outdoor activities

GEOCACHING, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PRINTABLES, SPRING, URBAN NATURE
10 Outdoor Social Distancing Activities for Kids in a City
- March 19, 2020
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
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING
Four-Leaf Clover Hunt with Kids
- March 17, 2020
While a four-leaf clover may bring you love or luck once you have it, you don’t need a ton of luck to find one. All you need is a little patch of clover and a little patience. Today, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to go on a four-leaf clover hunt with your kids. Using a few of the following tips and tricks, you’ll not only increase your chances of finding a little luck, but you’ll also get to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine while you’re at it. If you need a super simple outdoor activity to keep the kids entertained outside (with very little/no prep work required), this activity is for you!

Love, luck, faith, and hope

Four-leaf clovers have long been associated with good luck. The leaves of a four-leaf clover are said to stand for faith, love, hope, and, of course, luck. Four-leaf clovers have been used over the years to bless new marriages, help lonely souls find their soulmates, heal the sick, ward off evil spirits and are even rumored to allow the holder to see magical fairies.

Do you see the 4-leaf clover in the photo above?!

Clover fun facts for kids
- The white clover’s Latin name is Trifolium repens.
- Clover is a genus of the pea family.
- Clover grows worldwide, mainly in Northern Hemisphere, but also in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes on mountains in the tropics.
- For every “lucky” four-leaf clover there are approximately 5,000- 10,000 three-leaf clovers.
- Some clovers produce five or more leaves? Some traditions say that anything over four is actually bad luck!
- The world record for leaves on a clover is 56!
- Three-leaf clovers are said to represent the holy trinity.
- It is believed that Ireland is home to more four-leaf clovers than any other place, hence the phrase “the luck of the Irish.”
- Some traditions say that four-leaf clovers are only lucky if you keep them hidden, while others say your fortune doubles if you give your clover to another.
- Abraham Lincoln carried a four-leaf clover with him everywhere for good luck. However, on the night he was assassinated he was not carrying it.
How to find a four-leaf clover

If you want to go on a four-leaf clover hunt with your kids, you don’t need much! Find a nice patch of clover where you can start your hunt. According to research, there is usually one four-leaf clover for every 5,000-10,000 three-leaf shamrocks. Around 200 clovers can be found in a 60-square centimeter plot of clover. Therefore, a space of about 1.2 square meters (or 4 square feet) should contain at least one four-leaf clover.

Start your four-leaf clover hunt by slowly scanning the patch of clover. Don’t try to look at every clover individually. Instead, stand above the clover and look for any that jump out at you as different. Look for a diamond shape, instead of a triangle. Many times the fourth leaf of a four-leaf clover is smaller or a different shade of green than the other three leaves. This anomaly will help you find the lucky clover in the patch that looks different than all the others.

If scanning the patch from above isn’t working, try getting down on your knees. Gently skim the surface of the clover patch with your hands. Focus only on the clovers that your hand touches, checking for that extra lucky leaf.

If you think you see a four-leaf clover, gently separate it from the other nearby clovers to make sure it has four leaves. Sometimes clover is clumped close together and gives the false impression of four leaves.

Extra lucky or not lucky?

If you’re lucky and find a four-leaf clover, stay in the area and look for more. The genetic mutation that caused the four-leafer is more likely to produce another nearby.

Don’t worry if you don’t find a four-leaf clover; they’re rare for a reason! The more often you look for one, the more likely you are to eventually find one. In the meantime, get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine of the clover patch.

Have you ever found a four-leaf clover?
INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER
Hidden Benefits of Outdoor Winter Play for Children
- January 31, 2020
As the old saying goes, “Variety is the spice of life!” And nothing provides quite a much variety throughout life as the changes of the seasons. When the seasons change, a whole host of new outdoor activities become available for families and for children. And winter is no exception. Today we have Ginny from 1000 Hours Outside, a homeschooling mom from Michigan (where it is a balmy 21 degrees outside, which may actually feel quite nice depending on where you live) sharing her perspective on the benefits of outdoor winter play. Instead of riding out the frigid temperatures and waiting for spring, we hope this post will encourage you to head outside for some beneficial outdoor winter play!

Benefits of Outdoor Winter Play

Winter is worth it

Depending on your location, there will be certain seasons that are more conducive to outside time than others. Winter is probably not too many parents’ favorite season for outdoor play. The gloves, the hats, the scarves, the snow pants, the layers, the whining! We know! We know! It probably takes longer for you to get everyone dressed in their layers than the time you actually spend in the open air. Am I right?

Yes, you’ll have a pile of wet and melting gear afterward. And lots of muddy clothes to wash. But, instead of looking at seasons as good or bad we like to look at them as opportunities to try new things. Yes, winter brings its own set of challenges, but it also brings special magical outdoor activities you can’t do any other time. We promise you that getting outside in the winter months is worth your time and effort! Read on to learn just some of the benefits of outdoor winter play. We just might turn you into a fan of winter after all!

Winter play enhances brain function

Did you know that increasingly complex movements enhance brain function? We tend to think of movements becoming more intricate only through that first year of life. A baby begins by lifting the head and then pushing to all fours. Next, baby is crawling pulling up and finally walking, all within a relatively short span of time. But what then?

After those initial milestones, the milestones continue though not as linearly. Think of the complexity of bike riding and swimming, pitching a baseball and climbing a tree. Children who are given ample time to play outside and try these activities will naturally progress to more difficult bodily movements, all while boosting brain function.

In Smart Moves: (Why Learning is Not All in Your Head), Carla Hannaford, Ph.D. writes “Elderly people who dance regularly decrease their risk of dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease by 76% and those that play a musical instrument decrease the risk by 69%.” These statistics portray the importance of sophisticated movements.

So what, you say. What does all of this have to do with outdoor winter play? Well, I’m so glad you asked! Consider the movements associated with outdoor winter play beginning with the simple act of walking in snow or on ice (in thick/heavy boots and clothing, no less). Immediately, the brain is fired up! This is a new experience – and a complex one. Legs must go higher, balance is tested. Throw in some other activities such as sledding, skiing, ice-skating, snow-shoeing, rolling and even throwing snowballs and you’ve got yourself a season that is filled with opportunities for children to challenge themselves in complex physical ways that benefit their brains and bodies.

Outdoor winter play enhances creativity

Winter brings all new possibilities for creative play, imagination and construction. Forget sandcastes, build a frozen snow castle! Or snowmen, snow mountains, snow towers, snow forts, snow volcanoes, snow lanterns, snow sculptures, snow cakes, etc. You can paint the snow, eat the snow, and make angels in the snow. Snow and ice offer kids a never-ending supply of elements for creative little minds.

There are endless ideas floating around about using simple things you probably already have on hand like food coloring and bowls to create ice ornaments. Or mix food coloring with water in a spray bottle and letting the kids have at it. Interestingly, there is also so much variation between the types of snow that falls. Is it wet snow? Will it pack? Is it dense or light and flaky? Is it good for sledding? Building snowman? And then how should we dress the snowman? You get the picture!

It can be easy to think of a season where everything seems monochrome as drab, one without possibilities. But the elements of outdoor winter play are so open-ended that we have at our finger-tips a literal blank canvas of endless opportunity! Creative opportunities abound during this marvelous season!

Winter play enhances physical health and development

Fresh air does a body good, but so does movement. A good romp in the snow will get the lymphatic system moving, helping our bodies clear out unwanted toxins. Additionally, these outdoor winter play movements involve muscles that may not get as much use in other seasons. The simple act of pulling a sled up a hill gives the legs a magnificent workout. In what other season would we go up and down hills over and over? This trudging through deep snow time and again does so much for a child’s physical development.

Winter is also a time for advancing core strength. All of the balance work, keeping the body upright while sledding down a hill or slip-sliding across a frozen pond, engages the core. Shoveling helps in the exact same way and is considered “heavy work; that is, any type of activity that pushes or pulls against the body. Heavy work is crucial for developing body awareness.

And while this is great for your child’s physical health, there’s another perk of outdoor winter play you may not be aware of! All of this intense physical activity will inadvertently help your child in academia! Students who have a strong core don’t have to expend energy or constantly think about sitting at a desk. It is a well-known phenomenon that this is something many young people struggle with these days, to the point of even falling out of the chairs at school. There’s such a cross-over between all of these benefits!

Winter play strengthens relational bonds

Outdoor winter play engages all the senses. This is one of the reasons time in nature is often so memorable. Some of my favorite childhood memories are shoveling snow with my dad in the early mornings when it seemed that all the world was fast asleep. I remember the dark, the biting cold, and the rhythmic sounds of the shovel against the cement. I can still recall the huge piles of snow that would accumulate along the edges of the driveway, the bit of observation needs to shovel in the right direction so the wind wouldn’t bring it all right back, I remember that indescribable feeling when you’re all finished and you head inside to warm up.

Isn’t this one the simplest things in life? Shoveling with my dad. Just me and him. It doesn’t seem like the kind of exciting memory that a child would value above so many other super fun and exciting activities, but it mattered. It stuck. Think about it…how many of your fondest childhood memories and moments happened outside? The connections and memories you make outdoors seem to stick with you much longer than others. The magic of childhood can be found in the most ordinary places, most of which are outside!

Have we convinced you to get outside this winter?
What are some of your outdoor memories from childhood?

About the Author

Ginny is a Michigan homeschooling mother of five and the founder of 1000 Hours Outside. She is a thought-leader in the world of nature-based play and its benefits for children. Her 1000 Hours Outside Challenge spans the globe and many people from all walks of life look to her for inspiration as well as practical tips on how to put down the screens and get outside. Ginny has a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Michigan and is also a children’s book author and illustrator. Her book, The Little Farmhouse in West Virginia was published in February 2019.

You can find more from Ginny in the following locations:
Website: http://www.1000HoursOutside.com
Instagram: @1000hoursoutside
Facebook: @1000hoursoutside
RWMC posts: Ginny Yurich
CRAFTS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER
Winter Outdoor Activities: DIY Frozen Suncatchers
- January 24, 2020
Ice is both beautiful and fascinating to children and adults, alike. It’s amazing that something as simple as water can turn into a glassy solid in any shape. Kids are easily wowed by the freezing process and mesmerized by the beauty and texture of ice. Today, we’re sharing an easy outdoor winter activity that involves turning water and a few simple natural items into beautiful frozen suncatchers that gleam and glisten in the sun. This activity will not only give your child a chance to explore your outdoor area for fun natural items to incorporate into their suncatchers, but will also teach them about temperature and the freezing process.

How to make DIY frozen suncatchers

DIY frozen suncatchers are a super easy craft that you can make outdoors in the winter. There are so many great things about this craft. Not only does this project get your little ones outside and exploring in the cooler weather, but it also requires little to no prep work and no fancy or expensive supplies. These ice suncatchers can be made anywhere at any time, using any variety of supplies and ingredients from your home and outdoor area. All you need is a little imagination and some patience!

Start by exploring outside and collecting

There are three main things you need to make DIY frozen suncatchers: water, a container and natural ingredients for decoration. The water and containers can be found in any kitchen. It’s the natural elements that your children collect and include in their suncatchers that will make them each unique and individual. Start this project out by allowing your children to explore your area (yard, neighborhood, local park/woods) and collect small natural items to include in the frozen suncatchers.

Give each kid a bag or collection box to hold their supplies. Explain that they’ll need a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes of objects to include. Then let them choose what to collect. This not only gets them outside in the fresh air but gets them thinking about the variety of plants, leaves, flowers and natural elements in their area.

DIY Frozen Suncatcher natural ingredients

You can use absolutely anything in your DIY frozen suncatchers, as long as it’s small enough to fit in the ice! We highly recommend only using natural supplies that will naturally decompose over time and not cause any issues for animals if they consume them. Now is probably not the time to use marbles or coins or anything plastic. Here’s a list of a few items we’ve included in our suncatchers from a walk around our suburban neighborhood.
- Pine needles
- Leaves
- Flowers/petals
- Twigs
- Acorns
- Pebbles
- Pinecones
- Birdseed
- Orange or lemon slices
- Berries
- Evergreen branches
- Nuts
- Ivy
If you don’t have access to a place to collect natural supplies or want to get extra fancy, pick up a small bouquet of flowers from your local grocery store and use the petals. You’ll be amazed at how gorgeous a frozen suncatcher you’ll get using a variety of colored flower petals.

Choose the right container

Once you have your ingredients collected, you’ll want to choose your containers. You can use plastic lids, paper/plastic plates, pie plates, pans, bowls or silicone molds. No need to buy anything new – get creative with what you already have at home! You can use anything from cupcake tins to bundt cake pans! Teacups to ice cube trays. Be advised that the bigger and deeper your container, the longer it will take to freeze. We used a handful of small shallow paper plates, which worked perfectly. If you’re using anything made of paper, I suggest a thin coating of nonstick spray on the paper to keep the ice from sticking.

Add the water and natural elements

Fill your container with the required amount of water. Try to keep the water shallow so that the suncatchers freeze faster, aren’t too heavy to hang and are thin enough to allow sunlight to pass through them. Once you have water in your container, let your kids add the natural elements they collected to the water in any design of your choosing. Let them create shapes with the items or lay them out in any design of their choosing. Just be aware of shifting items if you have to move them. If possible, make the suncatchers in a place you can leave them to freeze.

For extra fun, add a few drops of food coloring to make a rainbow of beautiful colors in your frozen suncatchers! And if you want to hang these gorgeous creations from tree branches or on a window sill, make sure you add a small piece of string or ribbon half out of the ice in a loop so that it will freeze in place giving you a built-in hanger for your suncatcher.

Pro tip: I’ve heard that if you boil the water before you use it in your suncatcher, the ice will be clear and less cloudy! I haven’t tried this, but that would really make these suncatchers extra beautiful!

Let them freeze

Now comes the hard part for kids…being patient while they freeze! If you live in a place where it’s cold enough for the water to freeze outside, then leave your suncatchers outside in a safe place (where they won’t be disturbed) a few hours or overnight to freeze. If it’s not cold enough in your area, you can place them flat in your freezer until frozen. Just be extra careful when moving them not to shake or disturb the designs.

Learn while you wait

While you’re waiting for your suncatchers to freeze, take the opportunity to educate! Talk to your child(ren) about the temperature at which water freezes and what happens to the water as it solidifies. Discuss the temperature outside and take a guess as to how long it will take for the water to freeze. Check on the status of your suncatchers and note the changes taking place. Note the temperature outside and compare it to the temperature in your fridge or freezer.

Hang and enjoy!

After the water turns to ice, gently remove the ice suncatcher from the mold and examine your frozen suncatcher creation. Hang your sun catchers from a tree branch or window sill. Let your kids use them to decorate a tree or bush in the backyard. The sun shining through the ice will create such a beautiful outdoor sight you’re going to want to do these year-round!

Have you ever made frozen suncatchers?

