My kids have grown up! They are off to college or the trades. I am now a certified teacher in Art and Special Education for P-12 and Language Arts for 5-12. I've coached a high school speech and debate team for the past 4 years and taught middle school language arts and high school art while also serving as a special education teacher of record.
So, my blog content is also growing up. At least some of it. I am starting a new teaching gig as an elementary art teacher this fall! I will definitely share more homeschool art lessons in the coming months. I just wanted to pop in for my long-time readers and blogging friends to say, I've been busy, but I haven't forgotten about you! Here's to raising our children together, enjoy this high school homeschool lesson in Communications in the Media.
And if you don't homeschool, this is a great lead in to a classroom discussion on bias in the media; assuming you are allowed to teach about that and share some of the topics discussed here.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
In high schools, we now have Communications teachers. This used to be called the Speech teacher. The curriculum may include giving speeches in various styles (impromptu, dramatic, how to, extemporaneous) and learning about media communications in classroom lessons. These classes are often offered for dual college credit. While taking a course to teach dual credit classes, I had to step outside of my comfort zone and review mediathrough different lenses. Meaning, not as myself, an aging white woman or not even as the standby demographic of any straight male. We learned that most media, whether commercials, songs, television, movies, or even books, is written and directed toward the "heterosexual male gaze." This isn't always intentional either. In general, we have learned that this is the way to do things.
Explicit Content Warning: Many won't find the following articles or video content explicit, but some may find the topics of viewing through a queer theory lens or focusing on the anti-feminism sexism in media inappropriate for their teenage homeschoolers. If that's you, just move on to the next website or click around in my elementary homeschool content.
There's a slide depicting a condom in the video media critique. In another (not posted here,) there is discussion of the female and male anatomy as other items, such as the trunk of a car or a high heel shoe, and how they may serve as stand-ins for genitalia.The following content is made up of projects that I completed for a graduate course in Communications. They are not necessarily my personal views.
Remember, the assignments were designed to get us thinking about how different viewers have a differing perspectives and why two people could view the same content and have different take-aways. Anyway, I thought this might be a good way to start a conversation with your high school homeschoolers on media biases.
After consuming my content, think about your favorite commercials, shows, books, or songs and study them for gender biases, for flimsy characters whose only purpose is to show that the media is trying to be inclusive, or for messages that are hidden from your view because of the lenses you wear. How do you identify? How does this affect your perspective?
Some lenses you might wear when viewing are: cultural, queer, feminist (gender,) socieo-economic (marxist,) historical, psychoanalytic (freudian and others,) aestheticism, personal mirror, the list goes on. Once you start consuming media this way, it is difficult to just sit back and watch for enjoyment. You will become a more educated viewer. You will wonder how you never realized that so many things were taken from the straight male point of view. You may even have a better understanding of yourself and why you think a certain way even though you may not feel that way.
Up first, my media critique through a feminist lens, the final project for the Communication course as a slideshow with voice-over. This was created in Canva which is a great tool for digital art of all kinds. You can create video and slideshows with the paid version. It even allows you to use AI to create video and images. As a past obsessed Michael Jackson fan, do I believe what I am saying? You decide.
For your viewing pleasure, here's the original Billie Jean video by Michael Jackson. View for yourself. What do you see? The queer theory media review is below.
Prior to creating the video of Billie Jean through a feminist lens, we had to view a media text through a queer theory lens. Topics were given and I chose Carly Rae Jepsen. Then, we were told to choose a beloved media and do the same. For me, there is no more beloved media than anything by Michael Jackson. They call it queering when you view a media through a queer theory lens. As I reviewed Billie Jean with a queer lens, I began thinking how misogynistic it was and that is what led to the slideshow above.
Here is my class discussion text for media communications lesson through a queer theory lens:
“Carly Rae Jepsen’s Queer Renaissance” argues that Jepsen's music resonates with queer audiences because it celebrates desire without action. Queer audiences experience this throughout their lives - the longing for another often without being able to tell anyone or take action. This queer experience is often underrepresented in mainstream culture.
