Did you know the third week in May is National Backyard Games Week? Take this opportunity to get outside for some mentally stimulating and healthy physical activities in the backyard!

We’ve written “how-to’s” for our favorite backyard games for you to try. Get your friends together, head out to the backyard, and play!

Freeze Tag — Tag! You’re it! A classic game of Freeze Tag, with a twist.

Red Light, Green Light — The classic fast-paced game of running (and listening)!

Glow-Stick Tag — Kids love to play outside at night! Here is a fun game to play while camping, or in your own backyard.

Water Balloon Land Mines — A fun backyard water game that builds teamwork.

Sand Bucket Brigade — A fun relay game with sand!

Sardines Hide and Seek — A backward hide and seek game for kids of all ages!

Compass Treasure Hunt — Compasses aren’t just for finding your way through the forest. You can also map your way through your house or garden and set a trail for your friends to follow!

Jump Rope Activities — Kids love to play jump rope games, especially with silly rhymes and songs. Here is a list of our favorites!

Keeper Ball — This is a game we created and is fun for kids of all ages. It’s fast-action, physical fun!

Play Marbles — A collection of our favorite, traditional marble games. You might remember some of these from your own childhood!

Pinky Ball Games — Remember playing with a Pinky Ball as a kid? Here are some timeless, classic Pinky Ball games to share with your kids!

UPDATE 2011: – Make sure to click National Backyard Games Week 2011 and National Backyard Games Week 2010 for even MORE fun game ideas!

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In addition to all the great game ideas listed above, we have a perfect selection of backyard games and toys that are fun for everyone! And… within each product description, we include our own creative ideas for using these products for unique backyard play – a feature unique to Escapade Direct! Check it out!

Backyard Play Pack – Ropes, Strings, and Twirly Things — We’ve put together a savings pack of some of our favorite backyard games for kids of all ages!

Backyard Play Pack – Rockets, Balloons, and Flying Things — Our backyard savings pack is perfect for activie, outdoor play!

Backyard Play Pack – Let’s Go Retro! — Classic backyard toys and games, sure to please kids of all ages!

Ultra Stomp Rocket — The original Stomp Rocket for backyard fun!

Chinese Jump Rope — Just like you remember from your childhood!

Touchable Bubbles — Long-lasting bubbles that you can stack on your finger!

Skushi Swirl Ball — Play a game of dodge ball with this soft, Skushi Ball!

Boochie — Incredible backyard fun for the entire family!

Heavy-Weight Cotton Jump Rope — This old-fashioned jump rope is fun for girls and boys!

Rainbow Streamer — Dance and play with this colorful streamer!

Scooter Board — There are so many fun ways to play with a Scooter Board!

Hi-Bounce Pinky Ball — The classic, old-fashioned Pinky Ball is back!

Yackle Ball — A unique ball that is easy for even young children to catch!

Mega Marbles Game Net — In over a dozen different themes, these Marble Game Nets are perfect for backyard play!

Rocket Balloons — Send the reusable balloons soaring and see who can go the furthest!

24′ Parachute — Not only is this parachute fun for games with your friends, it makes a great fort, too!

LED Poi — It’s cosmic fun! Twirl the LED poi balls and light up the night sky with multi-colored trails! Cool!

Marker Rounds — Set up boundries for your backyard games with this set of six marker rounds!

Marker Squares — Set up a game of baseball or other creative games with this set of six marker squares! Get creative, create your own games!

Lemon Twist — This favorite toy from the 1960s is back, and is better than ever! Get active and do the twist!

Balance Ball — Not only is this balance ball a great way for kids to practice their balancing skills, it can be used for backyard games, too!

Have fun! Stay Safe!