Are your kids getting anxious from spending all their time away from friends? Do they miss playing with their friends at the park? Well, good news, then. It may take a little more thought and planning, but a day at the park is doable. Here are three outdoor park games that follow CDC guidelines for distancing while allowing your kids the social interaction they desperately crave.
Storytelling
This game is great for working out your children’s minds and bodies at the same time. Start by arranging the children in a circle, spacing them six feet apart from one another. The group will tell then tell a story together, with each child providing one word at a time. If any child gets stuck, he or she will have to jumpstart their mind by doing 10 jumping jacks before rejoining the circle.
Detective
Here’s another game that works well seated in a circle. Choose one child to be the detective and send him or her off a distance. Once the detective is out of earshot, help the group select a leader. The leader’s job will be to initiate movements (e.g., jumping jacks, squats, kicks, etc.) that everyone else will need to copy. It’s the detective’s job to figure out who the leader is. Once the detective figures it out, the leader becomes the detective, and the game starts over.
Cornhole Toss
Cornhole is a time-honored classic, and many parks are even set up with cornhole stations. If not, though, start by setting the boards up yourself, at least six feet apart from each other. Teams will then take turns tossing the beanbags: one point if the bag lands on the board and three points if the bag goes through the hole. It’s straightforward and easy to master in no time!
Head over to Pacific Drive or Independence Park with your kids and give these park games a try! Whether your kids are storytellers, detectives, or beanbag tosser extraordinaires, they’re sure to enjoy the time spent outside and with friends, all while staying safe.