Autumn half-term at home: 5 outdoor games for the garden

Outdoor play during autumn half-term doesn't have to be complicated. With a few simple items and the garden as your play space, children can get started in no time.  

These five outdoor games need very little preparation. Pick one to suit the day, or play one on each day of the break.  

1. Make a secret garden map  

Get children to look at the garden as if it were a completely new world. Draw a bird's-eye view of the garden together and mark familiar spots on the map, such as the shed, a tree, the playhouse or a corner by the fence.  

Then let their imaginations take over. Perhaps the playhouse suddenly becomes a castle, the bushes a dark forest and the space behind the shed a secret cave. Give each place a new name and add a symbol. Once the map is ready, use it for role play or have someone follow a route through the different imaginary places. For an easier version, just draw a few familiar spots. Want to build on the game? Add a secret route, treasure or extra challenge.  

What you need: paper and a pen or pencil. Time: 30 to 45 minutes.  

 

2. Aim and score points  

Use boxes or baskets as different targets and give each one a point value. Pick a few starting spots and give each player three throws per round. Hit a target and add the points to your score.  

With several players, compare scores. Playing alone, a child can try to beat their own score. Got a football goal or another suitable outdoor toy? Include it in the game and follow the instructions. Stand closer for an easier round or make the target smaller for more of a challenge.  

What you need: a ball and a few targets. Time: 15 to 20 minutes.  

3. Play autumn colour bingo  

Make a bingo card with six squares and give each square an autumn colour, such as yellow, red, brown or orange. Then the hunt begins: find something outside that matches each colour and tick off the square.  
Children can search on their own or compare what they find together. Use one card or make a separate version for everyone. Play with four colours for an easier round. For an extra challenge, add a feature as well as a colour, such as round, rough or small.  

What you need: paper and a pen. Time: 15 to 25 minutes.  

 

Download the autumn colour bingo as a PDF. 

4. Organise a family sports afternoon  

Turn the garden into a mini sports afternoon using things you already play with outside. Each family member comes up with one activity, then choose three to five together. Agree in advance how each activity works and how points are scored.  
Need some inspiration? Try:  

• A target round with three attempts per player.
• A garden course with a start, checkpoints and a finish.
• A ball challenge from start to finish.

You can also play without keeping score. Want more of a challenge? For the final round, let everyone add one extra rule. If space is tight, choose activities you can do from one spot.  

What you need: outdoor play equipment and, if needed, paper for keeping score. Time: 30 to 45 minutes.  

 

5. Go on a garden mission  

Write five missions on slips of paper and spread them around the garden. Complete the challenges one by one. A child can do the missions alone, or you can take turns and make up new challenges for each other.  
Mission ideas:  

• Find the quietest spot.
• Find something with an unusual shape.
• Give a familiar place a new name.
• Use three objects to make a temporary marker.
• Describe a place without saying its name.

Leave the slips in plain sight for an easier version. Want more of a challenge? Make each mission include a clue to the next slip.  

What you need: five slips of paper and a pen. Time: 20 to 30 minutes.  

 

What about changeable autumn weather?  

In autumn, a dry spell can quickly turn into a shower. The garden map, colour bingo and garden mission are easy to pause and pick up again later.  
For the family sports afternoon and target game, choose activities to suit the weather at the time.  

Looking for ideas for a wet autumn day instead? Read the EXIT Toys blog Playing outside in the rain.  

 

 

Autumn half-term activity card  

Five games for five days of the break. Let the children choose the order.  
Finished the whole card? Choose which game deserves a second round. Different rules or challenges can make the same game feel new again.  

 

Download the tick-off card above as a PDF.