city outdoor activities

  • FAMILY TRAVEL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, URBAN NATURE

    Finding Nature in Urban Settings with Kids

    It is a wild misconception that being a “city kid” means depriving young minds of nature and the benefits of a free-range life. When done intentionally, children raised in the city have a unique opportunity to tap into a larger community of nature lovers. While there are some considerations and logistics to giving urban dwellers a sense of connection with the earth, it is possible, and even enjoyable, to find parks and nature within a concrete jungle. Today, Tiana Kubik of @usalongtheway, a city-dwelling and nature-loving mother of two, provides answers to how you can find urban nature with kids. It’s closer than you might think! 

    How to find nature in urban areas with kids - exploring urban nature with kids

    Why you should get your city kid into nature 

    There are many reasons your children should find nature, even in the city. The big takeaway though is that taking the time to connect with nature is good for them, others, and the earth. It is a one-stop-shop for well-being. Here are some additional reasons city kids need nature too.

    • The most pressing reason is the care and knowledge of our earth and nature. As we construct more buildings, creating time to appreciate and engage with nature will be more critical than ever. The more we know about how the earth functions, the more we can preserve it for all living beings.
    • Yoga and meditation have shown that grounding and connecting to the earth and all the elements, fosters positive self-awareness and supports healthy social-emotional development in children (and adults). In fast-paced city life, seeking moments with our earth can help children calm their nervous systems and lead happier lives.
    • The earth is the one thing that connects us with every living being. Finding friends and meeting new people through nature activities supports bonding and social awareness of others. Not to mention, a healthy earth is good for our fellow citizens. So, learning to care for the planet is also about learning to care for each other.

    Now that you know the benefits of exploring urban nature with kids, let’s get outside.

    2 kids in lawn chairs on the Chicago Riverwalk - ways to make city kids more outdoorsy

    Exploring urban nature with kids

    The most basic start to finding nature in urban settings is to get outside. Not every location is nature, but there is nature in every location. Yes, you read that right. Nature is in every outdoor location, even if it isn’t as obvious when you are surrounded by skyscrapers and cement. 

    Here are five easy ways to explore nature in a city environment

    1. The sun, the wind, the rain, and the temperature outside? All nature. Take a mindful and adventurous walk and explore how these elements affect you and the people and things around you. Splash in puddles or play in the rain. Feel the wind on your face or watch how the wind sways the trees. These are things that are all a part of our earth. 
    2. Even the most densely populated skyscraper city has a tree or a patch of grass, someplace. Find it. Study it. Play in it.  
    3. Bugs, birds, squirrels, and so many more critters make their homes in densely urban settings. Go for a walk and count the birds you see, find a bug and study what it does. Find some skat (bird and dog poop counts) and see if you can figure out what kind of animal made it. 
    4. Grabbing a picnic or even patio seating at a restaurant is a practice in enjoying nature. Soak in the experience. Find a farm-to-table restaurant or farmers’ market and get to know the enthusiastic people about where our food comes from. I guarantee most of them will be thrilled to chat up young nature lovers about their process.
    5. Flowers are often planted outside businesses and in various places for landscaping. Find some and smell them. Can’t find any outside, meander through a farmer’s market and find a flower vendor or walk to a grocery store and stroll through the floral department. Flowers do not need to be wildflowers to be enjoyed in nature.

    2 kids running through a community garden in Detroit, MI - getting kids outside in the city

    Enjoying city parks with kids

    Almost every city has a park district. Park districts are a great place to start for some more extensive and often inexpensive activities. Parks are also the perfect place to explore and discover urban nature with kids.

    Going to a city’s park and recreation department website can tell you a few things:

    1. The location of all of the city-owned parks, playgrounds, beaches, conservatories, zoos, farms, pools, splash pads, or other features. This is great for planning and getting the most accurate information on location, hours, and potential activities.
    2. Scheduled activities and programming. The park districts often have classes for kids, adults, and often families. They also may lead volunteer opportunities, concerts, animal encounters, and tours. 

    Once you arrive at a city-owned park, explore the signs and plaques that will often give information about the history or essential facts about where you are. Every city park has a unique story. Especially as urban areas build bigger and taller buildings, nature’s survival in urban areas is a task and a beautiful story of love and care.

    Morton Arboretum Sculpture with 2 girls playing - how to find nature in cities and urban areas

    Explore arboretums and gardens

    Ready to kick it up a notch? Gardens and arboretums are usually the places to go within a city to really up the “WOW” factor. For example, The Morton Arboretum in Illinois has nature+art exhibits throughout the grounds. So, you are getting some great nature plus some art and culture.

    We highly recommend becoming a member at a conservatory or nature center in your local area. There are usually some great benefits. Here are a few of the things we love about being members of an outdoor arboretum or botanical garden.

