Active Games for Kids: 11 Park Games to Play

You finally get the kids to the park, and within ten minutes they are bored of the swings and asking for a snack. Meanwhile you are standing by the bench, cold, scrolling your phone. It does not have to go like that. A handful of active games for kids turns a park trip into proper exercise for them, and often for you too, without needing any kit beyond what fits in a coat pocket.

These are the games I play with families in my classes and on weekend walks around Archway and Highgate. Most need nothing at all, a few need a ball or a skipping rope, and every one can be made easier for a toddler or harder for a ten-year-old.

No-kit active games for kids

1. Traffic lights

You shout the colours. Green means run, amber means walk, red means freeze. Add extras as they get the hang of it: “roundabout” means spin, “speed bump” means jump, “zebra crossing” means lie flat. Great for 3 to 7 year olds and brilliant for listening skills.

2. Stuck in the mud

One or two catchers. Anyone tagged has to stand with legs apart until a teammate crawls through to free them. Lots of short sprints, lots of crawling, lots of laughing.

3. What’s the time, Mr Wolf?

A classic for a reason. The “wolf” faces away, the others creep closer by taking the number of steps the wolf calls out, and at “dinner time!” everyone sprints back to the start.

4. Shadow tag

Best on a sunny winter afternoon when shadows are long. Instead of touching someone, you tag them by stepping on their shadow.

5. Follow the leader animal walks

Take turns leading across the grass as a bear (hands and feet), crab (tummy up), frog (squat jumps), kangaroo (two-footed hops) or flamingo (balance on one leg). Parents, join in. Bear crawls are hard work.

6. Sharks and minnows

The minnows try to run from one side of a marked area to the other without being tagged by the shark. Anyone tagged becomes a shark. The last minnow wins.

Games with a ball, rope or cones

• Piggy in the middle: throwing, catching and short bursts of chasing. Use a soft ball for little ones.
• Penalty shoot-out: two jumpers for goalposts. Everyone takes turns in goal.
• Long rope skipping: two people turn, everyone else runs in. Count jumps, then try two at a time.
• Cone dash: spread 6 to 8 markers (hats or water bottles work) and call out colours or numbers to sprint to.
• Frisbee golf: pick “holes” like a bench, a tree or a bin, and count how many throws it takes.

A 20-minute park session for the whole family

If you like structure, run it like a mini class:

1. Warm-up (3 minutes): jog to the far tree and back, then 10 star jumps and 10 arm circles each way.
2. Game 1 (5 minutes): traffic lights.
3. Game 2 (5 minutes): stuck in the mud.
4. Parent challenge (4 minutes): while the kids play on the frame, do 3 rounds of 10 bench step-ups each leg, 10 incline push-ups on the bench and 20 seconds of plank.
5. Finisher (3 minutes): one family race, then a slow walk and stretch.

The NHS recommends children aged 5 to 18 average at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity a day, and for under 5s, active play like chasing and ball games is the best way to get moving (see the NHS guidelines for children and young people). A session like this covers a good chunk of that in one go.

Best local parks to play in

If you live near Archway, you are spoilt for green space. Waterlow Park has plenty of grass and paths for chasing games, and I have written about using it for a Waterlow Park outdoor workout. Highgate Wood is perfect for hide and seek and woodland trails; see my guide to Highgate Wood with kids. For more spots, here is my round-up of playgrounds near Archway and Highgate.

Tips to keep it going

• Let them pick. Kids who choose the game play it longer.
• Change before boredom kicks in. Five minutes per game is plenty for under 7s.
• Bring water and a layer. They overheat in the first 10 minutes and freeze when they stop.
• Join in. Kids work harder when a grown-up is chasing them. You get a workout and they get you.
• Keep it kind. Rotate catchers so the slowest child is not always “it”.

Where a bootcamp class fits

Most of these games are interval training in disguise: sprint, rest, sprint again. If chasing your kids around the grass leaves you puffing, that is a sign your fitness could do with some attention, and there is no shame in that. My bootcamp classes build exactly what parents need for this sort of day: legs that can keep up, a strong back for piggybacks and enough fitness to enjoy it. If you want to feel stronger for everyday family life, the SYP Built To Last functional strength class is designed for parents over 35.

FAQs

What are some active games for kids?

Traffic lights, stuck in the mud, what’s the time Mr Wolf, sharks and minnows, shadow tag, piggy in the middle and long rope skipping are all easy, active and need little or no kit.

What outdoor games can you play without equipment?

Tag games, animal walks, follow the leader, traffic lights, hide and seek and relay races need nothing at all. Use trees, benches or coats as markers.

How can I make my child more active?

Make movement part of daily life rather than a special event: walk or scoot to school, visit the park after school, play active games together at weekends and limit long spells of sitting. Joining in yourself makes a big difference.

What games are good for a 5-year-old outside?

Simple rule games with lots of running and stopping work best at this age: traffic lights, what’s the time Mr Wolf, animal walks, ball rolling and throwing, and short races.

Book your first class

Want the energy to keep up with them? SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in Archway N19, indoors in a church hall, with a maximum of 10 people and £15 a class. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. Training with your partner? We also offer partner personal training in Archway at SYP Fitness.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.