Garden games for children

Swing ball is fantastic for all ages,plastic skittles, gardenquoits,skipping ropes,frisbees,giant Connect 4,Jengacoloured chalk to draw on paving slabs to be cleaned off with paintbrushes in water.

Obstacle races! Things like egg and spoon, walk with a plastic bowl on head, carry (plastic) glass of water without spilling any, jump over cushion hurdles, go through hula hoop, skipping rope, etc. Of course, you do require an adult to supervise/provide commentary. But adults can race, too!

Boules not Boles!

Boles.

After we'd been to France our DC decided they loved playing boules. You can buy colourful sets for children, not as heavy as the proper sets for adults ( which we bought later).
Available from Big River Company and other outlets.

They are balls but not like footballs, rugby balls, which can end up damaging plants.

Croquet was another popular game, as was a mini golf set for children which the DGC liked.

They had a Swingball too and a sandpit. (If it gets spilled, don't worry, sand is good for the lawn 🙂).

I bought a travel darts board with magnetic darts from John Lewis - rolls up around the darts container.
My gtrandkids love a treasure hunt (if you have some time to devise clues!) The older ones could have slightly more challenging clues than the younger ones. A paddling pool with fountains (lots of splashy fun if it's really hot). Pebble painting (just need some acrylic paints), Building a home for an imaginary fairy or elf (usually best in a tree root if you have one)- but using only naturally materials foraged in the garden and not allowed to use anything that has to be picked or broken from plants etc. Or how about "The sock game" (2 long socks, each filled with 20-30 identical small objects (coin, pencil, dice, lego brick ... you get the picture), List the contents on a piece of paper or card and against each item, assign a playing card - eg jack of hearts = dice, 2 of clubs = 50p coin and so on. Divide players into 2 teams then shuffle the cards and turn them over, calling out the item to find - first to find it and pull it out of the sock gets a point for their team! (Actually, you could probably use the same principal for a treasure hunt - hide small objects around garden, 2 teams, point for first to find the object specified.

I noticed in Tesco yesterday they were selling off several garden toys at half price.

Skittles is a good game for the garden too.
I saw a Gran and grandson buying one in Sainsbury's this morning. The little boy was quite excited.

What about one of the old fashioned outdoor games, like throwing rings onto pegs? Can't remember what it is called.

Lengths of old clothes lines to be used as skipping ropes.

Hire a bouncy castle all ages enjoy that and a reasure hunt

Get/make Beanbags cut target holes in a big cardboard box, they can also play catch / hopscotch with them, make hacky sacks & the boys can play keepy uppy - if you’re not able to make these you could use balloons filled with rice/lentils/polystyrene balls (the latter would be softer if hit by one)
What about organising a garden treasure hunt

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacky_sack

Plant pot or 'bucket' stilts - image search - easy to make at home - if you have suitable sized plastic pots and string.

Try Kubb game. It's Swedish I think but easily bought here. It's great for children and adults alike. It involves throwing sticks in order to knock down other sticks. Sounds silly and it is simple but hours of fun. Great find!

For the older children I'd recommend Giant Jenga or Connect 4. Our youngest GC, aged 17 months, loves sitting in a small paddling pool (just a couple of feet wide and two rings high) with play sand and some simple cups to fill up and empty, build little sandcastles and generally just have fun with the sand. I'd avoid anything that flies about, like frisbees or balls - as you say, the little ones will probably get hit on the head or knocked over!

Bubbles are great too, as long as the older ones understand that they shouldn't get too rough when trying to catch/pop them...

you can buy the chalks for the patio slabs in most supermarkets, they love them

It sure how much you want to spend but Aldi have a range of outdoor games on sale at the moment. Giant Jenga, giant connect 4 and also a badminton set. All about £12

They all loved it Oreo and just last weekend the 2 oldest age 15 and 17 were reminiscing about it. They spent the weekend with me and volunteered to paint the garden fence. They were laughing about how they used to love painting the slabs and fence with water when they were little. No water this time, they set about it with Ronseal 😊

Grannynannywanny

When my grandchildren were young their favourite garden pastime was “painting” the paving slabs with water. A few seaside buckets so they could have one each and a 2 inch emulsion brush. They’d draw pictures on the patio and compare notes before they quickly dried off and they could start again.

When my now 15 yr old grandson was little he’d leave his pavement artist siblings and cousins to water paint on the slabs and he’d work his way round the fence with his bucket and paintbrush.

Now they are all older they do enjoy a game of Jenga with a garden set. Or if you don’t mind the mess and high pitched squealing water pistols are good cheap fun.

Water painting! What a simple but great idea, bet they had loads of fun😃

My minded children like having a snail race.
They start by finding a snail for everyone, then write their initial on the shell with a felt tip pen.
Put them all on one paving slab, or together on the grass, and watch!
It's surprising how fast a snail can move 😂
🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌

Also
Don’t know if you are anywhere a The Works store? They sell lots of outdoor toys and craft stuff including bubbles and bubble machines skittles etc. May arrive in time if you order.

www.theworks.co.uk/c/toys-and-games/outdoor-toys?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADybf6fGltEzhIu1MrBhbnMh7476n&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzKmAlb69hwMV949QBh3xQjKFEAAYASAAEgLmZfD_BwE&tsz=40

When ours were small the game they enjoyed the most was hunt the peg. We hid these round the garden each had a container and off they went.
They also loved planting veg or flower seeds and latterly potatoes which they Woukd come to harvest months later. Then a competition fir biggest smallest most least etc etc,
A paddling pool is fun too.
Enjoy your garden. I love mine.

Not balloons wands "bubble wands"!

Sorry I realise now you intended to buy something.

I'd say buy a couple of balloons wands and bubble mix and also some balloons.

Apologies.

I was going to suggest a bubble machine. Bubbles are always great.
Water in buckets with decorators brushes for younger children to “paint” walls or paved areas.
Mark out hopscotch on paving stones and use a beanbag.
Large roll of decorators lining paper with pens crayons etc. They could draw round each other.
Challenge the older ones to make paper helicopters ( just need paper a paper clip maybe blu tac) planes or fortune tellers. You will find lots of templates online. These would transfer indoors too.
Hope you have a lovely time.

Ours never tire of hide and seek and sardines.

The energetic bigger ones climb trees and the quieter ones make daisy chains or pick currants.
I have a swing too.

Badminton is popular and simple enough to set up. I think Lidl have cheap sets at present.

Our kids liked the "balloon snatch" game.
We used a ½ straw to blow them up (and kept the straw in a pocket for next time).

You can do this in teams if you want.

pin.it/2ls08tHMP