Picnic Games For Kids Under 10
While you can spend hundreds of dollars taking your children to an amusement park, for a fraction of the cost, your family can have as much fun enjoying a picnic in a state, county, or local park. Bring along a basket full of favorite foods and plan a couple of games that everyone can enjoy.
A great game from the "down under" country of Australia that can be played with a few participants or a large group is called Hospital Tag. It's a variation of the traditional game of tag where someone is designated "it." The game begins with "it" trying to tag the other players. When "it" does tag someone, that player has to hold the spot where he or she was tagged. That player then becomes "it" and has to try to tag the next player while holding the spot. This game can be challenging and fun to watch when someone is tagged on his or her foot or other less than convenient location.
On a warm day, a game of Duck, Duck, Squirt is ideal and refreshing for young and old kids alike. This game incorporates the fun of squirting a water gun with the classic game of Duck, Duck, Goose. To play, have everyone sit in a circle, and designate one person to start the game. This person walks around the circle patting each player on the head while saying duck, duck duck. When squirt is announced, he or she then squirts a player with the water gun, and the chase begins. The squirter needs to run back to the other player's position without being tagged by the person who was squirted. If the squirter is tagged before sitting, he or she needs to start over again. If the squirter makes it back to the position without being tagged, the squirted player starts the next round.
Finally, when everyone needs a break from running around, a game of "Going On A Picnic" is a fun way to wind down. To start, have everyone sit in a circle. The first player says, "I'm going on a picnic, and I'm going to bring ___." (The player needs to say something that begins with the letter A) The next player has to remember what the first player is bringing and then say something with the letter B. The game continues with players naming items through the entire alphabet. You'll be amazed with how much the kids can remember.
So, consider a picnic for your next family outing. You and the kids might just be surprised that something so inexpensive and simple can be so much fun!