Prep. Time:
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Setup: 30 minutes
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Activities: 1 hour
3-5 years +
B. Backyard Field Day
Looking for a fun way to get your little ones outside and moving this summer? Host a backyard field day! A field day with simple, age-appropriate games and activities is a great way to encourage exercise, develop motor skills, and create a memorable event for the whole family.
Read on for some easy ideas for field day events kids ages 3-5 will love that can be enjoyed in backyards or the local park!
Egg & Spoon Race
This is a classic challenge for wiggly toddlers! Give each child a spoon and a hard-boiled egg or plastic egg filled with beans. Have them race to a point and back while balancing the egg on the spoon. The challenge is to go slowly enough to avoid dropping the egg but fast enough to win!
For ages 3-4, keep the course very short – even 10 feet is a challenge! Ages 5 and up can go further or even overcome some obstacles.
Water Balloon Toss
If it’s hot out, embrace the chaos of a water balloon toss! Each child gets a water balloon and lines up opposite each other—they may begin within arm’s reach. Then, they toss the water balloon, and after each successful toss, both players take a step back. The last pair with an intact water balloon wins!
Wheelbarrow Race
Kids love this silly race! Have them line up in pairs, with one as the “wheelbarrow” walking on their hands while their partner holds their legs up. Switch positions after one lap around a short course so that everyone gets in on the full-body fun!
Obstacle Course
Create a simple obstacle course in the yard with hula hoops to crawl through, cones to run around, and flat objects to walk along like balance beams. You can make the obstacles with pool noodles, container lids, chalk lines, etc. Get creative (stay safe)!
Soccer Shootout
Score on the goalkeeper from the penalty mark – the team to score the most on 5 shots is the winner! If the shootout ends in a tie, sudden death occurs, where teams take turns kicking until one team scores and the other misses.
She shoots, she scores!
Bubble Stampede
Blow bubbles across the yard and let kids see how many they can pop. Older kids or grown-ups can be bubble blowers. This one is great fun with younger kiddos, and since it’s nearly impossible to judge a winner, everybody wins!
End your field day by letting kids wind down with a dance party to fun, kid-friendly tunes. Award the winners a small prize and have special treats for everyone to celebrate their active efforts. Competition can be fun, but remember to keep the mood light and focused on fun because that’s how you really win field day. With low-pressure games like these, your backyard field day will be a hit!
Have you tried any of these outdoor activities for preschoolers? Let us know how it went, or share your tips with us on Instagram or TikTok by tagging @mybtoys.