20 top challenges for kids as a tool for motivation and engagement

Keeping kids sheltered isn’t that great of an idea. When sheltered kids grow up, they don’t have the resilience and the problem-solving skills needed to compete with others. For this reason, parents should promote challenges for kids. These challenges will be crucial in teaching kids about competition and cooperation. Moreover, your child will have more opportunities to socialize and make friends. The following article will list some of the best challenges for kids as a tool for motivation and engagement. So, keep reading if you want your child to improve by pushing their limits. 

The benefits of challenges for kids

The benefits of challenges don’t just end with a positive psychological impact. Instead, your kids’ physical health will improve if they participate in outdoor challenges. Here are some benefits your child might get from participating in challenges for kids. 

• Promotes creativity: Children who face extreme situations find creative solutions by looking outside the box. Usually, challenges force children to think differently and to figure out a new solution to the underscored problem. 
• Improves reliance: Challenges also help teach children how to cope with stress and anxiety. These rough situations often test a child’s limits and make them more comfortable.
• Develops self-esteem: When a child overcomes a tough challenge, his self-esteem is boosted beyond limits. He is more keen on trying out new things and pushing his limits. 
• Helps with cardiovascular fitness: outdoor challenges can be beneficial in improving a person’s cardiovascular fitness. These challenges also enhance your child’s immunity and help them stay fit all year round. 
• Better sleep patterns: Kids learn to manage their sleeping patterns and basic tasks quickly when faced with challenges. They realize that they have to be well-rested to perform their best. So, you’ll also notice that your child puts more importance on sleeping at the proper time. 

20 top fun challenges for kids

There are a lot of fun indoor and outdoor challenges that your kid can try out without getting hurt. Most of these challenges rely on quick thinking and cooperation. So, your child will be learning a lot by engaging in some of the activities listed below. 

10 fun challenges to try at home

Indoor treasure hunt

Kids solve clues to find hidden treasures scattered around the house. Each clue leads to the next until all treasures are found.

• Age limit: 4-10 years
• Time required: 1 hour
• Benefit: Helps kids with critical thinking and spatial awareness. 
• Tip: Create riddles for each step and add rewards so your kids don’t get bored after a while. 

Origami challenge 

Kids fold paper to create various shapes and figures. They start with simple designs and progress to more complex ones, aiming to complete as many as possible within the time limit.

• Age limit: 6-14 years
• Time required: 2 hours
• Benefit: It helps teach kids geometry and improves their attention to detail. 
• Tip: Start with a simple yet fun origami design, and make sure to appreciate your kid at their first few attempts to keep them interested. 

Blindfolded taste test

Kids are blindfolded and given different foods to taste. They must guess the food correctly to earn points, and the kid who guesses the most correctly declares the winner.

• Age limit: 3-10 years
• Time required: 30 minutes
• Benefit: It will improve your child’s sensory abilities (precisely taste). 
• Tip: Try throwing in a few junk food items in the challenge to let your kid enjoy a bit. 

Puzzle Race

Kids race against each other to complete puzzles. The winner is the first to finish all puzzles or the one who finishes the most within the time limit.

• Age limit: 6-12 years
• Time required: 2 hours
• Benefit: It helps your children focus on the task while building patience for extensive objectives. 
• Tip: Puzzles with fun images often keep children engaged for a more extended period. 

Dance-off

Kids take turns showcasing their dance moves to different music genres. Judges or spectators vote for their favorite performances, and the dancer with the most votes wins.

• Age limit: 4-10 years
• Time required: 1 hour
• Benefit: It helps your child be physically active while improving their rhythm. 
• Tip: Focus on letting your child express themselves with different music genres. 

The floor is lava

Kids navigate through a room without touching the floor, using furniture and cushions as stepping stones. The last kid standing without touching the floor wins.

• Age limit: 3-10 years
• Time required: 10 minutes
• Benefit: It helps kids figure out creative solutions and new routes to pass any trial. 
• Tip: Make sure to use pillows and cushions to reduce your kid’s chances of hurting themselves. 

Domino Rally

Kids set up dominoes in a predetermined pattern. The goal is to knock down as many dominoes as possible with a single push, creating a chain reaction.

• Age limit: 6-14 years
• Time required: 1 hour
• Benefit: It helps your child make strategic decisions and implement their planning in detail. 
• Tip: Start your kid with basic patterns, and don’t make the track too long on the first few attempts. 

Create a comic strip challenge

Kids create comic strips based on a given theme or story prompt. The best comic strip, judged on creativity and storytelling, wins the challenge.

• Age limit: 6-14 years
• Time required: 3 hours
• Benefit: Improves your kid’s drawing and storytelling skills at the same time. 
• Tip: Start by giving your kid an outline to get them started, and let them finish the story themselves. 

Alphabet Hunt

Children search for objects around the house, starting with each letter of the alphabet. The kid who finds the most objects wins.

• Age limit: 3-7 years
• Time required: 10 minutes
• Benefit: It helps preschoolers learn the alphabet.
• Tip: Don’t start with extensive sessions, and keep everything under 10 minutes. 

Build a castle challenge

Using pillows and blankets, kids build castles within a specified time frame. Judges or spectators vote for the most creative castle design, and the builder with the most votes wins.

• Age limit: 4-10 years
• Time required: 1 hour
• Benefit: It promotes creativity and engineering skills in children. 
• Tip: Give your kids extra pillows and blankets to make an intricate structure within the living room. 

10 top outdoor challenges for kids

Scavenger Hunt

Kids search for specific items outdoors based on provided clues. The first one to find all items or the most items within a set time wins.

