Keep the kids entertained at home with easy DIY outdoor games for kids. Kids will love playing these fun backyard games and you’ll love saving money with Dollar Tree items.
Try these 15 simple to make yard games and outdoor activities for kids to keep them busy all summer long. Each of these simple DIY outdoor activities can be made with items you have at home or picked up at Dollar Tree.
Learn how to make cheap yard games and water activities to get your kids outside. Stop hearing kids say I’m Bored and be ready for some family fun this summer!
This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to buy something using my link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, see my disclaimer here.
Fun DIY Outdoor Games for Kids with Dollar Tree Items
Did you know you can order Dollar Tree items online and get free shipping to your local store? Love this!
Let’s keep your kids entertained all summer long with fun DIY Outdoor games in your backyard. In this list, you will find great lawn games for the whole family to play at BBQs, with a group of friends, or as fun activities for summer camps.
Your kids are sure to have a good time and have hours of summer fun playing outside. While you’ll love how easy they are to set up and that you can save money buying everthing at Dollar Tree.
So look through this list and find a few fun outdoor activities your kids will want to play in your backyard or driveway.
If you need games for a party make sure to check out Fun Outdoor Birthday Party Games for Your Backyard.
Obstacle Course
An obstacle course can be created with anything you have in your garage or backyard. I’ll give you some ideas but use what you have to make a fun course for kids to run through. Then mix it up by adding different items the next time.
What You Need – small cones, hula hoops, balls, buckets
How to Play – Create a DIY Course for kids to run through. Here is a sample idea – Set out cones, chairs to weave around, hula hoops to jump through, balls to throw in a bucket, a board to walk over like a balance beam, or a ball to bounce on to the finish line.
Make it a race for older kids by timing them to see who gets through the course the fastest.
Sidewalk Chalk Games
What You Need – A Box of Chalk
How to Play – Draw sidewalk chalk games on your driveway or sidewalk for kids to enjoy. Make hopscotch, obstacle course, scavenger hunt, or color hunt. Let the kids help draw out the chalk games.
Find out how to play all these games in Chalk Game for Kids.
Frisbee Golf
What You Need – Frisbee, 3-6 Buckets
How to Play – Space out the buckets around your yard. Then let the kids throw the frisbee and aim for the buckets. Your goal is to get the frisbee to land in the bucket.
Keep the kids interested by letting them set up the course in a different way after each round.
Water Gun Battle
What You Need – Water Guns, Squirt Gun, Water, and Large Bucket or Bin
How to Play – This is a great outdoor game to play with a group of kids on a warm-weather day. To play set out a large bucket or bin filled with water for the kids to refill their water guns. This will keep you from having to constantly refill the water guns.
Then let them run around shooting the water guns and keeping cool.
Don’t have enough kids for a battle? Let the kids shoot DIY Targets with their water guns. Get some ideas on how to make simple Nerf targets and games with items you have at home.
Make a day of it by doing both a water battle and water target games.
Water Balloon Battle
What You Need – Water Balloons, Water, Buckets, an open area
How to Play – Split the kids into two teams and give them each a side of the yard. Make a line down the middle with items you have in your yard. We used buckets. Kids need to stay on their side of the yard while playing. This way you don’t get hit close up with a water balloon.
To start the game give each team a bucket filled with water balloons and let them start throwing the balloons at the other team. Make a rule the balloons need to hit below the head.
When the game starts if you get hit by a balloon you are out while the remaining players keep trying to hit the opposing players. The object of the game is to hit as many of the opposing players as possible you want your team to have the last person standing.
Tip: Use Quick Fill Water Balloons that hook to a hose for faster filling. These balloons are lifesavers!
Water Balloon Toss
What You Need – Water Balloons
How to Play – Pair up the kids and have them stand across from each other. Start out standing close together. Kids then throw the water balloon to their partner to catch. If the child catches it they take a big step back and throw again. Each time they catch the balloon the kids step back until someone misses.
See which team can toss the balloon the most times before they miss.
Water Balloon Baseball
What You Need – Water Balloons, Plastic baseball bat, home base, 1st, 2nd & 3rd base markings
How to Play – Let the players hit a water balloon with their plastic bat just like they are playing a game of baseball. The game is a great way to keep cool in the summer and to play baseball in a smaller yard.
To make it a game each child gets three pitches. The opposing team will pitch the balloon just like in a game if they miss three pitches they are out.
But if a child hits the balloon they get to advance to first base. Each time a player hits the balloon players on base get to move one base forward until they make it home. The first team to get all their players home wins.
Balloon Tennis
What You Need – DIY Kit Balloons, Paper Plates, Wooden Spoon – Or Buy tennis set at Dollar Tree
How to Play – Blow up a balloon to use as a tennis ball. Then make tennis rackets by taping a wooden spoon to the back of a paper plate. Kids can then play tennis indoors or outdoors hitting the balloon back and forth.
Tip: Let the kids color their plates/rackets as a craft before they start playing.
Find More Fun Balloon Game Ideas – 15 Awesome Balloon Games for Kids
Dinosaur Hunt
What You Need – Bag of mini-figure dinosaur
How to Play – Hide the dinosaur figures in the backyard for the kids to find. Give them a couple of clues and send them out on a backyard dinosaur hunt.
Tip: This would be a fun indoor game on rainy days too.
Shaving Cream Art
What You Need – 1 can of shaving cream, 1 plastic Table Cloth
How to Play – Layout a throwaway plastic table cloth. Then spray shaving cream on the cloth for the kids to mix and play with their hands. They’ll love the feel of the shaving cream and mix it up.
Add a drop of food color to make shaving cream different colors.
