I’m on a quest! The elusive item I am seeking? Something that will make my kids love playing outside! Make that building their ability to play independently outside. It seems this is a skill my kids have never learned.

We seem to always have battles in this house convincing my kids to play outside. They get out there and they have no idea what to do! They either follow us around while we work on projects (you want to help me pull weeds?…OK). Or they don’t leave my patio.

So I’ve decided I’m going to start creating some lists. An instruction manual on how to play outside. Seems very silly, but for some reason very necessary. Here it goes!

Part 1 will focus on the basics. Kids love balls right?! Here are 10 fun things they can do with them:

1. Kick a ball! Chase it wherever it goes and kick it again. More kids equals more balls. Crazy running in all directions. If there is more than 1 kid, take turns keeping the ball away from the other(s).
2. Soccer/Goalie – Set up a goal area. If you don’t have one, create one between 2 trees or between 2 sticks. Have one person try to kick the ball in to score a goal. Let the other person be the goalie trying to block the ball from going in. Then switch spots. See who can get the most goals in a certain number of kicks.
3. Catch – There is always playing catch. Be it with a football, baseball, any ball you have. Throw it or bounce it back and forth.
4. Rooftop Bounce – Throw a ball up to the roof. Try to catch it when it bounces back down. Or see if you can throw it over to the other side of the house (assuming it won’t end up the road). Play catch over the house.
5. SPUD – Remember this game from when you were a kid? One person throws the ball up as high as they can into the air. Each person is given a number. They call out a number. Everyone runs. The person they called catches the ball and yells “Spud”. Everyone freezes. Then they try to throw the ball (like dodge ball) to hit one of the other players. This can be modified for only 2 players. Take turns throwing and catching the ball. Skip the dodge ball piece of it if you wish.
6. HORSE – One person shoots the basketball from anywhere. If they make the shot, the second person has to try and shoot the exact same shot. If they also make it, the game continues and someone makes up the next shot. If they don’t make it, they get a letter H. It continues until someone spells HORSE (the loser). Take turns inventing shots to challenge the other person to. Can even increase difficulty by doing things like making shots with eyes closed or behind your back. Don’t have a basketball hoop? Set a clothes basket out in the yard somewhere and try to toss it in.
7. Bouncy Ball Chase – My kids love this one on our enclosed patio. Take 1 (or more) of those little bouncy balls you get out of the quarter machines. Bounce it high into the air. It will bounce off of everything it hits and they chase it around giggling. This doesn’t have to be done in an enclosed area.
8. Juggling – Have them practice juggling with 3 golf balls or tennis balls. Maybe just 2 and try to throw one up and catch as you throw the other up.
9. Target Practice – Pick something in the yard or hang something (like a bell, sheet, etc). Have the kids take turns trying to throw the ball and hit it. Maybe hang a few targets (some being closer than others) and score points depending on which you can hit.
10. Counting – Create competitions around who can do the most. It could be how many times you can dribble a ball. Maybe how many times you can throw a ball up and catch it. Even how many times you can hit a ball with your knees/hands/elbows/feet and keep it in the air.

Happy playing!!

Click on the links below for other parts to this series:

Part 2: Playing Outside with Dirt
Part 3: Playing Outside with Water