Best Kids Games Ever! Parents & Grandparents Love These!

Remember when you were a kid and you'd stay outside all day, play games, and come in when the sun went down? Remember in school when we'd play those rad games of Dodgeball or 4 square?

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What are the most popular games for kids?

It seems fewer kids are playing outside games now with computer games being so popular. But, IF you can get the kids outside, there are so many fun games to play. Kids can gather in the neighborhood and play games for hours. And let's face it, if you're a parent or grand parent, it's nice when the kids are a little less rambunctious when they make it back indoors!

Remember "Red Rover, Red Rover...Send Timmy right over?" haha, I liked that one! Or Crack the Whip!?

I don't think Dodge Ball or Crack the Whip are allowed anymore. Red Light Green Light was another one of my favs!

I was riding horses very young so we would play these intense games on horseback. I used to board my horse at a stables In Felton CA. It was 23 acres and bordered the Henry Cowell National Forest.

We were about 6 miles from Graham Hill Show Grounds in Santa Cruz and we'd ride all day to get there and spend the night to compete in playdays barrel racing. But on the weekends home and after school, you could find a huge group of us kids at the corral riding our horses.

Many days, we would play intense games of Hide and Seek tag on horseback!

We'd race around on our horses all day. We'd have two teams of maybe 4-8 kids per team. One team would start as the taggers. The other team would split up and each of us would head out in different directions trying to quickly find a spot to rest and wait and NOT BE FOUND!

Horses are great for kids

If you were found you had to be tagged! So we would run as fast as possible on our horses through rivers and trees running on our horses as if our lives depended on not being tagged!

I'm surprised we never fell off! but, we were riding every day and got quite skilled at staying on! I wish I had that good of a seat now!

However, the whole game was pretty likely 'unsafe'. And, keep in mind, back then NONE of us wore helmets and we all rode bareback and usually barefoot. Because most days we'd hop off to dip in the San Lorenzo Valley River or drag on the tails of our horses through the river.

Exercise is important to stay healthy

I remember during tag on horseback, we'd name our favorite unfound spots for further reference. Some of my secret spots I named "Made in the Shade" or "Sunshine Tunnel," "Hall Hill Way" It was all so much Fun! Sometimes I think I may be trying to constantly re-live my adventures as a kid on my horses now.

I'm always trying to find some adventure to feel the thrill and exhilaration of my childhood. On days when we were giving our horses rest...We would play other games.

We had some pretty fun Hopscotch competitions too. And neighborhood Flag football games in the dirt! Kids of all ages played.

Oh, the memories! They keep flooding back. Kids who run around all day playing games and burning off energy are not only healthier but also sleep better at night.

If you're a parent or a grandparent, winning points with the kids is crucial right? Turn them on to some fun outdoor games and you'll be a hit with them for years! They may even ask you to play the games with them!