5 fun outdoor games to play with sticks

Are you looking for fun ways to get kids active outdoors? One of the easiest ways to get children engaged outside is with an object that’s almost always within reach: a stick.

Whether found in the garden, park, or woodland, sticks can be transformed into the centre of countless creative games. From quick challenges to more strategic play, these traditional activities have been enjoyed by children around the world for generations.

Fun games to play with sticks

Here are five fun stick games to try on your next outdoor adventure. They can all be played either one-on-one or in teams.

Three Sticks (South Africa)

1. Find three sticks, each 1-1.5 metres long.
2. Place the sticks parallel to each other on the ground.  Space them out, with 0.5-1 metre between each stick (depending on the size of the children playing).
3. Players or teams stand at opposite sides of the sticks.
4. The first player runs up to the sticks, then takes one step between the first and second stick, one step between the second and third stick, and after that jumps as far as they can over the third stick.
5. The third stick that the player jumped over is moved to where the player landed.
6. The other player or team goes next, doing the same thing from the other side of the sticks.  Again, the third stick they jumped over is moved to where they landed.
7. The middle stick stays where it is, while the sticks on either side move further out as more players jump.
8. If a player doesn’t make it over the third stick with their jump, they are out.
9. The winner is the last person in, who will have jumped the furthest.

Knocking the Stick (China)

1. Draw two lines on the ground, about 2.5 metres apart.
2. Place a stick on one of the lines.
3. Each player or team takes it in turns to stand behind the other line and throw a stick.  The aim is to knock the stick on the line over the line.
4. The winner is the player who knocks the stick over the line first.

Mikado (Europe)

This game has been around for thousands of years in one form or another.  You might already know it as ‘pick-up sticks’.

1. Find a selection of sticks.  Ideally one should look different from the rest – this is the ‘special stick’.
2. One player holds all the sticks in one hand, places the bottom of the bundle on the ground, and lets go.  The sticks should fall in a jumble.
3. Each player takes it in turns to try to remove a stick without touching or moving any other sticks.  They can use their hands, or the special stick if they already have it.
4. If the player successfully removes a stick, they keep it and try to remove another one.  When they touch or move another stick, the next player takes their turn.
5. Play continues until all the sticks have been removed.
6. The winner is the player with the most sticks.
7. You can make this game harder by using sticks that all look different, and giving each type a score.  The winner is the player with the highest score from all the sticks they remove.

La Palma (Bolivia)

This game works best if you play it on earth, not grass.  You’ll also need to make sure that there are no people nearby, as it involves throwing stones or balls.

1. Find a short stick, and some stones (if you’d prefer you can use tennis balls instead of stones).
2. Use the stick to draw six parallel lines in the ground, each about 1 metre apart.
3. Push the stick into the ground about 1 metre beyond the last line.
4. Each player takes it in turns to stand on the first line and throw a stone.  The aim is to hit the stick that is in the ground.
5. If the player misses, the next player takes a turn.  If they hit the stick, they move up to the second line and throw again.
6. The winner is the first player to hit the stick while standing on all six lines.

Hit the Coin (Brazil)

You need a few coins to play this game.

1. Find a straight stick.
2. Push the stick into the ground.
3. Use another stick or a stone to draw a circle around the stick, about 30cm out from the stick.
4. Place a coin on the top of the stick.
5. Each player takes it in turns to throw a coin.  The aim is to knock the coin off the top of the stick so that it lands outside the circle.
6. If the player knocks the coin off and it lands outside the circle, they get one point and have another go.  If the coin fall inside the circle or they miss, the next player takes their turn.
7. The player who has the most points at the end of the game is the winner.
8. To make things harder, you can stand further back from the stick when you throw your coin.  To make things easier, you can stand closer or make the circle smaller.

Which of these games to play with sticks will you try first?

Sometimes, the best play ideas are also the simplest. With nothing more than a few sticks and a bit of open space, children can enjoy hours of laughter, movement, and creativity. These classic games using sticks are not only easy to set up, but they also encourage teamwork, coordination, and imagination – and they also don’t cost a penny! So next time you head outside, skip the toys and let nature provide – a few sticks might be all you need for a great day of play.

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