With the little ones, the fun never ends and, as parents, we constantly need to be on our toes. Being creative with the theme is one thing, but making sure that the children remain entertained throughout the duration of a birthday party is another matter entirely.

We are all well aware that kids' attention spans are shorter than a yardstick, and before you know it, the only activity or game that you had set up (during a party) for them to play has been abandoned. Thankfully, there are a lot of thrilling outdoor games to play with the little ones; the kind that will make the photo album and video footage worth a dozen memories when they are all grown up.

4 Fun Outdoor Games for Kiddies:

Wild Wheels Obstacle Course

On-the-go kids will love wheeling and squealing on this obstacle course.

Ask each child to bring his or her favourite set of wheels such as a tricycle, bicycle or scooter. It's a good idea to have a few extra kiddies' vehicles available.

To create the course, arrange orange cones, or other soft items, in your yard or a nearby park. Include curves, turns, and small hills, depending on the ages and abilities of your racers. Fuel the kids' excitement by timing each racer as he or she pedals to the finish line.

To make the course more challenging, set up stations along the way where children must stop to perform a task, such as twirling a Hula-Hoop for 10 seconds or blowing bubbles.

Bottle Catch

Don't throw away those empty bottles -- transform them into an outdoor catching game!

Cut off the end of a clean bottle and remove the label.

Use colourful tape to wrap the bottle, and you're ready to play catch!

Popcorn Drop

This easy relay race can work at a birthday party of any size, but we think its most fun with four to eight players.

First, you'll need to make two pairs of shoe cups. Use a pushpin to poke holes in the bottom of sturdy plastic cups. Push a wide rubber band through the holes, and secure it inside the cup with a paper clip.

To play, split the birthday party guests into two teams. The first player straps cups on his shoes and fills them with popcorn from a bag at the starting line. Then she hustles to a basket on the other end of the lawn. After she dumps out her popcorn in the baskets and races back, the next player follows suit.

The race is over when one of the bags of popcorn is empty. Measure the popcorn in the baskets to see which team got the most in.

Pool Prize Search

On a hot summer's day, the coolest party games involve water. This wet-and-wild game gives kids a great excuse to get soaked.

Fill an inflatable pool with water. Hide a weighted ring, or other treasures, on the bottom of the pool. Fill the pool with inflatable balls and toys to make it difficult to see the bottom.

Taking turns, have a few kids wade around the pool looking for the hidden treasures. Provide them with goggles, or make it more challenging by allowing them to only use their feet.