In the article, Michael Waters analyzes Jepsen's songs like "Call Me Maybe," "Boy Problems," and "I Really Really Like You," He says the music allows for diverse interpretations of desire, making her a queer "cult hero.” He says. “Jepsen’s music provides a sense of wholeness for a community often pressured to be out."
I was intrigued by the idea of Jepsen’s "invisibility" being a strength for a marginalized audience. It can relate to anyone who has felt unseen or shy about striking up a conversation in hopes of a new relationship, but that message connects with a queer audience because they often keep that part hidden.
Waters interrogates normativity in the narrative of pop music. Pop music is often romantically heterosexual, but feelings don’t always lead to action. He reinterprets Jepsen’s lyrics highlighting subtexts to uncover queer meanings that may not be intentional. Jepsen's music focuses on vague "feelings" rather than typical romantic outcomes and the queer community relates as they don’t always feel comfortable expressing their true feelings in public. The “other” may not be receptive to their feelings.
A Marxist theoretical lens would interpret Carly Rae Jepsen's music very differently from a queer theoretical lens. This lens would see pop music as a capitalist entity. The songs are created to generate profit. Therefore, the songs are designed to reach a wider audience to maximize sales. Jepsen or her label would be at the top with her staff, roadies, etc. being the workers.
Of all media texts, I am most familiar with Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" music video. How does it fare under a queer theory analysis? If we disrupt binaries, the primary theme of "Billie Jean" revolves around Michael, a man, being pursued by a woman who claims he is the father of her child. A queer analysis might question this heterosexual framework. Remember, the lyrics say, “Billie Jean is not my lover, she’s just a girl who thinks that I am the one.” But, is Billie Jean really the antagonist, or is she a symbol for something else? What if the "baby" is also a symbol representing a hidden secret that Michael is trying to escape? “But the kid is not my son.” Is he trying to tell us that the kid couldn’t be his son because of his sexuality?
Michael is trying to run away. Is he showing that he is vulnerable and doesn’t want to let anyone see his true self. A queer lens could see this as a metaphor for being "in the closet." Based on interrogative normative, Jackson's persona is unique. He's not really masculine, in fact, he is somewhat non-binary by today’s standards. Perhaps, he is trying to run from the pressure to be more masculine. On the surface, the song's lyrics hint at a paternity scandal. A queer lens could see the baby as a stand-in for something else that society sees as unacceptable. The detective who follows Michael cannot catch him. The "truth" eludes those with a fixed normative understanding.
If you find this post interesting, I'll be posting more articles viewing Gilmore Girls and Ginny & Georgia through different lenses and sharing a little bit more about Media Communications as a high school homeschool lesson. If you want to practice public speaking, check back often for some descriptions and examples of different types of basic speech lessons including Persuasive, Argumentative, and Socratic seminars.
Nowadays, with all of the video games and gadgets available, it’s difficult to get kids to put away their screens and try something active. This has led to a huge rise in childhood obesity and health problems related to sedentary behavior. As a parent, you want your child to be as happy and healthy as possible, so how can you encourage them to become more interested in exercise rather than playing video games or watching TV? Here are some of the best ideas to get kids to exercise to give you inspiration.
If your child finds exercise ‘boring,’ then maybe they just haven’t found a sport they like yet. Sports are both lots of fun and a great way to burn extra calories, and team sports can also teach your child vital life skills like teamwork and cooperation.
Volleyball is a fantastic, fast-paced sport that your kids will love. If you buy volleyball equipment to play this sport at home, then you’ll need to make sure you look after it so it doesn’t get damaged. In particular, volleyball ball pumps are essential for keeping the ball in perfect condition.
Go to after-school clubs
If you don’t have the space or equipment for your kids to play sports at home, then you can sign them up for after-school sports clubs instead. These clubs will have much better facilities and will be able to teach your child more about the sport, helping them reach their full potential. Additionally, your child will participate with other children at these clubs, which will help them make new friends and learn how to collaborate.
