10 Outdoor Social Distancing Activities for Kids in a City

With social distancing firmly in place and schools being closed for the foreseeable future, parents all across the country are trying to figure out what to do with your kids. While it’s probably no surprise to anyone reading this website, we HIGHLY recommend getting outside and into nature with your kids. But only if that’s a safe and viable option. If you have access to the great outdoors and time to spend, by all means, we hope you take advantage of it.

However, outdoor social distancing may not be easy for everyone. Particularly those who live in a city and may not have close access to wide open (and remote/unpopulated areas). However, there are still things you can do outside as a family that keep your distance from others and give your kids the chance to burn off some of that energy. Today, we have Desirée Macke, Southern California mom of 2 here sharing 10 ways to get outside while being socially distant in a city.

An unexpected turn of events

This spring was supposed to be full of travel and adventure for our family. However, in the blink of an eye, like the rest of the country, our plans were quickly thwarted due to COVID-19. When schools were canceled for multiple weeks I quickly went to work planning where we could go exploring with the kids. Joshua Tree National Park immediately popped into mind. It’s one of our favorite places. I had full intentions of loading the kids up to go rock climbing to get away from it all. Then, things regarding health and safety escalated and our plans were set aside.

Social distancing in a city

For a moment I went into panic mode. How in the world were we going to get the kids outside while social distancing in a huge city? All the places we enjoy going (National Parks, the beach, local parks, etc.) are always full of people. It’s not like we can simply turn to our backyard…we don’t have one! We live in a townhome. Right now, for many people in urban areas, getting outside while being safe can be a bit challenging, particularly because we all like to go outside to the same places.

I took a deep breath, looked at what we do have at our disposal. I put together a list of 10 outdoor social distancing activities for kids and families in cities so that you can still get outside all while staying safe and active.

1. Geocaching

A while back we covered the basics of geocaching. Our kids don’t get much screen time, so geocaching is really fun and exciting for my kids.  When I hand over the phone to my son so he can follow the map, read the clues, and search for geocaches, it’s a really big deal. We’ve found several caches in our neighborhood while out for a walk. There are many more near us that we’ll be hunting down in the next few weeks. We’ll have plenty of time to do so!

2. Agents of Discovery app

This may be pretty specific to Southern California, but, there are a LOT of people here, so I hope I’m reaching someone who is searching for things to do with kids! While visiting a local nature center/trail we enjoy hiking, we discovered there is an interactive app that is great for kids to utilize while hiking. Along the trail, there are multiple challenges the kids complete to earn points.

I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes my kids lose interest in our hikes very quickly. However, this app keeps my kids engaged while on the trail. Bonus points: the whole family learned a copious amount of information on the flora and fauna in our area. Now my son wants to visit all the trails included on the app. It’s beeen a great outdoor social distancing activity for my kids to keep them active and entertained.

During this time, please use your best judgment on whether being out on the trials is smart and safe for you, and those you may encounter on the trail.

3. iNaturalist app

I promise this is the last tech/screen suggestion. But, this is one of my favorite apps because it can be used anywhere! Since we’re stuck around the house, we’ve been taking many walks around our neighborhood. I’ve learned over the years that the kids need a goal on our walks to keep them occupied and entertained. Otherwise just walking around can get pretty boring for them.

During our walks, I ask them to find plants, flowers, even animals, that they don’t know the names of. We then turn to iNaturalist, snap a photo of said plant/animal. The app then pulls up a list of items that are likely to be what we have discovered, and we select the answer that best fits what we have found. It’s been really neat to learn together what we have right here in our little neighborhood. Using an app like this to learn and document our adventures has been a really fun and educational outdoor social distancing activity for the kids.

4. Scavenger hunt

Anyone can do a scavenger hunt! Anywhere! Trust me, they’re super easy to put together and really fun for the kids! It only takes a few minutes of planning. I usually compile a quick list of easy-to-find items just before we head out the door. You can write them all down on a piece of paper, in your phone or keep a tally in your head. Tell the kids what they’re looking for and let them explore! Once the kids find all the items on their list they earn a prize (which is usually just something from our pantry).

The great thing about scavenger hunts is that you can completely customize them to your specific location and to your children’s ages and skill level. I will often make two different lists. For my son, I’ll ask for specific things, such as, “find a maple leaf”.  For my youngest, I keep it pretty basic for her, “find a yellow leaf”.

