If you are planning a day camp for kids, you probably want to include some physical activities that get the kids outdoors and active. Common organized sports like basketball and soccer only go so far. Some kids feel intimidated by team sports or simply are not interested in them, so even if you do play these sports sometimes, you'll also want to diversify. Here are some less conventional but very fun physical activities to consider including in your day camp plans.

Orienteering 

Orienteering is a sport in which participants are dropped off in the woods with a compass and basic supplies, and they have to navigate to a designated point as quickly as possible. True orienteering may be a little too intense and dangerous for summer camp. But you can scale down the sport and make it fun and accessible for teens and pre-teens. For starters, set some boundaries. Maybe you tell the kids not to go past a certain fence line or building. Make sure it won't take them more than a half hour or so to navigate from the drop-off point to the target point. Also, have them take their smartphones with them so that if they do get lost or confused, they can call for assistance.

Bocce Ball

Bocce ball is a classic yard game that is often played at picnics. It is played by groups of four. Basically, one person throws a small ball, and then the players take throwing larger balls and try to get them as close as possible to the small ball. Bocce can be relaxing, and it's rather low-stakes. Even younger kids can play it safely. Pick up a few sets, and consider offering it as an alternative for kids who don't want to play the more intense sports like soccer or football.

Sack Races

This one is totally light-hearted and will definitely make everyone laugh. Find a bunch of old potato sacks or feed sacks. You want ones that are large enough for kids to stand in. Have each kid stand in their sack with the excess held in front of them, near their waist. Then, have them race, while hopping in their sack, about 50 or 100 meters. If you have a lot of kids, you can hold several "heats" and then have the winners of each heat compete against each other.

If you include these activities in your day camp, the kids are bound to have fun. And so are you! Contact a local day camp for more ideas.