Walk to school
A small change you could make to your child’s routine is walking them to school instead of driving them there (or letting them walk alone if they’re old enough). This will get them used to moving more and will reduce their total amount of sedentary behavior.
Try sports and dance games
A fun family activity that’ll get you all moving is sports or dance games. Although video games often reduce your child’s activity levels, these games actually make them get up and move around in order to win. Games like Just Dance are also extremely fun and competitive - you’ll be having as much fun and getting as much exercise as the kids!
Most importantly, you can’t get your kids interested in exercise if you don’t listen to what they’d like to do. Forcing them to take part in sports and activities they hate will only make them resent exercise. For example, you may find out that your child prefers competitive team sports, solitary sports like running, or simply going for long walks. You may also find that your child isn’t very interested in sports but loves creative activities like dance. Try out a variety of activities to see what works for them.
Once you’ve found a form of exercise that your child enjoys, it’ll be so much easier to establish healthy habits and avoid harmful sedentary behaviors. Whatever you choose, make sure you enjoy the ride!
Special Needs Children Need to Participate in Extra Curricular Activities too!
A recent report suggests that pediatricians should encourage more children with disabilities to take part in physical activities. It is common for both doctors and parents to be cautious about allowing children with physical impairments to join after school clubs or participate in sports and team games. Children with disabilities and special needs aren't always given the opportunity or encouraged to participate and enjoy the benefits of extra curricular activities.
However, a number of studies show that increased physical activity in children with disabilities can significantly improve general health as well as help to develop mobility, balance, and coordination. At the same time, involvement in team sports and other organized recreational activities offer great opportunities to build social skills, make new friends and boost self-confidence. With the right support, children with physical or learning disabilities are able to enjoy a range of recreational activities, from fun party games at a sleepover to residential camps during the summer.
Although it may sometimes be more challenging, many children with disabilities are able to safely take part in physical activities. With more accessible facilities, specialized equipment and personal recommendations, children with a range of different needs and abilities can find an activity that they enjoy. In addition, increased levels of exercise can help them to maintain a healthy weight and improve their cardiovascular fitness.
While children with spastic cerebral palsy may experience difficulties with balance and movement, they can still enjoy activities such as horse riding or swimming that can allow them to experience greater mobility and independence. Even less physical activities such as drawing or photography are still very useful for refining motor skills and are also calmer activities for children with sensory issues.
Joining After-School Programs
While parents are often more focused on academic achievement or medical therapies, after-school programs for children with special needs offer a great opportunity to try out a range of different activities. Each child has different abilities and requirements so it is important to find a hobby or sport that suits that builds on their strengths and allows them to develop and grow. As well as having the chance to master a new skill, being part of a club allows children to make new friends and learn essential life skills.
Attending Inclusive Summer Camps
Summer camps are also a great place to develop life skills such as team working, resilience and decision-making. As well as being able to choose a specialist camp designed to support particular conditions such as autism or cerebral palsy, children with additional needs can also take their pick from any camp in the country. The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that all camps are inclusive to children with disabilities. This means that accommodations such as wheelchair-accessible ramps or additional therapeutic programs, are made to allow children of all abilities to access a range of activities suited to their particular interests and needs.
With the provision of accessible after school programs and summer camps, children with disabilities and additional special needs can enjoy the physical and social benefits of extracurricular activities.
This is a sponsored post. #ad Are you stuck in the eternal flow of social media? Do you have a blog, website, or other social media pages to sell a product or service? After you've exhausted all ideas, is your traffic still at a standstill? If so, you've probably searched for how to get more traffic to your website. It seems like an uphill battle. Okay, it is an uphill battle, but persistence and perseverance pay off.
