Outdoor Games for First Graders

Mother May I
Red Light/Green Light
Hula Hoop Contest

If you're on asphalt, you may not want to do the 3 legged race - too much opportunity for skinned knees!

Your first answer is exactly what I was going to say. Kids this age love red/green light and mother may I. When all my grandkids are here or when other kids are here with my two they always ask to play it.

Another one they love is duck, duck goose and the farmer in the dell. Another one they love is (don't know if there are to many for this one, maybe not) -- Do you know the muffin man - here's how you play:

The children form a circle and someone stands in the center blindfolded with a pointer in their hand that they hold outward, or they can just hold their arm out in front of them pointing their finger. The children go around in a circle singing, "Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man? Do you know the muffin man who lives on Drury Lane? Then they all stop circling and singing and stand very still and absolutely quiet. The child holding out his finger towards who ever landed in front of him asks three yes or no questions while the other child disguies their voice and answers yes or no and then the blindfolded child tries to guess who it is. Then that child takes the center and so on. They ask simple questions that can only be answered with yes or no, like, do you like ice cream.

Keep it simple and their age and have lots of fun. Sure sounds like fun.

you can do an egg relay. With a spoon in your mouth and an egg. Some do it with uncooked eggs but at that age I would hard boil them

My daughter's school had field day and this is a list of their activities:

They took pool noodles and threw them like javelins. They had to throw them past a line on the field. They got to keep throwing until they could make the throw.

Sack races

Belly Buster Beach Ball - Two children put a beach ball on their bellies and had to walk sideways with it using no hands.

Holey Moley Relay - Children formed two lines and each team had a styrofoam cup with holes in the bottom. The child at the front of the line dipped the cup in a kiddie pool and then passed the cup over their head to the next child in line. They get pretty wet with this game.

Water Balloon Hot Potato - Water balloons that are pricked with a pin (prick near where they are tied right before handing to the child) to make the water squirt out all over and the children pass carefully to each other.

Sock Copter Race and Rescue - A sock that has a sock balled up inside it then soaked in water . The children form teams and run twirling with the socks over their heads and pick up army men and run back to their team with them.

Bubbles - all kinds of bubbles are blown - the ones in the wands and regular bubble containers.

Tug of War

Sponge Relay - Sponges that are soaked in water and the children placed the sponge on their head and held it in place with one hand while running in a relay.

Waddle Relay - Pool noodles placed between their legs while running in a relay.

Frisbee Golf - Frisbees were thrown inside of hula hoops and when child completed the task then the next child in line threw the frisbee.

River Crossing - tarps were stretched out on the ground and all the children stood on a tarp. Another tarp is passed over their heads and then stretched out on the ground next the one they are standing on. All the children have to walk or jump to the next tarp without stepping on the grass. This is done until a stopping point or a finish line has been established.

Water Physics - Children formed a line and each child was given a plastic container. They had all kinds of containers - cups, watering cans and a few looked like huge measuring cups. The first child in line dipped their container in a kiddie pool and then turned to the next child in line and filled that child's container and so on until the end of the line. The last child child poured theirs into a bucket and then became the first child in line.

Popsicle Station to cool off- The school bought the push up type popsicles in the long, clear plastic sleeve things. (all flavors)

There were 15 stations in all and after we finished all the stations, we took a lunch break. After lunch, the children ran a 50 meter race and then they finished the day with an obstacle course.

It was a fun day!

Relay races - we just did a going to the beach theme - where they have to run with a beach bag (which has a beach towel, hat and sunglasses - the big goofy kind) from one end to the other - take out the towel spread it out, put on the sunglasses and hat sit on a chair and get up and pack all the items an run back to give the bag to the next teammate.

Pinatas are always fun too.

How about breaking into teams and having relay races with a "twist"...i.e. they have to go back and forth carrying a big spoon with a ball on it. Or they have to go back and forth and carry water to a bucket, the team with the most water wins...

My son's school always did tug a war. They all Loved it. Class against Class. Also they did relay races around cones. Plus a fun run, the 1st 5 winners of boys get awards and so does the 1st runners of girls.

Golf ball on spoon relay
Potato sack race
Beanbag toss (into bucket or hoop)
Sponge bucket relay - fill bucket w/ water by ringing out sponge
Leaky cup relay - same but use a cup with a hole in it
Ball hop relay - each child has to jump down to a line and back with a ball between their legs
Parachute games
Face painting

Red Light Green Light
Simon Says
Red Rover Red Rover
Three legged race is a cute idea - go for it
Dress up relay race - have a bunch of clothes they have to put on, race to the other side and take off, next person dresses, etc. It's fun to do with adult-sized clothes
Egg on a spoon race

go to http://www.familyfun.com and type in outdoor games in the search engine and you will find TONS. I saw one recently that used silly bands in a tag type game, we've played sticker tag off of there