Youth Outdoor Games

Bean Bag On Foot

This game is a real balancing act! Contestants walk with a bean bag (or hacky sack/footbag) on one foot - which foot doesn't make any difference. It cannot be tied on or held with the hand. Players are supposed to take normal steps, not slide their bean bag-laden foot or walk on the heel. The distance of this handicap walking race is about 80 feet (25 m). If a bag slides off a player's foot, he must return to the starting line and start again.

Bean Bag Pickup

This is a horse and jockey race. One contestant carries the other piggyback. The teams line up at the starting line. Directly in front of each team, at a distance of approx. 30 feet (10 meters), two bean bags are placed on the ground. At a signal the jockeys mount their "horses" and run to the bean bags. The riders dismount, pick up the first bean bag, mount the horse, and ride back to the starting line to drop off the first bean bag. They then turn around, and go back for the second bean bag. The first team bringing both bean bags wins.

Block and Tackle

Equipment:A 40 foot (15 m) rope with ends tied together, four wooden blocks (2x4, 1 foot long are ideal).
This picnic game can be played by 2-4 people. With 4 contestants, the players stand in a square inside the rope loop, facing inward and holding the rope against their backs just under the arms, and leaning against it so the rope is taut.

Now stand the 2x4 blocks on end about 5 feet (2 m) behind the players. The object of the game is to kick over the blocks.

At the starting signal each contestant starts pulling against his three opponents. Sooner or later one of them will succeed in kicking over his block and winning the game.

The game can also be played with three contestants, the rope then forming a triangle. Or just two contestants can pull against each other. The most fun is with four contestants however.

Block Balance

Equipment: 2x4 blocks of wood, about 1 foot (30 cm) long.
It is important to make sure the block ends are sawed off perfectly square. Each contestant gets two blocks. They carry one block horizontally with both hands at one end. The other block needs to be balanced upright on the end of the block they are holding. The balanced block should be at the very end of the block that is carried, such as the shape looks like an "L".

Let the contestants get their blocks balanced before giving the race starting signal. Contestants walk to a line 70 or 80 feet (20-30 m) away. If their blocks fall off, they must return and start over.

Don't schedule this race on a windy day!

Crab Kick

Equipment: Bean bags
This is like a Crab Race with complications. Players assume a sitting position and walk on hands and feet. A bean bag is placed in front of them and they must kick it along to the finish line. Both contestant and bean bag must cross the finish line to complete the race. Misdirected kicks will send the bean bags in front of opposing players, but the opponents must ignore them. Every player must continue to kick his own bag and none others.

Any contestant throwing or even touching the bean bag with his hands is disqualified.

Indian Wrestle

The players lie down in pairs, side by side, head to feet, face up. They hook their inside legs together at the knees, and at the starting signal attempt to turn their opponent over. If at all possible, the opponents should be of fairly equal weight.

Siamese Soccer

Here is a creative game of soccer three-legged style (for groups of at least 10 or more). You will need a 3 ft. length of rope for each pair of players.

The players are divided into two teams. Players need to team up and tie their legs together as you would for a three-legged race (two players stand side-by-side and tie their adjacent legs together so that they must move their inside legs together).

Goalies are also tied together, but have the option of being tied back-to-back at the waist if they wish.

Regular soccer rules apply.

Swedish Tug Of War

Equipment: A 40-foot (15 m) rope loop; four bean bags.
This picnic game is similar to Block and Tackle. Four contestants get inside the rope to form a square, all facing outward with the rope around their middles.

Bean bags (or blocks, balls or some other object) are placed outside the square, 4-5 feet in front of each contestant. The players hang on to the rope and pull towards the outside, trying to pick up their bean bag.

Wheelbarrow Race

This is an old time favorite. It's a two-contestant team race. One contestant walks on his hands, while his teammate holds up his legs like the handles of a wheelbarrow. This can either be a one-way race, or the contestants can switch positions at the finish line and race back.