piece of candy.  

24. Cup stacking

This fun game of skill will keep the kids focused and entertained for a while. With cartons or plastic cups, let the kids try to create and build the highest pyramid. It gets tricky when the cups keep on falling. Choose an area the wind can’t be the party pooper!

25. Giant bubbles contests

Bubbles are fun to play with at any time, but they can also be turned into an outdoor party game. When we bring out the gear for the giant bubbles, everyone’s faces light up! The grown-ups are the first players in line to ‘show’ how you can create the biggest bubble. And the kids can’t wait to try their turn. It’s just so much fun to do. One of our favorite ways to turn this into a game is to hold a contest on who creates the biggest giant bubble. Of course, everyone is a winner!

Pro tip: We’ve got a full post on everything you need to know about bubbles, including a few great giant bubble recipes. 

Creative and artsy outdoor party games

26. Squirt gun painting

This time the squirt guns aren’t to attack each other, but to paint! Yes, you read it right. Paiting with a squirt gun is such a fun way to let your kids get creative and have some fun. Before you get started you will need to take some time to prepare the area. Put plastic down on the ground, if you don’t want paint everwhere. Prepare the guns with acrylic paint mixed with water. For the best result don’t add too much water – you want it diluted enough to go through the gun, but not super runny so that the paint doesn’t stick to the canvas. Put out a big white canvas or sheet for your masterpiece (or you can prepare small canvas pieces for each child). This is also a fun party favor they can take home with them. Who knows, you might have new Picasso amongst the children!

Pro tip: Check out our full post for more into on everything you need for squirt gun painting with kids. 

27. Drawing shadows

When the sun is lowering, it is fun to do another creative game: shadow drawing. This is a great game for evening parties or after dinner outdoor activities. All you need to do is take a piece of white paper and put it on the ground. Then, place any object in between the sun and the white paper to create a shadow on the paper. What kind of objects? A dinosaur, a giraffe, elephant, or any toy that stands straight and can be drawn. Let the kids use paint or markers to trace the outline of the object’s shadow and then decorate it with stickers, goggly eyes, drawings, paint, or anything else. Let them get creative.

28. Rock painting

Painting rocks is fun for kids of all ages (and adults). All you need to get started on this fun activity is some paint and a few rocks. Let each child paint a rock the way they want to. Just colors, fun stripes, a motivational saying, or turn your rock into a cute animal like a ladybug or bee. At the end of the party, they can take it home to show their own family, or you could keep them all and place them around your neighborhood, yard, local park, or on your favorite trail. 

For more info on rock painting (and how you can use it to keep your kids moving down the trail when hiking), check out our full rock painting with kids post. 

Superpower Games

29. Superpower smash

Who has the ultimate superpowers? Get ready to find out! If you have some boxing gloves in the house, put them to good use and test out your kids’ super powers and strength!  Let the kids put on the boxing gloves and use their superpowers to smash cookies, water balloons, cupcakes, or whatever you can think of! This is definitely not something that kids get the chance to do often, so it’ll blow their minds! Kids of all ages will gather their superpower to smash every single piece!

30. Little witch, what time is it?

You might have a different name for this game. In Belgium we call it Little Witch; What Time is It?” (In the US, this is often called, Mr. Wolf, What Time is It?) The first child is the witch (or wolf). He or she is standing on one side of the yard, with his or her back towards the other kids, who are all standing at a certain distance from the witch. Use a thick rope as a starting line. Then the kids all together ask the witch: “Little witch, what time is it?” The witch will give an answer and all the kids have to take that number of steps forward. For example, if the witch says: “5 o’clock”, all the kids take 5 steps forward. The kids repeat until the moment the witch thinks the others are right behind her. Then she answers: “dinnertime!!” and she turns around and tries to catch the others. The kids who get caught first becomes witch and the game starts over.  

31. Flying carpet

Similar to keepy uppy, this fun outdoor game is all about keeping the ball off the ground. Start by taking a blanket and have the kids hold onto it all around. Place a ball on the blanket. Now it’s up to the kids to keep it in the air with the blanket as long as possible. Let the magic begin!

Outdoor hunting games for kids

32. Scavenger hunt

I don’t know a single kid (of any age) that doesn’t love a good scavenger hunt! Depending on age of the kids at your party, you go from a very simple scavenger hunt game to something more challenging. For little kids, we love giving them a list of specific items to find. They can’t read, so it helps to have pictures of the item that they’re looking for. For older kids, you can make the clues much harder (turn them into riddles) or have them be more abstract (e.g. find something spiky).  

Pro tip: If you want a whole bunch of fun little 1-page printable scavnger hunts for all kinds of locations, check out our printable scavenger hunt adventure pack. 

