Classic Backyard Games for Kids

Classic Backyard Games for Kids

Disclosure: I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Influence Central for Panasonic. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

How do you keep your kids active during the summer? With higher temperatures, it can often be a challenge to get them excited about going outdoors, so we try to keep a good selection of games in our rotation to keep them interested. 

Classic Backyard Games for Kids

Classic Backyard Games

Fortunately for the girls, Colby and I remember spending all of our summer days outside. This means we have several classic backyard games on our list to keep them active and playing together!

Now, as the girls play, I have to break every once in a while to capture the moment. I want to be able to show them how much fun they had playing these “old school” games the nest time they say they’re bored.

Lucky for me, the Panasonic LUMIX G7 allows you to choose the perfect moment from a 4K Ultra HD Video that is taken at up to 30 frames-per-second. While still working on the camera, you can extract moments as 8-megapixel stills that you can then share immediately with built-in Wi-Fi. This means I won’t miss a moment of play!

backyard freeze tag

What are they playing? These fun backyard games are the same ones Colby and I remember playing as kids and are passing them on to our children:

Freeze Tag

We’ve all played tag a time or two, right? One person is “it” and tries to tag the other players. In Freeze Tag, there is an additional element where the player tagged must freeze in position. They then have to wait to be unfrozen by another player. And want to capture the expressions before being tagged?

The 4K Start/Stop mode on the LUMIX G7 is perfect! Simply push the shutter button when you want to begin and then again to stop the recording. You can then sort through the pictures, directly from the camera, to choose which still images to save.

This is ideal for so many fast-moving shots this summer… and beyond!

hide and seek

Hide and Seek

Who hasn’t played Hide-and-Seek? It’s probably every baby’s first game with their parents. “Where’s mommy?” This game has carried over into adulthood even for most of us.

Therefore, of course our kids still enjoy it. The game has evolved with them… and them with the game.

Red light Green light

Red Light, Green Light

With one person playing the traffic light, they get to direct the other players on when to move. Red light = stop. Yellow light = slow walk. Green light = go fast. The object is to be the first person to reach the traffic light.

But don’t get caught moving on red or you have to go back to the starting line. The first one to tag the traffic light wins.

Simon Says play a backyard game

Simon Says

Always a great listening game, Simon Says keeps everyone on their toes. Sometimes quite literally if “Simon Says.” One person is “Simon” and gets to give the others tasks to do. They simply say, “Simon says… touch your nose (for example).

If a player does something without Simon saying it, they are out. The last person standing becomes the next Simon.

music freeze tag

Freeze Dance

Think musical chairs, but no chairs… and you have to freeze when the music stops. Put one person in charge of the music while everyone else dances (crazier the better). Then, when the music stops, all the dancers have to freeze. If you’re caught moving, you’re out. Keep playing until there is one person left, and declare that dancer the winner!

This was fun to see afterward with the 4K photos. And this picture shows you exactly what will happen when you can capture images as they are in action. My daughter was caught mid-dance in the shot above.

backyard sprinkler play

Honestly? This is just the beginning! There are so many fun ways to keep the kids active this summer. Beyond a long list of other games, there is also a simple bike ride, time at the park, swimming in a pool, or, in our case, running through the sprinklers.

After a day of games, the girls just want to cool off and the sprinklers offer the most fun way to do that at home.

peace out summer - caught with LUMIX G7

Remember to grab the Panasonic LUMIX G7 the next time your kids head outside to play. Capture those moments… no matter how fleeting… using the 4K shooting modes. You don’t have to miss a second when you can easily capture the entire scene with one click of the button.

Not to mention, you will capture those moments in Superb DSLM (mirrorless) image quality without the bulk and weight of traditional DSLRs. You simply have to see it to believe it!