This post was sponsored by Woolite, but opinions are 100% my own.
One of our favorite things to do as a family is go to the park. My kids LOVE the park, always have. We are very lucky to live close to a number of really nice playgrounds, so we can always switch it up. My kids are both pretty outgoing and are quick to make friends when we go, but sometimes it can get boring if there aren’t a lot of other children there. That’s when you need to step up your park trip! I am a pro at keeping my kids at the park for a LONG time, and these park activities are easy and fun.
5 Awesome Games to Step Up Your Next Park Trip:
Slide Races: I usually have a ton of Hot Wheels in my car so this is a go-to for us. It is simple as can be, take your car to the top of the slide and let them go at the same time. There is always a lengthy conversation about which car is going to win and why… plus some very clear rules. “Do we let go at 3? Or Do we say 1,2,3 and then let go at GO?” 😉 Sometimes the kids remember this game before we leave and bring a bunch of cars, since they love testing the speed of the different cars. You don’t have to use only cars, either. Toys, rocks and acorns also work great.
Scavenger Hunt: I am a HUGE fan of scavenger hunts, I even wrote about the library scavenger hunts we do. This is a fun one and it can be as easy or as complicated as you want. You can create the hunt when you get there, naming items that can easily be found depending on your location. (a red flower, a leaf that has been partially eaten by a bug, etc) I have also planned these out bringing small toys from home and a list I write out for the kids. They have to cover their eyes while I hide the items.
Buried Treasure: For this activity, I take a few coins or even a toy and bury it in the sand or mulch. I pick a small enough area to at least give the kids a chance to find it. Then they have to dig and dig until they find buried treasure!
Obstacle Course: Plan out the course, grab a timer and GO! You can have the kids do the race at the same time, but I have found taking turns works best and helps avoid falls! I usually include a climb up the playground and slide down the slide somewhere in the relay. I do make adjustments since my daughter is 3 and my son is 8 so she gets about a 5 or 6 second handicap. 😉
Look how little they were! We have always loved the park!
Hide & Seek: This is the most obvious one, but it is always a hit. There are SO many great places to hide at playgrounds! I like to set boundaries, so the kids don’t go too far away which can make finding them difficult. My kids love when I play this with them, but be careful… some of those crawl spaces are NOT made for grownups. I may or may not have almost gotten stuck a few times. 😉
After all this climbing, digging and running… I am left with one problem. Dirty sneakers tracking in a mess all over my carpet and couches! Having fun means getting dirty and my kids have a BLAST everyday, judging by the stains left behind. I have tried a NUMBER of products and the only thing that really works is for me is Woolite Instaclean Pet Stain Remover. (don’t let the pet stain part get to you.. this works on EVERY stain)
When Woolite contacted me about their newest product I was happy to partner with them, since I already love their stuff. I was not disappointed and I was SO happy to find a product that gets every stain out! I suck at stain removal, so this product takes the stress off me. I have tried TONS of sprays and stain removers.. and nothing really works. I would always still see an outline of the stain, or some discoloring. The Instaclean Pet Stain Remover works. It only takes 30 seconds to completely remove stubborn stains from couches, rungs or upholstery. Tomato sauce, oil, wine… this stain remover gets it all out! (& it costs less than 5 bucks!!!)
So the next time you hit the playground be sure to keep these fun games in mind… and the next time you have a big stain staring at you in your home, just grab the Woolite.What are some of your favorite games to play at the park with your kids?
Aww these are awesome! I love the scavenger hunt one, although in our area I fear kids would find the toys before my daughter and run off with them lol. But these are great I’ll have to try them with my daughter next time!
We usually do these activities when there aren’t too many other kids at the park. They tend not to need the extra games when they have lots of kids around 😉 Have a great weekend!
Oh we are totally going to do a scavenger hunt next time!
It is so much fun! I like to bring little toys for the to find, they love it!
I LOVE the idea of the car races! My son would love this – I’m totally going to bring some along on our next trip!
When Hudson was younger and a bit shy, it was a fun way to make friends since the cars bring the kids.. and fast! 🙂
Great ideas! My nieces would love these! When I was little I loved scavenger hunts!
My kids are a HUGE fan of scavenger hunts, we do them everywhere!
Oh man, my brother used to make me run obstacle courses on the park when we were younger. These were not easy ones either haha. He was making me work for it. Love all the ideas, will have to keep them in mind when my nephew is a little older.
That is hilarious! I take it pretty easy on my kids! 😉
Great ideas to add a little extra fun to our playground adventures. I especially like the slide races and the scavenger hunt. And I wold have never thought to use the pet stain remover on clothes, but I ‘ll give it try. Thanks!
OMG…that totally brought me back to when Scott & Gianna were little! We would go to the part and do slide races too! Awe…now I want them little again!
Sammie is playing tennis on the tennis team I need to get this for her tennis outfit. They are kind of pricy. She plays a good game & dirt, sweat and all that needs a helping had.
My daughter is just 6 months old now so we just make do with a walk in the park but even now she loves these walks! She loves staring at the plants, trees and flowers and feeling them with her tiny fingers.. it’s so amazing to watch her get excited when she touches the leaves.. haha.. however, these are great tips and I’m definitely going to copy these down somewhere for future reference! 😊
Haha I am always taking my nieces to the playground and will be taking cars next time!
That’s a great idea with racing the cars! I may have to try that this evening!
You have some great ways to extend the fun at the park. We love scavenger hunts!
Ayanna is playing tennis on the tennis team I need to get this for her tennis outfit. I especially like the slide races and the scavenger hunt. We usually do these activities when there aren’t too many other kids at the park. Great ideas to add a little extra fun to our playground adventures.