Some of the best games ever invented need no kit at all, just a bit of grass and a few people willing to run about. Chances are you played most of them yourself, and with a quick reminder of the rules you can pass them on to a whole new generation.
This guide rounds up the classics: chasing games, playground favourites, bat-and-ball games that work with a jumper for a base, and gentle water play for hot days. Most can be played in a small garden, a park or on a school field, and they work just as well with two players as twenty.
It's a tag team effort
Tag, also called it or tig depending on where you grew up, is the starting point for dozens of games. One person is the chaser and anyone they touch becomes the new chaser. From there, you can add twists to keep it interesting and give slower runners a fair chance.
- Stuck in the Mud: tagged players freeze with legs apart until a free player crawls through to release them
- Shadow Tag: on a sunny day, you're caught when the chaser steps on your shadow
- Off-Ground Tag: you're safe while your feet are off the grass, but only for a count of five
- Chain Tag: everyone caught joins hands with the chaser until the chain catches the last runner
Agree a "safe" word or a base where anyone can stop for a breather.
Old school cool: playground classics
What's the Time, Mr Wolf? is perfect for younger children who love the scary-but-safe thrill of being chased. Grandmother's Footsteps, where players creep up behind the caller and freeze whenever they turn round, teaches patience and has the same gasping excitement without as much running.
Hopscotch needs nothing but a stick of chalk on a patio or path, or a grid of sticks and string on grass. It's brilliant for balance and counting, and children can invent their own grid shapes once they know the basic version.
Having a ball: bat-and-ball games for a mixed bunch
Rounders-style games are great for families because everyone gets a turn at batting and fielding. You don't need proper posts: jumpers, buckets or shoes make fine bases. Use a soft ball, and let younger children use a tennis racket or hit the ball off a cone or upturned bucket instead of having it bowled.
French cricket is even simpler. The batter stands still and protects their legs with a bat or racket while everyone else tries to hit them below the knee with a soft ball. It works brilliantly in small gardens because nobody has to run far.
For mixed ages, give younger batters as many tries as they need to hit the ball.
Making a splash: summer water play
On hot days, a bucket of water and a few sponges can keep children busy for hours. Try a sponge relay, where teams soak a sponge, run and squeeze it into a cup until one team fills theirs. Paint the patio or fence with plain water and a paintbrush and watch the pictures disappear in the sun. Water pistol tag is another winner: get splashed and you are the new chaser.
Never leave little ones alone near any water, even a shallow paddling pool or bucket, and empty pools and buckets as soon as you've finished.
Park life: playing nicely in shared spaces
Parks are shared spaces, so pick a spot away from picnics, toddlers and people walking dogs, and check the grass for glass or litter before you start. Agree boundaries such as "between the big tree and the bench" so children don't drift off, and take all your jumpers, balls and chalk home with you.
Ideas to try
What's the Time, Mr Wolf?
Creep closer to the wolf, step by step, until it's dinner time.
You'll need: 3 or more players, an open space
- One player is the wolf and stands with their back to the others.
- Everyone else calls "What's the time, Mr Wolf?"
- The wolf answers a time, like "three o'clock", and players take that many steps.
- When the wolf shouts "Dinner time!", they turn and chase.
- Whoever is caught becomes the next wolf.
Stuck in the Mud
Tag with a teamwork twist: free your frozen friends by crawling through their legs.
You'll need: 4 or more players, a grassy space
- Choose one or two chasers.
- When tagged, stand still with your legs apart.
- Free players can crawl through your legs to set you free.
- Swap chasers when everyone is stuck or after five minutes.
Chalk Hopscotch
Draw a grid, throw a stone and hop your way to the top.
You'll need: chalk, a flat stone or bean bag, a patio or path
- Draw a grid of squares numbered 1 to 10, with some single and some side by side.
- Throw your stone into square 1.
- Hop over that square, landing one foot on singles and two feet on doubles.
- Turn at the top, hop back and pick up your stone on the way.
- Next time aim for square 2, and so on.
Jumper Rounders
A friendly family rounders game with jumpers for bases.
You'll need: a soft ball, a bat or tennis racket, 4 jumpers or buckets, 6 or more players
- Lay out four bases in a large square, plus a batting spot.
- Split into a batting team and a fielding team.
- The bowler throws gently underarm and the batter hits and runs.
- Run round as many bases as you can before the ball comes back to the bowler.
- Swap teams when everyone has batted.
French Cricket
Protect your legs with a bat while everyone tries to hit them with a soft ball.
You'll need: a bat or racket, a soft ball, 3 or more players
- The batter stands with feet together and the bat in front of their legs.
- Fielders throw the ball underarm at the batter's legs below the knee.
- The batter can turn but must not move their feet.
- If the ball hits their legs or someone catches it, the thrower bats next.
Soggy Sponge Relay
Race to fill a cup with water using only a dripping sponge.
You'll need: 2 buckets of water, 2 sponges, 2 plastic cups, a sunny day
- Put the buckets at one end and the cups at the other.
- Split into two teams.
- Soak the sponge, run to the cup and squeeze the water in.
- Run back and hand the sponge to the next player.
- The first team to fill their cup wins.
🧑 Grown-up help needed
Shadow Tag
On a sunny day, the chaser catches you by stepping on your shadow.
You'll need: a sunny day, 2 or more players
- Choose a chaser.
- Everyone runs about watching their shadows.
- If the chaser steps on your shadow, you're the new chaser.
- Hide your shadow in the shade of a tree to stay safe for five seconds.
Grandmother's Footsteps
Creep up behind the caller and freeze before they turn round.
You'll need: 3 or more players, an open space
- One player stands at one end with their back to the others.
- Everyone else starts at the far end and creeps forward.
- When the caller turns round, everyone must freeze.
- Anyone caught moving goes back to the start.
- The first to tap the caller's shoulder takes their place.
🧑 The grown-up bit
On warm days, use sun cream, hats and shade, and make sure everyone drinks plenty of water; in cold weather, layers, gloves and a hat keep the fun going. Always stay with young children near any water, including paddling pools and buckets, and empty them straight after. Check play areas for glass, litter and dog mess, use soft balls for throwing games and keep chasing games away from roads, ponds and play equipment.
Questions parents ask
What outdoor games work with just two children?
Shadow Tag, hopscotch and French cricket all work well with two players. A grown-up can join in to make What's the Time, Mr Wolf? or Grandmother's Footsteps possible too.
How much active play do children need?
NHS guidance suggests children and young people aim for an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity a day, and running games are an easy way to get there.
How do I stop chasing games ending in tears?
Agree rules before you start, keep tagging to gentle touches, swap the chaser regularly and have a safe base where anyone can rest. Mix in calmer games like Grandmother's Footsteps.