Most Popular Outdoor Kids Games in New Jersey

When I was a kid, playing games outside was what everybody did. We had video games, but from the age of about 5 or 6 until 11 or 12 we were out in the street, 5, 10, or even more than 20 of us on any given evening.

It was a daily routine, and every kid in the neighborhood understood the plan. We would make sure we finished our homework after school or rushed through it after dinner so we could go out and play our games until the sun went down.

When I think back to those days I think about how we would all agree on what to play each night. The younger kids would play their own game on the sidewalk, and some kids preferred just talking and watching, but the majority of us went full throttle in whatever games we decided to play that day.

ABCmouse knows a lot about games and did some research about what games are most popular among kids. Surprisingly, the game that I enjoyed the most as a kid didn’t make the list.

I loved kick the bat. (or kick the can depending on your geography) On our street, we used a wiffle ball bat. One kid is designated as "It," holding the bat, and the rest of the kids hide. The person who is "It" has to find the hidden players while protecting and staying close to the bat.

The hidden kids try to stay hidden until they think they can kick the bat before the “it” kid has time to pick up the bat and bang it on the ground 3 times saying the name of the person they see. If you’re “it,” you’ve got to balance between finding players and guarding the bat.

Another way of playing is that kids try to sneak out from their hiding spots to kick the bat before they’re tagged by "It." It’s really just hide and seek with an added twist. If a hidden player kicks the bat, that would "free" any players who were already caught.

Based on Google searches the most popular kid’s game varies by state. In New Jersey, our kids seem to prefer tug of war. It’s also the most popular game in the country, preferred by 10 states including NJ and PA. It’s good because you only really need two people to play, but it’s much more fun the more kids you have. The problem with tug of war is that after a few rounds, everyone can get pretty tired, game over. You also need a good rope, the thicker the better. There’s also the risk of the dreaded “rope burn.”

As I mentioned, Pennsylvania also prefers tug of war, however, New York’s favorite is double Dutch, and Connecticut likes to play tag. There are several different versions of tag including octopus tag, spider tag, flashlight tag, tunnel tag, and my favorite, TV tag.

Other games that made the list of favorites are Simon Says (the younger kids on my street liked that one), hopscotch (mostly girls played this one), dodgeball, four square, capture the flag (always best after dark), and hide and seek (Number 2 most popular behind tug of war)

ABCmouse’s study says that in order “to determine the most popular kids' game in every state, we compiled a list of well-known traditional kids' games and analyzed their regional search interest using Google search data from 2004 to 2024.”

Check out all of the other games on the list and see the full study here.

With the opening day of the 2024/2025 season in the rearview, fans have more than likely started munching on their favorite foods while watching a few (or all) of the games. All while dreaming that their team makes the potential Super Bowl trip.

As mentioned, part of the tradition for Sunday football is watch parties, tailgates, and snacking -- lots of it.

To celebrate the first few games of the season, VegasInsider analyzed, and researched the most popular snacks across the country,

The study was based on the search volume for each snack using the words "NFL". New Jersey returned results of a "mixed variety", and if you asked this observer, the snack that ranked #12 (last), should be categorized as some sort of heinous crime.

But see for yourself....

Starting off the list are Mozzarella Sticks, returning an average search volume of 620. Trust me, that count is pretty low, you'll see as we go further down the list. Were most of you upset like I was? Mozzarella sticks are a SOLID #5, and CERTAINLY better than the #9 spot, but we will get to that...

Probably one of the most versatile on the 12 on this list, you can put almost anything on a hot dog and it will taste good.  We don't even really know what it's made of, but we don't care! Grilled, fried, even MICROWAVED, it all tastes good! Unfortunately, it did not "cut the mustard", only returning a search volume of 1,010. 

Honestly surprising this ended up so high (or low) on the list. With an average of 3,161 pizza places in the state, NOT including chains, Pizza is a readily available option for New Jersey residents. Maybe that's the problem..it's readily available. Why go out of your way to get it every Sunday? Another versatile food option, it only returned an average search count of 1,020 -- just 10 more than the hot dog.  What's even more surprising is that pizza ranked LAST among footballs fans on average across the country. 

Returning an average search count of 1,040, this is controversial (at least for me). THIS should be the #12 spot. It's a movie food! When the game is on, my first instinct is not "Can't wait to chow down on some popcorn, and get kernels in my teeth". With that said, I still endure, and I still eat it when it's around. Butter, Caramel, Cheddar...it's all good. 

Now we start seeing pretty big jumps in the search count. This bar classic returned an average search count of 1,420. If you find an arrangement of sauces these make a delicious edition to any Football night snacks arrangement. 

Talk about versatility! How many brands, styles, and flavors of chips are there out in the world? How many brands, styles, and flavors of dip are out there? Are you a Doritos person, or a Lay's person? Are you the one guy who brought Fritos!? Do you like the punch of a spicy salsa? or the smooth flavor of ranch? Personally, grab a Jar of Tostino's Queso Blanco and I can dip a piece of cardboard in it. I think it's THAT good! Others agree chips and dip are a staple in the house, returning an average search count of 1,740.  

The cousin to the chip, the Pretzel returned with a score of 2,010. Whether you enjoy the hard, bite-sized pretzels from a bag, the big and soft salted pretzels, or even the sticks that are perfect for dipping. Pretzels start off the list of the top 6! 

The messiest option, but always savory, BBQ ribs jump FAR ahead of the #6 spot with 2,770 for an average search volume. Just make sure you have a napkin on standby... 

Another large jump in average search volume, Chicken Wings are another snack that provides a medley of options. Boneless, or bone-In? And if you like bone-in, do you like flats or sticks? 
Do you like Buffalo, BBQ, or Garlic Parmesan? In New Jersey, Chicken Wings had an average search volume of 3,420! 

Taking home the bronze medal, meatballs step away from the spaghetti dish and plant themselves in the third-place spot for your Sunday snack lineup! Meatballs returned and an average search volume of 5,450! What's great about the meatball (other than everything), is when you get tired of using a fork, just plop one of those bad boys on a sub roll and you have yourselves a sandwich! 

The runner-up goes to the reliable nacho! Now, I know what you might be thinking, and no, nachos do not count as "chips and dip".  The reason for that...presentation. Nachos are more than just chips and cheese, it's chips, cheese, salsa, sour cream, peppers, olives, and occasionally, pork, all blissfully blended in one. Nachos returned an average search volume of 13,130! 

New Jersey's top spot goes to Sliders! Sliders returned the largest average search volume with 17,050! Sliders have gotten more creative through the years. But I'm a big proponent of keeping it simple. A nice medium-rare with cheese, ketchup, and onions, and I'm set!
Overall, sliders were the most popular snack choice for the country!