Outdoor Games for Teens

Everyone loves a good game. We often don’t know why, but getting together with some friends on a warm day in the great outdoors can be one of the most satisfying experiences. Some of my fondest memories are of playing basketball or football with a few buddies on a warm summer day. There is something about the sunlight and the exercise that works to invigorate the spirit. Friendly competition pushes us to achieve things we never dreamed were possible. Yes indeed, a good day of outdoor games cannot be exchanged, bought, or sold. Because we all love outdoor games, we would like our children to share an equal appreciation for them. We know that healthy activity outside can lead to healthy bodies and minds. However, many teenagers today don’t seem to be interested in doing the healthy thing. They think it is cool to do drugs and just sit around the house all day. They don’t want anything to do with outdoor games.

A gathering of teens can lead to laughter.

So if you want to get your teen interested in outdoor games, exercise, and sunny weather, what games will be the best for them to play? The answer varies depending on the personality of your son or daughter. Some will not be as interested in difficult, full contact sports, which is fine. Others will want difficult competition and lots of exercise. Evaluate the needs of your teen based on personality and their expressed desires and you should be able to find the right outdoor games for them. Here are a few basic outdoor games for teens for you to think about:

1. Capture the Flag. Always popular with the large groups that teens tend to hang out in, Capture the Flag is a fairly fast paced and crazy game. Divide the large group of teens up into two. Find a suitable playing field–somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of holes or bumps in the groung. Injuries often occur while playing Capture the Flag because people play in areas with lots of obsturctions, or they play at night. Avoid these basic mistakes if you want to avoid injuries. Next, find a suitable flag for each team. The point of the game is for each team to capture the flag of the other. The only way this can occur is by crossing over into the other team’s territory and stealing their flag. But when you cross into their territory you can be captured and put in jail. The game is a lot of fun for teens because it puts them in the kind of group social situations they generally enjoy.

2. Football, soccer, baseball, ultimate Frisbee. These are some of the more typical games played in the world by people of all ages. However, this should not steer you away from suggesting one of these games. They might seem boring, but most teens like to play them. They might also have experience playing them, which is a bonus.

3. Giggle giggle. Only play this game if you are okay with your teen being in close proximity to others. With a group of teens, have one lie down on the floor. Another teen should then lie down and place their head on the stomach of the first teen. The next teen does the same and so on. The game begins when the first person says “giggle.” The second person says “giggle giggle,” and the third says the word three times. This continues until everyone is laughing hysterically.

Be creative when thinking of outdoor games for your teens. Try these tested and tried options and you are sure to find a winner!