From the article: Classic Kids Outdoor Games Still Have Appeal
Were you addicted to Red Rover or a fan of Four Square? What games did you enjoy playing as a kid, and what classic outdoor games have you shared with your kids and grandkids? Share Your Memories
Mummy
- When I was a child, my siblings, my cousins and I used to play mummy. Mummy is a game played in the dark where nobody can see you. There was one person as a mummy. The mummy would count to 20, and the rest would hide. Then the mummy would have to try and find them.
- —Guest Alicia
Jumping Board
- Does anyone remember jumping board? It takes a long board crossed over a stack of several shorter boards or bricks, and a kid stands on each end, and they take turns jumping each other into the air. Something like seesaw, but it is low to the ground and you stand instead of sitting.
- —Guest Sandra
That`s My Space Game
- Players build a circle and hold hands. One person is chosen to be in charge for the first time. He/she would run outside the circle to choose one person of his/her choice. The two run in different directions to see who could run the fastest to reach that vacant space. The one who didn't win chooses another person to compete with. It was interesting. Try it!
- —Guest babsy
River/Bank Game (Llistening Skill Game)
- Draw a horizontal line and name one side river and the other side bank. The player in charge will shout river or bank. All players should listen to the person and jump to that direction. The one who jumps to the wrong direction is out. Play continues until we find the winner.
- —Guest babsy
Hide and Seek (Hide the Belt)
- Draw a circle. One person hides a belt while other players face in a different direction in the circle. All players seek for the belt. The player who finds the belt beats anyone who is outside the circle. Players have to run to the circle for safety. The first one to enter the circle has the next turn to hide the belt.
- —Guest babsy
Anti, Anti, Over
- Just returned from a family reunion--seeing kids from 6 to 60 throwing the ball over (or almost over) the family farm house brought back great memories!
- —Guest JanB74
Bomber Tag
- I have made up this game called bomber tag. I was studying WW2 in school a year or two ago and remembered that in other countries people would be very afraid of bomb raids. The siren would go off, and people would turn off all their lights and try to be unnoticeable. So you play the game at night where there are a lot of shadows. Then you have a ball. It doesn't matter what kind, just preferably big and kinda soft. There will be a bomber who has the ball. Then kids will run around into a shadow and try not to move or anything. Just keep still. When the bomber is away or if you want to make a run for it, you have to get to another shadow, making sure you don't have light on you, and then keep still. It is very fun actually. I hope you will all enjoy.
- —Guest Katie
Really old memories
- Enjoyed reading responses while looking for an old game we used to play. Games haven't changed much. In the letters you posted I see all the games I played (in summertime and barefooted) and I am 90 years old. Not much change!! How much fun we had and what a sweet time it was. Can close my eyes and hear, when it got dark, mothers calling their children to come in and wash their feet and go to bed.
- —Guest Dorothy Dargie
Bum, Bum, Bum, Here We Come . . .
- The rest of the title is "all the way from Washington." There was one person whom you reported to, and you sang bum bum bum here . . . . The head person would ask, "What is your pleasure?" Someone from the group would say movie or whatever they were going to act out for the head person to guess. I can't remember the rules and I would like to know if any one knows how to play? Thanks very much.
- —Guest Joy
It's hot hot hot
- I loved playing WATER BALLOON WARS. Nothing like cold water in the hot summer sun. There are no winners or losers; it was just plain fun. I also played HIDE AND SEEK with all my friends on the block, run fast and tag the tree before you get tagged or you'll be it.
- —Guest Ilda
Street Games
- There are so many outdoor games we played as kids in the 40's & 50's--Half ball, kick ball, wall ball, box ball, points, fist ball to name a few. There was dead box, about 5 games involving trading cards, bike races, so many card games like 500 rummy, knuckles etc. Who needed computers to enjoy childhood?
- —Guest gene
Grandparent
- My favorite was just playing ball with my sister and brothers. If allowed outside.
- —Guest Luna
Hush yourselves and run
- Two teams were chosen with a leader on each team. The leader would take his team and hide them somewhere. He would then come back to the other team and draw on the ground the direction he took to hide his team. The other team would then set out to find them. The leader of the hidden would go with them and if he saw that the team looking were close, he would call out "keep in whereever you're at, don't show the tim of your hat." If the team looking was not near them, he would call out apples, oranges or whatever they decided would be the clue to start running to the starting point without being caught. If they were caught, they had to join the other team. The team who had the most on it at the end was the winner. We loved that game and played it for hours.
- —Guest Hush
Marbles
- All the marbles were divided up. Each child flicked his/her marble with the thumb, and measured whose marble was closest to the target, which could be a wall or a hole in the ground.
- —Guest Rose Kauffman
any one remember this street game?
- We used to play a game in the street with a ball using the opposite curbs for goals. The name of the game sounded like "run-roll frun." Also played it in high school gym class. I have not been able to locate any information on this game. That is likely because of how long ago it was.
- —Guest jim s
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