I've been working the 30 day challenge in this book by Russell Brunson, Traffic Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Filling Your Websites and Funnels with Your Dream Customers. Let me just say, it may feel overwhelming, but that's what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the crowd. The past few years, I've slowed down on my personal endeavors. They've taken a backseat to the digital marketing that I do for other brands and businesses. I've got a keen eye for what needs to get done, but when it comes to doing it for myself, I don't always accomplish those goals. Reading this book has been the kick in the pants I needed to get motivated.
The first thing I noted was it felt like work. It felt like stuff I don't really want to do. Ugh. If that's you and you can't find the motivation, this method isn't for you. However, you should kick yourself in the pants and just get it done. Even if you do only a portion of what's been explained in the book, it will motivate you to set new goals. I hadn't posted every day on any social media platform, for years. YEARS! It was clearly time to make a change. For me, this 30 day challenge helped me overcome some fears. I posted several times a day nothing bad happened. In fact, my social media pages, particularly Facebook, started getting more engagement. More. Not less. More! Social media sites like it when we're active. Even if you're just talking to yourself everyday, post something valuable to help build that engagement score.
Russell Brunson is doing all the things I dreamed of doing! Book signings, podcasts, videos, and most importantly, selling books! For me, the goal of more traffic is to reach my target audience and sell more books! I love to write and create content for kids, but it can be difficult to attract the right audience to your website and even more difficult to attract them to make a purchase. That's where your dream 100 comes into play. In Traffic Secrets, Russell Brunson details what it takes to work with your dream 100. The first step is to identify who they are so you need to make a list. Once you've got that list, you need to work it. Find ways to connect with your dream 100. Make sure your dream 100 knows who you are! You can read all about it in his book, Traffic Secrets.
By completing the Traffic Secrets 30-day challenge, you'll learn the strategies you need to increase your site traffic. You've probably already got a great product or service ready to go, you just those customers! If you've yet to create a product to sell, you need to get on that.
I sell my products anywhere I can! In his book, Brunson mentions how important it is to have an affiliate army. Get other people (your dream 100) to mention your books and sell them on their websites. Set them up as affiliates so that they earn a little for each book sale. After reading his book, I discovered that I really need to focus more on building my tribe. First thing I plan to do is set up an affiliate marketing program for other book bloggers. In this latest book Traffic Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Filling Your Websites and Funnels with Your Dream Customers, entrepreneur Russell Brunsonreveals the classic and foundational direct marketing techniques that will allow you to be at the front of new trends and see opportunities that are invisible to everyone else. Having an affiliate army is a huge piece of the puzzle.
Russell Brunson is a Best-Selling Author & CEO of the $100M software company ClickFunnels. If you've started any digital marketing, you've probably heard of funnels. Everyone needs a funnel! He has built a following of over a million entrepreneurs, sold hundreds of thousands of copies of his books and popularized the concept of sales funnels. Basically, you need a funnel where you have all sorts of marketing efforts pointing to your landing page or the page where you sell your product or service. You drop links to this page preferably through other great online and personalities, and they all funnel in one direction, which drives sales of your product or service. There's an online adage, "work smarter not harder." However, if you can work smarter and harder, you'll find success in your entrepreneurial endeavors.
Have you unexpectedly been tossed into the throes of homeschooling since the Corona virus pandemic? If you've suddenly had to to become the school teacher, cafeteria lady, and janitor during these school closures, you're well aware that home learning is more difficult than it looks. So, how do you do homeschooling during the coronavirus pandemic? As seasoned homeschoolers, we're here to help. Below is a list of our favorite homeschool resources and some articles specifically addressing these troubled times and how to help your kids cope. What a life lesson this is, right?
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
For more on our personal journey scroll to the end.
Worried how school closure and remote learning will affect your child? Love them, support them, build them up, and they'll be fine. Think homeschoolers are weird? Maybe, depends on your perspective, but we're more normal than you think. We only had 7 months of brick and mortar school, but our previously homeschooled kids made the best of their first year of brick and mortar school. They miss school so much. When this is all over your kids will look forward to going to school too! I've added a photo album for our long time readers and fans. Enjoy!
