Have you ever heard, “I’m bored” when playing at the park. Stop the boredom with one of these 5 entertaining games to play at the playground.
It’s a nice day out perfect for the park. So you take a walk or a drive to play on a playground. You’ve only been there for a short while and the kids start to complain that they are bored.
Don’t pack up and head home yet. There is still fun to be had! Check out these games that can be played on any playground anywhere.
Games to Play on the Playground
Obstacle Course
This game to play at the playground is a family favorite at our house. We use the playground toys as our obstacles. Then we each take a turn making up a course and we all take a turn running it.
For example, you go up the stairs, across the monkey bars, down the slide, up the rope net, down the other slide and back to the finish line.
You can keep track of each child’s time and they can try and beat their own time over multiple runs.
Or you can make it a competition and see who can get the fastest time. We use the timer on our cell phone.
You don’t need to keep time to make this an entertaining game to play at the playground. The kids can run the course just for fun.
I’ve found that my kid’s especially love this because I’m playing with them. Whether it’s making the course, running the course, or being the timer. I’m actively watching them play and they LOVE it!
Play a Game of Relay Races
Take your obstacle course to a new entertaining level by making it a relay race game and playing it at the playground. Obviously you’ll need at least 2 kids for this playground game. Or you can join in the fun.
Using the example obstacle course from above you would have one child go up the stairs and cross the monkey bars to then tag the next child.
The second child would go down the slide and up the rope net. Have a third child in the bunch? They can finish strong going down the slide and across the finish line.
Then switch it up so each child gets to run each section of the relay.
The options are endless on how you split up this relay. You could have two kids on a team taking multiple turns in the relay or divide the course in half for each to do. Then switch it up so everyone gets to try every leg.
Having a party? Make the obstacle course longer so multiple kids are on a team and everyone gets to do a leg of the race.
Once again you can keep track of a team’s time or just play for the fun of it.
Don’t Play on Pete (aka Don’t Eat Pete)
This entertaining game you play in a classroom can also be adapted for playing on the playground. Let’s start with how to play the original game.
You begin with a Bingo type board. One child leaves the room while the rest decide which square on the board will be the special Don’t Eat Pete square. Once the square is picked the child who left returns.
Each Bingo square has a small treat on it and the child who left the room eats the treats off the Don’t Eat Pete board in any order they desire.
Yet, when they go to eat the special chosen square everyone yells, “Don’t Eat Pete” and the child’s turn is over. The goal being to get as many squares as possible before you pick the special square.
How do you make Don’t Eat Pete an entertaining game to play at the playground? Start by thinking of the playground as your Don’t Eat Pete board.
Instead of picking a secret square each round pick a secret piece of playground equipment. Like a certain slide, crossing the bridge or using the monkey bars.
After one child leaves (or turns their back, however you want to do it) and a special toy is picked have the child return and head to the playground to play.
See how many things the child can play on before stumbling across the secret toy. When the secret toy or piece of equipment is played on everyone can yell, “Don’t play on Pete”.
Then it’s someone else’s turn and you start again. If you want a little friendly competition then you can keep track of how many toys are played on before each child gets the secret toy.
Playground Challenges
When your kids need a game to play at the playground try giving them challenges. Use the specific toys where you are to make the challenges.
For example, a challenge could be to go down a certain slide 5 times in a row. If your playground has multiple slides then the challenge may be to go down all the slides one right after the other.
Your challenge might be to get from one side of the playground to the other only using baby steps or in less than 10 big steps.
The options are endless. Use the toys on the playground and your imagination to make this playground game wildly entertaining.
Tag
The last of our 5 entertaining games to play at the playground is an oldie but a goodie! You can never go wrong with playing a game of tag. It can add entertainment to your playground and give the kids something fun to do.
To play tag someone is it and they remain it until they tag someone else. Specify on the playground if the game is only on the actual playground or it you can run and be chased on the surrounding grounds.
Of course always be aware of who else is playing on the playground and invite them to join or be cautious not to ruin their fun during your game.
With these 5 entertaining games to play at the playground you can keep the kiddos happy. Plus our kids love nothing more than to have us join in the fun with them and PLAY. These games allow for that too. Happy playing!
