A fun thing to do is send them on short obstacles – such as “Run to that tree, run around it twice, and run back.” When they return, “Jump to that line in the sidewalk, walk along it like a balance beam, and run back.” You get the idea. Little kids love to do things like that (and the mom can sit while coming up with the commands, lol!).
Once this they get this spurt of energy out of their systems, I notice that many kids can then settle into their own games and explorations. If they bore of playing on their own, then pull out another activity such as, “Who can find something red?” “How many trees are in this yard?” “Are there any critters under that rock?” “How many acorns can you gather?” This game is less active than the first one, but still engages the little ones outdoors, and is good for a lapse in attention or to wind down before heading inside.
A simple game of catch is great for boys, too. My son could play for hours and hours at a young age, just tossing the ball back and forth. For the very young, roll the ball. Sometimes I added a variety to the game of catch, such as start out tossing the ball really close to each other, then take a step back at each turn. Or add a bounce or hand clap when you throw the ball.
