28 genius outdoor games for kids this summer

Whatever the weather decides to do this summer, one thing's for sure ... kids love playing in the garden! If they're bored of the usual hide and seek or football, why not try something new? From traditional garden games to new crazes you may not have even heard about (but will be desperate to try), here are 28 of the best outdoor games to play with kids of all ages.

Fill 10 bottles with water to use as pins – you can add food colouring or coloured bottles for added effects, or put a glowstick in each for after dark.

Use a football or basketball to knock down as many as you can.

No one to play tennis with? No problem! Your child can hone their racquet skills on their own, or compete against a partner.

Perfect on a hot summer's day. Give each child an arsenal of pre-filled water balloons and let them go wild. The wetter the better!

Write points in multiples of 10 on paper and tape each sheet to a rung of a step ladder. Put the lowest score on the bottom rung and the highest on top.

Stand back and aim bean bags through the gaps between the rungs and see who can score the most points.

An old favourite that never goes out of fashion. Compete to see who can throw the most rings over the posts.

A cool (sorry!) trend from across the pond. Soak t-shirts in water, seal them in a Ziplock bag and put them in the freezer overnight. Then challenge your kids to see who can defrost and put their frozen t-shirt on the fastest.

A far safer alternative to the indoor version!

Get your kids to throw giant darts at a target on the ground – will they score a bullseye?

Chop a swimming pool noodle into two or three pieces, and give one to each player.

The aim of the game is to 'tag' each other with the lengths of noodle.

Get a large sheet of polythene, such as a groundsheet from your camping kit, stretch it out over your lawn and secure it with tent pegs.

Then turn on the sprinkler, add a generous squirt of baby bubble bath and let your kids slip and slide themselves silly.

You've probably seen pictures of colour runs, where competitors get plastered in dried paint as they run.

Now you can host your own version at home, using holi powder paint, which is easily available online and designed to be thrown. Old clothes are a must though!

Make racquets by attaching a length of garden cane to the back of a paper plate using duct tape, then give your children a balloon to use as a ball. Game, set and match!

Cut the bottom third off a plastic cup. Tie a knot in the neck of an uninflated balloon and cut about 2cm off the other end, then stretch the balloon over the wider end of the cup.

Put a mini marshmallow inside, point it away from you and pull back on the knotted end of the balloon - then let go and see how far your marshmallow flies.

(If you have younger children, make sure they don't put the marshmallows in their mouths as they could choke.)

Who doesn't like a classic game of Frisbee?

Make it more of a challenge by playing Frisbee golf, where your kids have to try to throw it into targets made from hula hoops or cardboard boxes.

A scavenger hunt with a twist. Make up some bingo cards with objects for your children to find in the great outdoors, such as a feather, pine cone or butterfly.

Put about 16 on each card. Then set them free in the garden or park and see who'll be the first to check off every item.

Set up a row of golf tees, with a ping pong ball on each one, then arm your kids with a water pistol each and let them try to knock the balls off with the jet.

Needless to say, they WILL get wet.

Kids love picnics (and most adults are pretty partial to them too) so dust down the picnic blanket, load up the hamper and find yourselves the perfect place to enjoy some al fresco dining.

We’ve got listings of all the parks near you so you can find the perfect spot.

Why not make it a little extra special too by adding in some fancy dress fun? Get the kids to choose a theme and go with it ... how about pirates, princesses or Beauty and the Beast.

Den building in your garden can be great fun. You'll need some kind of framework from which to hang blankets or tarpaulin – perhaps between two trees, or hung over the garden furniture.

Simply hang a large blanket over the washing line, weighing it to the ground using stones or other heavy items for a really simple home made tent-like den. Then have a tea party inside!

There's nothing more fun that getting crafty in the sunshine on a gorgeous summer day.

We've got loads of arts and crafts ideas for your kids, many of which are just as easy to do outdoors.

Throw your own festival in your garden – pick your playlist, grab some fancy dress, do some face painting and body glitter and have a dance.

And don’t forget the BBQ for some festival-style burgers or hot dogs.

Lift up rocks and plant pots, peer in corners, hunt about in flower beds and have a minibeast hunt.

Magnifying glasses or binoculars are great for this activity so your kids can get a really close look at the creepy crawlies they discover.

You can make a little home for the bugs in a box (with soil, leaves and rocks for decoration) but make sure you set them free soon afterwards so they don't perish!

Be bold ... don't think about the washing afterwards and let your children get as muddy as they like!

They can make mud pies - mixing water with earth to make wonderful concoctions.

They can squelch their toes in mud and even roll in it!

Pop the kids in old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty and let them have some fab muddy fun.

(You might want to set up a 'sanitising station' near the doorway before you let them back in the house though ...)

Find some large chunky chalks and set the children up to draw on and decorate the paths, driveway or pavements.

They could draw hopscotch squares or large circles for a target game, or simply while away the afternoon chalking colourful patterns. Best of all, it's super easy for you to wash away at the end of the day.

Kids love climbing trees.

Head to your local woods or park and choose some trees to tackle. If you're really lucky you might find a tree with a rope swing attached for added fun.

A brilliant summery twist on a party favourite.

Fill several balloons with water, tie the ends and then hang them in a line on a washing line or sturdy string.

Take turns to have a swing at the balloons using a stick/wooden spoon/tube and wait for them to explode and give you a soaking!

An easy craft activity that doubles as a fun garden game.

Cut the centre from a few paper plates and paint/decorate them. Then paint a cardboard tube and stick it on a square cardboard base.

Voila – you've got a simple DIY game of garden hoopla.

Set the children on a hunt to find plenty of flat pebbles. Then paint spots on your pebbles to turn them into dominoes.

Once they're all dry, you can play a game of dominoes outside on the lawn.

Blow up balloons or a beach ball and either make paper plate bats or just use your hands to hit them across the lawn. The washing line could be a makeshift net.

Here's the video to show you how to make this game.

Set up a race course (with added obstacles if you like) and challenge the children to some 'Wacky Races'.

You can be as inventive as you like – the kids could have to crawl to the finish line with a laundry basket on their backs in a 'snail race', for example.

Or pair up children and tie together one of their legs for a three-legged race.

Perhaps they have to balance a beanbag on their heads, hula to the end or hop backwards?