If you’re looking for more outdoor winter activities and ideas for kids, make sure to check out our post with 100+ Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids.
HOLIDAYS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Outdoor Holiday Activities for Kids
- December 16, 2019
Don’t let the December cold keep you indoors this entire holiday season. Get outside and have some fun with your kids during the holidays. There’s so much to do outside this time of the year; so many fun things to see and places to explore. Today, we’re sharing 15 outdoor holiday activities to do with kids. Many of these outdoor activities can be done no matter where you live or what holiday (if any) you celebrate. This December, make it a goal to spend more time outside celebrating together in nature. Put your own twist on these outdoor activities and make them your own. Maybe they’ll even become yearly traditions! So, what are you waiting for? Bundle up and get outside!

Special thanks to all the amazing members of our Instagram community that allowed us to share their special images in the post. We appreciate you all so much!

Outdoor holiday activities

When you think of the holidays, you probably don’t immediately think about outdoor adventures. We want to change that! Regardless of how many things are going on inside this time of year, kids need outdoor play. They need to burn energy, explore and play outdoors. They need fresh air and sunshine (what little there is this time of year) and room to move! Kids should be enjoying nature and the outdoors year-round. The holiday season is no exception.

There are so many fun things to do and experience outside in December. We’re sharing just a few of our favorite ways to get outside, get active and have fun amidst the holiday chaos. I have a feeling that the more of these activities you incorporate into your holiday, the more fun you and your kids will have! We’re hoping you make getting outside a priority for your family this holiday season.

Photo credit: @andreamartinphoto

1. Make a wreath

Making a holiday wreath with kids is such a fun craft. My favorite craft projects usually start with time outside, exploring and collecting materials. For a holiday-inspired wreath, head outside and look for evergreens and anything colorful. Bring a bag with you to collect all your finds and goodies. You’ll need quite a few branches, so consider bringing scissors or something to use to safely cut the plant without damaging it (leave this with a grownup). Make sure you’re in a public area or have permission to make any cuts to trees/plants or take anything.

Once you’ve collected enough materials, head home and arrange everything around a wreath structure or even a cutout piece of cardboard. Choose your method of adhesion (hot glue, rubber bands, etc.) and get started! Let the kids help as much as they can and give them free rein over their creation. When all’s done, add a few pinecone embellishments, some holly berries or a big bow. Finally, hang on the door for all to see!

2. Hot chocolate stand

While lemonade stands might be all the rage in the summer, hosting a hot chocolate stand in the winter is a great way to put those entrepreneurial skills to good use. The cooler weather is a great excuse to put a new spin on a traditional outdoor childhood activity. Plus, get your little ones in the giving spirit by selecting a charity or cause to receive half (or all) of the profits of their shop. Then, help your kids come up with everything they need to set up a booth to sell hot cocoa, spiced cider, coffee, tea, or baked goods. All you need are your supplies, some change, a table, and a big sign! Choose a location where you’ll encounter some foot traffic and voila!

Photo credit: @dorenehookeyPhoto credit: @embrace_the_deep

3. Holiday lights walk

Going on a holiday lights walk is one of my kids’ favorite holiday traditions. We choose one night in December (close to Christmas) to bundle up and go for a holiday walk to see lights. The kids get dressed up in their warmest clothes and grab a blanket of their choice. We fill travel mugs with hot chocolate and marshmallows. Then we load everyone up in the wagon, stroller or buggy and go for a walk around the neighborhood.

The kids stay nice and toasty in the wagon, all snuggled up together. I drag or push them down our street and around a couple of blocks in our neighborhood to find the houses with the best lights. We ooh and ahh over the decorations and pick our favorites. Sometimes we’ll even bring a Bluetooth speaker with us and play holiday songs and sing along to the music. Depending on how cold it is, we usually stay out around 30-40 minutes. But even 10 minutes up and down our own street feels great once you’re outside and moving!

Photo credit: @crystalphoto.ca

4. Outdoor ice skating

Ice skating outdoors is one of my favorite things to do with the kids during the holidays. There’s something magical about being outside in the crisp air, all bundled up, and slip-sliding around on ice skates under the twinkle lights. Many cities have wonderful outdoor ice skating rinks that are open around the holidays. They’re usually open in the evening, surrounded by lights, so it’s one of the few outdoor activities that you can do in the evening since it gets dark so early.

Make a full family event out of ice skating and see who’s the best. Most rinks have skate rentals for kids as young at two. Plus, there are lots of options for kids that are still learning, including buckets and braces. And for the grown-ups, there’s always the wall to hold onto! After your skate, head out to dinner or for dessert and make a special night out of it!

Photo credit: @littlepinelearners

5. Feed the birds

Making bird seed feeders for the birds and squirrels is a wonderful way to teach kids about kindness and compassion. My kids love making eco-friendly bird feeders from supplies and materials we have at home. Our favorites are pinecones dipped in peanut butter and then rolled in birdseed. Not only do the kids have to get out and explore to collect the pinecones, but they get to get messy while they make these. We also love cutting apples in half and leaving them out for the animals. If we have snow, we’ve even gone to our local park and make a giant birthday cake out of snow and decorated it with birdseed, carrots, lettuce leaves and orange slices for the animals. Here are three fun and easy options for making bird feeders with kids.

Photo credit: @catrinadebruin

6. Cut down your tree

There are so many great reasons to choose to cut down your own (or purchase a live) real tree. Heading out to the woods or local tree farm is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise in the cold month of December. It’s also a fun family tradition you can start and continue doing each year. When you purchase a live tree you’re also supporting a farm that depends on the income from those trees to continue to run. While the trees are growing, they help clean the air we breathe. Once the trees are cut down, they’re replaced with new ones. When they’re in your home, they smell heavenly!

Once you’re finished with a real Christmas tree, it can often be repurposed. Many cities collect the live trees and turn them into wildlife habitats, mulch or other products, or use them to help with erosion. In these cases, the tree gets another life before it decomposes. If you need tips on what to do before you go tree hunting or how to choose the right tree, we’ve got a great post with tips on cutting down your own tree.

Photo credit: @lovely_littlediegoPhoto credit: @sara_mccarty

7. Go caroling

This is another one of my kids’ favorite holiday traditions. Every year, all the kids on our street go house-to-house caroling. It’s honestly one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen and I hope we continue this tradition forever! The kids love it so much. They sing 2-3 songs at each house and collect a donation to give to a local charity. We print off a few the lyrics of around 10 songs for the big kids and the little ones that can’t read shake jingle bells and try to sing along as best they can. We usually hit about 10 houses and then head back to a neighbor’s house for cookies and hot chocolate.

Don’t celebrate Christmas? No worries! There are a million other songs you could sing! No one said that caroling had to include Christmas songs. Make a list of some of your kids’ favorite songs or Google fun/silly kids’ music and learn a few songs. Bust out your favorite Disney songs, like Let it Go, Hakuna Matata and Bare Necessities. Some of our favorites for little ones include: Ram Sam Sam, She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain, You are my Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle, Ants Go Marching, Baby Shark, Wheels on the Bus and Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

Photo credit: @e_hawthorne_photography

8. Winter hiking

Another great family tradition to start is to go on a holiday hike. We all tend to overindulge around the holidays and take full advantage of the delicious food and drinks. It’s also easier than ever to skip exercising and opt for snuggling on the couch or watching a movie instead of getting outside and active. Those things are all fine, as long as you also make time for getting outside and enjoying nature. Winter is a great time for hiking, as you can see so many things you can’t in the other seasons (bird nests high in the tree, frozen waterfalls, etc.

Make it a new family tradition to go on a Christmas Day hike after opening the presents to burn off some energy and get some fresh air. Let the kids wear their Christmas jammies or Santa hats! Or make it a New Year’s Day tradition to start the year off with a hike through the woods and get a jump start on your outdoor hours for the year. Check out your local parks and rec department for options to get outside with others. Our state conservation department offers group night hikes in the winter months to listen for owls, coyotes and more!

Photo credit: @zionadventurephotog

9. Make ice lanterns

Ice lanterns are such a fun and beautiful holiday project to make with kids. There are a few different ways to make these, but none of them need much more than a few bowls and cups, balloons and battery-operated tea lights. The first way to make an ice lantern is to fill a cup with water, then place a smaller cup inside it. Let the water freeze and then pull the ice out of the larger cup and remove the inner cup. This will leave you with a hollowed-out ice container. Place a battery-operated tea light inside and set outside along a walkway or around your yard to light a path.

Another fun way to make an ice lantern is to fill a balloon with water and then let it freeze. Once you have a frozen water balloon, remove the plastic ballon and place the frozen globe over a battery-operating tea light in the snow. The whole thing will glow like magic!

Photo credit: @europeanmommyof2

Photo credit: @helendonphotos

10. Attend a tree lighting

Tree lightings are really fun ways to celebrate the season outside with your community. Lots of cities, towns, neighborhoods, and areas have local tree lightings that you can attend with the kids. Most are outside and are accompanied by a special visitor from the North Pole! Our local community’s tree lighting is adorable and filled with kid-friendly holiday activities. All the kids gather outside city hall and sing Christmas carols until Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive. They come roaring up on a fire truck called the Polar Express! There are lots of booths and stands selling hot chocolate, cookies and donuts and holiday goodies from local shops and vendors. The kids have the chance to get a photo taken with Santa or help decorate a gingerbread house.

Photo credit: @dariajungerbalint

11. Create an ornament from nature

There are so many fun ways to use items you find in nature to create beautiful Christmas ornaments for your tree. One of my favorite nature-inspired ornaments is to use small twigs to make stars, trees or snowflakes. You don’t need much for these super cute and easy DIY ornaments that you don’t already have in your yard! Tie a few sticks together with some twine to make a star or use hot glue to create a tree. Leave them natural for a rustic looking ornament or let the kids have fun painting them! They make great grandparent gifts, too. If you want other nature-inspired ornament ideas, Pinterest is full of them!

Photo credit: @ruta_pjPhoto credit: @nina.bogomaz

12. Holiday campfire

Winter is a great time of year to have a bonfire outside. Gather some firewood and those you love and spend some time outside together around a fire. The nights are cold and dark. Take this opportunity to make s’mores and share cups of hot chocolate (put a candy cane in them for extra holiday goodness). And then take the time to bond with those around you over stories of holidays past. Talk about the best gifts you’ve ever received/given, your favorite meals and what you look forward to each year. Sharing songs and memories around a campfire is such a simple and beautiful experience for families. It makes kids feel incredibly special to be part of it, to listen and participate.

Photo credit: @seldabelda

13. Go on a sleigh ride

Do a little research and see if you can find a place near you to take the kids on a real-life horse-drawn sleigh ride. There are lots of places these days that offer sleigh rides, through the woods, in parks, on local farms or through conservation areas. If you don’t have snow or you’re in the city, try a horse-drawn carriage ride! Our local parks offer carriage rides through a winter wonderland of twinkle lights in all size carriages. Some are huge and can fit large groups and some are small and intimate. One even looks like Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage. A sleigh ride outdoors through the crisp air, while you’re bundled up in blankets is a thrill! It’s something super special and unique that doesn’t happen every day. It’ll be a true holiday memory that will last a lifetime.

Photo credit: @mamabearphoto

14. Candy cane hunt

Last year we started the tradition of doing a small backyard candy cane hunt. Similar to a scavenger hunt, but only for candy canes. All I did was buy a box of candy canes and hide them around the backyard. I hung the candy canes from tree branches and bushes and the fence. Once the whole box was hidden, I sent the kids outside to find them all. I can’t believe how much fun the kids had with this simple game!

It didn’t take them that long to find all the candy canes (maybe 15 minutes), but they loved the game so much we had to do it over and over and over! Then they took turns hiding the candy canes for each other. And then they moved to the front yard. One box of candy canes got them outside and playing for probably five hours! No one ate a single candy cane because they wanted to save them to play again the next day! I think this year I’m going to buy a couple of boxes and hide them up and down the street and let all the neighborhood kids play! This can also be done with nearly anything – it doesn’t have to be candy canes.

Photo credit: @thejohnsonettes

15. Outdoor act of kindness

Get your kids in the holiday spirit by performing some random acts of kindness for others. Put a new spin on your good deeds by taking them outdoors this year. Try to come up with a few ideas of things you could do for others outside. For example, have the kids shovel the snow off a neighbor’s porch or sidewalks. Pick up litter in a local park. Decorate an outdoor tree for the wildlife. Return your neighbor’s trash bins. Leave candy canes on the windshields of cars in a parking lot. Deliver handmade cards to neighbors you don’t know. Leave sidewalk chalk messages of encouragement for people at the park.

What outdoor holiday activities do you do?
INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Outdoor Activities for Babies
- November 13, 2019
We all know the importance of getting your kids outside and into nature. The benefits of spending time in the great outdoors are not limited to children. They also extend to new parents and babies. Taking an infant on outdoor adventures may sound crazy or overwhelming, but we’re here to tell you that even small amounts of time spent outdoors will do wonders for you and your baby’s health, mood, and spirit. Today, we’re sharing why it’s so important to get your baby outside, tips for taking your baby outside and 15 simple outdoor activities for babies that a new parent will easily be able to incorporate into daily life.

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Benefits to babies of being outside

There are so many wonderful benefits of being outside for babies. During the first few years of life, infants and toddlers are trying to make sense of the world as their brain synapses form at a rapid rate. These synapses are formed based on the richness of the child’s sensory environment. Spending time outside is an exciting sensory experience for babies. It gives your little one the chance to look around and learn from every sight, noise, and sound.

Infants need interesting things to look at, as well as a variety of sounds, temperatures, and smells. Research shows that being outside gives them a more meaningful sensory experience than being indoors. Imagine the difference between lying on a blanket outside watching the flickering leaves of a tree, feeling the sunshine and the breeze, hearing a dog bark nearby and smelling freshly-cut grass. Now contrast that to lying on a blanket in the house and looking up at a ceiling or mobile. The sensory experiences cannot be matched.

Babies that spend time outside are often healthier and sick less often. The fresh air and sunshine (Vitamin D) can do wonders for anyone’s health. Spending time outdoors also gives your baby an escape from indoor germs and bacteria. Re-circulated air in closed environments and germs on commonly touched indoor items are the main causes of children getting sick. In fresh, outdoor air, babies do not have to rebreathe the germs of others, and the chance for spreading infection, viruses, and illnesses is reduced.

And if those weren’t enough to convince you to take your baby outside right away, research also shows that babies sleep better at night if they’ve had some fresh air and sunshine during the day (particularly in the afternoon). The daylight helps babies make the day/night adjustment and get on a more consistent schedule.

Tips for taking babies outside in extreme temperatures

Before you take your baby outside, here are a few things to consider to ensure a safe outdoor environment for them.

If it’s hot or sunny, consider staying in a cool shady location. Use a sunhat (we love these “Noggins” by Veyo Kids) or umbrella to block the sun’s harmful rays. Most pediatricians don’t recommend sunscreen for babies until they’re at least 6 months. After that, we recommend this brand of baby sunscreen. If you’re baby-wearing, be sure to use a baby carrier that’s breathable (we love the Solly wrap) and your baby is properly situated and isn’t overly dressed. Make sure to limit your baby’s time in the heat and exposure to sun. If it’s cold, make sure your baby is properly bundled and warm. We love these winter one-piece kickee pants quilted coverall for extra warmth in colder months or this full-body fleece from North Face.

