To play Group Jump Rope, you will need a long rope and at least 3 participants.

Two people will hold an

end of the rope each and begin looping it while another player starts jumping. The player who makes
the highest total number of jumps is the winner. If the kids find jump a single rope too easy, you can use
two jump ropes in a Double Dutch style. If you want to try Double Dutch, you will need longer skipping
ropes like these high quality skipping ropes from Just Jump It.

#3 – Tag

Tag, also known as “tiggy” or “tig”, has been around for hundreds of years. It remains popular today
because it is highly-addictive and a ton of fun! The rules are also easy to learn, which makes it suitable
for children of all ages.

At the start of the game, one player is chosen to be “It”. That player will have to chase the other players
to tag them with their hand. Once tagged, that player becomes the new “It” and must start chasing
other players. The rule of no tag-backs is usually included, which means you cannot tag the person who
just tagged you.

The game finishes when everyone is too exhausted to play anymore! This list includes a couple more
variations of tag, which are even more fun than standard tag. There are many more variations on the
Fun Tag Games For PE page.

#4 – Red Rover

Red Rover is a popular game that is useful for teaching young children the value of teamwork. To play
Red Rover, participants are split into two groups with each group forming a line that faces the other
team. The lines should be 20 feet apart and the children in each team should hold hands.

One team is chosen to start. They will look at the other team and choose a player they want to come
across to their line. The team then calls out “Red Red Rover let Someone come over”, where “someone”
is the name of a player on the other team. That player must then attempt to run through the line,
breaking through the team’s held hands.
If the player successfully breaks through the enemy line, they choose a player to take back to their own
team, where they rejoin the line. If the player does not successfully break the line, they must join the
opponent’s team. This continues until one team only has a single player. That single player has to try to
get through the line and if he or she fails, the game is over. Red Rover in action.

#5 – Treasure Hunts

Kids love treasure hunts! They enjoy the challenge of solving clues, searching for objects and eventually
finding the treasure. Designing a treasure hunt is simple. First, decide on a location to have the
treasure hunt. The best locations include your home, a local garden, your local neighbourhood, or a
museum.

Next, write some clues on pieces of paper to direct children on where to search next. You can can
secure these clues to objects using sticky tape or magnets. Make the clues require the use of logic or
another form of problem-solving. For example, a good clue would be:

If I had three legs,

I wouldn’t be stable.

I’m where you eat breakfast,

I am a…

With the next clue being secured to your breakfast table. The first team to solve the clues will obtain the
prize. Here are some great tips for creating an awesome treasure hunt.

If you want to take your treasure hunts to the next level, you could get the Treasure Hunt Game from
Gotrovo. It features 100 reusable clue cards, a treasure map puzzle board and gold loot!
#6 – War Ball

This idea for this game comes courtesy of Party Games Pond. War Ball is a more chaotic and fun version
of dodge ball. Start by dividing the participants into two separate teams. The teams will stand on
opposite sides of a play area, which should be about the size of a basketball court.

Distribute some soft rubber balls between the two teams. When you shout “Start” the two teams will
attempt to throw the balls at each other. When a player is hit, they are sent to the “prison camp” which
is behind the opponent’s playing area.

The best part of this game is that prisoners can catch any balls that reach the prisoner area and throw
them at their opponents. You end up with a crazy situation where a ball could come from either the
prisoner area or the other side of the court! If a prisoner manages to land a shot, they are released from
prison and the player they hit is sent to prison.

Balls that bounce and balls that are caught on the full don’t count. The game is over when all of the
players from one team are in prison.

#7 – Zombie Tag

This is one of the best variations of tag. It is also included in our list of 16 Fun Tag Games For PE – so if
you enjoy this one check the others out! At the start of Zombie Tag, one player from the group is
declared a zombie. The zombie must attempt to tag the “Human” players in order to create more
zombies. As the game continues, more and more players will turn into Zombies.

One major difference from traditional versions of tag is that the humans will be given soft throwable
objects to defend themselves. This includes objects like soft rubber balls and plush toys. When they
successfully throw one of these toys at a zombie, that zombie must freeze for 15 seconds. This gives the
human a chance to get away. A round of Zombie Tag is finished when all players have been turned into
zombies.
#8 – Balance Beam Challenge

This is a simple game perfect for young kids. It was shared by Family Fun Twin Cities. Start by securing
segments of masking tape to the floor in a long line. Use different shapes including zig-zags and spirals.

One by one, have each child walk along the masking tape line like they are walking a balance beam. The
fastest child to successfully navigate the balance beam without stepping off is the winner. You can also
have the children walk the walk it backwards to make it even more challenging!

A collection of fun outdoor competition games for kids.

#9 – Balloon Wars

This game is a lot of fun and very easy to learn. Start by splitting the children into two teams of equal
sizes. Blow up 4 to 6 balloons of two different colors, with each team being assigned a specific color.

