Four Fun Outdoor Games for Labor Day

Although yummy food is likely to be your first thought in preparing for a Labor Day celebration, it is the bonding and time spent with others that stay in our memories long afterward. Outdoor games and activities are an excellent way to create a bond among people whether they are strangers, acquaintances or family members. So foster some bonding among your guests by trying out these 4 fun outdoor Labor Day games or activities.

1. Obstacle Course

Depending on your location, your obstacle course can be as simple or complex as you like. Feel free to incorporate elements of the natural environment. Jumping up and swinging on a tree branch can be part of your course. Before beginning, be sure to model how the course is to be completed. You may want to consider separate obstacle courses or separate competitions for kids and adults. Many people like to time the participants; others will simply reward those who are able to complete it. Again, the rules are up to you. Take up the challenge and go!

2. Building and Flying a Kite

When you invite your guests, ask them to bring a few plastic grocery bags (colored if possible) and kite string. You provide the light weight sticks. Teach them how to recycle a plastic bag into a flying kite. This is a great opportunity to spread the joy of recycling. Click here for a description of How To Make a Kite Out a Plastic Bag here. When the kites are made, then start flying. Now quite beats the feeling of creating and then flying your own kite. Try it yourself and see.

3. Water Balloon Toss

You will need to divide the entire group into pairs. An easy way to do this is to create two lines and then pair them up accordingly. Each pair will need a water balloon. Once participants are paired off, place them face to face each other with a distance of 3 feet or so to start. When the leader says go, participants toss the balloon to their partners who must catch it. If they break or fail to catch the balloon, that team is out. After each toss, participants step back one step making the toss progressively more difficult. When it is down to the last pair, they should keep going until the balloon breaks. Some partners can really make this last, it is amazing to see how far they can go. Of course, half the fun is dropping the balloon and getting soaked. So be prepared to get wet.

4. Capture the Flag with a Twist

This game is popular in Japan during public school Sports festivals/ (I saw my first at Tsubame City Junior High School in the early 1990s). This is great fun for a large group. Divide team members into groups of 3. Multiple groups of 3 is preferred over one group of three for maximum chaotic fun. One member of each subgroup will be given the team's colored headband to wear. They are responsible for not letting anyone grab their headband. The other two players will be the feet, holding the headband wearer by the foot and supporting her weight with their shoulders. The girl or boy on top will look like they are sitting on a throne. When all the teams are in formation, blow a whistle or yell Start. All groups of 3 from all teams compete at the same time. It can become quite exciting as the troops chase each other around, attempting to snatch the other teams' headband. The team left standing when all other headbands have been collected is the winner. Any of these fun outdoor games or activities can turn your Labor Day celebration into a memorable hit. If you are planning a Labor Day BBQ, you may be interested my article, Best of the Best BBQ Recipes for Labor Dayclick here or my article, Best Grilled Desserts for Labor click here.