Outdoor activities for babies

You’ve probably heard us shout from the rooftops about the amazing benefits of unstructured outdoor play for kids. And while that sounds fantastic once your kids are old enough to play by themselves, what do you do outside with a baby? Luckily, there are a variety of fun and simple outdoor activities for babies that you can do with very little prep work or planning. Just having a few ideas of easy activities can sometimes be all the encouragement and motivation you need to give it a try! We’re here to show you just how easy* it can be to get outside with your baby. However, just remember that for babies, the actual activity is not as important as being together, being outdoors and giving your baby new experiences.

*Depending on how things are going with your little one, taking a baby outside might sound easy or incredibly overwhelming. Sometimes the simplest things can feel like too much when you have a newborn. This list of activities is not meant to stress you out or add one more thing to your to-do list. These are merely things that you are probably already doing that you can take outside to add an extra layer of sensory experience and get you some fresh air and sunshine.

1. Take a walk

One of the simplest things you can do outside at any age, is to take your baby outside for a walk with you. Outdoor activities for babies don’t have to be complicated or need a lot of planning. Whether your little one is in the stroller, baby carrier or just in your arms, a short walk around your yard or neighborhood will do you both a world of good. Simply being outside is a wonderful way to engage baby’s senses without overstimulating them. There’s something about just being outdoors that seems to calm babies. If your little one is having a hard time, melting down, crying for no reason – go outside! This is my go-to trick when our kids were babies (and it still works with school-aged kids!). A walk outside in the fresh air is more beneficial than you’ll ever know! Trust me, try it!

2. Eat outside

You’re already feeding your baby multiple times a day, so if possible, take a few of those feedings outdoors. If you’re a first-time mom trying to get the hang of nursing or feeding your baby, by all means, just do what you need to do to get your baby fed and stay sane. But once you get the hang of things, consider a change of scenery and feed your baby outside. Start in your backyard and move on to park benches or next to a stream once you get comfortable. Babies spend an unbelievable amount of time eating, so why not make the most of it and get some fresh air while you’re at it.

Once your baby is old enough to start purees or solids, continue to feed them outside! Move the high chair outside or set them in a Bumbo seat if they need support. Eating outside is a particularly great outdoor activity for babies because the cleanup is a breeze! No more scrubbing floors or walls when food gets spit or thrown!

3. Tummy time

This is another activity that you’re probably already doing inside, so take it outside! Grab a blanket and some toys and move the action outdoors. Babies will love reaching for and touching new things, like grass and leaves. And when they’re finished with their tummy time, roll them on their back and let them see the sky.

4. Take a nap

If you want your baby to truly benefit from all the wonders of being outdoors, try napping outside! Bring out a travel crip (we love this one from Baby Bjorn) or just set up a safe space on the ground for your baby to sleep. Babies in Scandanavian countries take naps in prams year-round as young as tw0-weeks old and in temperatures as low as -4F for up to three hours! Research by Marjo Tourula of the University of Oulu, Finland, shows that frigid napping not only promotes better daytime sleeping, but it also increases the duration of sleep. Other benefits, not yet borne out by research, purportedly include children being happier, more energetic, able to sleep better through the night, and capable of snoozing in any environment, even loud and bright.

5. Water play

If your babies are anything like mine, they love water! If it’s warm outside, consider giving your baby a few bowls or trays of water to touch and splash with their hands. A baby pool filled with just a few inches of water could occupy my little ones for hours! Add measuring cups, spoons and scoops for extra fun. If your baby can stand, try a water table (we’ve had this one for years). And older babies love the novelty of the hose. There’s something about running water that absolutely fascinates them!

6. Visit a playground

Babies need time and fun places to work on developing new large motor skills, such as crawling, pulling up and climbing. Playgrounds can be perfect places for babies to experience new surfaces and textures, climbing on different levels and sliding! Plus, once your little one can sit up and has good head and neck control, try the swings! The swinging sensation is sure to bring on big smiles to your little one.

Pro tip: Consider visiting playgrounds during off-hours (school hours during the week), when there are not as many big kids around.

7. Read a book

Spread out a blanket under a shady tree and read your baby a few of her favorite books outside. Babies enjoy reading books anywhere, but taking them outside adds a whole new layer of fun and connection. Consider reading books that take place in nature, so you can point out natural elements (trees, grass, leaves) in the story as well as around you.

8. Nature hike

If you’re feeling a bit more ambitious than a walk around your neighborhood, consider taking your baby for a hike. Hiking is one of the easiest outdoor activities for babies and doesn’t require much beyond what you’d need for a walk or quick outing. Hikes don’t have to be long, intense or elaborate (we recommend that they’re not). Wear baby in a sling/wrap or backpack carrier (we love this Osprey backpack) and simply go for a walk in the woods, nature center or local park. Choose a hiking trail where you can interact with nature and point out all the different sights (trees, flowers) and sounds (birds, water) to your baby. The sights, sounds, and smells of nature will stimulate their senses and the motion may even lull them to sleep. Remember to take your time and don’t overdo it.

9. Jam session

Most babies are very intrigued by sound and making noise. Grab a few toy instruments and head outside for a fun music-making jam session. For instance, maracas, tambourines, keyboards and drums all make for excellent baby-friendly instruments. However, you don’t need special tools to jam out. Pots, pans, metal bowls and wooden spoons are also baby-safe and make plenty of entertaining noise.

10. Sensory experience

Babies benefit greatly from new sensory experiences and the outdoors is a great place to explore. Have your baby sit on a blanket with a pinecone, a few large rocks, some sticks, etc. Encourage her to touch and explore the different textures. Let your baby feel the grass with her bare feet and touch it. Allow her to touch, feel and taste snow. Hand him dry leaves to crunch in his hands. These activities are great for babies to be able to experience sensory experiences at their own level.

11. Observe a busy place

Once your baby is old enough to take in his surroundings and not get crazy overwhelmed by activity, take him somewhere busy to observe the sights, sounds and smells of a new place. From a safe vantage point, let your baby discover the hustle and bustle of a busy farmers market on a Saturday morning. Watch and listen to heavy equipment work at a construction site. Take your baby to your local zoo or aquarium to look around at all the animals in action (as well as the zoo of people all around). Or go to the beach to experience the sound and feel of the water, as well as the sounds of the people, seagulls and waves.

12. Play with balls and bubbles

Some of the simplest and easiest toys for little ones to play with are balls and bubbles. Take your ball game outside for new fun variations. Roll balls back and forth on a flat surface or throw them and watch them bounce. Bring out a variety of balls of different colors, textures, and sizes. Outside is the perfect place because there is plenty of space to spread out and nothing to break. Add some bubbles to an outdoor experience and watch your little one delight in the experience of touching and popping them. Bubbles are a super simple and easy outdoor activity for babies that you can do anytime and anywhere.

13. Mow the lawn

Another easy way to get your baby outside is just to take them along on the activities you’re already doing. One of our favorite outdoor activities for babies to do when our kids were little was to “help” daddy mow the lawn. My husband would put the baby in a carrier and go about mowing the yard, as usual. The noises, smells, and sights they experience while doing this simple chore are thrilling for a little one. So make sure your baby has protective eyewear to keep them safe from any flying debris. And once your little one is old enough to walk, get them a little push mower to use and let them mow by themselves! This toy has been a big hit with all my kids and lasted years.

14. Garden, plant and weed

Let your little one participate in gardening and observe you taking care of your garden. From the earliest age, my kids loved lying on a blanket outside or in a bouncer while I worked in the garden. Just spending time outside together doing things that makes the parent feel good is a great outdoor activity for any baby. Little ones can listen to the natural outdoor sounds, feel the breeze, look up at the sky and watch the birds. Or play some music and have a little dance party while you weed! Talk to your little one while you plant and explain what you’re doing and way. Of course, she won’t understand, but that’s not the point! Show her your harvest and even let her taste it (if she’s old enough).

15. Practice walking

When your little one is ready to start walking, take her outside! Outdoor activities for babies don’t have to be complicated. Let them do what’s natural for them, but take it outside! Learning to walk outdoors gives her more space and fewer sharp edges. Start off in the grass, which is a nice soft surface for the inevitable trips and tumbles. Although don’t be surprised if your child becomes more interested in the grass, leaves, and sticks she finds on the ground and doesn’t get very far! Once she’s more steady on her feet, try the sidewalk or driveway. Moreover, if she needs a little assistance pulling up or balancing, walker toys move great outdoors.

What are your favorite easy outdoor activities for babies?
FALL, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
How to Have a Screen-Free School Week
- October 29, 2019
In our fast-paced world, it can be challenging to set screens aside and engage full-on with the things and the people right in front of us. Kids are bombarded with a plethora of fun games, shows, videos and apps designed to suck them in and keep them in front of a screen. As parents, we know that screen time can be detrimental to kids and we’d all like to be better about getting our kids off screens. Today, we have Ginny Yurich, founder of the 1000 Hours Outside challenge, here to encourage us to take a week (or two or three) this school-year and designate them as screen-free weeks! Ginny’s sharing some tips and advice on why it’s so important for kids (and families) to take an intentional screen-free school week and how to do it properly.

Borrow a Waldorf lesson

When I was growing up there seemed to be two main options for school: public or private. These days the list is much longer. In addition to public or private, you can choose charter schools or forest schools, Waldorf or Montessori, homeschooling or worldschooling, just to name a few! Though some of these options have been around for a while, the diverse approach to education today is prominent.

Of the options above, many Waldorf schools have an interesting philosophy that really appeals to me. It is common practice for parents of Waldorf students to sign a contract agreeing that students will not have screen time from Sunday evening through Thursday evening. No screens all week, every week the kids are in school. I know what you’re thinking. . . “What’s a child to do after a strenuous day of school work? What about those witching hours when nerves are frayed and dinner needs to be prepared? Aren’t screens a good choice for decompressing?”

The importance of screen-free time

What we have found in our home is the more screen-usage we allow, the more enslaved we become to it. While some screen time can be seen as “educational,” too much of it may have a negative effect on a child’s development and overall well-being. An excess amount of screen time can affect sleep, increase the risk of childhood obesity, lead to poor eyesight and physical coordination, and problems with behavior or attention.

Kids need time off of screens to develop the skills that will serve them in life. They need physical activity and face-to-face social and emotional connections. They need time to explore their environment and discover new interests. There is great freedom in taking an intentional screen-free school week because it gives children the opportunity to re-engage with their surroundings and most importantly, their own inner resources.

How to have a scree-free school week

Childhood is when humans soak in the mystery and wonder of life. Kids need time off screens, just to be kids. As parents, we know that living completely screen-free lives is not always practical or desired. However, we can make small changes here and there to give our kids a digital detox from screens and give them back an important part of childhood. Make the choice to shut off the devices for a mere seven days and watch your kids thrive! Observe their creativity and thoroughly enjoy the moments where you can all be present together.

This time of year is incredibly busy. It can be easy to fall into the trap of using screens as a way to entertain and occupy kids. But it’s also a great time to take an intentional break and reset your screen habits. You’ve made it through the back-to-school transition. It’s not time to capitalize on family time together at the end of the day. Make the commitment to take a digital detox. Here are some tips on how to have a screen-free school week.

1. Know the importance of unstructured play

When we are tired and busy, it can be easy to forget the value of unstructured play. This is an easy time to hand your kids a screen or turn on the TV. However, unstructured play could benefit them so much more. Unstructured play benefits every phase of the development. While you’ve probably heard this before, knowing how crucial unstructured play is for your kids will better equip you to say NO to screen time when you’re exhausted or need a break.

What is unstructured play?

It’s a type of play where children engage in open-ended play that has no specific learning objective. Unlike “structured” play, unstructured play is not instructor-led. Parents do not give directions. Unstructured play is often referred to as simply “letting kids be kids” or “just play.” Sounds easy enough, right? But why is it so important?
- Unstructured play benefits kids academically. Play helps their brain connections become quicker and stronger. If you include some outside nature play, children will naturally be drawn to complex movements that will contribute to brain growth. Additionally, kids learn so much through hands-on experiences. Knowledge flies to the mind of a child who can hold and observe something in his or her own hands!
- Unstructured play builds social skills. Invite a friend over for the afternoon and observe the conversations, compromises, and creativity. Kids are naturally motivated to keep playing and so they utilize extensive social skills to maintain whatever play scheme they have invented.
- Unstructured play develops emotional support. Children work through significant life issues through play. Taking kids outside helps calm them through the gentle sensory integration of nature. Flashing screens actually stimulate the flight or fight response. After a long day of standardized tests, adult-directed activity, and social pressure, it’s so important for kids to have some moments of true calmness.
2. Prepare some alternative activities

If your child is in the habit of having screen time after school, spend a few days breaking that habit. Until they can come up with their own ideas, consider offering some different options to choose from during your screen-free school week. Screen time is often the result of boredom or lack of creativity in coming up with something to do. It’s the quick and easy choice, but not the best one. So having an arsenal of options and activities at the ready makes it much easier for you to say NO to screens by giving kids ideas and choices of what they can do instead.

The activities we utilize the most are ones that are open-ended and lead to lots of fun unstructured play. Things like mud kitchens, mad libs, paper dolls, magnet toys, play dough, jump ropes, tangrams, string games, felting, puppets, stamps and stencils, origami, baskets for nature-collecting, or finger-knitting are some of the screen-free pastimes our kids enjoy. Set up a slackline in the backyard or a tent for the kids to play in. Give them some sidewalk chalk and have them create a masterpiece. Give them a shovel or a net and go on a minibeast hunt. Have them build something with blocks, sticks or whatever they can find. Or task them with writing and acting out their own play or favorite storybook. Let them get creative!

3. Be ready to say…

“It’s okay to be bored.” Boredom truly is a gift. It is the bridge between nothing and creativity. When properly encouraged, bored kids can come up with some ingenious ideas for things to do! We know that it can be incredibly annoying and irritating to listen to the complaints of bored kids that have absolutely NOTHING to do except play on screens. Being prepared for this is half the battle and will help you stick to your guns about staying off of screens.

I’ve found the best way to deal with the whining is to have a short and sweet comeback. I’ll choose my response and repeat it over and over again like a broken record. Besides, “It’s okay to be bored.” I sometimes use “That’s okay. I know you’ll figure it out.” And finally, when all else fails and my patience has been tested, my response of last resort is “Great! I have some chores that need to be done!” That response works every time! The kids scatter and find something to do!

All things in moderation

Children thrive when they are given ample time and space to play both inside and outside. Since much of their day is already accounted for (school, sports, extra-curriculars, etc.), kids greatly benefit from screen-free time. It is very possible that someday our kids may ask us why we didn’t limit their screen time even more. Screens are not evil. Technology provides amazing benefits. However, for children the passive time spent using screened devices takes away precious childhood time that could be devoted to other worthwhile pursuits. So as parents and caregivers, we need to protect the afternoons, evenings and weekends, giving our children hands-on experiences that will profit them in the near future, but also for a lifetime.