    1. Take a look at the location you wish to have your membership and see if they belong to any reciprocity organizations like the American Horticultural Society. This will get you into hundreds of similar gardens all over North America, with free or discounted admission. This is especially wonderful if you travel or want to explore lots of places as you travel.
    2. Being in the loop. With social media, this is not as big a consideration. However, members do get the first notices on new exhibits, tours, and programs. And sometimes there are special “members only” events or days where the lines are short and members enjoy special access and treatment. If you are not a natural nature person, getting “personal” invitations to exhibits and programs is a good nudge to get out there!
    3. Your membership fees support those doing the heavy lifting to keep mother nature alive and well. Having a membership to an arboretum or garden will help them continue caring for the earth. Even if it is just within their own space, we need every bit of green world we can keep.

    2 kids on a row boat in Central Park, New York City - ways to find nature in the city

    Finding urban nature that fits your adventure family

    Are you a rock climber, swimmer, kayaker, hiker? Many urban areas have found innovative ways of retaining or creating these experiences. A quick internet search will send you down the rabbit hole of companies and organizations that focus on your specific specialty.  

    Finding experts in your preferred activity will give you the best access to the areas best suited for what you want to do. For example, the local yacht club may offer sailing classes. The park district may have bike and boat rentals. The local nature center may hold classes or nature trips for families.

    You may also connect to small local organizations that have taken on the education and community building around family fun outdoor engagement. For example, Chicago Family Biking in Chicago hosts family bike rides and educational events that help families realize the ease of biking with kids. Big Muddy Adventures in St. Louis hosts family-friendly canoeing and paddle adventures in the Mississippi River, Missouri River, and surrounding rivers and streams. 

    Family Eating beignets on steps in City Park New Orleans - finding urban nature with kids

    Enjoy the city life and nature

    Even with activities that aren’t usually considered nature-y we can discover a connection to the earth and all it gives. Here are a few examples of how you can find and enjoy urban nature with kids in unexpected ways.

    1. Are you going out to eat? Ask to sit outside and admire the planters, trees, sounds, and smells on their outdoor patio.
    2. Walk, ride bikes, scooter to activities as often as possible.  
    3. Volunteer to pick up trash. This can be organized or just buy a grabber and make a habit of going out as a family and picking up trash.
    4. Plant a garden or if you lack space, join a community garden. 
    5. Look for fun programs like outdoor music concerts, festivals, farmers markets.
    6. Use public transportation to check out new neighborhoods and parks.
    7. Take a class. Find family yoga, outdoor art, and movement classes in your urban area.

    Hold your family accountable

    Ideas are great but holding your family accountable to your outdoor goals (or any goals you have) is the only way to increase your outdoor time. Need some inspiration on how to do this? Below are a couple of options.

    1. Join Facebook groups. Run Wild My Child, Hike it Baby, and other outdoor-focused organizations often have online communities where you can gain motivation and learn from like-minded people. There are also likely some local outdoor family groups too.
    2. Follow social media accounts. Believe it or not, seeing pictures of people with their kids outside or reading posts of what others are doing will help you stay motivated to take your own kids outside too.
    3. Join outdoor focused challenges. This is a great way to keep yourself motivated to get outside and may even help create new habits.
      • Hike it Baby hosts a HiB30 Challenge twice a year, with the goal of getting families outside for at least 30 minutes three times a week for one month.
      • The 52 Hike Challenge isn’t geared toward families, but you absolutely can choose to take your kids on 52 “hikes” over the course of the year. And yes, a walk through the same park once a week totally counts.
      • Our Run Wild My Child team is launching a new 7-day challenge that you can use to “rewild your child” called the Wildhood Challenge. This challenge is 7 days, each with a different theme for outdoor play, and will help encourage and inspire you to spend more intentional time outside for a full week, showing you just how easy it can be to prioritize time outside with your little ones when you’re intentional about it. 
    4. Step/health trackers. Seeing how many steps you take each day (whether it’s a few or a lot) is a great motivator to keep taking walks with your kids.
    5. Great a schedule or calendar. If you have a hard time finding time to get outside, set alerts on your phone or schedule time into your calendar. 

    Helping make a difference

    We are big believers that nature should be accessible for all. And spending time outside in nature shouldn’t be just for kids that live in the country, on farms, or in the mountains. City kids need nature and outdoor playtime just as much (if not more) than ever. According to the national PTA organization, one-third of all US children live in urban areas. Living in urban areas can mean it is difficult to access natural areas, even when they’re not far away. Longstanding systems of inequity have influenced the design and distribution of green spaces in and around cities and urban areas.

    Cities across the country are searching for ways to bring nature’s benefits to all children. As are parents, community leaders, educators, and people like YOU (and us) that believe in the importance of nature for all. Achieving change requires a community-based approach and lots of help. Organizations such as Children’s Nature Network have great resources and toolkits to get you started if you’re interested in helping more city kids discover urban nature and making it more accessible for all.