The teams are also assigned a wall on one side of the room, which is their goal. The objective of the
game is to hit your team’s balloons until it hits the opponent’s goal. When a team scores, they are
awarded one point, with the first team to 20 points being declared the winner.

#10 – Connect 4 Shots

Board games are a wonderful way to introduce children to the idea of competing to win. If you are
introducing a child to board games, Connect 4 is a great place to start because the rules are simple and it
is a lot of fun.
Connect 4 Shots takes the idea of Connect 4 a step further. Kids have to throw colored balls at the
Connect 4 grid, instead of sliding tokens into it. This adds another dimension to the game, with a child’s
ability to bounce balls accurately helping to determine if they win the game. It’s a lot of fun!

#11 – Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek proves that competitive games can be a lot of fun. It’s a great game for improving the
creativity of children as they look for clever new places to hide. Playing Hide and Seek is simple. One
person is nominated as the seeker. They will close their eyes and count to 30 while the other players
find places to hide. The seeker will then have to find the players that are hiding. The last player to be
found is the winner.

The rules of hide and seek can also be changed to make the game more exciting. You can incorporate
some of the elements of tag into the game, so a player who is found must try to make it to a home base
without being tagged by the seeker.

#12 – Simon Says

This well-known competitive game is perfect for young kids. One great advantage of Simon Says is that
it can be played anywhere – in the classroom, outside, in a car, or on a bus.

The game starts with one person being nominated as “Simon”. They will then give an instruction to the
rest of the group, which starts with “Simon says…”. This might be something like “Simon says stick out
your tongue”. However, if Simon says a request that does not start with “Simon says…”, anyone who
performs that action is eliminated. The last person playing is declared the winner and they get to be
Simon next round.

Simon Says is a great choice if you want to get children exercising more because you can use commands
like “Simon says do 5 pushups”. Your kids will be exhausted before you know it!
A collection of competitive team games for youth.

#13 – Freeze Dance

Freeze Dance is a very fun game that is only slightly competitive. While it is best suited for young
children, kids of any age can have fun playing Freeze Dance. Start by choosing someone to be in charge
of the music. When they start the music off, everyone starts dancing. The more elaborate or crazy the
dance moves are, the better. When the music stops, everyone who is dancing must stop. If you notice
anyone still dancing, they are out for that round. The winner is the last person still dancing.

#14 – The Golfing Dead

Card games are an awesome way to introduce kids to competitive play that is intellectual instead of
physical. In addition to classic card games like Eucher and Blackjack, there are also many creative card
games using non-traditional decks like The Golfing Dead.

The Golfing Dead is fun game for for two to six players aged 7 and over. The objective of the game is to
be the best player on the golf course while dealing with a zombie apocalypse! The game deck consists
of action cards and stroke cards. The action cards include funny moves like bathing in zombie urine,
which provides protection from the zombie horde for a round.

The stroke cards are numbered from -3 to +10 and represent how well you have played each hole. Each
player receives 9 stroke cards, which are face down initially. Players can manipulate their stroke cards
to reduce their total stroke count. It’s a hilarious game that can be quite competitive. Learn more
about The Golfing Dead.

#15 – Phase 10 (Uno Games)

UNO is one of the most popular kid’s card games ever invented. The makers of UNO have released
several other card games which are equally as fun, including Phase 10.
The objective of Phase 10, is to complete all 10 phases. If two or more players manage to complete 10
phases, the player with the lowest score is the winner.

The rules are fairly simple. At the start of the game, each player receives 10 cards. The deck is placed in
the center of the table and the top card is flipped over so everyone can see what it is. Each player starts
their turn by taking a card from the deck or the discard pile.

The player will then lay down cards in front of them or other players that match the 10 “phases”, which
include tasks like playing 2 “sets” of 3 or a “run” of 6. A set is cards of the same number, while a run is
cards in sequential order. Players can complete phases on their own cards or on the cards of other
players. Once your round is over, one card is discarded. Checkout this video, which explains the rules in
more detail.

#16 – Musical Chairs

Musical Chairs is a great way to introduce young kids to competition games. It simple to learn and the
children will learn to associate competition with fun. The rules are simple.

Start by placing some chairs in a circle and have the children stand in a circle around them. Start playing
some music and have the children dance around in a circle. When the music stops, they must all find a
chair.

You can leave the same number of chairs as there are children for the first round or two, so the kids can
have some fun. Then, gradually remove a chair at a time, so the children must scramble to find a chair
to sit in. Gradually remove chairs until there are only two children and one chair left. The child to sit in
that chair first is declared the winner.