33. Treasure hunt

Another fun kids game to play outside with a group of kids is a hidden treasure hunt. Hide a treasure somewhere in your backyard. With the help of a treasure map or written clues, the kids will get closer to the treasure. It will motivate kids to work together as a team to solve the mystery and find the treasure. I like making these trasure hunts a series of clues, each one leads them to the next clue, and the final clue leads them to the prize. 

34. Barefoot/sensory trail

Next up is the very popular barefoot sensory trail! For this, you’ll need to do a little work setting everything up before the kids arrive. Start by getting out all your big plastic pots, bins, bowls, and tubs. Fill each one of them with different things such as rice, water, flour, mud, water beads, slime, sand, etc. Put some grass or stones in between. When it’s time, have the kids go barefoot an walk through the sensory trail, stepping into each bin along the way. Kind of exciting for the littles ones. To make it interesting for older kids, blindfold them and help them step from bin to bin, guessing what’s in each one. 

35. Sandbox dig

Younger kids will love playing in the sandbox at the party, if you have access to one. Before the party, hide little items and treasures in the sand for the kids to find. Treasure ideas include things like plastic dinosaurs, unicorns, gemstones, coins, fairies, superheroes, army soldiers, or construction trucks. You could even give each kid a sand bucket and shovel for the dig. 

Outdoor board games for kids

36. Twister

Indoors or outdoors, Twister is a fantastic game to play at a party! This fun activity also keeps the rest of the kids entertained. You don’t have Twister? There are different ways of making your own DIY version of Twister. Take a large cardboard box, cut circles and paint it red, yellow, green and blue.

37. Micado (pick up sticks)

A great game you can also bring along to every trip with kids is Micado (pick-up sticks). This is a game of patience and logic that requires players to remove the sticks from the pile. It’s a great game to play when you need to slow the kids down a bit and get the to calm their bodies. 

38. Finding words

Scrabble is a great game for older school aged kids and can be lots of fun! Again, I would advise you to check with family and friends if you don’t have the game Scrabble, as someone probably does and you can borrow it.  You don’t have to play Scrabble the traditional way, on the board. Instead, divide the kids into two teams and distribute an equal number of letters to each side. Let them try to find as many words as possible using their letter tiles. You will soon notice how creative kids can be! Another fun way to play, would be to create your own giant scrabble game. Cut out large squares of cardboard and write a letter on each. Use the giant letters to form words and play on the ground, building on the words. 

Party prepping time

So, now you have 30+ of the best outdoor party games for kids! You’re prepared with all kinds of great ideas and ways to keep the kids happy, active and entertained. However, don’t try to cram too many games into one party. Just a few will do, which give the kids plenty of time to play independently or keep the game going if they’re not ready to move on! They may even start with the game and then get creative and take it in a whole new direction on their own. Let them go! 

In order to prepare for your outdoor kids’ party, here are a few things you’ll want to do before:

• Make a list of games you would like to do and add them to a (flexible) timeframe
• Add two ‘extra’ party games to the list (just in case one of the other games is  flop or the kids finish super early)
• Prepare a list of items you’ll need (material you already have and what needs to be on your shopping list)
• If you need to make/DIY any items, make sure they are ready the day before the party
• Start prepping your backyard well on time. You don’t have a own backyard? Go to the local park.
• Last but not least, DON’T STRESS OUT!! It’s ok when things don’t work out the way you expected them to be. Most of the time, the kids will not even notice.

Peace of mind when party planning 

I hope these 30+ outdoor kids party games have inspired you to host an unforgettable party for your little one, with a bit less stress! No matter which games you play, the kids are guaranteed to have fun. Make sure everything is prepped and ready ahead of time and don’t get discouraged if kids say they “don’t want to play a game.” Once they see how much fun these games can be, they’ll love them! 

Don’t also forget to have fun and enjoy the party! If mommy or daddy are relaxed, the kids will be too! As Jim Elliot once said: “Wherever you are, be all there!”

What is your favorite outdoor kids’ party game? 

About the author

Tine is a natural-born adventurer from Belgium. She met her husband, soulmate, and the father of her two girls while working and living in the Dominican Republic. Nine years ago they moved back to Europe and are still exploring European grounds. Her happy place is wherever her kids are, but she spices up life by discovering unknown places, planning new adventures, and going outdoors as much as possible. Having kids added a big value to her life, because seeing life through the eyes of her little ones lifted it to a completely different dimension. Their family goal is to travel the world, living a location-independent lifestyle. The family is now working on a couple of projects to make this dream happen! In the meantime, they keep on exploring and Tine keeps on writing and inspiring other families to explore just like them. 

You can find more from Tine online in the following locations:
Instagram: @kidsdelmundo
RWMC posts: Tine Voeten
Website: www.kidsdelmundo.com