Generation games
Published
We’re all on a mission to make sure our kids get as much outdoor exercise and fun as possible, especially when they’re not in school. Using ideas from ‘the good old days’ Muddy Puddles have come up with some games that stand the test of time.
Hide and seek
Probably one of the most universally loved pastimes, hide and seek was the go-to outdoor game for most of us as children, and it still keeps kids entertained for hours.
Capture the flag
You might remember this from PE lessons or sports days. Split between two ‘teams’, players think of tactical ways to enter their opposing team’s zones and do as the name of the game suggests – capture the flag (or beanbag, stick, sock—anything you like!). The first person to succeed wins for their team! If they get tagged by one of the opposition players, a forfeit must be paid—usually five star jumps or push ups—before returning back to their own zone and starting again.
Skipping rope
Who would have thought a piece of rope could be all you need to make a game? From single skipping ropes to double skipping ropes, and jumping to old nursery rhymes such as Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, competing against friends for who can skip the longest never loses its appeal.
Pooh sticks
Whether played with friends, grandparents, or siblings, this game is fun for all ages. It’s simple – each player throws a stick over a bridge to see which floats down the river to the other side of the bridge the fastest.
Marbles
There are many games to play with marbles. Probably the most common one to be passed down the generations involves marbles (of course!), a circle and good hand control. Players draw a circle and place marbles in the centre in an ‘X’ shape. With the spare marbles, each player must flick or role a marble towards the marbles in the circle and try knocking one out. When they do, they get a point! Remember not to let very small children play with marbles unless fully supervised.
Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a classic game that triggers nostalgia for many adults. Draw the classic hopscotch diagram on the ground with chalk and throw a bean bag on a number square. By jumping with one leg, then two, then repeating this process, see how far you can jump up the diagram to pick up the bean bag.
Crack the egg
When garden trampolines become popular, this game came into its own. One child curls up in a ball in the centre of the trampoline, acting as the ‘egg’, while the others bounce around them. The aim is to see how long the person can stay in a ball. Whoever ‘breaks the egg’ become the next egg!
Sources
https://www.wired.com/2009/08/...
https://www.verywellfamily.com...
http://www.streetgames.co.uk/g...
https://www.ducksters.com/game...