Do you find it hard to build screen-free time into the school year?
What are some of your favorite screen-free pastimes?

About the Author

Ginny is a Michigan homeschooling mother of five and the founder of 1000 Hours Outside. She is a thought-leader in the world of nature-based play and its benefits for children. Her 1000 Hours Outside Challenge spans the globe and many people from all walks of life look to her for inspiration as well as practical tips on how to put down the screens and get outside. Ginny has a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Michigan and is also a children’s book author and illustrator. Her book, The Little Farmhouse in West Virginia was published in February 2019.

You can find more from Ginny in the following locations:
Website: http://www.1000HoursOutside.com
Instagram: @1000hoursoutside
Facebook: @1000hoursoutside
CRAFTS, FALL, HOLIDAYS, LESSONS, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, OUTDOORS INSIDE
Fun & Simple Halloween Activities for Kids
- October 17, 2019
If your kids are anything like mine, they automatically associate October with Halloween! I’m pretty sure they get their intense love for this holiday from their mama. It’s been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. The costumes, the cold dark nights, the glowing pumpkins! Or maybe it’s just all the candy? Either way, it’s a blast! Today, we’ve got mom and teacher extraordinaire, Brandi Markham here sharing 10 fun and simple Halloween activities for kids! These easy activities are a great way to engage their senses and guaranteed to get your kids in the Halloween spirit.

The most wonderful time of the year

The temperature is finally dropping in our neck of the woods and Fall is officially here! Since having children, Fall has easily become my favorite time of year. We love all things Fall – apple orchards, pumpkin patches, Halloween, cooler temperatures, colorful leaves and more. As a mother and a teacher, I love to create fun and simple Halloween activities for my kids to enjoy. Even better…they love it too! Today, I want to share a few fun and simple Halloween activities that you can do with your child, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or even your neighbor’s kids!

Fun and simple Halloween activities for kids

What do you think of when you think of Halloween? Spiders and ghosts and witches, oh my! These are some of our favorite spooky things, so of course, we need to include them in some fun Halloween sensory play. Read on if you want to wow your kids and have a little fun!

1. Shaving cream ghosts

Shaving cream ghosts are probably the most simple of these Halloween activities for kids, but one of the most loved. Prep for this activity is super easy. All you need is a can or two of shaving cream, some googly eyes and a tray. I have some cute plastic serving trays that I use for many of these activities.

For shaving cream ghosts, spray lots of shaving cream in the tray and toss in lots of different googly eyes of different sizes and colors. Have the kids put their hands in the shaving cream and come up with a ghost! The kids love the texture and the messiness of the shaving cream. It’s fun to see what kind of ghosts they create. For extra fun, you can add in little plastic spiders. Or use orange or green food coloring or liquid watercolor to make shaving cream pumpkins or Frankensteins.

2. Monster handprints

Monster handprints are another super simple and fun Halloween activity. For these, you need paper, paint, googly eyes, as well as glitter, glue, and stickers. Have your children make paint handprints on their paper. Then they can add googly eyes and stickers to create their own individual monsters. My kids used triangle stickers to give their monster hands sharp nails. Once the handprints have dried, you can use school glue to make fun designs and add glitter.

3. Fall leaves tree

Looking for more of a Fall activity? Use what nature’s provided to make a fall leaves tree. Take your kids outside for a nature walk and collect lots of colorful leaves. Use a large piece of paper to draw a simple tree. Then have your kids use school glue to decorate the tree. Hang it up to keep a little bit of the outdoors indoor! For more fun, you could collect other items like sticks, acorns, and pinecones to make a Fall wreath or collage.

4. Foaming spiders

Do you have a little more time on your hands for prep work? You should definitely make some foaming spiders! I found this activity years ago at Fun at Home with Kids. Your kids will love these cute spiders and the fun little surprise inside them!

To make the spiders, you will need baking soda, water, and food coloring. Mix about 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of water in a bowl (for colored spiders add a little food coloring or liquid watercolor to the water). Mix well until all of the baking soda is damp. Take a handful of the mixture and put some small plastic spiders inside. Then add more of the mixture to cover the spiders and round them out, making the spider’s abdomen. Cut four pipe cleaners in half and stick them in the spider’s abdomen to make eight legs. Then use the rest of the baking soda mixture to form the spider’s head. Once you have made all of your spiders, place them on wax paper and freeze them for a few hours. If you freeze them overnight, you will want to let them thaw slightly before playtime.

When you’re ready to play with these spiders, add some vinegar and a little bit of dish soap to a shallow dish. Mix it up and carefully add your spiders. The spiders will foam and start to dissolve! Watch as your children get super excited about this and find all the baby spiders!

5. Candy corn sensory play

Candy corn sensory play is another super simple, but very fun Halloween activity for kids. All you need for this activity is a tray, a few bags of candy corn, some plastic spiders and lots of small dishes, spoons, and scoops. I use the same plastic trays for this activity that we used for the shaving cream ghosts.

Simply dump candy corn and spiders into a tray and provide lots of scooping dishes and spoons to encourage sensory play. This is an activity that can easily be adapted by changing what you place in the tray (ideas: rubber eyeballs, gummy worms, squishy eyeballs, other Halloween candy, etc.). Encourage your child to sort objects, count objects, practice scooping, use tweezers to pick up objects, and more.

6. Witches stew

Witches stew is probably my kids’ favorite Halloween activity! This is a very simple idea, but is so fun and creative. For this activity, you first need to boil some spaghetti noodles. Add some orange or green food coloring or liquid watercolor for extra witchy fun. Then, gather up lots of random Halloween items like candy corn, plastic spiders, gooey eyeballs. Basically anything small you can find in the Halloween section at the store. You will also need a tray for your items, spoons, scoops, and bowls. Lastly, you will need some baking soda and vinegar for a little extra added fun. Years ago I came across a super cute witches caldron and we use it for this activity also.

Once you have all of your witch ingredients, have your kids grab their witch hats and get to work! The kids will love mixing all of the ingredients. The best part is adding the baking soda and vinegar to make the stew really fizz!

7. Ice ghosts

Ice ghosts is a fun activity that needs to be prepared ahead of time. To prepare them, simply mix one part water with two parts baking soda to create a damp mixture. Then place a bit into each hole of an ice tray and add googly eyes to each hole. Freeze for an hour or two. For playtime, put the ice ghosts in a shallow dish and give your child a little bowl of vinegar. We used tiny droppers to drop vinegar on the ghosts. The kids loved watching them fizz and slowly dissolve. One of the best parts was dropping the whole ghost into the bowl of vinegar to create tiny little volcanos.

8. Spider slime

Let’s face it, slime is fun all year round and it’s so easy to change it up for any holiday. Spider slime is probably one of my kids and my own favorites for Halloween. To make spider slime, all you need to do is use your favorite slime recipe and add plastic spiders!

My favorite slime recipe is made using two bottles of school glue (5 0z), about 10 ounces of water and 8 ounces of liquid starch. You can use clear school glue or colored school glue, depending on how you want your slime to look. In a large bowl, pour the two bottles of school glue and then add the water. Slowly add about half of the liquid starch and stir. Continue to slowly add liquid starch until the mixture soaks up the water and looks like a glob of goo. You may not need all of the liquid starch. Use your hands to knead the slime until it is not sticky. Last, add the spiders and get ready to play!

My kids love stretching out the slime and picking spiders from it, only to put them back in and start over. You can get creative with your slime by adding a little bit of glitter, using different colored glue, adding confetti or other small Halloween items.

9. Play-doh pumpkins

Play-doh pumpkins are super fun and an easy Halloween activity for kids. All you need is orange play-doh, green pipe cleaners, and little beads or pattern blocks. We have done this activity in a few different ways. We have made round pumpkins from the play-doh and we have also made flat pumpkins to decorate. Black beads are a simple tool to use to create the pumpkin faces. Another fun way to practice and play with shapes is to use pattern blocks for your pumpkin face. For extra fun, use a plastic fork to create lines and make your pumpkin look scarier!

This is such a simple activity that can be adapted in many ways. We have also used different colored play-doh, pipe cleaners and googly eyes to create play-doh monsters. This is one of my son’s favorites. You might even want to use green play-doh to make your own Frankenstein!

10. Wiggly monster eyes

Finally, our last fun and simple Halloween activity for kids is wiggly monster eyes. These are a hit because not only are they fun to play with, but they are edible! To make jiggly monster eyes you just need jello (your choice of color/flavor), raisins and plastic Easter eggs. Make the jello as directed and then you will pour it into one side of a plastic egg. Drop-in a raisin and place it in the fridge to get firm. When you pop them out of the shell solidified, they look like creepy eyeballs! That’s it! Dump the wiggly monster eyes into a shallow dish and let your kids play!

10 Easy Halloween activities for kids

And there you have it! 10 super fun and easy Halloween activities for kids. These activities are easy to put together and can be adapted and made into your own. Get creative and have fun!

What Halloween activities are you going to try with your kids this year?

Brandi
Maryland
@brandimarkham

Hello, I’m Brandi! My husband & I live just outside of Washington, DC with our three littles. They are my favorite people in the world & my biggest inspiration. I am a full-time elementary teacher & a part-time photographer, but mostly I enjoy photography as a hobby. I love chocolate, animals, & nature! Summer is my favorite because we get to spend all of our time outdoors!

For more from Brandi, check out all her RWMC posts.
FALL, HIKE, INFORMATION, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
How to Get Kids Outside During the School Year
- October 2, 2019
It’s that time of year again – our children are trading in their beach towels for backpacks and holding pencils more than sidewalk chalk. Whether you homeschool or traditional school, back-to-school generally means less free time and fewer hours to play outside. Not only that, but the days are growing shorter and the weather’s turning cooler. Getting kids outside during the school year can be a challenge. However, spending time outside in nature is still necessary for our kids’ physical health, mental focus, and emotional development. Today, the amazing Leslie Alvis, Ohio homeschooling mom of four, is here sharing a few ideas for practical ways to build outdoor routines into your school days. Hopefully, these tips will help you incorporate more nature into your busy schedule without making outdoor time feel like one more thing on your to-do list.

Make nature time a priority

Whether back to school means a traditional school program for you or homeschooling with a flexible schedule, days become extra busy as you settle into a fall routine. Many of us have kids involved in extra-curricular activities and sports. It’s easy to feel like we don’t have enough time for nature exploration during the school year. However, a busy schedule doesn’t mean the outdoor adventures have to stop! In fact, I think it should help us make nature time even more of a priority. We’re here to show you how to get kids outside during the school year.

Our kids need us to help them balance the demands of school with the freedom of childhood and the wonder of exploring outdoors. Formal education is necessary, but children also require time outside for proper growth and development. Ginny Yurich, author, educator, and founder of the 1000 Hours Outside movement, says,

Nature play facilitates growth in every area, making time outside a crucial part of the landscape of childhood.”

Time outside matters

Time spent outdoors doesn’t always have to be done in giant hour+ long chunks. Even on busy days, there are many ways to get our kids outside for short amounts of time, which still have huge benefits for kids. A quick break to explore outside helps break up the mental stress of school. While a long hike or bike ride gives them a chance to catch their breath mentally while also strengthening their bodies, sometimes a short walk/ride around the neighborhood is just what they need. Weekend adventures provide fun and memories for the whole family, but short outings to a local park are great for when you don’t have tons of time. Our family tries to include a mix of these different activities throughout the school year to keep us all enjoying the great outdoors, no matter our schedules or the weather. Time outside gives us space to breathe and the freedom to explore.

Take walks to get kids outside

Walks are one of the easiest ways to get kids outside and moving! A family walk can happen anywhere, anytime. It doesn’t have to take long or have the perfect setting. Just look around at what you do each day and see if you can link a walk into that activity. Walk to the bus stop. Stroll to get the mail. Wander to the end of the street…around the block…down a country lane.

As homeschoolers, we work a daily walk into our school routine as our recess. Sometimes we do it when the lessons are dragging long, or sometimes as soon as the school day is finished. But at some point, we grab the bikes, scooters, and stroller (and the dog! Our neighbors call us a parade!) and head outside for some fresh air and exercise. The time out in nature is good for us all. I’m pretty sure it’s all that saves my sanity on some long winter days.

When you get your kids outside to take a walk, you’re not only getting active together, but you are also exploring and observing nature together. My kids never fail to find something wonderful to point out to me on our walks. The bunny that’s always lurking near the vacant lot on the next street over. A brilliantly colored leaf or flower. A puffy cloud.

There are a world of discoveries from every sidewalk, driveway, and walking trail. Sometimes we have more time to linger and wander than others, but wherever we are outside, we see amazing and beautiful parts of the natural world. Getting kids outdoors on a walk is a great way to tailor-fit a quick nature adventure to your family’s busy schedule.

Evening adventures get kids outside

Sometimes our days get really full and busy. I try to plan at least one evening (or late afternoon as the days grow shorter) each week to intentionally get outside! Look at your schedules and find an hour somewhere in the week to go have a little outdoor adventure. Play at the park. Walk in the woods. Blow bubbles. Get some friends together to play frisbee or hide-and-seek together in the lingering twilight. Again, this doesn’t have to be elaborate. It just requires you being intentional about making time for your family to breathe in the fresh air and explore nature together. You won’t be sorry you did!

Take kids’ school outside

Another way to get kids outside after school is simply to take the lessons or homework outside! Before you discard that idea as impractical and impossible, I challenge you to give it a try. When the weather is nice, set up a school/homework station on the porch, the backyard or in the tree fort. Let your older students take their reading up in their favorite tree. Pack up the backpacks and snacks and go sit in a picnic area at a park. There are so many ways to help kids take their schoolwork outside!

Yes, you may have to keep tabs on them and make sure they aren’t totally distracted from their work. But honestly, most of the time kids will buckle down and get their book work done when they realize all the many other things they would rather be doing outside! And wouldn’t you rather have your kids distracted by the mystery of the cicadas and the falling leaves than sitting inside glancing at a computer or television?

We are a second-generation homeschooling family. I grew up hauling my textbooks outside every chance I got. I loved it. (This probably contributes to the feeling of claustrophobia when I’m stuck indoors.) It motivates me to give my own children the same opportunities to get outside in all seasons, doing all kinds of things. Even schoolwork.

Outdoor learning

Whether you homeschool or not, there are a lot of ways to extend learning outside. When you step out into nature, everything around you is a science lesson, art lesson and history lesson. Studying the beauty of nature gives inspiration to every kind of art. Observing the mysteries of the natural world naturally leads to questions and learning about plants, animals and how things have changed over time. Time spent in nature is never time wasted. So, when your days are busy with school schedules and extra-curricular activities, don’t forget that time in nature is an essential part of your children’s education, too.

Look for ways to include outdoor time as part of school! Choose a nature-based science fair project. Conduct your own STEM activities outside using nature. Help your kids study the weather, the seasons, the natural world around them. Volunteer in your child’s classroom to take them outside to work in the school garden or go for a nature walk. Incorporating education into your outdoors time is one of the best ways to make sure you are getting your kids outside after school starts.

