Great summer camp games combine physical activity with fun. The best part is that they can be played at summer camp, at recess, or even at large family gatherings.

Here are five fun summer camp games for kids that you can try at your next gathering. 

 

Capture The Flag

To play capture the flag, you will need two flags or items to be used as the flag. Break into two teams. Choose boundaries for your play area, then designate a divider to separate the two teams’ “zones.”  

The goal is for runners to run to the opposite team’s zone, steal the flag and make it all the way back to their side.

You will need to designate a “jail” area for anyone who gets tagged by an opponent. Jails are usually in the center of a team’s territory and can be a tree or bench. They should be the same distance from the center line for both teams. People are released when their teammates rescue them and tag them back in.

 

Dodgeball

Dodgeball is a fun game to play with a large number of people. You will need multiple balls that can be thrown at people. You don’t want them to be too hard or they might hurt. Designate your rules at the beginning and split your players into two teams. Draw a line down the center of the space to indicate sides. At the starting whistle, everyone runs to the center line to grab the balls.

A person is considered out when they get hit with a dodgeball. If they catch a dodgeball, the person who threw it is out. The team with the last player standing wins.

 

Cornhole Or Bean Bag Toss

If you have a cornhole set and beanbags, you can play traditional cornhole rules. Players stand opposite their board and attempt to toss bean bags through the hole. They get points for getting on the cornhole board and more for getting through the hole.

If you don’t have cornhole boards, but have bean bags, create your own bean bag toss. Grab a couple of buckets and space them out at different distances. Assign them different point values, with the closest being the least amount of points. Whoever scores the most points in a set number of rounds wins. 

 

Relay Races

Relay races can be held in so many different ways. Separate kids into teams, explain the rules, and have fun. Get creative with your relay races. If you want a step up from just running, have them run while holding a spoon on an egg. Or add an obstacle course to the relay track that players have to run through before tagging their teammate. The object of the game is for everyone on the team to have completed the relay course before the other team completes it.

 

Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts get kids running around and also being observant of their surroundings. Make a list of objects for kids to find (a pinecone, feather, something blue, etc.) and give them a set amount of time to find those items. The kid or team who arrives back at the starting point first with all the items, or the team with the most items found, wins.

Have fun playing these summer camp games for kids!