Shared by monthly contributor, Kristen of Celebrate Every Day with Me:
Have you ever played flag football? No? Me either. But I love the idea of flag football instead of all that crazy tackling. And I love the flags for all the different things you can do with them.
Today, I have a little DIY version of the flag football flags…Is that a mouthful or what? This is a simple craft with many uses. In fact, I have 10 great ideas for games and activities.
But first, let’s make our flags.
DIY Games and Activities with Clothespin Flags
You will need:
- Clothespins (I get mine from the Dollar Tree)
- Spray paint
- Scrap fabric
- Hot glue gun
I had all these items on hand which makes a project even more fun!
How to Make: Spray paint your clothespins. Cut your fabric and hot glue to the clothespins. My fabric is over 21″ long. Traditional flags are just over 15 inches long. Don’t you love how simple these are?
If you don’t want to make clothespin flags, we also have a flag football set like this one.
10 Clothespin-Flag Games & Activities:
1. Flag Tag – Give each player 1-5 flags. When a player’s last flag is pulled, he or she is out.
2. Parents Bridge & Grab – Have the parents (or two players) create a bridge by holding one set of hands. The players have to run under the bridge, while the parents try to grab flags with their free hand.
3. Partner Tag – Have players separate into pairs and link arms. Play tag and try to grab other teams’ flags. The team with the most accumulated flags wins.
4. Hide & Seek Flags – Hide the flags in the yard with at least a small part visible. The team finding their flags first is the winning team.
5. Bike & Kite – Attach flags to the kids’ backs and send them riding, turning their flags into little kites. Photo opp!
6. Human Scorekeeper – Whatever yard game you are playing, clip the clothespin flags to the mom or the kids as a way of keeping score. I bet you’ll hear some giggles over this one.
7. Flag Countdown – Going on vacation or have a fun summer activity planned? The clothespin flags can be clipped to a tablecloth, lampshade, clothesline or other item to help your kids count down to fun.
8. Sprinkler Zone Collection – Set a time for 20 seconds and send your kids running through the sprinkler to collect as many flags as possible. Clip them to trees, bushes . . . whatever is near them getting wet.
9. Team Relay Race – Use the clothespin flag like a baton to pass from one player to the next as the run a pre-determined course.
10. Obstacles & Flags – Create a fun obstacle course for your child to run through, grab the flags and return. Fastest time wins! And incidentally, obstacle courses can be super simple yet still be fun. Use trees to run around, hula hoops to hop through and bikes to ride from here to there.
And because I just can’t stop there . . .
11. Open Flag Season – If you have a large open space such as a field or yard (even the woods could work!), place the clothespin flags all around the perimeter of the space and let the kids try to see who can collect the most. Blow a whistle when time is up.
Looking for other summer fun activities? Check out this post. It is my kids’ favorite day of the summer.
Kristen of Celebrate Every Day With Me is a fun-loving mom to two kids who keep her busy and laughing. Add her great husband and the Lord to the mix and her life is one fantastic (and sometimes crazy) adventure. She is a former youth leader, professional wedding and event planner and has a degree in Christian Thought/Christian Ministry. She loves long lists, diet soda and playing jokes on her husband.
Kristen is the author of Teach Me To Serve: 99 Ways Preschoolers Can Learn To Serve & Bless Others. On her blog, you’ll find fun ideas for children’s activities, creating memorable moments and party planning.
Kim Sullivan says
How fun! I was just sitting here trying to figure out what my boys and I could do this afternoon after VBS. Now I know! Great ideas! Can’t wait to try them!