Outdoor game ideas

Water balloon toss with trying to catch the water balloons in a bucket or plastic bowl/dish. Ummm.... an easter egg hunt type of thing, but maybe hide lollypops and see how many everyone can find and the person witht he most wins a prize? Musical chairs outside is always fun.

We had a party for my daughter's 8th birthday at the local park, and played these games (which, by the way, were repeated at her request at her 9th birthday!!)

Bobbing for apples - none of the kids at the party had ever done this! They all had a blast!!

Sweeping squash - buy two (or more) cheap brooms at walmart (I think I spent $2-3 each), and a matching number of squash or small melons - larger than a softball, but smaller than a volleyball - the less perfectly round, the better. Set up a starting line and a cone (or chair, etc) a distance away. Divide the kids into teams, and have them sweep the squash/melon all the way to the cone, around it, and back. When they get back to the starting point, they hand the broom off to the next kid. First team to go have everyone complete a turn wins. Lots of fun because the squash/melon wobbles all over and doesn't roll in a straight line. (The funniest thing was my four year old niece was the one who figured out the best way to do it! She completely beat all the older kids!!) This game is kind of hard to explain in writing, but hopefully this makes sense.

Pinata - also always popular.

Hope these ideas help.

I saw once at a kids event where the kids played Potato Sack Races. Two kids are in one sack using only one leg each and they race against the others. Its very difficult, and takes team work, but the kids really enjoy it. Its a great way to laugh all the way down to the finish line.
Also, on a table, you can play the Memory Card Game. Lay all the cards face down and each child has to choose the matching two cards by memory. The winner gets a small prize. I saw this at a party and the boys and girls both enjoyed playing.

One Happy Mom in Arizona.

what about a savenger hunt? You can print out a list of things they must find with a few clues to go along.

Water balloons - I agree - are tons of fun, too. I've also been to parties where you have to run to a cone, grab a balloon and pop it between your legs. Kids were wearing pants, tho.