#17 – The Sorting Game

Children who love to sort things and enjoy competing with others will like this game. The goal is simple
– to sort a bowl of objects faster than the other teams. Start by dividing the children into groups of
between 2 to 4 people. Give each group something that can be sorted into colors or types. For
example, a bowl of coins or colored marbles. When you say “Go” each group will attempt to
successfully sort the objects according to size, shape, color or value.

#18 – Monopoly Deal Card Game

Monopoly is one of the world’s most famous board games. It can be extremely competitive with players
battling it out to control the monopoly board and negotiating clever deals with other players.

There is also a popular Monopoly card game available. It works in a similar way to the standard
Monopoly boards game but has the added advantage of being ultra-portable. It’s a great game to take
along with you on a car trip or holiday.

#19 – Dominoes

This classic game is perfect for both adults and kids. The great thing about dominoes is that there are
many variations on how to play it, so you won’t get bored!

Start a game of basic dominoes by placing the dominoes face down and moving them around to
scramble the tiles. In a two player game, each player will select 7 dominoes. If there are three or four
players, each player will select 5 dominoes. Players will keep their dominoes hidden from other players.

The player with the highest double (the same number of both sides) will start the game by placing that
tile on the table. Play then continues in a clockwise direction. Players must place a matching domino on
any of the four exposed ends. So, if the first domino played is a double 3, the other players can place a
domino with a three on it next that that domino. Only the “3” half of the domino can touch that
domino. Tiles with doubles must be placed perpendicular to the current tile. The winner is the first
player to reach 150 points.
#20 – Moon Cake

Moon Cake is a very old Chinese game that can be adapted to suit children of different ages. Start by
drawing a large circle on a playground with a radius of about 8-10 feet. You could also use the centre
circle on a basketball or netball court for smaller groups.

The circle is divided into segments with the number of segments being determined by the age of the
children who are playing. If very young kids are playing, divide the circle into 4 quarters, which are
marked 1, 2, 3, and 4. If older kids are involved, use up to 12 segments marked from 1 to 12.
Alternately, you could use random numbers in the segments to make the game a little more interesting.

The children should be divided into several teams of at least 2 players each. Going in turns, one child
from each team will stand them in the centre of the circle blindfolded. Turn the child around several
times so they lose their sense of direction and ask them to take 4 steps in any direction. They will then
take off the blindfold to see the number of the segment they are standing in.

Once every player has had a turn, all of the numbers they stood in are added up to determine the
winning team for that round.

#21 – Soccer Tag

Soccer Tag is an action-packed game that combines elements of tag and soccer. It requires a soccer ball
and an outdoor space to play. At the start of the game, two players are designated as “It” and receive a
soccer ball each. They must kick their soccer balls at the legs of other players to also designate them as
being “It”. Once there are multiple It players, they can pass the ball to each other in an attempt to
confuse the other players and catch them out. The game is over when all players have been tagged with
the last player to be tagged being the winner.

#22 – Indoor Obstacle Courses

A collection of indoor competition games for kids.

Kids love running around obstacle courses! You can create an interesting obstacle course in your house
by using pillows, boxes, sheets, ottomans, and other pieces of furniture. You can make the obstacle
course more exciting by having participants perform challenges at certain points. This could be
answering a tricky question or performing a physical activity like 10 pushups or 5 jumping jacks. The
winner will be the child who completes the course in the shortest time.

#23 – Rock Paper Scissors

Kid’s competitive games don’t get much simpler than rock paper scissors! It’s a great game to teach kids
as they can use it to have fun or settle disputes on the playground. You can make rock paper scissors
more competitive by holding a rock paper scissors championship. Each child will play best-of-five rock
paper scissors rounds against the other children to win a prize. If you children really enjoy rock paper
scissors, you could buy them a rock paper scissors card game. Also, be sure to check out this fun
variation of rock paper scissors.

#24 – Classic Board Games

There are dozens of classic old board games that are highly competitive yet fun. This include games like
chutes and ladders, chess, checkers, scrabble, twister, pictionary, and kid’s trivial pursuit. Consider
purchasing a few of these classic games to help your children learn how fun competition can be.

#25 – Ping Pong Ball Catch

This is a very simple game that can be a lot of fun for young kids. Start by splitting the children into
teams of two. Each team will receive two plastic cups and a ping pong ball. Their objective is to throw
the ball to one another and successfully catch it in their cups as many times as possible within 1 minute.
The winner is the team that complete the most catches!

#26 – Crab Walk Races

The best competitive activities for kids are ones that combine a fun or unusual activity with a race. This
includes games like the Crab Walk Race. Have the children simply perform a crab walk from one side of
the room to the other (or to a finish line if outdoors). The first to reach the other side of the room wins.
Other fun competitive races for kids include:

Walking backwards races

Skipping races

Wheelbarrow races

Sideways rolling races

3-legged races

Potato sack races

Hula hoop races

Summersault races (rolling forward)

If holding a few races sounds like something the children would enjoy, check out 45 Fun Relay Races For
Kids and 11 Fun Relay Races for Kids.

