Parents and grandparents may participate, or they can serve as facilitators and mediators, adjusting rules for kids of different ages or for different playing fields. The most important role for adults is that of an enthusiastic spectator (a few cheers might even be in order). These outdoor games are fun for family reunions, multigenerational vacations, and other celebrations. Those involving a large soft ball can be enjoyed by both young and older children, whereas those using a ball and a bat are more suitable for tween children on up. Catching a ball in the air is worth two points and fielding a grounder is worth one point. Each player tries to fool the other player about whether a fly or grounder is coming. If a ball is not catchable, the receiving player gets another chance. Play continues until a certain agreed-upon-in-advance score is reached. Using real money isn’t necessary; play money will work, or you can incorporate a sneaky math lesson by having players add up how much they have “earned” in their heads. A grounder earns 25 cents. A ball that bounces once earns 75 cents. Two bounces are good for 50 cents, and three are good for 25 cents. A fly ball earns $1. The first player to earn $5 wins and becomes the ball handler for the next round. For an extra challenge, you can instate the rule that exactly $5 must be reached in order to win. When a player loses five points, they are out of the game. The game continues until there is only one player left; he or she is proclaimed the winner. One player is selected as “It” and starts counting to 10 while the other players run away, freezing in place when the counting stops. “It” is allowed to take four giant steps toward any single player before trying to hit them with the ball. If the player is hit, they get an S and become “It.” If the player who is “It” misses, they get an S and remain in their role. When a player gets four letters, spelling S-P-U-D, they are out of the game. The winner is the last to be eliminated. The fielder then rolls the ball at the bat. When the ball hits the bat, it pops up, and the batter attempts to catch it. If the batter does not catch the ball, the fielder is up to bat. If the batter does catch the ball, or if the fielder misses the bat, the batter keeps hitting. This game can continue for as long as the players are still interested. This game works for as few as three kids or for quite a few more and can continue for as long as everyone is having a good time. Some versions of this game have the middle player positioned in a circle about 10 feet in diameter, while the other two players stand outside it. If there is a great discrepancy in height between the players, requiring that the ball bounce once in the circle will level the playing field. The players who are being thrown at have to maintain their positions with arms folded when the ball is faked and catch the ball when it is actually thrown. Flinching when the ball is faked or failing to catch a thrown ball earns a player a letter. The first player to spell out F-L-I-N-C-H becomes “It.” With no definitive endpoint, this game can go on for however long everyone wants to play. If they decide upon animals, for example, they must say the name of an animal before they catch the ball. If they can’t come up with a name, or if they miss the ball, they are out. The last player remaining wins the game. This is a good game for young school-age children as it isn’t too physically challenging and offers a lesson on categorizing items. A player who misses a ball must go down on one knee. On the second miss, the player goes down on both knees. The third miss requires one hand to be put behind the back. The fourth miss means that the player is out. A successful catch, however, means that a player can take a step forward. The last person remaining is the winner. Players keep the ball moving by directing it into someone else’s square where it may bounce only once before that player hits it. Catching the ball is not allowed. Anyone who let’s the ball bounce more than once or who directs it out of bounds is out. Once you’re out, you have to move back to square D while all other players move up a letter. There can also be a line of players waiting that you have to go to the end of. Whoever makes it “around the world” first wins. Or, for a non-competitive version, all players make their way around and then the game ends. A designated person calls out a number. The two children whose numbers are called run to the ball and try to pick it up and bring it back to their side. But, if you get tagged while holding the ball, you must forfeit it. This game can be a lot of fun but it can be discouraging for kids who are left for an extended time in the middle. Consider adding a time limit for how long someone has to stay in the middle before an automatic switch. Whoever is holding the ball when the music stops is out. You can have these kids sit down in their place or you can have them dance to the music on the sides of the circle. This can be a fun game for kids who thrive on challenges. It’s also an excellent way to burn off any energy. Kids should stand in a circle and toss the ball from person to person. The child who catches the ball needs to answer a math problem from one of the sections that their hand is on.