Picnics get kids outside

Is the sun shining? Is the sky so blue it takes your breath away? What about the breeze that’s the perfect combination of crisp air and gentle warmth? Take advantage of the lovely fall weather and have a picnic! Take PB&J sandwiches on a hike. Order pizza delivery to your favorite local park. Or build a campfire in your backyard and cook hot dogs and s’mores. Kids don’t need fancy food—they need time outdoors and memories with their families. Impromptu meals outside on a gorgeous day are some of my favorite times with my kids.

Weekend adventures get kids outside

Another way to get kids outside during the school year is to plan weekend adventures! We all know that sometimes if we don’t make plans to do something, it just won’t happen. So, grab your calendar and make some plans. Pick a Saturday afternoon and go explore that state park. Find a new bike trail and spend a few hours on it. Go hiking together, or just go have a picnic at a nearby park. Find a local corn maze or fall festival and enjoy some outdoor fun. Pull your family loose from the tug of school schedules and obligations and make some memories together.

Weather

Just a quick note on the impact weather can have on your fall activities. Cooler days, shorter evenings, and more rain can make planning an outing challenging. Getting caught in a summer shower can be fun. But getting caught in the rain in October can be miserable. Especially if you aren’t dressed for it. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, so be prepared! Check the weather often and look for days that will suit your family and the activity you are planning. Take advantage of those gorgeous sunny days and enjoy nature to its fullest!

Don’t let bad weather keep you from getting your kids outside this fall. Sometimes the wind is unexpectedly biting. Sometimes it pours rain every time you plan a nature outing. Several times we’ve planned for an all-day outdoor adventure and had to do it in chilly, incessant rain. Honestly, that makes memories, too! Sometimes they’re the best memories! Just remember that your attitude sets the tone for dealing with the unexpected or inconvenient. Oftentimes, kids don’t mind wet feet and pants as much as adults do. And a cup of hot chocolate can turn a chilly experience into a delightful adventure for a kid!

Need more fall ideas?

As we mentioned, sometimes planning an outdoor activity and making it a priority is half the battle. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas of things you can do outside this fall as a family, we’ve got a great list of 100+ outdoor fall activities for kids and families. This list should give you all kinds of inspiration for easy and quick nature crafts to outdoor adventures, STEM experiments and more.

How do you get your kids outside during the school year?

Hi, I’m Leslie Alvis! I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, wife to my high school sweetheart and best friend, and a mom to four rascally kids. They love the great outdoors as much as I do, and our yard often feels like the scene from “The Sound of Music” where you hear voices and laughter and can’t find any children until you look up into the trees. I love writing, photography, and all things outdoors. We live in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Amish Country, where it’s perfectly normal to park beside a horse and buggy at the grocery store. We also homeschool, which basically means that I’m trying to teach my kids to use their minds without losing my own. While we follow a traditional curriculum, I weave every outdoor adventure I can into our educational journey. I believe that the lessons children experience firsthand sink deepest into their hearts and minds, and there is so much we can learn outside in the beauty and wonder of nature.

Find Leslie on Instagram @c_l_allofus
BEACH, HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SUMMER
15 Water Activities for Kids & Ways to Get Active on the Water
- August 13, 2019
It may be back to school season, but there’s still LOTS of summer left! Temperatures have been soaring around most of the U.S. over the last couple of weeks. It’s only natural that many of us have been gravitating toward the water to catch a break from the heat! Today, we have the amazing Chelsea Furlong, photographer and mom of 2, here with 15 kid-friendly ways to get active on the water this summer! Not only will these water activities for kids keep them cool, but they’ll help with swimming skills, improve balance and coordination and wear them out! This post is sure to inspire you to get outside and into the water as soon as possible!

Get active on the water

Summertime is the BEST time to get active with your family and it’s extra fun when the activities involve water. With two very busy kids in our house, we’re out adventuring on the water almost every single day. We’re lucky to live in Virginia Beach where the weather is warm most of the year and the beach is nearby, but we’ve done lots of these water activities for kids on lakes and rivers all over the East Coast!

Benefits of spending time on the water

As my children continue to grow, our list of family activities to do on the water grows right along with them. Each summer we’re able to add a few more fun water activities to do together that we weren’t quite able to do the previous year. We love being able to create so many incredible memories with our children while also getting plenty of exercise! The more time we spend outside together, the happier we all are. And it doesn’t hurt that the kids are nice and tired when bedtime rolls around!

15 kid-friendly ways to get active on the water

Getting outside and active on the water doesn’t have to be hard. And it doesn’t have to be the same old thing again and again. There are so many ways to enjoy the outdoors and keep cool. Here are 15 different water activities for kids that will get your kids outside and active on the water this summer!

1. Stand up paddleboarding

Stand up paddleboarding has become one of our absolute favorite summertime water activities for kids. We started when our kids were young (ages of 4 and 6), so our kids are now great at paddleboarding alone or just sitting along for the ride. Stand up paddleboarding is a great full-body workout. While you’re balancing, your body is using your core, shoulders, arms, legs, and back. If you’ve done it before, you know that it’s even great for foot strength! You’d be surprised at how tired your feet will get from gripping the board to balance.

Our kids also love to play a game they call “Paddle Battle.” They stand on opposites sides of the board, facing each other, and rock the board from side to side to try to get the other person to fall off the board first! They can play this game for hours and never get sick of it! They enjoy climbing up onto the boards and jumping off of them as well. If you’re not comfortable heading out for a long paddle, your kids will have a blast simply playing around on the boards. They’ll come up with all sorts of fun games!

2. Kayaking

Another favorite water activity of ours is kayaking. Depending on the age/size of your kids, they can join you on a ride or paddle along in their own kayaks! Our kids have learned to kayak on adult-sized kayaks. However, there are wonderful kid-sized kayaks that you can use as well. You’ll be surprised how quickly children will learn how to use their paddles to navigate a kayak. And if they’re able to go a distance on their own (even in very shallow water where you’ll easily be able to walk to them if they need help), the pride on their faces from that sense of independence is absolutely priceless. It’s like learning to ride a bike for the first time!

3. Hiking or trail walking

Sometimes our favorite water activities for kids involve more than just water. Whether you’re near an ocean, lake, river, creek or stream, you should be able to find lots of great walking trails close to water to enjoy! Here on the coast, we have several boardwalks, as well as walking/hiking trails along the inlets. If you’re further inland, you can usually find great hiking trails in state parks or up the mountains beside rivers and waterfalls! If you have young children, it doesn’t even have to be a very long distance. Just a quick trail with water to toss some rocks into will thrill them!

4. Nature hunts

Along those same lines, nature hunts can be an amazing way to spend a few hours by the water! We often find ourselves out on a nature hunt during that rough late afternoon/early evening timeframe when it’s too early for bed, but the kids aren’t tired yet. You know what I’m talking about. That’s a perfect time to go out for a nature hunt if you have some water nearby. We’ll walk or ride bikes to the beach or inlet, and the boys will search for bugs, crabs, turtles, birds, snails, etc. They’re never disappointed.

Kids are so curious – they can find some kind of amazing treasure wherever they go. Even a new rock and a stick is enough to excite my kids. You can either come up with a specific list of items for the kids to search for, find a list online, or forget the list and just see what you happen to come across. No matter how you decide to do it, the exercise, fresh air, splashing, and nature treasures will always be a crowd-pleaser.

5. Pedal boating

Another great way to get active on the water is to cruise around on a pedal boat! I remember trying these out as a kid when we were on vacation at places like campgrounds with ponds or lakes. Sometimes local parks will have these for rent on the lakes. My kids are lucky because their grandmother happens to have one for them to play on at camp! And they love that thing!

Last year their legs were a little short so the adults ended up doing most of the pedaling. This year, however, both boys had both grown quite a bit and were able to reach the pedals on their own. Pedal boats are a surprisingly good leg workout and if you pedal around enough, you’ll likely feel it the next day! Our kids love cruising around where there’s lots of seaweed but still shallow enough for the sunlight to illuminate the creatures swimming below.

6.Yoga

While it may seem like a land activity (and it is), yoga can really be enjoyed anywhere, including on or near the water! You can do yoga on the beach, on docks at the lake, and even on a stand up paddleboard! We like to turn our paddleboard yoga session into a bit of a challenge. We’ll see who can get into certain poses without falling off the board or see who can hold specific poses the longest. There’s no shortage of laughter during that particular activity!

7. Skimboarding

Skimboarding is a fun outdoor summer water activity for kids that my boys have are just getting into this year! At the beginning of the summer, they saw some older guys using them at our beach and they didn’t stop talking about it until I finally broke down and got them a skimboard of their own. At 5 and 7, I wasn’t sure our kids would be old enough yet but they proved me wrong! They’ve had a ton of fun on that skimboard. It takes a lot of patience and coordination. Plus, it occupies them for hours.

8. Dock jumping

Those of you living the lake life will be very familiar with this one! This activity has been a people pleaser for decades and will never get old. My kids can spend an entire day doing this and never get sick of it. Jumping off, swimming back to the dock, and then climbing up the ladder over and over for hours. Such a great way to enjoy a warm day while also getting lots of exercise. Like most everything else in our lives right now, the boys turn this into a competition to see who can jump the highest, furthest, or do the best trick.

We alternate between using the life vests when I’m not in the water with them and no life vests when I’m right there to assist if they get too tired to swim back to the dock unassisted. This activity was probably the best activity we’ve done all summer to help them learn to swim better. They made massive improvements in their swimming abilities after just an hour of jumping without the life vests and swimming back to the ladder! And I was right there to catch them or lend a hand if they needed a little extra help.

9. Surfing

Surfing is something that’s only just now popped up on our radar as our boys are getting older. Now that they’re better swimmers and have a great sense of balance on our paddleboards, we’re ready to add surfing to our list of favorite water activities for kids! I grew up in the mountains so I’ve never tried surfing before, but since we live on the ocean it’s time to give it shot. If you live in a beach area or plan to vacation to one, you’ll likely have access to a few places that offer surfing camps for kids and private lessons. Since our youngest isn’t quite old enough for the surfing camps yet, we decided to do private lessons as a family! I have a feeling that surf boards will be on our kids’ wish lists in the near future!

10. Climbing

If you’re in the mountains rather than on the coast, I highly recommend taking some time to adventure near waterfalls! My kids are fascinated by waterfalls because we don’t live in an area where you can find them. Whenever we head to the mountains they insist on going out to find some! Usually, you can also find some great spots nearby to climb rocks! We stick to small falls with fairly easy-to-navigate rock areas, since we’re not well-trained in rock climbing yet. When we get hot and sweaty from our climbing, we just find a little pool without fast-moving water to plunk down in and cool off! Please be warned – there is no shortage of beautiful rocks to take home in places like this, so you’re pockets and backpacks will get heavy!

11. Canoeing or row boating

When it comes to being out on the water, you can really just assume that everyone will have a blast using any kind of boat. Kids love learning to paddle and are filled with pride when they’ve gained the skills to do it independently.

12. Go to a splash pad

For those of you who aren’t near nature-made splash areas, you can still have fun getting active in places like splash playgrounds or splash pads! More and more cities are building wonderful splash pads to run around in! These are especially great for families with babies and toddlers because you don’t have to worry about the water being too deep!

13. Go to a pool

Along those same lines, find a pool nearby! Both indoor and outdoor pools are a great way to spend some quality time with your family. My favorite thing about going to a pool is that I have to leave my phone behind! Once I jump in the water with the kids, they get some absolute undivided attention. It’s so refreshing and necessary!

14. Playing a sport

When you pack up your beach bag, add a soccer ball, football, or frisbee! Depending on where you’ll be and how many people will be there, you could also play volleyball or whiffle ball, too. Tossing a ball back and forth in the water is actually one of my very favorite things to do with my kids. We can keep cool by being waist-deep, connect with each other, and practice hand-eye coordination. You can purchase some fantastic frisbees and balls made specifically for water. We LOVE these. They soak up water and then splash it all over when you toss them. It’s tons of fun!

15. JUST PLAY!

My final suggestion is to just jump in and play anywhere there’s water! You can swim around, play on floats, use kickboards or boogie boards, or dive to the bottom to find treasures. Anything you do in the water together will be fun and your children will appreciate the quality time with you! You honestly don’t need to rent or purchase any of the fancy stuff I mentioned above to enjoy water activities with kids. Splash around with your family and make some summer memories that will last a lifetime!

What are some of your favorite ways to get active on the water?

Hi there, I’m Chelsea! I’m a photographer, mother of two busy boys, and sunshine and fresh air addict. We live in Virginia Beach and spend as much time outdoors as possible! We spend most of our time exploring the beach, inlets, and nature trails nearby. Our family loves biking, hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, building forts, and playing in the sand! During the warm months, you can find us enjoying the Chesapeake Bay almost every night until long after the sun goes down. We’re doing our best to reduce our carbon footprint and always try to leave every trail cleaner than it was when we arrived.

Personal Instagram: @dimples.and.the.blonde
Client work: @chelsea.lyn.photography
Website: dimplesandtheblonde.com
INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
5 Risky Activities that Help Kids Overcome Fear
- August 2, 2019
Keeping our little ones safe is the number one goal as a parent of young children. However, what happens when our fear of so-called “risky” activities keeps our kids from exploring the world in a safe and healthy manner? As kids grow, they need to learn how to engage in risky activities in a safe way. Their ability to take calculated risks when they’re young will lead them to make better decisions when they’re older. Today, we have Ben Hatfield of River Rascal here with 5 outdoor activities that help kids overcome fear. Learning how to do each of these activities in a safe manner will not only prepare your kid for future decision-making but will build their confidence and help curb anxiety.

Why toddlers need fear

In our early years, fear keeps us alive. When children are small and first starting to learn about the big world around them, everything is potentially dangerous to the risk-oblivious toddler. It’s no wonder parents are all frantically flapping after our kids as they innocently plod about. “Stop licking the plug sockets! Don’t climb out of the window! PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!” Having a toddler is like being on constant death-watch. Everything has the potential to hurt them and they couldn’t care less.

A big part of parenting a toddler is keeping them safe and teaching them how to eventually keep themselves safe. When you’re in the thick of those toddler years, it can seem like an unending task to teach children about the potential dangers that surround them. Eventually, though, kids learn NOT to cuddle open fires, lick carving knives or run enthusiastically off cliffs. They learn to be aware of their abilities (what they can and can’t do) and the risks inherent in their surroundings. This wariness towards potential danger helps keep them safe. It’s essential for toddlers to fear the various risks that surround them.

When fear flips

In early childhood, fear keeps us safe. But soon, the effect of fear reverses. As we grow up, holding onto those same fears becomes detrimental.

Fear leads to avoidance and avoidance breeds anxiety. As parents, if we continue to foster a sense of fear in our children about potentially risky things and actively try to keep kids away from anything remotely dangerous, we can lead them into a minefield of mental health issues.

