Simply put, outdoor kid activities are the best way to get your kids to breathe fresh air.
And yes … your kids will have fun.
Young kids, especially toddlers, have a natural love for nature. They can celebrate it with crafty items found in your local arts and crafts store.
But what can you do to help your kids spend more time outdoors?
Once the snow stops falling and the temperature starts to rise outdoors, I always scramble to get ideas to get my kids to go outdoors. Although I know they love their electronic devices, I know they need to go outside and get fresh air.
Besides the normal outdoor activities for kids, I try to think of one new thing to do. Believe it or not, it actually perks their interest.
So all is not lost …
12 Outdoor Kid Activities That Will Thrill Your Child
What can you do to help your kids spend more time outdoors?
Outdoor activities will benefit your child … whether it’s a game of catch, a visit to a nature center, or a nature walk through the woods. There are all sorts of fun stuff you can do right at home from dining al fresco to roasting marshmallows over the fire pit and even sleeping under the stars.
The key here is to increase the amount of time your child spends outdoors and to let him or her take the reins during these fun outings.
These are a few ways to get your kids away from beloved gadgets and spend some time in nature. Take a look at these ideas for encouraging your children to go outside.
1. Explore Your Local Park
A visit to a park is an easy, expensive way to get your kids outside. Scientific research once again shows the importance of getting your kids to play outside. Time spent in outdoor settings in some magical way increases the attention span of children, and adults as well. And it doesn’t have to be expensive or take all day.
So at least once a week you should suggest an outing to a local park. You can take advantage of local and national parks. When the weather is warm, you should look up what amenities they offer like pools, fountains, and workout circuits. These outdoor family activities will create memories that your kids will never forget.
2. Have An Outdoor Picnic
A picnic in the park is one of the best way for your kids to get fresh air and a healthy meal at the same time. Unfortunately, the food our children eat is largely processed and unhealthy. This leads to a rash of vitamin deficiencies. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that more children these days are displaying a vitamin D deficiency.
But thankfully, Just 10 to 20 minutes of exposure to sun on your child’s skin creates the required vitamin D. And you can make mealtime fun too. Mealtime gives you at least three opportunities a day to pull up a chair outdoors. And an outdoor picnic is a great chance to get your kids outdoor for the day.
3. Explore Your Backyard
Walking and hiking are great exercises with little expense. While walking through the woods with a small child may seem like a daunting task, there are many kid-friendly hiking trails that your kids can discover.
You should start getting out more in your backyard when your little one has started to take an interest in his/her surroundings Just make sure to stick to a small area and allow or even encourage your child to explore every nook and cranny along the way. Before your child starts to explore, take a look first and watch for any hazardous plants or bugs.
4. Ride A Bike
Biking is another way for your child to get exercise outdoors. Children do not learn to ride a bike by listening to us talk about how to do it. And they surely do not learn to ride a bike by watching us do it! Kids learn to ride a bike when we put them on the seat and turn them loose!
Help your children to enjoy more fresh air and unstructured play in the great outdoors. They’ll be likely to grow up happier and healthier and achieve more. Take your bikes out for leisure trips or even to run some errands. Check out the bike trails in your community, and make sure that they wear their helmets.
5. Splash In A Pool
Kids love getting wet so you should take them to water as much as you can. Unless traumatized by some awful water-related incident, all kids love water. Not only will kids love hanging around a pool for hours, but they will also have a lot of fun as they have friends come over.
This makes natural water bodies a great way to get your kid to connect with nature. Even if you can’t build an inground pool, you can spray the hose for your kids to run through. They will even beg or cry for some more time in the water when you turn on that hose!
6. Tackle Outdoor Sports With Friends
Sports can be a fun way for kids to get exercise and socialize. Multiplayer games like soccer, football, tennis, badminton, or volleyball are other options.
Strong social skills lead to success in so many ways. If your child is interested in playing sports games, you should think about the ones that he or she would be interested in. Through sports, your child can develop personal relationships, professional relationships and learn to communicate effectively.
7. Play Backyard Games
If your child likes to play games by himself, horseshoes and basketball are great games. Studies have shown that when a child is able to communicate early in life, he or she can manage better with others later in life. So when your child can play outside with others, it may give social skills a boost.
Although single-player sports allow for more personal space, the ones with more players allow for better social skills.
8. Watch Birds
At any given time, your backyard is filled with amazing, living things. Although it does not seem very physical, bird watching really helps your child appreciate nature.
If you are the parent of a young child, you may want to use this opportunity to explore nature with them. Not only will it be a fun experience, but it will also be a learning experience. To turn bird watching into an educational experience, you will need a few supplies. They include a bird-watching book, a notebook, and a camera.
9. Start A Garden
Gardening is a fun outdoor activity for kids to learn more about nature and grow plants, flowers or even food. With a little effort, you can entertain your kids for the whole summer. When kids get started with a garden in the spring, they like to watch it grow through the summer and fall seasons.
Even though you may enjoy gardening by yourself, you may want to include your children in this outdoor activity.
Since it involves dirt, there are many children who enjoy helping their parents in the garden. Just make sure to wipe their feet and hands at the end of the day.
10. Collect A Few Bugs
If you think bug collecting is gross, then you should give it another thought. Your kids might see the science behind these little creatures that live in your backyard. Even if you think bugs are icky, they will keep your kids occupied for hours.
What is nice about most bugs and insects is that your kids don’t just have to touch them. A number of bugs can live in small containers.
Most retail stores should have a wide variety of different insect catching supplies. You should also be able to find a large number of different bugs and insects. But your child should return them to nature when done.
11. Build a Tree House or Fort
While playhouses are fun to play in, there is something that is even more exciting about playing a treehouse. The process of making and designing a tree house or fort is something that you and your child will likely never forget.
To build a treehouse or fort, you may need to have a tree. While a tree is a vital part, it is not necessarily required for a fort. If your child does not already have a treehouse, you may want to consider building a playhouse on the ground. To get the most out of this experience, you will want to make it together with your child.
12. Have A Backyard Campout
Camping is tons of fun for kids of every age. But when you can’t get out in the woods, how about bringing the campout to your own backyard?
Every kid enjoys sleeping outside and doing some of the traditional camping activities, even if the house is only a few feet away.
You should invest in some tents and other basic gear to see if your family likes sleeping outdoors. With a campout, your child can learn some basic survival skills and appreciate nature.
More Tips On Fun Outdoor Kid Activities
Outdoor kid activities will benefit your child. whether it’s a game of catch at the park, a visit to a nature center, or a nature walk through the woods.
The key is to increase the amount of time your child spends outdoors and to let him or her take the reins during these fun outings.
These are few tips about outdoor activities for kids that will make it easier for you to get your kids away from their beloved gadgets and spend some time with nature:
- Send your kids to play outdoors every day – Even when they complain, every child deserves to play and laugh in the sun. So send them out for at least one hour… You will thank me later.
- Teach your kids about wildlife and plants – They will curiously run their tiny hands through flowers or go down on all fours just to watch an army of ants march by.
- Make crafts made from nature – Young kids, especially toddlers, have a natural love for nature. They can celebrate it with crafty items all year round.
By instilling a love of nature in your child, the time spent outdoors will give the two of you a chance to strengthen your relationship. So, try these tips and come up with other fun reasons to get out more.
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