Outdoor Racing Game Ideas for Kids

When your child starts climbing the walls, head outside and help him put his energy to good use. Once he's outdoors, he can channel that energy into a fun activity that boosts his fitness level, develops his social skills and builds his self-confidence. Gather a few of his friends in your yard or a nearby park, introduce them to a few racing games and cheer them all on from the sidelines.

If you're looking for a racing game that will leave everyone laughing, pull some old pillow cases down from your linen closet. Have every child put his feet in a pillow case and pull the edges up around his hips. Line the children up, designate a finish line and have the children race to the line by jumping in the pillow cases. Expect a lot of giggling as kids lose their balance and topple over.

Kids pretend to be animals in this lively racing game. Tell the kids they're all frogs and explain that frogs move by crouching down and leaping forward. Line the kids up and let them race frog-like to the finish line. Next, tell the kids they're crabs and let them race on their hands and feet with their bellies facing the sky. Finally, instruct them to be ducks and watch as they squat down and waddle toward the finish line. Make races more wacky by suggesting kids mimic the sounds of their animals.

The spoon and egg game can get messy, but that's part of the fun. To play this game, divide the kids into two teams. Appoint one person on each team to be the first player and tell his team members to line up behind him. Place a bucket of eggs at the front of each line and an empty bucket about 50 feet away. The first player in each line uses a spoon to carry an egg to his empty bucket. After the first player lowers his egg into the bucket, he runs back to the starting line and gives the spoon to the next player. The next player takes a new egg and carries it to the distant bucket. Play continues until one team successfully transfers all its eggs. If a child drops an egg, he must scoop up as much of it as possible and keep going. If you want less mess, use hard boiled eggs.

This racing game is similar to the spoon and egg race. Kids are divided into equal lines with a bucket full of water at the front of their lines. The kids must use a small paper cup to transport the water. Each player carries a full cup of water to another bucket -- about 50 feet away -- where he empties the cup. The first team to empty its original bucket of water wins the game. However, there is a catch. The winning team must fill the other bucket to a certain level in order to claim victory. If they fall short, the team that finishes second may win. This rule forces kids to be cautious about spilling when they run.