Sports Games for Kids
From LoveToKnow Kids
LoveToKnow Kids has compiled a list of suggested sports games for kids. With so much focus on the rise in obesity among children today, keeping your kids active is critical. Whether your child participates in organized sports programs or simply loves playing sports with her neighborhood pals, living an active lifestyle is a healthy choice for kids of all ages!
Games Using Balls
These games can typically be adapted for almost any age. If you have children of varying ages, you might want to make sure that an adult is monitoring the activity.
Beach Blanket Volleyball
While some people like to use a volleyball net, it really isn't necessary. Set up teams by dividing evenly according to the number of kids that will be playing. Be sure you evenly place older and younger kids on both teams. The game is easiest to play if each team has four people on it, so that there will be one person holding each corner of the blanket. You can work this out if you have a larger number, however. Have one team serve the volleyball by placing the volleyball in the middle of the blanket. They are to lower the blanket and then raise it quickly as a team, to allow the ball to become airborne. The opposing team must catch the volleyball in their blanket and toss it back again. You can keep score by giving a point to each team each time they catch the ball in the blanket.
Four Square
Mark off a play area that is a six-foot square with chalk, and then evenly divide that square into four small squares. Have a child stand in each square with one child holding the ball. The one with the ball will bounce the ball once in his square, then tap it into another player's square. The player in that square must tap the ball into another player's square, after it bounces once into his square. If the ball bounces more than once in someone’s square, they are out of the game, and either the square is left empty or you rotate a new player into it. If your ball goes out of the play area before bouncing in the grid, you’re out of the game. If your ball lands in a square where there is no player, you’re also out of the game.
Outdoor Bowling
Have the kids set up about 10 empty plastic two liter bottles on a flat surface. Each player gets three tries at knocking the cans down at about 20 feet away. If one player knocks all the bottles down within his three shots, he gets another turn to add more points to his score. The total amount of bottles that each kid knocks down gets added to his or her total score. You should decide before you begin playing the amount of turns that the kids will take. The person with the highest score wins. You can keep score by using sidewalk chalk on a driveway or walkway.
Games Using Skill
These sports games for kids rely more on skill than on strength, and even little ones can join in on many of these games.
Disk Golf
In many cities, parks offer Frisbee enthusiasts disk golf courses that they can enjoy free of charge. You don't have to visit a park to enjoy this game, however. You can make your own disk golf course in your backyard. Set up garbage cans around the lawn, tie ribbons to various trees and bushes that will serve as targets, and hang a Hoola-hoop from a tree or clothesline. You can let players try to hit the various targets, having them keep score as to how many tries it takes them. The lowest score wins!
Umbrella Toss
Purchase several inexpensive umbrellas at your local dollar store. Place the umbrellas upside down about 10 - 15 ft away from each other and the players. Have players try to bounce tennis balls into the umbrellas, but they should bounce at least once. Keep score.
Relay Games
Relay games are great sports games for a large group of kids. Check out the following ideas:
Monkey Race
Divide kids into teams, and designate a starting and stopping point. The first person on each team is to bend over with feet and legs apart and grab his or her ankles. When given the signal to go, the players are to race down the course and back without letting go of their ankles. Each person on the team repeats the relay. The team that finishes first is the winner. This is a great sports game for kids of all ages to enjoy!
Tunnel Race
Teams should line up in relay formation to play this sports game for kids. All players should spread their legs in a straddle position. When given the signal, the last player from each team crawls through the legs of all his teammates. The next player follows in turn until the team is back into original formation. As soon as a player has crawled through the tunnel, he is to stand up so the next player can get through his legs. The first team that completes the cycle is the winner.
Sports Games for Kids Websites
Looking for more sports games for kids? Check out the following Websites!
Learn More
This page has been accessed 2,052 times. This page was last modified 19:31, 7 March 2007.
© 2006-2008 LoveToKnow Corp.