I love this post! We have a similar experience. Keep scrolling to see our homeschoolers' success in public school!
Tips for Home Learning and Coping during School Closures and Covid19
These are scary times, so here's a Coronavirus meme to lighten the mood.
Educational Resources for Homeschooling during the Coronavirus
Many of our older homeschool resources that target elementary students are listed in the homeschool tab on this site: Homeschool Learning Lessons for Elementary Age You can also do a search on our site for specific types of lessons like, grammar, math, and science.
BrainPophas the most fun videos; I love them as much as my kids do. BrainPopJr. is great for the younger set. They are a paid service, but offer a free movie of the week and other free lessons.
Life of Fredis our favorite home learning curriculum. We checked the books out at the library, that's probably not an option during these coronavirus times. You can get the Life of Fred books online at Amazon and on the Life of Fred website (Get the dolls!)
Mobymax has free options for remote learning and homeschoolers. The great thing about this website is they find and fix learning gaps. Kids can take assessments to see where they fall and then do educational activities based on their grade level in different subjects. It's a great way to see if your child has been falling through the cracks in public school.
TeachersPayTeachers and TeacherSherpa both offer great resources free and paid. The lesson plans are created by teachers for teachers, but homeschoolers and remote learners are welcome to download them too! Check out our store on TPT, it has some fun educational skits to do with the kids, we even have a play about the Easter Bunny!
Khan Academy is not for the faint of heart. If you're all in to the homeschooling thing, give it a try. We used it for several years. It's a free learning resource originally targeted toward middle schoolers and high schoolers, but now offers lessons for elementary too. It feels a lot more like "real school" than some of the other online options and keeps track of your progress and grade level.
Why not give this difficult time a fun spin? Our Summer Camp Handbook is edutainment at its best! Enjoy science experiments, PE Activities, and more disguised as fun!
We also love CrashCourse with John and Hank Green. (Yes, that John Green!) You'll even find some of their lessons on Khan Academy. These are super fun, especially for older students.
We hope these resources help ease your mind and put you on the right track for remote home learning during the Coronavirus pandemic situation. Remember, homeschooling isn't easy and not all parents nor all kids are cut out for it.
Bowling allows for socialization and physical activity. During the quarantine,
bowl with your game console or set up milk jugs to knock down with a basketball.
Do the best you can. Don't overdo it! If you take it too seriously, your kids won't enjoy it and neither will you. Make learning fun, make it light, and focus on those skills that are best learned at home: writing letters, sending emails, tying shoes, telling time, how to follow a recipe, chores (consider doing laundry a PE activity,) working on cars, putting together puzzles, dice games, Minecraft Uno or any Uno game, and anything that brings your family closer together.
Dress up day.
Note: This past year, my kids decided to go back to public school. My 15 year-old was placed as a high learning junior taking all senior and college level courses, my 13 year-old is a well-rounded, straight A, school loving eighth grader.
In previous years, we spent a maximum of 2 hours a day on book learning. The rest of our day was focused on healthy outdoor activities, field trips to museums, special events at the library, and a local homeschool group for "socialization." Turns out, it was more than enough.
Take it easy, don't stress out, and remember that YOU CAN DO IT!
Made the grade, first semester honor roll.
Never played football in his life. Made the team!
Loving the school band.
My son was looking forward to performing in the high school play, finishing building a home for Habitat for Humanity, trying out different sports and clubs, and now, that will have to wait until next year. My daughter was on an academic team, loving art club, playing in the school band, and appreciating school for its many wonderful opportunities. I took great pride and joy watching them try new things. My heart aches for their loss and for the loss of those long time public school seniors who are missing out on their last school dance, possibly graduation, and all the joys of being a high school senior. If nothing else, this experience will teach us not to take life for granted.
Never forget, no matter how stressful it gets, getting to stay home with your kids is a gift.
When we leave summer behind and approach the colder months, kids want to stay inside. That means, it’s time to pull out the indoor activities to keep the kids entertained after school and on the weekends. Just because you’re stuck inside doesn’t mean the day has to be wasted! There are loads of great family-friendly activities to do indoors.