    Additional resources

    Here are a few other resources from our team all about getting city kids outside discovering urban nature with kids! 

    two kids on scooters on a sidewalk - urban nature with kidsFamily on scooter with Chicago skyline behind themPhotography by Thomas | © 2019 TK Photography | http://www.tkphotographychicago.com

    Now go run wild, my city child!
    How do you find nature in the city?

    About the author

    A city girl through and through, Tiana wasn’t always thrilled with outdoor adventures. However, learning the importance of nature + play through her journey to a Master’s in Early Childhood Education changed her heart. She still prefers the hustle and bustle of city life. She also has learned to love all that nature is and gives. Tiana has discovered unbelievably amazing North American destinations by traveling in a DIY converted Sprinter Van with her husband and two kids. She looks forward to new adventures and discoveries every day.

    You can find more from Tiana in the following online locations:
    Instagram: @usalongtheway
    Website: US Along the Way

  • HIKE, HOLIDAYS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Valentine’s Day Outdoor Activity: Nature Heart Hunt

    Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and that typically means a whole lot of love and hearts! Let’s embrace the hearts and invite nature to be our valentine this year. Today, Creative Team member, Katie Fox, an RV-living roadschooling mom of 2, takes us on an outdoor nature heart hunt. She shows us how we can take this love-filled holiday outside and enjoy time together as a family, connecting with each other and nature. Let’s all go hunting for nature hearts!

    Nature Heart Hunt - Outdoor Valentine's Activities for Kids

    “Keep close to Nature’s Heart…” – John Muir

    Hearts aplenty

    It’s the time of year when many of us get crafty with heart shapes and spend time with our children making cards and decorations to show friends and family how much we care. If you are looking for ideas, these heart-shaped seed bombs are amazing! Or, maybe, we are busy (or our kids beg us) and we buy pre-made decorations and boxed valentines for our children to complete on their own. There’s no shame in saving your sanity and buying Valentines with your child’s favorite character.

    But, no matter how your family prepares and celebrates, Valentine’s Day is the time of year when kindness and love shine through. This is important. Many holidays focus on giving, but Valentine’s Day is tied to the heart. Indeed, the holiday’s focus is entirely about love and kindness. It doesn’t have to be romantic love, either. It can be about the love you feel for your family, friends, and neighbors.

    You do not need to buy into the commercialized element of the holiday to spend time with loved ones focused on connecting, being kind, and your love for each other. And today, I’m sharing with you a fun outdoor activity for the entire family. Going on a nature heart hunt is the perfect way to spend some time outdoors exploring and have a little adventure with the kids. 

    how to find nature hearts

    Valentine and heart fun facts

    In fact, connection and love are essentially where the heart shape and holiday stem from.

    I am a lover of history and learning new things, so naturally, I delight in finding reasons to look into why things are the way they are. For instance, why is the heart a symbol of love? Why does the heart shape occur in nature? Who was Saint Valentine? And why is this holiday named after him? 

    These are just a few examples of the questions that ran through my head as I began to brainstorm writing this nature heart hunt post. I won’t share all of the new facts I learned after diving down this rabbit hole of information (the amount of information may overwhelm you, as it did me), but here are the most interesting discoveries.

    Valentine's Day Outdoor Activity - Nature Heart Hunt

    The heart as a symbol of love may actually find its origins in nature!

    Ivy leaves, lily pads, and silphium leaves (an extinct ancient North African plant) are all heart-shaped, and their respective cultures connected them, in some way, to fidelity or reproduction. Over time, the depictions of these plants in art may have morphed from heart-shaped leaves to simply the heart shape.

    The heart shape connection to love may come from anatomy drawings dating back to the Middle Ages.

    Since the heart organ has long been seen as connected to human emotions, the heart-shaped drawing of the organ eventually began to represent love.

    Saint Valentine and his role in the love-filled holiday is equally uncertain.

    Some say Saint Valentine did not agree with a law forbidding young men from marrying (in hopes of making them more battle worthy), so he performed marriage ceremonies in secret. However, others believe Saint Valentine was another (of the dozen or so who held the name Valentine) martyred man altogether.

    The heart shape’s prominence in nature was a difficult one to find information on.

    The only thing that even suggested the reason for the occurrence of this shape in nature, referred exclusively to the leaf shape. It proposed the heart shape enabled the plants to obtain more sunlight.

    The holiday was likely invented by a poet!

    Geoffrey Chaucer, who often combined or altered traditions in his poems, wrote Parliament of Foules in 1375 and suggested that on the day February 14th birds and humans should come together and find a mate.

    “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”

    Hearts found in nature

    Now, you might be thinking, where are some good places to start hunting for nature hearts? This is a great question and the answer is simple. Pretty much everywhere outdoors! Check out these ideas to get you started on your nature heart hunt.

