National Outdoor Sports Day
Suggested Family Activity: National Outdoor Sports Day 🤸♀️
Celebrate National Outdoor Sports Day (or National Play Outside Day on the first Saturday of every month) by unplugging the devices and getting active as a family! From classic field day races to creative backyard challenges, there are endless ways to enjoy the fresh air and foster a love for physical activity.
Here are even more fantastic ideas to fill your Outdoor Sports Day with fun, laughter, and a little friendly competition!
Classic & Silly Field Day Fun
Nothing beats the excitement of a good old-fashioned sports day challenge. These activities are perfect for the whole family and require minimal equipment.
- Sack Race (or “Snail Sack Race”): Grab some burlap sacks or old pillowcases and hop your way to the finish line. For a silly twist, try the Snail Sack Race, where participants lie down in the sack and wiggle to the end.
- Egg and Spoon Race: A classic test of balance and concentration. Use a hard-boiled egg or a potato for less mess. For a “giant” version, try balancing a basketball on a wooden cooking spoon!
- Three-Legged Race: Partner up, tie your inner legs together with a scarf or rope, and coordinate your movements to race to the finish line. Teamwork is key!
- Water Balloon Toss: A perfect warm-weather activity. Start close and take a step back after each successful catch. The last team with an intact balloon wins!
- Wheelbarrow Race: Divide into pairs. One person is the “wheelbarrow,” walking on their hands, while the other holds their ankles as the “driver.”
- Tug-of-War: All you need is a long, sturdy rope and two teams to test your strength and strategy.
Creative & Strategy Games
Engage minds and bodies with games that require more than just speed.
- Outdoor Obstacle Course: Use common household or yard items—hula hoops to step through, a garden hose as a snake to run along, traffic cones to weave around, blankets to crawl under, or even a swing set slide as the finish line. Time each family member and have them try to beat their personal best.
- Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of natural items to find: a specific type of leaf, a smooth stone, something that smells sweet, or something that is a certain color. This combines movement with exploration and observation.
- Frisbee Golf (or “Disc Golf”): Design your own course in your yard or local park. Designate trees, buckets, or hula hoops as “holes” and see who can complete the course with the fewest throws.
- “Sardines” Tag: The reverse of hide-and-seek. One person hides, and everyone else searches. When a searcher finds the hider, they quietly join them in the hiding spot. The group gets bigger (“packed like sardines”) until only one person is left searching.
- Capture the Flag: A high-energy game for larger groups. Divide into two teams, each with a “flag” to protect. The goal is to steal the opposing team’s flag and bring it back to your side without being tagged.
Skill-Based Competitions
Test precision and aim with these fun challenges.
- Welly Throwing Competition: Inspired by the javelin, see who can throw a rubber boot (welly) the farthest. Use cones or chalk to mark the distance.
- Lawn Bowling / Bocce / Boules: Set up a simple bowling game using plastic bottles or wooden pins, or play the traditional Italian game of bocce.
- Ring Toss or Cornhole: Simple but satisfying. Use garden stakes for a ring toss or set up a cornhole board to practice your bean bag throwing accuracy.
- Paper Plate/Frisbee Discus: Use paper plates or lightweight frisbees and set up a few hula hoops on the ground at various distances, assigning points to each. See who can land their “discus” for the most points.
- Keepy-Uppy Challenge: Using a balloon or a lightweight ball, see who can keep it in the air the longest without using their hands (or any other rule variations you create!).
Make it an Event!
To make your National Outdoor Sports Day a truly memorable family tradition, add some extra flair!
- Olympic Theme: Assign each family member a “country” to represent. They can make a flag and wear their country’s colors.
- DIY Medals: Get crafty! Make simple cardboard or clay medals to award to the winners of each event. You can award for speed, balance, teamwork, or even the “Most Enthusiastic Participant.”
- Fuel Station: Set up a picnic blanket and a cooler with healthy snacks and drinks to keep energy levels up throughout the day.
- Music: Create an upbeat playlist to keep the energy high and the atmosphere festive.
- Involve Neighbors: If you live in a friendly neighborhood, invite nearby families to join in. More people means more teams, and more teams mean more fun!
