A few months ago, amidst minor home renovations, my kids discovered an ancient artifact from long ago: walkie-talkies. My husband and I had purchased the two-way radios a few weeks before we were married. I’m not even certain if both of us had cell phones back then. We had a destination wedding, and we used the walkie-talkies to communicate quickly with others who were driving in our wedding caravan over to the next state. My husband and I may have used them a few times after that when hiking, but for the most part, they remained in a cabinet until my boy crew noticed them in the middle of renovation rubble.
And that was the beginning of possibly the BEST. SUMMER. EVER.
Between cell phones and portable music, it is hard to remember just how magical walkie-talkies are for a kid. After all, they fulfill that desire to play with an “electronic.” But since a walkie-talkie has no screen, kids still have to utilize their imagination for fun play to enhance their walkie-talkie use. My boys have had a blast this summer playing these walkie-talkie games. They’ve had so much fun that when our old walkie-talkies stopped working, I ordered them a set of new ones without hesitation.
I do have one quick word of advice. Nothing frustrates a kid more than a walkie-talkie that doesn’t work due to a dead battery. Before playing any walkie-talkie game, make sure that the walkie-talkies are ready to go with long- lasting, durable batteries!
5 Walkie-Talkie Games for Kids
Have you ever played one of these 5 Walkie-Talkie Games?
#1 Hide-and-seek
Walkie-talkies add a new dimension to a classic hide-and-seek game. This is especially fun if playing the game in a large outdoor area with plenty of hiding places. Kids can give directions or clues about their elusive hiding place. Or, in the case of my boys, they can give fake clues to throw their brothers off the trail!
#2 Scavenger Hunt
I’ve always avoided scavenger hunts because, as a mom, they take a lot of work. I have to write out the clues and hide the “treasure,” all of which sounds simple but can take up a lot of time. With walkie-talkies, scavenger hunts are simplified. One kid can be the scavenger hunt host. The host hides the “treasure” or “lost toy” and uses the walkie-talkie to give verbal clues to the group hunting for the prize.
#3 Pretend Play
This is possibly my boys’ favorite thing to do with the walkie-talkies. They pretend to be fire fighters or police officers, and their trusty walkie-talkies come in handy for all things emergency related. Do you copy?
#4 Large Area Capture the Flag
Capture the flag is a classic game for kids and teens. In this game, there are two teams. Each team has a territory. On their territory, each team has a flag. The team must sneak onto the opposing team’s territory and capture their flag before their own flag is taken. We have played this game in small areas and large areas. Large areas are always more fun, and walkie-talkies come in handy here, too. Players can use the walkie-talkies to discuss strategy and quickly coordinate moves. Be sure to use a different walkie-talkie channel than your opposition so that they don’t hear all your secrets!
#5 Active “I Spy Game”
This common road trip game can be played outdoors. One kid is the “I Spy.” He or she searches a large area for an object. The child then heads to a common area and states “I spy with my little eye something ___.” He or she should fill in the blank with that color. The “I Spy” child stays in the common area with a walkie-talkie. The other kids have a walkie-talkie and run around the area looking for objects of that color. When they find one, they ask over the walkie-talkie if they have found the correct item. The person who locates the correct item gets to be the “I Spy” kid next!