Unfortunately, this is increasingly the way that we’re parenting. Constantly monitoring children and mitigating any dangers whatsoever prevents kids from learning to assess risks for themselves. The epidemic of risk aversion has kept kids clear of danger, but in so doing, has made them more vulnerable. Bubble-wrapping kids is counterproductive. It doesn’t keep them safe; it keeps them from learning how to evaluate risks and learn when and how to take safe risks. Luckily, there is a better way.

Conquering fear

Not long after we’ve taught our children to avoid fire, knives and heights, we have to reapproach those same dangers with them and demonstrate how to handle risk safely. As children grow and learn, they also must learn to reevaluate potentially risky activities and actions in a new light, based on their developed skills and abilities.

What was once dangerous and off-limits to very young kids can be beneficial and rewarding to older kids that are mature enough to know how to evaluate the risk and understand safety. Continuing to make these activities scary and off-limits could instill an unhealthy fear in your child or keep them from being able to safely evaluate later risk/reward scenarios.

5 activities that help kids overcome fear

Facing those learned fears head-on is the best way to conquer them. This is a natural and absolutely essential part of human development. Luckily, succeeding at this developmental stage is wonderfully simple, accessible and free! Here are 5 simple and accessible outdoor activities that help kids overcome fear and face it head-on by taking simple risks that will grow their resilience, build their confidence and conquer anxiety.

1. Tree climbing
- Conquered fear: Heights
- Recommended equipment: Helmet, tree, ropes and harness if you’re going high
- Ideal age: 4+
- Make it more challenging: Make a rope swing or build a treehouse
- How to make it safe: Teach kids to always have 3 points of contact (two feet, one hand etc) on the tree at all times. Teach them how to identify rotten branches and strong branches. Show them how to checking holds before putting any weight on a branch. Spot your child until they’re comfortable climbing.
Climbing trees and childhood should be synonymous. The beauty of this activity is how profoundly accessible it is. You don’t need to live near a national park or an area of outstanding natural beauty to climb a tree. Literally, all you need is a tree. Risk assessment is intrinsic to tree climbing which grows a child’s risk-assessing muscle very quickly. This is just one of many very simple and essential activities that help kids overcome fear.

2. Wild swimming
- Conquered fear: Open/deep water
- Recommended equipment: Life jacket, 360 snorkel mask and wetsuit (if cold)
- Ideal age: From when they can swim or use a suitably-sized life jacket
- Make it more challenging: Introduce them to jumping off rocks/riverbanks into the water
- How to make it safe: Make sure you know the tide and currents of the water that you’re planning to swim in. Know the depth of any water you’re jumping into. Provide constant supervision at all times while kids are swimming in open water, even in your kids are good swimmers.
Whether it’s the sea, a river or a lake, conquering the fear of open water unlocks a world of fun and adventure. Although, parents must still be extremely cautious with water as the risk of drowning is extremely serious. However, with the right preparation and knowledge, open swimming can become one of the most exhilarating ways to spend time in the wild with your kid. Paddleboarding is also a great way to explore deep and open water with your kid.

3. Fire building
- Conquered fear: Fire
- Recommended equipment: Firebox or firepit
- Ideal age: 4+
- Make it more challenging: Try to start a fire without matches or a lighter
- How to make it safe: Make sure there’s no risk of the fire spreading. This includes making sure you don’t have a fire directly on the ground as fire can spread through the ground. Teach kids how to properly light matches/lighter and dispose of them properly. Demonstrate proper fire etiquette rules, fire safety precautions and show how items around the fire can become dangerous when hot. Teach kids how to properly extinguish a fire and the importance of doing so properly.
Learning how to handle fire is a great skill for kids to learn. What’s better than huddling around a warm campfire, watching the flames? I like to call it Caveman’s TV.

4. Rope swing
- Conquered fear: High speed
- Recommended equipment: Rope
- Ideal age: 2+
- Make it more challenging: Set up your own rope swing in a tree
- How to make it safe: Make sure the rope and the branch can safely hold the child’s weight. Teach kids how to hold on tightly and securely. Make sure they aren’t swinging straight into a tree or over anything sharp/dangerous!
Who can resist a well-positioned rope swing? Taking a length of rope and setting up your own provides a great focus for time outdoors with your kids. If you can find somewhere to set it up safely into water then you’re in for a full-blown day’s worth of entertainment.

5. Whittling
- Conquered fear: Sharp objects
- Recommended equipment: Anti-cut gloves and first aid kit
- Ideal age: 4+
- Make it more challenging: There are a number of different whittling tools and items to create with whittling so once you have conquered one tool or item, simply move onto the next!
- How to make it safe: Constant 1-on-1 supervision is necessary for this activity at the beginning to ensure that it is safe. Teach kids properly knife handling skills, how to carry a knife and how to sheath it when not in use.
Learning how to handle a knife is a better way of keeping kids from injury than trying to put everything pointy out of their reach. It’s a standard activity in Scandinavian Forest Schools, whose kids start learning to handle a knife at 3 years of age!

What “risky” activities do you do with your kids?
How have you helped your kids overcome their fears?

About the author

Ben Hatfield runs River Rascal, a family-run clothing and lifestyle brand based in Canterbury, UK. River Rascal is all about exploring the wild, taking risks and enjoying the outdoors with our children. If you’d like some fun adventurous ideas, check out River Rascal’s free download The Adventure Combination Game. It provides over 4,000 potential adventure ideas and overcomes some of the barriers to getting outdoors.

You can find more from Ben & River Rascal in the following locations:
Website: riverrascal.com
Instagram: @river.rascal
ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, LESSONS, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Nature Study: Exploring Ponds with Kids
- July 15, 2019
Summer is a perfect time to get kids outdoors to explore and experience new things! And what better place to enjoy on hot days than someplace with water? Today, the incredible Leslie Alvis (Ohio homeschooling mom of 4) gives us a unique look at a common place your children can explore this summer: the ever-delightful and intriguing pond. Exploring ponds with kids is not only fascinating and fun, but it’s also educational! There’s so much to see, feel, observe and learn about around a pond. Technology and screen time cannot replace the hands-on lessons children learn just playing outside in the amazing classroom of nature. So grab a bucket and a butterfly net, and let’s head to the pond together.

A field of water betrays the spirit that is in the air. It is continually receiving new life and motion from above. It is intermediate in its nature between land and sky.”
Henry David Thoreau

Why head to a pond?

Ponds are a fascinating place, an ecosystem in their own right. They sustain entire life cycles of plants and animals in their own self-contained space. In the summer they hum with life, providing a vibrant atmosphere to explore. From the birds and insects filling the air with song to the fish flashing by in the water and the bullfrogs calling just out of reach, they are a child’s paradise of discoveries.

Exploring ponds with kids is also timelessly interesting, entertaining, and relaxing. Most children can find an endless number of interesting occupations at a pond. I can never believe how long my kids will spend just tossing rocks or sticks into the water. And I’m amazed at how beneficial that simple activity is: building strength and developing motor skills, making them aware of cause and effect, and introducing them to basic physics (gravity and displacement, for instance). Today, we will look at just a few ways you can experience a pond with your children, weaving education and development together with delightful play.

A note on pond safety

Before we get started, I’d like to mention some safety guidelines. Any time water is involved, we have to be extra conscious of our children’s safety. Water is such a fun thing that few children understand its danger. And unlike swimming beaches, ponds often have slippery mud or grassy banks that can drop abruptly into deep water. Teaching children to swim is the number-one prevention to drowning accidents, but even that isn’t a guarantee of safety. Never leave children unattended near any water, especially a deep body of water like a pond.

Be safe together!

If you are comfortable allowing your children to wade in the water, make sure you have carefully checked out the wading area yourself for dangers like slippery mud and sharp drop-offs. And even if you have instructed your children to stay out of the pond, we should be aware that accidents happen and a child can slip and fall into the water in an instant. Stay close and focused on your children, adventuring and playing together. Exploring ponds with kids should be fun and safe.

Teaching nature skills

To start off exploring a pond with kids, simply walk around the pond. Talk before you start about how everyone needs to use their “nature skills” to explore the pond area. These skills include walking quietly, speaking quietly, and trying not to disturb the wildlife around you. We always have to work on sharing our discoveries quietly—the first child to yell they saw a goose will probably scare off the whole flock! This is also a good time to teach children how to study nature without disturbing it, to observe but not take, and to show respect for the natural environment surrounding them by being careful where they step and what they touch.

Sensory exploration

Exploring a pond with kids provides a great sensory experience. It’s easy to get started by asking questions involving the senses. What do you see? It’s like an amazing game of “I Spy.” Do you see those wildflowers on the far bank? Can you spot that turtle out sunning on a log? How many frogs can you count? Oh, no, one just ducked underwater!

Hearing and Smelling

Observing the natural atmosphere of the pond moves quickly to hearing. Do you hear the birds singing? The bullfrogs calling? The wind whispering through the tall grass? The buzzing of the insects? And then there is always smelling—and if the pond you are visiting has the smell of stagnant water, your children are sure to notice it! But you can also smell wildflowers and a fresh breeze. Honeysuckle and freshly cut grass. I love how much my children will get into talking about all the details they notice.

Unforgettable sensory experiences

When exploring ponds with kids, there are countless ways to experience the natural world. How many things can you find to touch? From the smooth leaves and raspy blossom of the cattails, to the silky water and slippery plants in the pond, to the slimy skin of a frog and the soft whisper of a dropped bird feather, there are a multitude of things to feel around a pond. (Of course, unless you have the owner’s permission to pick things, make sure you give careful instruction about not picking any plants or disturbing the environment. Leave it unspoiled for everyone to enjoy!) Touching pond creatures might stretch the sensory comfort zones of some kids, but if you have the opportunity to let your children touch a frog or a fish, it will be a sensory experience they won’t forget!

Hands-on adventures

Getting wet and dirty is part of learning about the pond environment, too. If my children are within reaching-distance of water—any water—they are sure to get wet! It doesn’t matter the temperature or what they’re wearing. If we are going near water, I just plan on them getting soaked. So, if the pond you are visiting is wading accessible, wear some water-appropriate clothes and footwear. Bring some buckets, a net, a magnifying glass, and explore a pond with kids up close!

Exploring a pond with kids is a hands-on activity. If you have an adventuresome child with quick reflexes, they might be able to catch a bullfrog or net a minnow to examine. These are good opportunities not only to study creatures up close, but also to teach our children how to handle them and to release them safely back into their natural environment. The minnows can’t breathe air, so we have to observe them in the water. The frog is slippery and likes to jump, so we have to hold it securely but without squeezing it.

Tadpole science project

In early summer, tadpoles are one of the easiest and most fun things to catch and study. Find a shallow still area at the edge of a pond in early summer, and you will probably see dozens of tiny black blobs wiggling around in the water. These are tadpoles—baby frogs who will develop before your eyes! If you have permission from the pond’s owner, scoop some up in a bucket and you will have a hands-on science project. Bring them home, feed them, and watch them grow! Before long, it will seem unbelievable that these miniature frogs grew from those funny wiggly creatures you caught in the pond. For more information, we’ve got a great post on raising tadpoles with kids.

More hands-on activities

When exploring ponds with kids, study the pond water itself. This is particularly fun if you have access to a microscope. The multitude of tiny organisms living in pond water is amazing. Even if you don’t have a microscope, you can get a pail full of pond water and see if you can spot little plants and water creatures in it with a magnifying glass. You may be surprised just how much you can find!

Exploring ponds with kids isn’t limited to the water. A butterfly net can help you capture amazing creatures such as dragonflies, butterflies, and other flying insects, as well as water insects. Chasing a flying insect is a great hand-eye coordination activity—plus, it’s just fun! And when my children do manage to catch a butterfly or damselfly, they love to examine their vibrant colors and fragile wings. Every creature is so unique and beautiful.

Keeping a pond notebook

If you want to make this a more formal learning experience, bring a notebook or nature journal for each child. Help them keep track of the different living things they see and hear. I love keeping nature notebooks where children can draw pictures of things they have observed and what they have learned about them. Having a pond notebook is a great way for them to process what they are discovering with a quick sketch and a short description. This appeals to some kids more than others, but sitting beside the pond and drawing pictures of what we see is such a lovely way to spend a summer day…or a least a few minutes of one.

Resources

We have found that nature guides and handbooks are valuable resources for learning about pond life. Teaching kids to look up different plants and wildlife that they see helps them learn on a deeper level. Once they have looked up a bird or a flower in their guide book, they are much less likely to forget its name or characteristics! Plus, we can learn together all the things I don’t know (which are many!). We use some of the classic field guides, like Kauffman Field Guide to Birds of North America.

There are also some great resources available for less than $10, like these illustrated nature guides. The entire Take-Along Guides series is geared toward helping children learn about nature in an easy-to-find, graspable format. I can’t recommend them enough if you are serious about helping your children learn about wildlife and plants for themselves.
What do your kids like to do at a pond?

Leslie
@c_l_allofus

Hi, I’m Leslie Alvis! I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, wife to my high school sweetheart and best friend, and a mom to four rascally kids. They love the great outdoors as much as I do, and our yard often feels like the scene from “The Sound of Music” where you hear voices and laughter and can’t find any children until you look up into the trees. I love writing, photography, and all things outdoors, and do pretty much everything with my kids tagging along. If we can’t do it as a family, it’s likely it won’t happen. We live in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Amish Country, where it’s perfectly normal to park beside a horse and buggy at the grocery store. We also homeschool, which basically means that I’m trying to teach my kids to use their minds without losing my own. (Every once in a while I think I might be succeeding.) While we follow a traditional curriculum, I weave every outdoor adventure I can into our educational journey. I believe that the lessons children experience firsthand sink deepest into their hearts and minds, and there is so much we can learn outside in the beauty and wonder of nature.

If you want more from Leslie, read all her Run Wild My Child posts here.
INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SUMMER
100+ Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids
- July 1, 2019
Welcome to summer! My kids have been out of school for a few weeks now and the novelty of long hot lazy days is starting to wear off. We’ve made our bucket lists for the big things we want to accomplish, but in the meantime, there’s still a lot of downtime around the house. We’re always looking for fun new things to do to keep us active, outdoors and having fun! Collectively, with our contributors and community, we’ve put together this HUGE comprehensive ultimate list of 100+ outdoor summer activities for kids!

Summer outdoor activities printable PDF checklist!

While this post will give you all the details and variations for all 100+ outdoor summer activities for kids, if you want a printable checklist version, CLICK HERE and get a free printable PDF of the list!

Special thanks to our Instagram community

These fun activities are guaranteed to keep your kids (and you) entertained, learning, and active while outside this summer! These activities have been tried, tested and kid-approved by our followers, editors, writers, and contributors! Plus, all of the photos in the post of kids outside having fun are from our absolutely amazing Instagram community! A very special thanks to all the mamas that let us feature their beautiful images.

{Post contains affiliate links}

@jenmarie_anderson

1. Water balloon fight

Everyone loves a good water balloon fight! For extra fun, get the whole neighborhood involved. Or make it a game – when you get hit you’re out, until there’s one champion! Or throw them high and practice catching pop flies! Split up into teams and each team is a certain color balloon. We like these balloons that are super easy to fill! Just remember to clean up all your plastic trash afterward!

