
When your kids head out into the yard to play, it probably triggers some memories for you -- of epic hide-and-seek games, or heroic victories playing Capture the Flag. Ahh, those were the days, right?
So if your kids are whining that they're bored or don't know what to do, pick your own favorite game from your childhood and show them the ropes. Here are a few oldies but goodies to get you started.
We think #8 will never go out of style -- how about you?
Image © bikeriderlondon/shutterstock
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Freeze Tag
1Image via Pavel Lysenko/shutterstock
It doesn't get simpler than kids chasing each other around a backyard, does it? And that's the charm of freeze tag ... plus the fact that you can be "freed" by another player keeps the game going on and on.
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Kick the Can
2Image via Ruben Pinto/shutterstock
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Flashlight Tag
3Image via Gelpi JM/shutterstock
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Red Light, Green Light
4Image via BestPhotoStudio/shutterstock
This simple game is by far the funnest way to learn the difference between "red" and "green" lights -- pure genius in terms of traffic safety! But it also helped us hone our reflexes: Stopping and going at the whims of your designated traffic controller was tough work!
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TV Tag
5Image via Ollyy/shutterstock
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Capture the Flag
6Image via Anna Omelchenko/shutterstock
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Red Rover
7Image via Diego Cervo/shutterstock
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Hide-and-Seek
8Image via Velazquez77/shutterstock
This age-old game is still popular today, and for very good reason: It combines the thrill of hiding, seeking, and being caught or "home free." What more could a kid want?
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What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?
9Image via Tom Wang/shutterstock
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Mother, May I?
10Image via Voyagerix/shutterstock
You've gotta respect a game that teaches kids manners! It may seem so old-fashioned now, but Mother, May I? was good stuff -- a gentler, more familial form of Simon Says where the designated "mom" ordered everyone around. This is definitely one to bring back, like, now!
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