The end of the school year often brings kids’ favorite event: field day! It’s a chance to spend a day outside, running around with their friends, all while being at school. When you’re setting up your event, it’s important to include a selection of field day games that every kid can participate in and enjoy. You’ll find ideas here for every age group and ability, so your event will be inclusive and fun for everyone!
- Classic Field Day Games
- More Field Day Games
- Non-Physical Field Day Games
- Water Games for Field Day
Classic Field Day Games
Field days have been around a long time, and some activities have become staples. Here are some classic field day games to add to your list of events.
- 100-Yard Dash
- Water Balloon Toss
- Wheelbarrow Race
- Three-Legged Race
- Sack Race
- Obstacle Course
- Egg-and-Spoon Race
- Relay Race
- Tug-of-War
- Long Jump
More Field Day Games
Want to jazz up your standard list of games a bit? We love these fun and creative games, and your students will too.
Blanket Pull
Go for a ride with this fun race. Kids pair up to pull each other across the field on a blanket. Even things out by having one kid pull on the way down, and the rider pull on the way back.
Learn more: Sweet Dreams Are Made of These
Football Toss
This football toss game is surprisingly easy to assemble. You can also just hang Hula-Hoops from a branch or pole—swinging targets make things even more challenging!
Learn more: Fundraising Directory
Frisbee Golf
Frisbee golf is another one of those field day games that’s very easy to set up with inexpensive supplies. Set round laundry baskets into tomato cages pushed into the ground to arrange your course. Arm kids with Frisbees, and you’re ready to play!
Learn more: Hometalk
Pool Noodle Croquet
Make oversized croquet hoops from pool noodles, and grab some lightweight balls. You can hit the balls with more pool noodles, or try to kick them through the hoops as you make your way along the course.
Learn more: The Joys of Boys
Parachute Volleyball
Round up a big beach ball and some small parachutes (beach towels work too!). Teams work in pairs to catch and launch the ball back and forth over the net.
Learn more: TeamLaunchLight/YouTube
Coconut Bowling
Coconut balls make this bowling game much more challenging—and hilarious! The uneven shape of the fruit means it will roll in ways kids will never expect.
Learn more: Fun-a-Day
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Turn the popular game Hungry Hungry Hippo into life-size mayhem! One student lays on a scooter on their stomach, holding a basket upside down in front of them. The other student grabs their legs and pushes them forward to grab as many pieces as possible. After everyone has had a turn, total up the pieces to find the winner.
Learn more: Hungry Hungry Hippos/YouTube
Frozen T-Shirt Race
Buy oversized T-shirts, wet them down and fold them, and stick them in the freezer overnight. For the race, each participant works to get their shirt thawed, unfolded, and then put it on first. So funny to watch!
Learn more: A Girl and a Glue Gun—Frozen T-Shirt Race
Balloon Stomp
Get ready for some chaos with this one! Tie a balloon to each student’s ankle with a ribbon. Blow the whistle, and let kids loose trying to break each other’s balloons with their feet. Last one standing is the winner. (Make this a team game by issuing balloons of the same color to each teammate.)
Learn more: How to Have It All
Chicken Stix
This is just plain silly, but it’s so much fun. Kids use pool noodles to pick up rubber chickens and carry them to the finish line. This one’s easy to turn into a relay race.
Learn more: Mrs. Russell’s Room
Non-Physical Field Day Activities
Not every kid loves running and jumping (and some of them can’t). Make sure field day is fun for everyone by including some of these non-physical activities. They let everyone shine!
Cup-Stacking Race
After a TV show made this game popular, every kid wants to give it a try. Give each player 21 cups. Their goal is to stack them into a pyramid, then unstack them again, as fast as possible.
Learn more: Happy Mom Hacks
Cookie Face
This game is pure silliness, and kids are gonna love it! Have them tip their heads back, then place a cookie on their foreheads. When you shout “Go!” they race to move the cookie from their foreheads to their mouths without using their hands!
Learn more: Happiness Is Homemade
Ball Toss
This game requires a bit of skill, but it’s easy enough for anyone to try. Label cans or other containers with point amounts. Give each student five balls to toss, and total up their points at the end.
Learn more: Everyday Dishes
Ping-Pong Tic-Tac-Toe
Make a 3 x 3 grid of plastic cups, one for each team. Fill the cups most of the way with water. Then give each team a bowl of Ping-Pong balls, and watch them race to get the balls into the cups until they make three in a row.
Learn more: Jeremy Mavis
Giant Kerplunk
This game is pretty easy to make with tomato cages and bamboo skewers. Each competitor pulls a stick, trying not to be the one who causes the balls to fall!
Learn more: Angela Parker—Pinterest
Flamingo Ring Toss
You could play ordinary ring toss, of course, but how fun is this version? Grab some lawn flamingos (you might even find them at the dollar store) and set them up. Then give each player a set of hoops and let them do their best.
Learn more: Sugar & Cloth
Lawn Scrabble
Give your word lovers a chance to show off their skills with an oversized game of Scrabble! Make the tiles from pieces of cardboard or card stock.
Learn more: Constantly Lovestruck
Ladder Toss
This clever take on beanbag toss is super-easy to set up. Simply label the rungs of a ladder with various point totals. Then let kids try to land their beanbags on the steps to build up points for their team.
Learn more: Landeelu
Yard Yahtzee
Buy or make some giant wooden dice, then compete at an outdoor game of Yahtzee. (Don’t tell kids they’re actually practicing their math skills on field day!)
Learn more: Life Sew Savory
Scavenger Hunt
Complete a scavenger hunt as a team, or make it an individual event. We’ve got tons of terrific scavenger hunt ideas here, including the alphabet hunt. Kids try to be the first to collect an object for every letter of the alphabet!
Water Games for Field Day
If you’re willing to let kids wind up a little damp (or, let’s face it, soaking wet), these are the games for you!
Fill the Bucket
Here’s a classic water game that’s easy to set up and always popular. Teams race to see who can full their bucket first, using only the water they can carry in a sponge.
Learn more: The Resourceful Mama
Pass the Water
We like this one best as a big team game. Kids line up, one after the other, each holding a cup. The person in front fills their cup with water, then pours it backward over their head into the next person’s cup. Play continues until the last person, who pours it into a bucket. Repeat as many times as needed to completely fill your bucket.
Learn more: A Girl and a Glue Gun—Pass the Water
Water Cup Race
Hang plastic cups on strings, then use squirt guns to push them along to the finish line. (Don’t want to use water? Have kids blow through straws to propel the cups instead.)
Learn more: All for the Boys
Sponge Launch
Have each team design and build a launcher. Then let them fire wet sponges to see which team’s goes the farthest.
Learn more: How Does She?
Water Balloon Piñatas
No candy in these piñatas … just water! Hang them high and arm kids with sticks to hit them. The first team or person to break all their balloons wins!
Learn more: Hello, Wonderful
What are your favorite field day games? Come exchange ideas on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!
Plus, check out The Best Kids Gym Equipment for Fun at School and Home.