Tip: Make sure younger kids don’t eat the shaving cream.
Sports Day
What You Need – Several different types of balls, basketball, football, baseball, bouncy balls, and a hula hoop
How to Play – On your driveway prop up a hula hoop so you can throw a ball through it. Then let the kids try all the different balls and see which ones are easier to get through the hoop.
Make it a contest and see how many each child can throw through the hoop.
For younger kids lay the hula hoop flat and let them toss the ball to land inside or bounce into the hula hoop.
Jump Rope
What You Need – Jump Rope
How to Play – This is an oldie but a goodie. Make jumping rope a game by seeing how many time the kids can jump before hitting the rope.
Sponge Game
What You Need – Sponges and hula hoop or buckets
How to Play – Kids are going to use wet sponges to throw at a target. Make the targets by spacing out a line of buckets or row of hula hoops. You can also use chalk to draw your targets.
Put the sponges in a bucket of water to get wet. They will be easier to throw far if they are wet. Then kids line up to try and hit the target with their sponges.
Red Light Green Light
Kids love playing this classic game of Red Light Green Light. You probably remember it from your own childhood but just in case here is how you play this great game.
First, create a starting line and a finish line. Have 1 child (the caller) stand at the finish line and all the rest line up along the starting line. The first person / the caller will yell green light then kids start running/walking to the finish line.
When the caller yells red light they have to stop and not move. If they are moving when the caller turns around they are out. If not they get to keep going.
Continue doing this until the first player crossed the finish line to win the game.
Search for Bugs
What You Need – A bug collector, magnifying glass, shovel
How to Play – In your bug collector add some dirt and grass to the container. Then let the kids start digging in the dirt in your own backyard to find some worms or bugs. Catch them and place the bugs in the bug collector. Kids can watch the bugs and study them with a magnifying glass.
Frozen Dinosaurs
What You Need – Mini-Figure Dinosaurs, Balloons, and Water
How to Play – Stretch out a balloon and add a mini-figure dinosaur to it. Once the dinosaur is inside fill the balloon up with water and put it in the freezer to freeze. Once frozen peel off the balloon and let the kids try to free the dinosaur.
To free the dinosaur give the kids a large bucket with water and place the frozen dinosaur in it. Then let them have eye droppers, ladles, and meat basters to pour water on the dinosaur to help it melt.
Learn more about making these fun STEM Dinosaurs Frozen in Ice.
Summer Camp at Home
Don’t stress about keeping the kids busy this summer! Plan a fun Summer Camp at Home. It’s easier than you think with our complete Summer Camp Planner. 30+ printable pages with 8 weeks of pre-planned themes, activities, schedules & more. Check it out and be ready for an unforgettable summer.
I hope your kids
Fun Activities for Kids
At Happy Mom Hacks we have tons of fun Kids Activities both indoors and outdoors to fend off hearing kids say the dreaded “I’m Bored”.
Here are a few of our favorites:
20 Minute to Win It Games for Kids – Hilarious games the kids will love playing.
Fun Outdoor Birthday Party Game for Your Backyard – Group yard games for birthdays & BBQs
Entertaining Rainy Day Activities for Kids – Indoor games to keep them busy on rain or hot days.
Scavenger Hunt for Kids – Free Printable scavenger hunts for your local neighborhood, nature preserve, and teen hunts.
60 Free Things to Do with Kids – Entertaining ways to entertain your kids without spending any money.
Thrilling Escape Room Games for Kids – Printable Escape Games kids will love
Want More Dollar Tree Ideas?
Check out these Dollar Tree Articles and find ideas on our Saving Money page.
Fun & Cheap DIY Gift Basket Ideas with Dollar Tree – 18 Gift Basket Ideas for Kids & Adults
45 Best Cleaning Supplies from Dollar Tree That Actually Work – These are the best!
17 Genius Dollar Tree DIY Organization Hacks. Declutter & Organized Your Whole house.
15 Best Travel Games for Kids at Dollar Tree Keep the kids busy & entertained on upcoming family road trips.
Fun & Cheap Birthday Party Decorations for Kids at Dollar Tree – Save money on party supplies & decorations.
How to Make Cheap Fall Decorations From Dollar Tree That Look Expensive – Easy DIY Ideas for Halloween & Thanksgiving
DIY Dollar Tree Christmas Decorations, Stocking Stuffers & Gift Ideas – Get your home ready for the holiday with these cute DIY Decoration Ideas.
I hope your kids will have so much fun playing the DIY outdoor games for kids! If you think of any other fun backyard games please add them in the comments below so we all can play.
If you enjoyed this article, become part of the Happy Mom Hacks Community where we strive to make a mom’s life easier.
Get our weekly newsletter with fun kids activities, family travel ideas, easy weeknight meals, household hacks, and more.
Bonus you’ll get a Free Printable Daily Schedule for Kids to keep you organized and stress-free when they’re out of school this summer.
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for kid’s activities, household hacks, family travel, and fun parenting humor to give you a laugh each day.
Don’t Forget to Pin This
More from Happy Mom Hacks
- 60 Fun & Free Things to Do with the Kids
- Five Fun Rainy Day Activities for Kids With No Screen Time
- 25 Easy Family Dinner Ideas for Weeknight Dinners
- 11 Teacher Appreciation Gifts Teachers Really Want
- How to Clean A Washing Machine in 5 Easy Steps
- 45 Best Cleaning Supplies at Dollar Tree You Need
- 8 Easy Elementary School Party Games
- 10 Most Popular Birthday Party Ideas for Boys
- How to Throw an Awesome Nerf Birthday Party
