10+ Old School Backyard Games Your Kids Will Want to Play

This shop featuring my favorite Old School Backyard Games has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WhereFunBegins #CollectiveBias

I remember being outdoors ALL. THE. TIME. when I was a kid. We didn’t come home until the street lights came on and even then, we ran around the yard chasing lightning bugs.

Nowadays kids can’t roam the neighborhoods like we used to, but they can take advantage of all the awesome fun backyards have to offer!

Old School Backyard Games were some of my favorites. Many of them I have played with my own kiddos, but there are some I have yet to challenge them at. This Summer that all changes!

A good old fashion Old School Backyard Games Challenge will be going down in our backyard! Want to do the same? Check out these Old School Backyard Games and get the family ready!

Old School Backyard Games

Red Rover: Gather at least 10 people into two teams. Form lines across from each. One person calls out a name from the other team and yells “Red Rover, Red Rover, Send XYZ right over.” The person named runs over and tries to break through the line. If they do, they take a person with them back to their team. If they don’t, they stay on the other team.

Red Light, Green Light: One person is the “stop light” and the other children all gather up across the yard from them. The stop light yells out “Red Light” or “Green Light” and the kids move forward or freeze based on orders. Anyone caught moving on a Red Light is out and the stop light wins if no one reaches them.

Kick the Can: Place a can in the open yard and designate one person as “It”. Everyone hides while It counts. If you are caught you go to “jail” and are released if another hider kicks the can. This continues until the kicker is tagged or everyone is set free.

Hopscotch: Grab some chalk and draw  yourself a hopscotch grid on the sidewalk or driveway. Roll rocks and hop down the grid.

Four Square: Draw a four square grid with chalk. Grab a ball and start playing! You bounce the ball around the squares, once in each square, and are out if you error.

Freeze Tag: One person is “It” and everyone takes off running while It tries to tag them. If you are tagged, you have to freeze in your spot until someone else tags you to unfreeze you.

Flashlight Tag: One person is “It” while the others hide. It has a flashlight and shines it on the hiders and calls their name out when they are found. The first or last one found is the new It.

Ghosts in the Graveyard: One person hides while the others count at a base spot. When someone finds the hider (aka ghost) they yell “Ghost in the Graveyard” and everyone runs back to base. The person the ghost catches is the next ghost.

Sardines: One person hides and the others count. As people find the hider, they hide with them. The goal is to not be the last person to hide.

Mother, May I?: Gather everyone in a group and ask “mother” if you may do things like frog hops, bear steps, slither like a worm, or whatever you come up with. Mother will answer yet or no.

Leap Frog: Have every line up and squat down. The person hops over the others, like a frog, to the front of the line. The new last person at the end of the line goes and the game continues until you are tired.

Simon Says: One person is “Simon” and the other children all gather out in the yard in front of him/her. Simon calls out orders and if “Simon Says” is added at the end, the children may do them. If not, they stand still. You are out if you perform an action when Simon doesn’t say “Simon Says”.

What are your favorite Old School Backyard Games?