5. Nature bingo

Much like the scavenger hunt and iNaturalist, we utilize nature bingo while we’re on our morning walks. This is a great and easy outdoor social distancing activity for kids. Each child has a BINGO card filled with plants, flowers, and animals we typically see in our neighborhood. The game is a great way to keep the kids moving along our sidewalks with little to no complaining, and a goal to reach. They get pretty excited when they hit a BINGO, and I get excited that we’ve clocked more hours outside.

Above is a blank Bingo printable you can print off and fill in as you go.

6. DIY sidewalk chalk paint

You’ve probably seen this fun and easy craft idea, but it’s worth repeating because the kids love it. I’m not sure what they enjoy more, the making of the paint, or the actual painting. Either way, it keeps them busy, entertained, and outside.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own sidewalk chalk paint:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup corn starch
• Food dye colors of your choice
• Muffin tin
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Paintbrushes

In your mixing bowl add the warm water and corn starch. Whisk until cornstarch is dissolved. Pour your mixture in equal parts into the muffin tin. Add food dyes. Let the kids grab a paintbrush and go to work!

We are fortunate to have a patio, so the kids generally head out there to paint the pavers. But if we’re feeling extra adventurous we’ll paint the sidewalks around our front door.

7. Obstacle courses

We are lucky to have an alley that serves as our makeshift back yard. When the kids get tired of just riding up and down the alley on their bikes/scooters/etc. we’ll make an obstacle course. Getting the kids in on the creation of the course makes it that much more fun. Seeing their minds work to put together their course is just as much fun as watching them navigate the course. We use whatever we can find in our garage: jump ropes, plyo boxes, sidewalk chalk for the start and finish line, anything we can pull out!

I know not everyone has an alley, but many obstacle courses can be created in parks that have large green space! Think cones and hula hoops! Again, please use discretion during this time when visiting your parks.

8. Slackline

We may not have a yard or huge trees. However, we DO have a garage. That space has been maximized to the fullest. We purchased the kids a slackline and have it set up in the garage! We have it hung high, with different ropes and rings hanging from the line. The kids like to pretend they are Ninja Warriors, and monkey across it, aiming for the best time, or simply making it across without falling. If you don’t have a garage, check out parks with open spaces and large trees. It’s been a fun alternative to the monkey bars and traditional playground equipment we’re used to, but trying to avoid.

9. Leaf confetti

We mentioned making leaf confetti in our 100+ Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids,  but it is worth mentioning here, and applies any time of the year! And, this project has been our saving grace on those afternoons where we’re starting to get the wiggles and need an activity. This one engages our gross motor skills (walking around our neighborhood), fine motor skills (paper punching), and eye-hand coordination.

As we walk around our neighborhood the kids collect leaves they deem worthy of paper punching. Once we’ve gathered a hefty amount, we head home and start punching away. The different shaped punchers give the confetti a little more of a whimsical feel, but any shape will do. After a large amount of confetti is made the most fun is tossing it in the air!

10. Puddle jumping

More often than not, my kids are in school when it rains, so many puddle opportunities have slipped by us. However, during our time social distancing, we have had several days where it has rained. We could view this as doomy and gloomy. But, instead, we have taken advantage of all the puddles! All we need our rainboots and rain jackets, and we go. to. town. on every puddle we find. The kids always have so much fun splashing away, and this activity is perfect to get outside, as most people opt to stay indoors when it rains.

During this incredibly crazy and uncertain time, one thing holds true. We all need to get outside for our health and sanity.

If you live in an urban area, what are some of your favorite outdoor social distancing activities for kids?

About the author

I’m Desirée; wife to Scott, mom to Marcus and Julia. I’m the domestic engineer (that’s my fancy term for stay-at-home-mom) of the family. My husband, kids, and I love the outdoors. Our favorite ways to explore are hiking the coastal trails near us as well as combing the tide pools for aquatic treasures. To quench our thirst for wide-open spaces beyond the hustle and bustle of our urban jungle. We love to visit state and national parks, as well as conservation areas and nature preserves.

You can find Desirée online in the following locations:
Personal IG: @desireemacke
Cookie Biz IG: @coolingrackconfections