    • Clouds
    • Rocks
    • Leaves
    • Puddles
    • Fungi
    • Lichen
    • Tree bark
    • Shadows
    • Animal spots
    • Tree cavities
    • Animal tracks (think deer hooves or dog prints)
    • Cactus limbs
    • Shells
    • Tree stumps
    • Cracks in mud or sidewalks
    • Snow mounds
    • Tree branches
    • Flowers
    • Black walnuts (look inside)
    • Graffiti or murals

    Outdoor Valentines Activities for Kids - nature heart huntnature heart hunt with kids - Valentine's Day Activities

    Hunting for nature hearts

    The first rule in nature heart hunting is that there are no rules in heart hunting. There is absolutely no wrong way to go hunting for hearts in nature, so your heart hunt can be anywhere and any way you want. My family started going on nature heart hunts a couple of years ago. I cannot remember where I got the idea, but it stuck and we love it. So, whoever you are who shared this idea, thank you!

    You may be surprised to know this, but the heart shape naturally appears in nature everywhere! There are literally hearts all around you! Once you start looking, you will notice them all the time. And if you are anything like me, you will begin to snap a photo each time, too. As a result, you may develop quite a collection of nature heart photos. 

    nature heart hunt

    Eye spy – the heart-shaped version

    Hunting for hearts is such a fun and easy outdoor activity. It’s basically iSpy (eye spy?) where you’re only looking for hearts. You can play this on any hike, walk, or outing. A nature heart hunt is perfect for kids of all ages (and adults). It can easily keep my young children engaged and moving forward on our outdoor adventures. So far, each and every time I suggest we hit the trail and search for hearts, my kids are 100% committed instantly! Certainly, this activity will fail me one day, but for now, I am enjoying hunting nature hearts with my children.

    I search for heart-shapes right along with them and show them any I see. I always make sure to give them an opportunity to point them out first. My 3-year-old enjoys spotting the heart-shaped rocks, tree cavities, and lichen. Whereas, my 6-year-old usually dedicates his time to finding heart-shaped leaves or plants.

    nature heart hunt - how to find hearts all around you

    Find them or make your own

    Do you want to know the best part about this particular nature heart hunt activity? We almost always find several examples, even if they are not perfect. And, if for some reason we don’t find any nature hearts. we simply make our own! It’s super fun to make a heart shape using a few pieces of nature nearby on the ground (leaves, sticks, flowers, etc.) and the kids consider it a complete success! 

    Outdoor Hiking Games for Kids - nature heart hunt

    Love actually is all around

    Hearts are literally all around us. They are in the sidewalk cracks, tree bark, playground equipment, leaves, rocks, and clouds. Most importantly, all of these things are available in most outdoor environments and all are great places to find those hidden hearts. You don’t need to go far or anywhere fancy for your nature heart hunt because love is all around, wherever you are!

    So, as this love-filled holiday draws closer, take your family outside (a park, playground, neighborhood walk, trail hike, or any other adventure) and go hunting for nature hearts. It is easy and fun and will fill your heart with happiness. 

    Have you ever found a heart in nature?

    “When you realise Earth and Heart are spelled with the same letters, it all begins to make sense.” — Unknown author

    About the author

    Katie lives in a tiny home on wheels and travels full-time with her two mostly wild children, tech-minded partner, two well-traveled pups, and adopted pet snail. As they wander the North American continent, Katie explores as much as possible, with a particular fondness for the adventures her family enjoys in state and national parks. When not trekking through the outdoors, Katie enjoys baking, homeschooling, consuming mochas from local coffee shops across the continent, practicing her photography skills, and soaking up as much knowledge as she can.

    As an advocate for families exploring the great outdoors, Katie co-founded a Hike it Baby branch in her hometown in Northern California and tries to encourage families to get outside whenever possible. Katie has a Master’s degree in human development from the University of Missouri, Columbia, but her passion is really history and humanities (which is coincidentally what her Bachelor’s degrees are in). She currently volunteers on the Hike it Baby National team as a contributing blogger.

    You can find more from Katie online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @familyinwanderland
    Website: http://www.familyinwanderland.com
    Facebook: @familyinwanderland
    RWMC posts: Katie Fox

  • GEOCACHING, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PRINTABLES, SPRING, URBAN NATURE

    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.

    10 Ways to Get Outside With Kids When Social Distancing in the 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.

    geocaching in the city - outdoor activities for kids

    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.

    outdoor apps for city kids

    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”.

    blank BINGO card for nature hunt outdoor activities for kids

    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.

    Outdoor activities for city kids when socially distancing

    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.

    outdoor activities when you don't have a backyard

    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.

    outdoor activities to do while socially distancing

    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!

    Outdoor social distancing ideas for kids

    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