• Age limit: 5-12 years
• Time required: 4 hours
• Benefit: It improves observational skills in children. 
• Tip: Make sure the clues aren’t too intricate if your child is young. 

Painting Challenge 

Kids create outdoor paintings using the provided materials. Judges or spectators vote for the best artwork based on creativity and technique.

• Age limit: 4-12 years
• Time required: 2 hours
• Benefit: A fun way to help your kid with hand-to-eye coordination and drawing skills. 
• Tip: Try taking your kids to peaceful spots and let them paint a decent scenery with their unique twist. 

Sandcastle Building

Kids use buckets and shovels to build sandcastles within a designated area. Judges or spectators vote for the best sandcastle based on creativity and execution.

• Age limit: 3-12 years
• Time required: 2 hours
• Benefit: It helps with fine motor skills in young children. 
• Tip: Ensure your child has the tools to build a solid sand structure. 

Planting Challenge

Kids plant seeds or young plants in a designated garden area. Judges or spectators evaluate the planting based on accuracy and neatness.

• Age limit: 4-12 years
• Time required: 2 hours
• Benefit: It teaches kids about responsibility and care. 
• Tip: Give your kids the necessary guidebooks on different plants and start with a small patch. 

Bicycle Race

Kids race on bicycles along a predetermined course. The first one to cross the finish line or complete the course in the shortest time wins.

• Age limit: 5-12 years
• Time required: 20 minutes
• Benefit: It builds endurance in kids. 
• Tip: Choose a spot with sufficient dirt tracks so your child doesn’t get hurt too badly. 

Sack Race

Kids hop inside sacks and race to the finish line. The first one to reach the finish line wins.

• Age limit: 4-10 years
• Time required: 30 minutes
• Benefit: It helps with balance and coordination in kids. 
• Tip: Start small with 50 meters, and give your kids sturdy sacks so they don’t tear through the material with their weight. 

Jump Rope Challenge 

Kids take turns jumping over a rope as many times as possible without tripping. The one who jumps the most times without a mistake wins.

• Age limit: 5-12 years
• Time required: 30 minutes
• Benefit: It helps your child build stamina. 
• Tip: Let your kid get into the rhythm without any rope first to avoid unnecessary injuries. 

Obstacle Course 

Kids navigate through a series of outdoor obstacles such as hurdles, balance beams, and tunnels. The fastest one to complete the course wins.

• Age limit: 4-12 years
• Time required: 30 minutes
• Benefit: This challenge mainly focuses on physical fitness and activity.
• Tip: Try using furniture and different tools in your garden to make an intricate obstacle course for your children. 

Nature Bingo

Kids search for specific items in nature, such as plants, animals, or natural features. The first one to find all items or the most items on their bingo card wins.

• Age limit: 4-10 years
• Time required: 30 minutes
• Benefit: It teaches kids about all the fun things in nature. 
• Tip: Taking your children to known picnic spots is the best for these games. 

Long Jump Challenge

Kids take turns running and jumping as far as they can from a designated starting point. The one who jumps the farthest wins.

• Age limit: 6-12 years
• Time required: 30 minutes
• Benefit: It helps kids with mind and muscle connection. 
• Tip: Just mark your child’s progress over time to keep them interested in this challenge. 

Prevalent challenges for kids in school

Some of the challenges mentioned above might be best when a guardian always watches kids. However, when discussing school, the challenges focus more on learning and education. Here are some prevalent challenges your kids can face at school. 

• Spelling Bee
• Geography Bee
• Historical REenactments
• Poetry Slam
• Invention Competition
• Art Competition
• Drama Competition
• Science Fair
• Math Competition
• Reading Challenges

Are those prevalent challenges in school safe for kids?

The challenges related to education and drama are generally safer for kids. However, when it comes to science and physical activities, things can get a bit hectic. Here are a few points you should know about the safety of such challenges in school. 

• Science fair & invention competition: These challenges will feature kids’ use of machinery and chemicals. Even though a supervisor is usually present at such challenges, things can get out of hand pretty quickly. So, there is always a risk that your child might hurt himself when participating in such challenges. 
• Physical challenges: When participating in challenges like obstacle courses or races, kids can get injured pretty easily by falling. This statement is especially true for sack races. However, a nurse is usually present for first aid, and there is a slim chance that your child will face any serious issues. 
• Intellectual challenges: These challenges are generally safe and include options like a spelling bee, geography bee, poetry slam, math competition, and more. All of these challenges don’t pose any threat to your child’s safety. So, don’t nag them about being safe when they are participating in such competitions. 

Solutions to prevent kids from dangerous challenges

Even though you can’t be physically with your child all the time, you can still use parental control apps like FlashGet Kids to monitor your child. These apps come in pretty handy when it comes to getting remote access to your child’s life. Here are the features of FlashGet Kids to prevent kids from dangerous challenges. 

• Live monitoring with remote camera: Within the FlashGet Kids application, you can access your child’s phone camera. You can see whatever your child does through their phone and then intervene or call their teachers when they attempt something dangerous. This feature is pretty handy for surround monitoring to prevent unnecessary injuries. 
• One-way audio access: The one-way audio access will give you control over your child’s phone mic. If you think that your child is up to no good, then you can confirm by listening in through their phone mic. That way, you can catch up on their planning and stop them before they attempt something dangerous. 
• Notification tracker: Your child will surely try to schedule dangerous pranks with their friends. Luckily, you can access all of your child’s messages with the notification tracker in FlashGet Kids. If you find something suspicious, just be present on the day of the science challenges and inform the teacher. They will take the harmful stuff away from your child and his friends. 

FAQs