Army Games for Kids

Almost any group of kids would prefer playing outdoors to playing quietly indoors. Army games center on a kid's sense of imagination and adventure. A large group of restless kids will relish army theme games that use strategies, lots of action and result in winners.

Capture the Flag

Divide the kids into two teams for an outdoor army game defending a flag. Pick a wooded area, and give each team a chance to hide their flag on their side of the field. Each team should pick three players to stay and defend the flag while the others meet in the middle to start playing.

To capture an enemy player, the kids just need to sneak up behind the enemy, stick a finger in their back and say, “I got you.” The captured player has to sit down and sing a loud version of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” or any other light song. The team which captures the other team's flag wins the game. To make the game more realistic, let the kids wear camouflage, put camouflage make-up on their face and carry toy guns.

Rescue Mission

Split the kids into groups of six for a rescue mission game. Tell the kids the enemy has shot two of their platoon members in no-man's land and the four remaining members must find them, bandage them and get them to safety.

Provide two rolls of toilet paper and a large beach towel as bandages and stretcher. When you give the signal, they must run to find their first wounded platoon member, wrap an entire roll of toilet paper around his torso and place him on the beach towel. With one kid at each corner, they need to carry their wounded friend back to the starting line, go back out and rescue the other wounded platoon member. The first team that rescues both team members safely wins the army game.

King of the Hill

Divide your kids into a king with four subjects and an army wanting to overthrow the king. Pick a large mound or hill for the defended kingdom. The king should stand at the top of the hill surrounded by his four subjects. The other team should organize its army to attack in waves of five people to dislodge the king from the top position. No more than five people from the army can attack at any time.

If they have not won after five minutes, they should leave and let the next wave try. When they capture the king, or queen, and force them to the bottom of the hill, crown another person king and ask them to choose their four defenders. Repeat until everyone has a chance to defend the king.