This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links.
Be sure to click through the links to find all the fun indoor kids activities we've discovered.
If you're looking for great ways to keep kids entertained when the weather’s got you stuck indoors, look no further! Some or these activities, you might do regularly, others you may never have tried before, but they’re all great ways to keep the kids entertained while encouraging them to learn new skills.
Baking
How can you not love an indoor activity where you and the kids get to eat a tasty treat at the end? When the weather isn't very nice, baking is a great way to bring the family together, and you can learn some amazing new skills while you’re at it.
Don’t worry if you’re not a great cook, the fun is in learning the new skill, and there are some great recipes for beginners out there. Even if you are a beginner, these recipes will have you baking up a storm!
Everyone wins when you get to do a fun family activity and eat some tasty baked goods at the end of the day.
Keep everyone entertained for hours on end with a few well-planned arts and crafts projects. These might take a little bit of pre-planning on your part, but they’re sure to give your family an amazing day of creating things with their hands and bonding with each other.
Any project with epoxy resin is bound to get the kids excited, and the results you can get with this product are awesome and perfect for a cold or rainy day.
In the modern world of ultra-realistic video games, the old-fashioned board game still has its place. In fact, the classics are often the best, and there’s no better time to pull out the board game collection that when it’s raining outside.
No matter how much technology moves on, the likes of Monopoly, Cluedo, Jenga, and Uno are always family favorites for a good reason. Once you get everyone together and involved in a game of Monopoly, you’ll find the time just flies by, and you won’t even remember that the weather is terrible outside. Make sure you’ve got a trustworthy banker, and you’ve got an afternoon of fun indoor activities for everyone.
As we approach Fall, the weather might not allow for as many outdoor activities as usual, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to end. There are lots of fun indoor activities that you can enjoy with your family on a rainy day. For more inspiration, check us out on Pinterest!
What looked like a boring weekend stuck inside, might just turn out to be a weekend full of joy and family fun. You can eat, drink, create, and play games with your family and friends while bringing everyone closer together. Just do a search in our blog for games, crafts, kids recipes, family field trip ideas, and fun indoor activities for kids. Stick with us, and you'll never run out of fun things to do!
The days of simple parties where balloons, music, and a cake with candles were enough are long gone. In 2019, fun birthday ideas are at a whole new level. You need these 10 great outdoor games for kids to get moving and enjoy their special day.
Kim and Kanye set the bar high with a "kidchella" themed party, featuring bouncy houses, a Ferris wheel, and several music stages. While you won't have the same budget as the Kardashians, take inspiration from their intuitive ideas and create a party with good outdoor games to play.
If you're arranging a summer party for your kid's birthday bash, what outdoor games can you play? Read on for the 411 on which outside games your kids will actually love!
This post contain Amazon Affiliate Links.
Outdoor Games Kids Will Love
We all know the math. Kids + Birthday parties = Chaos!
Instead of expecting kids to sit around, drink tea, and chat like adults, prepare some cool games that will burn all their pent-up party energy. We've chosen 10 outdoor games that will have your guests giggling from beginning to end. Are you ready? Let's get this party started!
1. Hop Your Way to Victory
Try a traditional sack-race to get the kids moving. Give each child a good quality burlap bag or king-size pillowcase. Line them up in a grassy area and have them hop their way to victory down a marked path.
To mix it up a little, decorate the plain sacks. Make it more challenging and make the marked path curvy. Even if you just do it the old-fashioned way, it'll get a lot of laughs on the way, Scout's honor!
2. Make Your Birthday Party Pop
Balloon stomping is one of the best group games for parties. What's a party without balloons popping?
Before the party starts, prepare by blowing up at least one balloon per guest and a few extras just in case. Tie a long string or ribbon around the end of the balloon so that it is long enough to tie around the children's ankles.