2. Outdoor drumline (or band)

This outdoor summer activity was inspired by watching the drummers at an outdoor music festival last summer. My kids were absolutely mesmerized by the guys playing the drums on buckets, just using sticks and their hands. Find all the buckets (pails, boxes, bowls, pots, etc.) you can, give them a stick and have them create their own beats! (outside, of course, because it’s LOUD!)

3. Frozen ice dino dig

Freeze some plastic dinosaurs or other small toys or treasures in a giant block of ice. Give the kids tools to help them chip away at the ice to get to the treasure. This is a great way to stay cool on a hot day!

4. Have a car wash (or dog wash)

Get out the hose, buckets and soap and ready for some fun! Use towels or sponges to clean all your family vehicles outside and get your cars nice and shiny! Or wash the kids bikes, wagons or Cozy Coupes! You could even have a dog wash if you run out of vehicles!

5. Outdoor game night

Create a family tradition of playing a game outdoors! Whether it’s a traditional board game (like Monopoly or Life), a fun family card game (like Uno or Go Fish) or something a bit more interactive (charades or Pictionary), games are great outdoor summer activities and the perfect way to enjoy an evening outside. This is my personal favorite family game. And if you want extra competition, invite another family over and battle each other!

@adventures_with_gigi

6. Fruit picking

Summer is the peak time to visit a local orchard. Lots of places let kids pick-your-own fruits, veggies and flowers. Our summertime favorite picks are strawberries, blackberries, peaches, tomatoes, herbs, blueberries, zucchini, watermelons and sunflowers.

7. Find some animals

Visit a local zoo to learn more about the animals and how they handle the summer heat. Do they have adaptions that help them stay cool? When are they the most active? Or get more interactive and visit a petting zoo, farm, nature center or animal safari center. Here are some great reasons why summer on the farm with animals is so much fun!

8. Attend a carnival or fair

Summer is ripe with fun local carnivals and state/county fairs. Attend one and try out some of the traditional foods (funnel cake and lemon shake-ups) or the crazy food (fried Snickers bars?!). Play some games, ride the rides and have a great day of fun!

9. Make a fairy house

Don’t leave your local neighborhood fairies to fend for themselves in this heat. Create magical tiny homes for your fairies out of stones, sticks and other found and recycled materials. Here’s a great tutorial for making fairy houses out of natural materials in your own backyard that will keep your kids entertained for hours. For a little extra magic, add some sparkly gemstones, glitter or twinkle lights. These little paint-your-own fairy doors are adorable!

10. Play Frisbee or disc golf

Playing Frisbee is a great alternative to traditional pitch and catch. The flat disc is usually much easier for kids to toss and catch. Throw one around at your local park and see who can throw it the farthest or with the most accuracy. Once you’ve gotten the hang on it, try your luck at disc golf! So much fun for the whole family!

@gabriella.rojas.ray

11. Play in the rain

Summer rain showers are perfect for playing in! Light summer drizzles are usually warm and perfect for making fun puddles to splash in! Grab an umbrella or go out in your bathing suit! Here’s a great post filled with fun and creative ways to play OUTSIDE in the rain!

12. Identify local birds

Summer is a great time to get to know the local wildlife and continue your nature study. Help your kids identify the neighborhood birds in your area, by color, size, and song. You can also research what they like to eat, where they live, where they migrate and what kind of nest they build. If you want to get extra crafty, set up a nature window for bird watching.

13. Make a bug hotel

Get a headstart on winter by building a protective shelter for your garden bugs. Bug hotels are not only part garden art, but they also provide much-needed protection for bugs and beneficial insects throughout the winter. Set up different protected areas in your hotel with a variety of sticks, pine cones, seed heads, bamboo shoots, and wood shavings.

14. Play flashlight tag

Played at night, flashlight tag is a fun game that mixes hide and seek with tag. The person who is “it” waits at home base counting to a high number while everyone else hides. Then, armed with a flashlight, this person searches for the others who may be switching hiding spots. The flashlight must remain on at all times and may not be covered. When “it ” spots someone, s/he must use the flashlight to get a close enough look at the person to identify him or her and call out that person’s name (who then becomes “it”)!

15. Attend an outdoor concert

Check your local listing for outdoor concerts, movies or shows. Many local venues such as county parks, museums, pools, and libraries host free events for families in the evenings during summer. Pack a blanket and some snacks and enjoy an evening outdoors enjoying the show!

@wolvenkinderen

16. Set up a lemonade stand

Nothing says childhood like having a lemonade stand. It’s practically a rite of passage! Help your kids make some homemade lemonade, a couple of signs and set up a table for their booth. Not into lemonade? Try homemade popsicles, iced tea, kool-aid or bake cookies/cupcakes and have a bake sale! Your kids will be so excited to see their hard work turn into a few dollars! Who knows, you may even spark a future entrepreneur!

17. Go for a family bike ride

Biking with kids is a fun summertime adventure and a great way to get outdoors, explore new areas/trails, create family memories and get in shape. Riding a bike not only improves physical fitness, but it also benefits your child’s learning development and mental health. Plus, biking reduces carbon emissions, eases traffic congestion and eliminates parking problems. If you’re just getting started, we’ve got a great post with lots of tips for biking with kids.

18. Jump rope

Childhood jump rope games seem to have become a lost art. I remember playing all kinds of variations of jump ropes games such as helicopter, double-dutch, French skipping, and cat and mouse when I was a kid (a million years ago!). Most jumping games were also set to fun rhymes and songs. Break out the rope jumps this summer, and let’s bring these fun games back! Jumping rope is not only fantastic exercise, but it’s for great hand-eye coordination.

19. Go on a clean-up hike

Next time you’re out exploring your favorite local trail (or even going for a walk around your neighborhood), take along a garbage bag and make an effort to clean up any trash or rubbish you find along the way. Chances are, you’ll be (unpleasantly) surprised at just how much trash has been discarded. Set a good example for your kids by cleaning up and explaining to them the importance of taking care of our surroundings and the environment.

@pilgrimspassingthru

20. Plant some veggies

Whether you’ve got the room in your backyard for an entire garden or just a spot for a pot, plant a few vegetables this summer with the kids. Depending on your zone, you can start with seeds or transplant sprouts. Have the kids help choose a few vegetable plants from a local garden center that they’ll actually enjoy eating. Some of our favorites are sugar snap peas, beets, cherry tomatoes, mint, lettuce, carrots, zucchini, and pumpkins! Here’s a great post with 5 easy vegetables to grow with kids!

21. Press flowers

Flowers are everywhere you look during the summer! Take advantage of the abundance and preserve some for a cold rainy day. Collect flowers on a sunny day when they’re not wet or damp. Place the flowers between sheets of parchment or wax paper and lay a heavy book on top. Let the flowers dry for 7-10 days. Use the flowers for art decorations, cards, journals, luminaries or anything your heart desires! We’ve tried this flower press kit and made beautiful art! And here’s a great post on how to make a pressed wildflower bookmark.

22. Watch a sunset or sunrise

If you’re looking for a peaceful way to spend some time outside with your kids, try watching a sunrise or sunset together. This is a great way to have a quiet conversation, tell stories or just enjoy some silence while taking in the beauty of the scene.

@susan.grimes

23. Fly a kite

Flying a kite is one of those quintessential childhood activities that everyone should try at least once! Grab a kite from a store or try your hand at making your own! Choose a location with a wide open space, like a football field, park or the beach. See how high you can get the kite and who can make it do acrobatic tricks! If you need more inspiration or instruction, here’s a post all about kite flying with kids!

24. Make pizza on the grill

If you’ve never tried to make your own pizza on the BBQ grill, what are you waiting for?! Buy some premade pizza dough (or make your own – it’s easy!) and your favorite pizza toppings. Have everything ready to go, then slide the crust on the grill for a few minutes. Flip the whole thing over and then add your pizza toppings while it cooks. Your grill can get much hotter than your oven, so it’ll make your crust extra crispy and delicious! Let the kids help, but definitely with adult supervision. Or try your hand at using an outdoor pizza oven – here’s some info on how to use an outdoor pizza oven, our favorite recipes and tips for cooking pizza outside!

25. Make sun prints

Making nature art using sun print paper is a great way to teach kids about the sun and shadows. It also encourages them to be observant of shapes, patterns and sizes of leaves, plants and natural objects. Plus, you get some really gorgeous art prints out of it that would look so pretty framed or turned into wrapping paper or greeting cards. See our full post on sun prints for more details.

26. Catch fireflies

Catching fireflies (or lightning bugs, as we call them) is one of my (and my kids’) favorite things to do in the summer. Once the temperature gets warm enough, twilight is the perfect time to chase after these slow flying bugs. They’re easy enough to catch with your hands, just be careful not to injure them and let them go gently. Check out this post for more information on fireflies, fun facts, firefly jokes, and info on how to save them.

@erincomfortphotography

27. Play golf (or putt putt or driving range)

Golf is such a fun outdoor activity for the entire family. My kids are really into golf these days and they can’t seem to get enough. We love going out and playing nine holes as a family at a public course or spending an hour hitting balls at the driving range. If you haven’t tried Top Golf, it’s also been a huge hit! Or mix it up and try your hand at putt putt golf – winner gets to pick dinner! Here’s a great post on everything you need to know to get started playing golf with kids.

28. Go on a rainbow walk

Turn your evening stroll or afternoon hike into a rainbow walk, where kids are tasked with finding one item of every color of the rainbow. Either have them write down the item and corresponding color or take a photo of it with your phone/camera.

29. Put on a play

Most kids love performing, so have them put on a show! Help them come up with a story (maybe reenact their favorite movie/book or make something up entirely!), cast the characters, find costumes, rehearse their lines and even create background scenery! Have them set up a theater, advertise the show and sell tickets and popcorn. If you’re lucky, this could take ALL DAY (or longer)! Have them perform their show for the family (or the neighborhood) and be sure to give them a standing ovation!

30. Build a sandcastle

Whether you’re on the beach or just playing in a sandbox, building a sand castle is so much fun! You don’t need any fancy equipment to make an amazing sand creation. Just some sand, add water and a few cups and buckets of various sizes. Feel free to add shells, sticks, grass or leaves for decorations. Put those future architectural skills to work! Take your sandcastle building to the next level with these sandcastle building tips for kids from a professional!

@thebackwoodsmama

31. Climb a tree

Climbing trees is a great way for kids to experience “risky” play, with great rewards. One of my favorite writers, Linda McGurk wrote: “Tree climbing has real benefits for kids – physically, mentally, cognitively and socially. Just think about it. As your child scales the tree he’s building muscle strength, practicing gross motor skills such as balance and improving spatial awareness and proprioception. When he decides which branches are safe to stand on and how high to go, he’s learning how to judge risk and developing critical thinking skills. As he plans his path up through the limbs, he’s gaining decision-making and problem-solving skills, and if things don’t go according to plan, he gains emotional strength and resilience by trying again. When he successfully negotiates the branches, he feels a sense of accomplishment, which in turn boosts his self-confidence.”

32. Pack a picnic

Sometimes the smallest things (like a change of scenery) can make all the difference. Try packing a picnic and eating a meal in a whole new location. Choose a park with a fun playground, a picnic table by a lake or the edge of a babbling brook. Spread out a blanket with all the food and let the kids eat as they play with no rushing or nagging at them to sit down and eat. The kids will graze during the time you’re there as they play and explore. And chances are, they’ll eat ALL the food in the car on the way home!

33. Host a garage sale

Summer’s a great time to clean out some of the clutter in your home and get rid of some things that you and the kids no longer need or enjoy. Make it a family project to clean out their bedrooms and playroom with them and choose items to contribute to the family yard sale. Give them a percentage of the earnings or let them have the proceeds from particular items they sell. Be sure to have them help with labeling, advertising, and marketing! And let them help with selling, answering customer questions and making change.

@mommatolittlemen

34. Hammock naps

Not sure I have to say anything else about this one. If the thought of napping in a hammock on a warm summer day doesn’t thrill you to the bone, I’m not sure this is the website for you. 😉

35. Hula hoop

Like jumping rope, hula hooping seems to be another lost art of childhood. Make sure your kids get the chance to experience the thrills and fun of a hula hoop. Watching kids learn how to hula hoop is absolutely adorable and worth the nominal price of a hoop. Play games, like who can keep it going the longest, who can make it go up and down their body or who can jump through it as it rolls down the sidewalk!

36. Visit a farmer’s market

In the summer, local farmer’s markets are teeming with the most amazing produce around. Take your kids and introduce them to the vendors. Let them ask questions about where and how the food was grown. Let them taste free samples of fruits, veggies, and baked goods. And then pick out a few items to take home for dinner! They’ll be more likely to eat the food if they had a say in choosing it. Here are some fun things to do at a farmer’s market and ways for kids to learn and explore while there!

@alwaysfourlove

37. Pick a wildflower bouquet

Summertime is the best time for finding and picking wildflowers. Bring a pair of scissors on your walk and snip a few flowers for a bouquet. Wildflowers make beautiful and colorful arrangements. But only take a few and make sure to leave plenty for the bees!

38. Host your own summer Olympics

It doesn’t have to be an Olympic year for your kids to enjoy the games. Create your own version of the Olympics by having them compete for the gold in their favorite events. Set up the ping pong table outside, host a diving competition at the pool, try some rhymic gymnastics with ribbons and hoops. Whatever their sport, find a way to recreate it!

39. Make a concrete stepping stone

Decorate your garden or walkway with beautiful concrete stepping stones. All you need is a mold, some concrete mix and any decorations you want to use. Try colored stones, shells, glass or beads. They also make stepping stone mosaic kits with all this stuff included, just to make it easier on you.

40. Set up a bird feeder

Attract some local birds into your backyard by setting up a bird feeder and/or a bird bath. We’ve got a great post on how to make a few easy bird feeders for kids with items and ingredients you already have at home.

@affairwithworld

41. Have a stargazing party

When the heat in the summer is too intense during the day, swap your outdoor time for some evening stargazing. Grab a blanket, an air mattress or fill a kiddie pool with pillows and escape into the darkness to watch as the stars appear. Pull out a telescope and try to identify the stars and constellations you see. Plus, if you can get away from the city lights and noise, that’s even better!

42. Make an outdoor tic-tac-toe board

Tic tac toe is one of those games that’s easy enough for preschoolers, yet is still competitive enough to entertain older kids and adults. It teaches kids a lot of valuable skills, like logic, reasoning, creativity, strategy, coordination, visual skills, motor skills, concentration and how to be a good loser. We’ve got a great tutorial on how to make your own DIY tic tac toe rocks and board with kids. Or draw a board with chalk (or in the sand or use sticks) and use rocks or shells as X’s and O’s.

43. Set up a backyard obstacle course

Kids love competitive games and obstacle courses are a fun way to get them outdoors and active. Have them help set up an obstacle course in the backyard or at local park. You don’t need much to create a course, just a clever way to get from point A to point Z. Basic skills will be balancing, climbing, jumping, running, crawling and catching. They’ll love the challenge and come up with their own ways to play and challenge each other.

