The great thing about the beach is that it means so many things for so many different people. Adults see the beach as an oasis where they can relax and soak in some sunshine, kids see the beach as a never ending playground, and everyone sees it as a great way to escape from reality for a bit. No matter your age, the beach makes a great backdrop to play games and enjoy being outside. Here are some of our favorite games to play on the beach:
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Sand Volleyball
Equipment: A large net, volleyball
Age: All ages
Sand volleyball is a classic beach sport that requires relatively little in terms of necessary equipment. Grab a net, some poles, and a volleyball and you’ll be ready to serve up fun all afternoon (pun intended!)
Age: All ages
Sand volleyball is a classic beach sport that requires relatively little in terms of necessary equipment. Grab a net, some poles, and a volleyball and you’ll be ready to serve up fun all afternoon (pun intended!)
Football / Catch
Equipment: ball (football, beach ball, baseball, etc)
Age: All ages
Catch is an old standard and can pretty much be played with anyone who still has use of their arms…you can even play sitting down if you really wanted to! Just toss a ball back and forth, but don’t let the tide suck it away!
Age: All ages
Catch is an old standard and can pretty much be played with anyone who still has use of their arms…you can even play sitting down if you really wanted to! Just toss a ball back and forth, but don’t let the tide suck it away!
Bocce
Equipment: bocce ball set
Age: All ages (but better for older kids with a little more coordination)
Bocce is a great way to keep kids (and adults!) occupied for a while, and practice hand-eye coordination at the same time! All you need is an open space on the beach and a bocce set. Divide into teams and toss the center ball (pallino) and then try and toss your team’s balls one at a time to try and get closer to the center ball than the opposing team. You’ll be surprised how long you’ll find yourself playing!
Age: All ages (but better for older kids with a little more coordination)
Bocce is a great way to keep kids (and adults!) occupied for a while, and practice hand-eye coordination at the same time! All you need is an open space on the beach and a bocce set. Divide into teams and toss the center ball (pallino) and then try and toss your team’s balls one at a time to try and get closer to the center ball than the opposing team. You’ll be surprised how long you’ll find yourself playing!
Ultimate Frisbee
Equipment: Frisbee (or “flying disc” if you want to get really technical)
Ages: 12 and up (it can get a little competitive)
It seems like everyone has their own rules for playing ultimate Frisbee, so you can adapt the rules to your comfort level. The basics are you can’t run with the disc and once you receive the disc, you have 10 seconds to throw it to your teammate. For more comprehensive rules, consult USA Ultimate.
Ages: 12 and up (it can get a little competitive)
It seems like everyone has their own rules for playing ultimate Frisbee, so you can adapt the rules to your comfort level. The basics are you can’t run with the disc and once you receive the disc, you have 10 seconds to throw it to your teammate. For more comprehensive rules, consult USA Ultimate.
Silly Bucket
Equipment: 2 small buckets and 2 much bigger ones
Age: All ages (but we recommend little kids if you want to wear them out!)
This is fun twist on the classic relay race. Divide into teams and then Put each big bucket high up on the beach and give 1 kid on each team a small bucket. Teams compete against each other by running down to the beach and getting a bucket of water to pour into the big bucket, switching off between teammates each time they “dump.”
Age: All ages (but we recommend little kids if you want to wear them out!)
This is fun twist on the classic relay race. Divide into teams and then Put each big bucket high up on the beach and give 1 kid on each team a small bucket. Teams compete against each other by running down to the beach and getting a bucket of water to pour into the big bucket, switching off between teammates each time they “dump.”
Flick’n Sticks
Equipment: 4 bamboo poles, 4 plastic cups (like Solo cups), and 1 frisbee
Age: 13+
This is a new, but really popular game that’s really taken off recently. To get the full rules for this game, watch the Youtube video. This one requires that you have a bit of skill in the Frisbee department, so you better start warming up now!
Age: 13+
This is a new, but really popular game that’s really taken off recently. To get the full rules for this game, watch the Youtube video. This one requires that you have a bit of skill in the Frisbee department, so you better start warming up now!
Musical Towels
Equipment: Towels for each person playing (minus 1)
Age: All ages
Basically musical chairs, but with towels. You know the drill.
Age: All ages
Basically musical chairs, but with towels. You know the drill.
Shell Toss
Equipment: Seashells
Age: All ages
This one is a fun onebecause you can change it up each time you play. Start by drawing concentric circles in the sand (like a dartboard), with each circle being worth a different amount of points (the smaller the circle, the more points it’s worth). Stand a designated distance away and try to toss your shell into the “bullseye” in the center! For added difficulty, try drawing non-concentric circles worth different points!
Age: All ages
This one is a fun onebecause you can change it up each time you play. Start by drawing concentric circles in the sand (like a dartboard), with each circle being worth a different amount of points (the smaller the circle, the more points it’s worth). Stand a designated distance away and try to toss your shell into the “bullseye” in the center! For added difficulty, try drawing non-concentric circles worth different points!
What are your favorite beach games?
