OUTDOOR GAMES:

Introduction:

Outdoor Games:

Outdoor games are typically any game which must be played outside, or otherwise requires a large play area. Badminton, horseshoes, etc. are examples of outdoor games. Where as, Indoor games are typically any game which must be played inside, away from the possibility of interference due to weather (rain, wind, etc.)

Importance of Outdoor Learning:

Outdoor learning improves personal child development, Collaboration outdoors can improve emotional, intellectual and behavioural development. Those learning outdoors develop their creativity, problem-solving, independence, confidence and more. Outdoor education or games  allows students to see that they are part of a whole. Exploring their local environment gives students an appreciation and awareness for their community, which causes them to act more consciously.

Benefits of playing Outdoor Games:

There are many benefits of playing outdoor games, it helps you or any one from any age group to lead a healthy lifestyle. Here we will discuss some benefits of playing outdoor games;

1. Provides Opportunity to Learn New Things:

Playing outdoor games can be a brilliant way to enhance learning abilities in kids. They may learn important life lessons and skills, develop a problem-solving attitude, get to explore nature, acquire new information and an elementary understanding of science. 

2. Boosts their Creativity:

Nature helps a lot for boosting up the creativity power any one had. Indulging in outdoor games can make children more creative and boost their imagination skills. Being in the open and surrounded by plants and trees, and other objects can stimulate a child’s imagination power and tap into their creativity.

3. Helps to develop a Positive Attitude:

Children who play outdoors tend to develop a positive attitude towards life and have a calmer and happier disposition.

4. Personality Development:

Outdoor play helps them develop qualities like discipline, sportsmanship, and leadership, all of which are useful later in life. They learn to be independent and self-reliant. They learn to deal with emergency situations, setbacks, etc., sans adult supervision. This instils confidence in them and equips them to tackle life situations later on. 

5. Helps in Leading a Healthier Lifestyle:

Kids who productively involve in outdoor games are more likely to lead a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle later in their adulthood. They have good decision-making abilities. They learn to challenge themselves and push their limitations thus becoming better at risk assessment.

6. Help them to Acquire Social Skills:

When kids make new friends, take turns to play without adult supervision, or simply talk to each other, they acquire and improve their social and communication skills without realising. And this skill can help them in the future. Kids who spend time outdoors and play games with each other tend to interact effectively with other kids in contrast to kids who remain indoors and are isolated and withdrawn.

7. Physical Development:

Outdoor play keeps kids active and can boost their physical stamina and fitness. Playing outdoor games can also strengthen their muscles and bones, build immunity, and lower the risk of many diseases like diabetes, heart problems, and obesity. Being in the fresh air and sunshine can naturally provide them with Vitamin D. Being exposed to electronic gadgets for longer duration can impair the vision of children. But outdoor play can improve their eyesight.

List of some Outdoor Games:

1. Hide and Seek:

Hide-and-seek is a popular children’s game in which at least two players conceal themselves in a set environment, to be found by one or more seekers. The game is played by one chosen player counting to a predetermined number with eyes closed while the other players hide.

2. Hopscotch:

Hopscotch is a traditional playground game for boys and girls.  Hopscotch is a popular playground game in which players toss a small object into numbered triangles or a pattern of rectangles outlined on the ground and then hop or jump through the spaces and retrieve the object. It is a children’s game that can be played with several players or alone.

3. Ice Water game: (Baaraf- Paani)

Baraf pani is like freeze tag, a traditional game played in many countries. To play the game, start with two teams that have the same number of players on each team. Play in an open space, inside or outside. One team are the chasers, and the other team are chased. When a chaser tags someone on the chased team, the tagged person turns into “baraf” (ice) and must stand in a designated area at one edge of the playing space. If another member of the chased team touches someone in the baraf area without getting tagged himself, the baraf person becomes “pani” (water) and can leave the baraf area to play again. When everyone on the chased team is frozen into ice, the teams switch. The chasers become the chased. If the chasers have difficulty tagging everyone, you can make the playing area smaller.

4. Bottle Bash game:

Flip a coin or the frisbee in order to see which team will go first. That team will have 1 player toss the disk in the attempt to hit the pole or the bottle. The defense will attempt to catch the frisbee and the bottle before they hit the ground.

5. Kich the Can game:

Kick the can is an outdoor children’s game related to tag, hide and seek, and capture the flag, played with as few as three to as many as several dozen players. The game is one of skill, strategy, stealth, and physical fitness. The object of the game is to put all the players in “jail”, capturing them by identifying them in their hiding spots. Once a player is “jailed” the only way to be freed is for another player to beat the “IT” person to the can and kick it.

6. Four Square game:

Four square is a ball game played among four players on a square court divided into quadrants. The objective of four square is to eliminate other players to achieve the highest rank on the court, and this is done by bouncing the ball back and forth between quadrants. Squares 1 and 4 are positioned diagonally across the court. The server must drop the ball and serve after the bounce. The ball must be allowed to bounce once in the receiving square, then the receiving player must hit the ball into another square. After the receiver touches the ball, the ball is in play.

7. Premium Ladder Toss game:

Players of all ages and abilities can get active with the easy to play and yet hard to master game of ladder toss. To play the game, players set the ladder on a level surface and then step back five paces to create a throwing line. The toss. Once the throwing line is established, players take turns tossing bolas at the ladder stand. Each player tosses three bolas per turn.

8. Capture the Flag game:

Capture the flag is a traditional outdoor sport where two or more teams each have a flag and the objective is to capture the other team’s flag, located at the team’s “base”, and bring it safely back to their own base. The goal of the game is for each team to capture the other team’s flag and take it back to its zone. Pick positions for your team’s players. If members of the other team enter your team’s zone, you can send them to “jail” by tagging them. A team wins by capturing the other team’s flag and taking it back to its zone.