Enjoyable Picnic Games and Activities to Entertain Kids
It is officially the season of picnics!
Beautiful, soul-warming golden sunlight. Cool refreshing breeze. Cosy woollens. You could not possibly ask for better weather!
But what you could ask for is fun ways to keep your kids entertained during a rather outdoorsy family picnic. Kids these days are really used to being cooped up inside and hooked to tech to really appreciate screen-free time amidst nature. Which means if you want them to have fun during your family picnic, you really need to up your game. And we mean seriously up it.
Fortunately, we have curated a list of the most exciting picnic games so you do not have to go through the headache!
- Redlight, greenlight
- Wheelbarrow race
- I spy
- Slap the hands
- Trampoline jump
- Musical chairs
- Jenga
- Dance
- Human knot
- Water balloon
Remember the game statue from your childhood? This game is just like that! You need at least 3 to 4 players to really enjoy this picnic game so keep that in mind.
Anyhoo, as for instructions, one of the players has to be the traffic ‘cop’ while the rest of the players just walk around or run or jump or dance – their call. As soon as the cop yells ‘redlight’ all of the players must freeze in their positions as is until the cop says greenlight. If anyone even as much as budges before getting the ‘greenlight’ signal, they are out!
This one is actually a really popular one to play when you are at a large, open, natural picnic spot that has tiny hills or gently rolling slopes.
All you need is three to four teams made up of two people each. So what you do in a wheelbarrow race is one of the players of the team balances themselves on the ground with their hands while their teammate holds their ankles. A finish line is set and each time has to race to it in this wheelbarrow position. Obviously whoever crosses the line first wins this picnic game for kids.
Who can forget this classic, right? If you are running short of picnic game ideas, you can always back on I Spy. It is one of those instant hit type of games!
A lot like hide and seek, all you need for I Spy is just people. No equipment necessary! One of the players has to play the role of the spy while the rest of the kids have to find a spot to hide in. That is until the spy finishes counting. Now the spy will go around looking for the rest of the kids while calling out their name “I spy Natasha!” for example.
Sounds odd, we know, but it is a fun picnic game idea. As long as a little bit of caution is exercised. None of the players should be allowed to slap too hard.
Anyway as for the instructions, a pair of players are supposed to stand facing each other with at least an arm’s distance between them. One of the players will join their hands in the praying position and place them in the space created by the other player’s hands. The player who cups the praying hands has to find the opportunity to slap it as the player with the praying hands tries to move their hands away.
So inexpensive. So fun! And could be free too if you happen to have your picnic in a park that actually has a trampoline.
Just gather all the kids around and let them hop on the trampoline! Whoever falls off first is out of the game. Simple! Just be sure the trampoline is in a sand pit so kids who drop off do not get hurt.
Though it is an indoor party game, musical chairs could be a fun picnic activity for kids too!
Set up at least about 8 chairs in a row with every alternative chair facing the opposite direction. Play some nice dancey, funky tunes, having the kids circle the chair as the music plays. They can do a wiggle or jiggle too if they would like. Then abruptly stop the music, which would be the kids’ cue to find a chair to sit down. Whoever is left standing is out. Keep removing a chair with each round till there’s only one chair and two players left to know the ultimate winner of the game!
We think jenga is a great family game. Yes, it is one of those great picnic activities for kids, but you can jump in too and have some good ol’ family.
Just stack all the pieces of jenga on your picnic table and let fun times unravel as each of you try removing a piece without letting the jenga tower fall. Remember you can only use one hand so no cheating!
If you are planning a bonfire picnic/camping trip with your kids this season, dancing is like one of the must-do activities!
Just toast some marshmallows, gather around the fire, have one of you play a guitar, one of you sing and let the rest just dance the night away. If you do not have a guitar or a singing voice, you can play some peppy numbers too on speaker for everyone to enjoy.
We bet you can recall long hours playing thispicnic game for kids when you were young!
For the human knot, you need at least four to five. Get all of them to stand around in a circle. Now each one of them has to extend one of their arms forward while using their hands to grasp the wrist of another player. See the picture, it will be clearer. The idea is to untangle the knot without breaking the chain formed. Kids can twist and turn themselves to form a circle again!
You know when you attend those fairs and there are tiny balloons pinned to a wall and you have to shoot them? This picnic game is like that but different.
Get your kids to fill up a dozen balloons with water and line them up in a row on the ground. Now hand each kid a pebble and make them aim the pebble at the water balloon. Whoever knocks down the most water balloons wins! This is a game with a high replay value so make sure you have enough pebbles and balloons to go around!
Picnics can be made so much fun for kids with any one of these activities! Trust us, they will end up having hours of fun on their own and they will not even need your supervision while they are at it. Although you must keep a watchful eye. Just in case.
That said, the thing is outdoor games should be a part of your growing child’s daily activities. If you cannot ensure outdoor playtime when your kids are at home, you must choose a preschool where they can play outside in a safe and nurturing environment. Like at one of EuroKids’ branches! Our schools are certified fun while being a great place to learn. Know more about us by dropping by at any one of our schools.