Top 20 Outdoor Olympic Games For Kids – All Ages!

Oh, summer. This time of year, there aren’t many things that are worth sweating in the heat, except maybe the thought of creating some fun memories with friends and family. Perhaps if you’re competing for an Olympic medal, those golden UV rays will become a spotlight under which you shine (or glisten) in all your blades of glory.

What better way to say farewell to summer (or kick off the school year with new friends), than to create an epic backyard bash. Divide into teams, create an obstacle course, or have revolving stations. But whatever you do, have a score card handy…and a healthy slathering of SPF. These outdoor games could just be the thing to rescue you from the combination of sheer boredom and unrelenting temps. The best news? You can find all that you need second-hand or right at home!

1. DIY Cardboard ​Banana Grams

Who says this game can’t exist outside and in lifesize form? Grab all those Amazon boxes, put on your crafty hat and get slicing! Pen some letters on them, and call it a day.

2.​ ​Outdoor​ ​Tic Tac Toe!

Try it ​via frisby toss​ or DIY it with ​painted rocks​! We love both of these spins on the old classic. Get three-in-a-row, and proceed to beam with pride.

3. ​Painted Tin Can​ Bowling

No need to buy a set. Upcycle your canned goods for a family bonding craft activity in preparation for the games. You can use any ball. Best out of three or first one to a strike wins!

4. ​DIY Monster Bean Bag Toss

If you’re gonna do a bean bag toss, make it fun. Make it colorful. And above all, please, make it interesting. How about a monster theme? Decorate a poster board, and either lie it on the ground or prop it up for the tossing! You could even make the more difficult targets higher points.

5. ​DIY Nature Matching Game

This idea by ​Rhythm of Play​ is an outdoorsy take on matching, and we love how it incorporates nature, memory and sensory skills. Plus, it’s au natural!

6. Twister

Bring the indoor games outside! If you own Twister, simply transport to your lawn, but if you don’t, ​spray paint the circles right on the grass​ and get twisting!

7. ​Water Balloon Pinata

What kid (or adult) doesn’t love smashing things? This bundles fun AND relief from the scorching hot sun. If you want to make it a game, you could see how many you can knock down in one swing or even opt for a round of water balloon baseball!

8. Pillow Case Potato Sack Race!

Reuse old pillowcases and ​have the kids decorate them​ for a personalized spin on this age-old tradition! Before the race, set a time limit for the decorating, and give extra points for the most creative potato sack design! It’s a fun party-favor for friends to take home, too!

9. ​Sponge Water Bombs

Construct these cool, innovative water bombs, and aim them at your desired targets in a game of tag, dodgeball, or even baseball! A great way to cool off.

10. ​Nature Scavenger Hunt

Harness that wild sense of adventure, and launch a nature scavenger hunt like this printable one from ​Childhood 101​! Or better yet, have them create their own!

11. Colored Ice Popcicle Paint!

Stay cool while you add a little art to your outdoor activities. If you want to make it into a game, try out a little pictionary, tic-tac-toe or a colorful game of hangman. Better hurry before they melt!

12. DIY Soccer Goal

There are ​countless uses for pool noodles​ when it comes to family fun and games, and here’s another one! Break into teams for a full-on soccer game, or use the goal for a kicking competition. Heads up!

13. DIY Landscaping Obstacles!

Simply rearrange your spare landscaping items such as planters and barrels into a maze-like fashion… Presto! ​DIY outdoor obstacle course.

14.​ ​Bean Bag Paper Plate Toss

Shoot and score! This one’s self-explanatory, but we like how you can customize it for big and little kids by spacing out the targets.

15.​ ​DIY mini golf!

There are way too many nifty ideas on Pinterest for this, and we couldn’t pick just one – from legos to cardboard cutouts to PVC pipes and funnels! Whether you choose to groom your perfectly manicured lawn (see our friends over at ​Turf Managers​) or choose to go the synthetic route (with folks like ​Nashville Turf​), we love the endless possibilities here for all you putters out there.

16. Ring Toss​!

Who says you have to buy a pre-made kit? Give this competition some personality by crafting a hand-painted cardboard “donut” ring toss​ or a ​human ring toss with pool intertubes​!

17.​ ​Milk Jug Water Balloon Toss

We give all the credit to ​A Girl And A Glue Gun​ for this one – nothing like repurposing all that plastic, are we right?

18.​ ​Colored Streamer​ Fashion Show Contest

OK fine, you don’t need to be outside for this. But shards of shredded paper are messy, and how hilarious would it be to break up in partners and compete for the most creative costumes out of streamers? Think upgraded ​toilet paper mummies​. One person is the designer, the other is the model. You can even draw a theme out of a hat (like “Animals” or “Cowboys and Indians”), and simply ask yourself one question: who wore it best?!

19. ​Paint Slip N’ Slide

Talk about another great party favor! Grab plain white T-shirts and a tarp, splatter some paint, and let them go crazy!

20. ​Crazy Soap​ Pit!

Finish off the games with a giant soap pit! Gotta get all the dirt, paint, sweat and grime off anyway, right? This is a huge crowd pleaser at parties, and it’s one of the simpler ideas out there. Cool off, slide around and get squeaky clean while the judges tally up final scores to see who is the FINAL GOLD MEDALIST…that is, until the next Olympic games!!