#27 – Indoor ten pin bowling

Ten pin bowling is a one of the most fun competition games for kids. You can play it at home by setting
up plastic bottles in a hallway and using a ball of some kind to knock them over. Use these rules to keep
score and determine the winner. If your kids really enjoy ten pin bowling, you could purchase them an
indoor bowling set.

#28 – Indoor Croquet

Croquet is an incredibly fun activity that kids seem to love. If you live near a local croquet field, it can be
a wonderful day out and give the kids a chance to meet some new people. If there isn’t one nearby, you
can purchase a croquet set and play in your own home or in the classroom. The winner will be the child
who completes the course using the least number of strokes.

#29 – Potato Drop

This is another silly racing game that will have children laughing their heads off as they struggle to the
finish line. To play Potato Drop each child has to race to a finish line with a potato between their knees.
The first player to the end wins. If you like silly race games, consider running an egg relay race as well.

#30 – Nerf Target Practice

Shooting at targets is very challenging and a great way to improve a child’s hand-eye coordination. Nerf
Target Practice is one of the best competitive games for kids using target shooting. Simply set up a
collection of empty soda bottles, plush toys, cardboard cutouts, paper towels (attached with tape), and
other objects.

Each child then has 60 seconds to knock down as many targets as they can. The winner is the player to
hit the most targets. This nerf gun is a great choice for this activity as it has a fairly high capacity and can
shoot quickly.

#31 – Lego Color Hunt

This fun competitive activity for kids is inspired by What Moms Love. If there are four children playing,
select 4 pieces of differently colored construction paper. Find 10 pieces of same colored lego for each
piece of paper (10 pieces of blue lego for a blue piece of paper etc). The children will then be assigned a
color each and must find the 10 pieces of lego that match that color. The winner is the first child to find
all 10 pieces of lego and place them on their construction paper.

#32 – Mini Golf

Mini golf is great game because it can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Either take your children
to a local mini golf venue or organize a mini golf tournament at home. If you are playing with young
children at home, this Indoor Golf Set is the perfect product for setting up your own mini golf course.

#33 – Tape Shape Games

There are dozens different kid’s competitive games involving placing tape on the ground. Some of the
best games include:

Long jump

Place strips of tape parallel to one another in a row. See which child can jump the furthest piece of
tape.

Get to the shape

This is a great variation on musical chairs. Place a variety of shapes in tape on the ground, including
circles, waves, squares, and triangles. Play some music for the kids to dance to. When the music stops,
shout out a shape and all of the kids must scramble to touch it. The last player to reach the shape is out
(or they lose a point and eventually get eliminated).

Hop challenge

Players must attempt to hop between a collection of tape strips to get to the other side of the room.

Floor is lava

Players must attempt to walk and jump between tape strips to make it across the room.

Car races

Create a race track using tape on the ground and have the kids push their vehicles around it for 10 laps.
The winner is the first car to finish their 10 laps.

#34 – Balloon Volleyball

Set up a volleyball net in your back yard or inside the house and have the kids play volleyball with a
balloon. This is a great way to teach the kids the rules of volleyball. You could also use balloons for
other games including indoor soccer and hockey (using cardboard sticks).
#35 – Kickball

Kickball is another classic competitive kid’s game that is a ton of fun. One of the reasons for this game’s
popularity is the simplicity of the rules and its similarity to baseball. Anyone can learn how to play
kickball within a couple of minutes and start having fun.

Kickball should be played outside on a softball or baseball diamond that has 3 bases, a home plate, and a
pitcher’s mound. However, you can play on any flat surface by using pieces of clothing or other markers
for the bases and pitching mound.

Start by splitting the players into two teams with at least 5 players per team. Similar to baseball, one
team will go into the field and the other will “bat”, or in this case – “kick”. The fielding team will assign
three players to the bases and a pitcher to the pitching mound.

One of the players on the kicking team will stand on the home plate. The pitcher will roll the ball along
the ground to the kicker who will attempt to kick it. If they successfully kick the ball, they must attempt
to run to first base (or further if possible) before one of the fielders rolls the ball to the fielder there.

If the kicker misses the ball or kicks a foul, they get two more attempts, just like baseball. However,
unlike baseball, foul balls are never counted as strikes and four are allowed before the player is called
out.

Kickers cannot kick the ball until it begins to cross the home plate and if a fielder catches the ball, they
are out. Another major difference to baseball is that there is no base steal, no lead-offs, and a runner’s
foot must be on the base until the ball is kicked or they will be declared out. The game is scored like
baseball with 6 innings, however, the scoring system can be altered to suit the number of players and
their skill level. Read the official rules on this website.