When the party gets started, tie a balloon around the ankle of each child. The aim of the game is to pop everyone else's balloon while protecting your own. The last kid with an intact balloon wins.
3. Jump to It
Let the kids blow off a little steam before you sit down to open presents. One of the best outdoor games for kids, is an outdoor bouncy house. Hiring a bouncy house is an exciting treat for the kids! It really is fun for all ages (even big kids!)
From bouncy houses and inflatable water slides to blow-up climbing walls and bouncy bungee runs, knowing which one to choose boggles the mind. Do your research to find out more about the options and you'll find the perfect match for your big outdoor birthday bash.
4. Treasure Hunt
Treasure hunts have been around a long time, but they're still one of the most interesting outside games for kids to play. Adapt the hunt depending on the ages of the guests and the style of the party. Be sure to offer prizes and other birthday party favors for the winning team.
For instance, create a list of items in nature they have to find in a certain time limit. Give each guest some magnifying glasses, binoculars, and a treasure bag for their adventure. They can search for various bugs, pinecones, daisies, leaves, and more on a nature scavenger hunt or you can hide items throughout the yard and give them a list of riddles to solve to find the next treasure. As an alternative, hide pieces of treasure and candy for the kids to find. Give them a bucket and send them on their scavenger hunt,
5. Cool Pool Party
Fun birthday ideas for the summer usually involve water. Wet and wild games give kids the chance to get soaked and cool off. A pool prize search is one of the most fun outside games for a kid's party.
Use an inflatable pool filled with water. Hide weighted treasures at the bottom of the pool. Then, fill the rest of the pool with floating toys and balls, so that it's hard to see what's at the bottom. Give the kids a time limit and tell them to find the treasures at the bottom of the pool.
If kids are a bit older and it seems too easy, try blindfolding them. Their teammates can shout out directions to help them find the treasure.
6. Use Your Noodle
One of the cheapest outside games for kids is Pool Noodle Croquet. It's budget-friendly but takes a little bit of time to set up.
Create several pool noodle arches in your back yard and stake them into the ground. Give each child a pool noodle and an inflated beach ball. The idea is to be the first to get the ball through the course of arches.
7. Make a Splash
Another variation of a classic game is water balloon baseball. It's one of the easiest outdoor games for kids and parents because it's so easy to set up.
All you need is a baseball bat and some pre-filled water balloons. Make sure the guests are ready to get soaked!
8. A Tasty Mess
Fun birthday ideas have got to include cakes and treats, right? So why not turn your dessert into a game? When played outside, this donut game is lots of fun.
Tie dangling donuts from a high place, such as a tree or doorway. Then have a donut eating race, without using hands. Chocolate donuts make the most mess, so be ready with a cleanup team when the game is over.
9. Water Shoot
Here's another outdoor water game for you. Divide the party into two teams. For each team, string a plastic sand pails onto one end of a clothesline.
The concept of this game is for each team to work together to move their bucket along the clothesline, using only the spray water guns. Of course, if you don't have enough squirt guns for the party, you could fill up plastic bottles instead. Be sure the squirt guns are powerful enough to make the pails move!
10. An In-Tents Party
Another awesome outside party activity is camping. If camping somewhere remote is too much of a task, just set up a camp ground in your backyard.
Set up tents and a supervised fire-pit. Play some camping-themed games during the day. And when it gets dark, roast some s'mores on the campfire and tell scary stories.
Keep Calm and Party On!
We hoe you like this list of outdoor games with a twist for parties. Pick one, two, or as many outside games as you want, to make your birthday bash super fun!
What if it turns out to be a rainy day and you can't have fun in the sun? For some more games inspiration, both inside and out, check out the "Games" section of our blog.
50+ Easy Circle Time Games for Three, Four, and Five Years Group Time for preschoolers often happens several times a day, you need fres...
Follow us on Instagram
Get Circle Time Handbook
Can't remember all of the words to your favorite group game? Get the handbook with reproducible pages to copy and add to your clipboard. All of your favorite games right at your fingertips!
