Fun games to play outside - 101 different ideas for kids!

Spring is coming! So we’re on the hunt for fun games to play outside.

Over the winter my kids have been flicking through this book: 101 Things For Kids To Do Outside, and dreaming about the arrival of spring. There are so many fun games to play outside in this book! Some of them are very simple (water fights, running races) and others are more imaginative (science experiments, decorating grass with flour and stencils) Others are simple but I just hadn’t thought of them (bark rubbings, hide and seek with favorite toys and making potions with mud).

One of the things I love about this book is that you can always find something do-able. There are, of course, lots of fabulous activities if you plug your brain in and plan in advance – they just require a few bits of kit. For example, making an outdoor oven for baking cookies – my kids would love that!

The day we made kites

But if you just happen upon a not so rainy day, and your kids suddenly want fun games to play outside, there are plenty of ideas involving the things you probably have around the house already. We have had so much fun making kites with just paper, string and toilet rolls 🙂

I love activities like this which also stretch to involve a range of ages and interests too – some kites were more extensively decorated than others, and some kites were more intensively played with than others. But everyone had fun making them.

Toilet roll professionals

Anyway, it got me thinking about toilet rolls, and how we always have lots of them available in our house (although sometimes not right when you need one). I took myself off to Pinterest to see what you can make with them, and discovered that I have been missing several tricks here. Wow, some of the things made with empty toilet rolls are positively professional!

Here are some of my favorites:

I love all things from Crafty Morning, and this car is so cute and simple.

Talking of cute, how about Paddington?! This is from Red Ted Art.

And how about this very sweet ladybug from Easy Peasy and Fun?

This last one isn’t strictly a kids’ craft, although it certainly could be. But it is so striking I can’t pass it up! Printing with toilet rolls…it is so effective. This bag is by Lime Riot.

I hope the weather holds, and you and your little ones get out into the fresh air. And if not, there are always a few toilet roll crafts to turn a rainy day into a fun day.