@miri.andthekids

44. Build an outdoor fort

Kids love building forts. Pillow and blanket forts are great for winter, but get out and try your hand at building a fort outdoors or in the woods. Sticks and branches make great walls and can be found relatively easily. Or find a horizontal tree and make a lean-to! There are so many different ways to build a fort – you’re only limited by your imagination.

45. Read a book outside

I’m of the opinion that almost everything is better when you’re outside and immersed in nature. That’s definitely true for one of my favorite past times…reading! If your kids are old enough to read on their own, create a comfy and shady spot for them to read outside. If your kids are little, try having storytime outside together and reading to them as they lounge on a blanket or in a hammock.

46. Look for 4-leaf clovers

Have you ever found a 4-leaf clover? Lucky you! Give your kids the chance to change their luck by doing a 4-leaf clover hunt. Your chances are actually pretty good for finding one. According to research, there is usually one four-leaf clover for every 10,000 three-leaf shamrocks and around 200 clovers can be found in a 60-square centimeter plot of clover. Therefore, a space of about 1.2 square meters (or 4 square feet) should contain at least 1 four-leaf clover! Here’s a great post with all kinds of tips and advice on how to find more 4-leaf clovers with kids!

@threegirlztwirlz

47. Explore a creek

Exploring a creek is by far my children’s all-time favorite outdoor activity. If you’re lucky enough to live anywhere close to a creek (and I bet you are!), take your kids to check it out. Creeks provide so many amazing opportunities for exploration, curiosity and imaginative play! We’ve got a great post all about the incredible benefits of exploring creeks with kids.

48. Visit a new (to you) park/playground

Checking out a new park allows parents and kids to be adventurous, without needing to leave their own city or spend a lot of time researching or packing for an exotic outing. Most of the parks near us have wooded areas, lakes or ponds, hiking trails and a playground, which is always the most attractive feature for my kids and definitely the first thing they want to check out upon arrival. Pick a park that you’ve never explored and make an adventure out of checking it out! Need some playground games for kids, we’ve got you covered!

49. Make homemade ice cream or popsicles

This may be the most delicious activity we recommend and fun for everyone involved. Making your own ice cream or popsicles is easier than you may think. You don’t need fancy machines or ingredients to make the most delish homemade ice cream. Just a few items and some shaking/mixing energy! Making popsicles is even easier, with nothing more involved than throwing a blended concoction in a freezer. We have these popsicle molds and they’re amazing. Check out this fun post for some easy and healthy fruit popsicle recipes for kids.

@callred25

50. Decorate the driveway with sidewalk chalk

Sidewalk chalk is such an easy way to entertain the kids for a few hours. Draw a bunch of boxes and have them draw scenes from their favorite movie or book. Use the chalk to get them to practice their spelling and math skills. See if they can create a mural of their favorite vacation or hike. Have them draw their family! The possibilities are endless.

51. Set up a butterfly feeding station

If you’ve got (or want) a lot of butterflies in your area, set up a butterfly feeding station in your yard. All you need is a shallow dish, some sugar water and a few sweet fruit slices. You’ll have to change it out every few days (due to ants and heat), but your butterflies will be eternally grateful! Or grow a butterfly-attracting garden with your kids – we’ll show you how.

52. Skip stones

Skipping stones is a childhood favorite activity that my kids love. Head to your closest creek, river or lake and look for the flattest rocks. Show your kids the proper technique and what make the best skipping stones. Then, see who can skip their stones the farthest or have the most skips before dropping below the surface. Turn your activity into a learning experience and talk about the science behind skipping stones and the best way to do it!

53. Outdoor movie night

Watch a family favorite outside on the big screen! Borrow an outdoor movie projector from a friend, rent one, buy one or hire a company and host a movie night in your backyard. Play a kid-friendly movie and invite the neighborhood to watch a movie played on a screen, sheet, or side of the house! Add some popcorn and peanuts, and it’ll be a night your kids will never forget! Here’s everything you need to know to make your outdoor movie night a huge success!

@carlylainephotography

54. Make giant bubbles

Making HUGE bubbles was one of my favorite things to do when I was a kid. All you need is some bubble juice (soapy water) and a long piece of string/yarn. Tie the ends together to form a circle and dip in the water. Pull apart and blow air through to create a giant bubble! Have a contest of who can blow the biggest or whose bubble lasts the longest before it pops. Check out this post filled with the best bubble recipes, bubble experiments, games, and more!

55. Go on a hike

Summer is such a wonderful time to go on a family hike, particularly if you have access to woods or a forest. Tall trees provide great coverage from the sun and can keep you from getting too hot while you hike. If it is hot in your area, try hiking first thing in the morning while it’s still cool or later in the evening after the intensity of the sun has died down. Don’t forget your bug spray! We’ve got a great post on how to get started hiking with kids.

56. Night swim with glow sticks

If you have access to a pool in the evening, try going for a night swim! Spice it up by adding or wearing glowsticks! You can even do this in one of those little inflatable baby pools in the backyard and it’s just as much fun!

@ausomelyos

57. Visit a splash pad or waterpark

Water play is an essential part of any summer experience! Go beyond your traditional sprinkler or hose by visiting a local park splashpad or a water park! There’s something truly magical about water for kids and this a great summertime tradition.

58. Canoe/kayak/paddleboard

Going for a boat ride is such a classic summer adventure. If you can, take your kids on a canoe trip, a kayak outing or out paddleboarding. You’ll be pleasantly surprised just how fun and entertaining being on the water can be for everyone. Here’s a super helpful post on how to get started stand-up paddleboarding with kids.

@tiffany_pearl_

59. Play HORSE

Basketball is a great way to get kids outside and active! Play a round of HORSE with your kids in your driveway or local basketball court. If your kids are little, give them a bit of an advantage with a lighter ball or lower hoop.

60. Make sun tea

My dad used to make the most amazing sun tea every summer. He was an ice tea connoisseur and there’s something pretty special about tea that was bathed in sunlight and infused with the perfect blend of herbs from our garden. Some creative add-ins for your sun tea are peaches, mint, lemons, raspberries, honey, hibiscus, orange peels, pineapple or strawberries!

61. Drive-in movie theater

Drive-in movie theaters are getting harder and harder to come by. If you know of one of these gems, make sure to take the kids now, before they’re history. The novelty of watching a movie from the back of your car on a big screen outside under the stars is something that every kid should experience once!

@florafairweather

62. Make a flower/leaf/clover crown

If you’re looking for another activity to do with all those gorgeous summer flowers and green leaves, try making a crown! Clover flowers are perfect for making a simple daisy-chain crown. Or get more elaborate by stringing leaves together. Best of all, add beautiful wildflowers or flowers from your garden to your crown for added color and texture!

63. Make a nature mandala

In its simplest form, a mandala is a circular structure with a design that radiates out symmetrically from the center. Making a mandala with kids in nature is a delightful, beautiful and easy activity that you can do almost anywhere and at any time. All you need is a small collection of materials and an imagination.

64. Go out for snow cones

I’ve already suggested making your own ice cream and popsicles, but there’s something about snow cones that’s best to leave to the experts. The perfect shaved ice is not something you can just recreate on a whim – it’s a skill – and definitely worth an outing for the perfect ice and the ultimate ice-to-juice ratio.

@lightandlife.photography

65. Catch a fish

Fishing is a great activity that the whole family can enjoy and do nearly anywhere there’s water! If you’ve never fished before, do a little bit of research about what the fish in your area eat and when/where to go. Ask at a fishy friend or at a local bait shop. A lot of state parks will even provide fishing gear for the day for free! Trust me, it doesn’t get much better than seeing your child’s entire face light up when she/he lands a fish! Here’s some advice on how to raise a kid that loves to fish!

66. Set up a neighborhood kickball game

This activity is at the very top of my son’s summer bucket list. Kickball is more than a sport to this kid, it’s a way of life! We’re hoping to set up a kickball game that involves all the kids on our street (plus a few neighboring streets) and even a few parents for the ultimate kickball challenge! It’s going to be epic!

67. Race paper boats

Having a paper boat race is another really fun outdoor activity to do with your kids. This is a great one for the kids that are into STEM activities. Have them each create their own paper boat (or use natural elements like leaves and sticks) and then race them down a stream or creek.

68. Decorate your wagon/bike

Need a simple activity to entertain the kids for a while? Let them decorate their bikes or wagon like a float in a parade! Give them some colored paper, streamers, ribbons, balloons, scarves or whatever else you can find and let their imaginations run wild! Even better, get all the kids on the block to decorate their bikes and wagons and then have a neighborhood parade!

@har_leenie

69. Run through the sprinkler

Who needs a park splash pad when you have a sprinkler at home?! Set up the sprinkler in the yard and let the kids do their thing! They’ll love running through it, standing in it and jumping over the spray. Even better, get your camera out and make sure to snap some awesome sprinkler photos of your little ones!

70. Start a nature journal

Have an artistic kid? Try starting a nature journal with your children this summer. There’s an abundance of things to draw in the summer; flowers, animals, insects and plants. Have them look up the name of each of the things they draw and write down any characteristics, stories or thoughts they have while sketching.

@amerryadventure

71. Backyard camping

Going on a camping trip is great (and you should definitely do that this summer!), but when you don’t have the time, just set up the tent in the backyard. The kids will love to “pretend” they’re camping. Let them read books, tell stories, play with flashlights/headlamps and have fun! Don’t have a tent? Set up a hammock or throw some sleeping bags on a trampoline! Here are some tips on backyard camping with kids.

72. Pay it forward

Give your kids one of the greatest gifts ever – the gift of giving back! Make sure to pay it forward this summer by doing small acts of kindness anytime you can. Whether that’s putting a quarter in a row of meters, buying a snow cone for the family behind you in line or visiting a local animal shelter and spending time with the animals. Work with your kids to come up with a list of things you could do together to pay if forward. Need inspiration? Here are 20+ outdoor acts of kindness and ways to be kind to nature.

73. Make a journey stick

Journey sticks are a great way to create visual reminders of your adventures. All you need is a perfect-size walking stick, some simple crafting materials (string, ribbon, etc.) and an imagination! We’ve got a great post all about how to make journey sticks with kids by incorporating elements of your hikes, adventures, and outings into beautiful physical storytelling devices.

@sara_mccarty

74. Have a shaving cream fight

Pick up a couple of cans of shaving cream and let your kids have fun with it! My two had never really seen or played with shaving cream before this and they were fascinated by it! It’s so soft and squishy and fun to smear all over! If you don’t want to do this outside, stick them in the bathtub!

75. Check out your local swimming pool

Cool off on a hot day at your local watering hole (swimming pool). Lots of community pools have awesome water features like slides, lazy rivers, splash areas, wave pools and wading areas for the littlest ones. Make a big splash by trying some of these super fun and creative swimming pools games for kids.

76. Set up a slackline

Slacklining is a perfect way for kids of all ages to hone balancing skills while building core strength and confidence. Slacklining is one of my kids’ favorite backyard activities and I’m blown away by how much time they spend on it daily, balancing, bouncing and playing games. This is a great beginner slackline kit and we’ve got an awesome post on slacklining with kids.

77. Make slime

What is it with kids and slime? They absolutely LOVE it! But it’s seriously messy, so summer is the perfect time to make a big batch of slime outside! There are million recipes out there for making any kind of slime your heart desires – fluffy slime, glitter slime, neon slime and even edible slime!

@barefootphotographycanada

78. Spot animals in the clouds

Cloud spotting is a favorite peaceful summertime activity. All you need for this activity is a place to lie down and an unobstructed patch of cloudy sky. See what shapes you can find and make up a story about them. Or play eye-spy and see if others can find what you’ve identified.

79. Do a neighborhood scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunts are one of my favorite ways to keep kids entertained and having fun while outdoors. Giving them a list of items or objects to find, gives them a purpose and helps keeps their attention. We put together this super fun printable neighborhood scavenger hunt that’s 4-pages of things kids of any age can find year-round in your own neighborhood.

80. Attend a baseball game

Particularly if you’re in the US, nothing says summer quite like baseball season! If you can, attend a baseball game with your kids. Whether it’s a professional MLB game, a minor league team or just your local town’s baseball fields, watching a baseball game is a great way to spend a summer evening. Root root for the home team and enjoy those peanuts and cracker jacks!

@in_thislight

81. Blow dandelions & make wishes

As dandelions turn to puffballs, children everywhere rush to pick them so that they can close their eyes, make a wish, and blow the seeds into the air. No one knows for sure how or why people started making wishes on dandelions. In addition to granting wishes, many people believe that dandelion seeds will carry your thoughts and dreams to loved ones when you blow them into the air. Others believe that dandelions may be able to tell you if you’re loved. Legend has it that, if you can blow all the seeds off a dandelion with a single breath, then the person you love will love you back. If seeds remain, then the object of your affection may have reservations about their feelings toward you.

82. Cook a foil packet dinner

Cooking dinner on the grill outside is so much for kids. Especially if you get them involved and let them help! Choose a dinner that can be cooked inside a foil packet – usually a piece of meat (fish, chicken or steak) and a few sliced vegetables. Have the kids help shop, chop, assemble, season, and cook the packets – either right on a bonfire or on the grill. Pop the cooked packets on a plate, open to let out the steam, and let them dive in! Bon appetit!

83. Tie-dye shirts

You don’t need to go away to summer camp to partake in this fun summertime activity. Tie-dying a t-shirt (or towel, socks or underwear!) is easier than you think. All you need is a few colors of dye, a white article of clothing, and a few rubber bands. No two shirts will be alike and the kids will love wearing their very own creations!

@chelseasmithphotography

84. Watermelon seed spitting contest

Watermelon is one of those foods that screams summertime! Make the most out of your watermelon eating experience by having a seed spitting contest while you eat your slice! See who’s the most accurate by spitting into a bucket. Or who’s the most powerful by spitting seeds for distance! It’s deliciously messy and gross, so you know the kids will love it!

85. Paint and hide kindness rocks

Kindness rocks are catching on like wildfire these days. My kids love finding them when we’re out and about. Join the craze and make some kindness rocks of your own for the kids to leave in some of their favorite outdoor locations. Paint them with bright colors, pretty designs and words of peace, love and hope. Here’s everything you need to get started rock painting kindness rocks with kids.

86. Go geocaching

Geocaching is one of our family’s favorite things to do when out hiking or exploring. You’ll be amazed at just how many geocaches there are out there, hiding in all your favorite places! It’s a blast for kids and totally free! Check out our beginner’s guide to geocaching with kids for everything you need to know to get started!

87. Sparklers

Sparklers are such a fun and fascinating experience for kids. There’s something magical about holding sparkling fire in your hand. Wave them around to make shapes or spin them to create a blurred effect. However, safety is always a huge issue with sparklers, so be sure to supervise your kids, help them with lightening them, holding them and disposing of them properly.

@3_littlewonders

88. Have a bonfire & roast s’mores

Summertime bonfires are so much fun. Take your bonfire to the next level by roasting s’mores with fancy ingredients, telling ghost stories around the fire and changing the color of the flames! Make sure to check out our post all about how to create a magical bonfire for your kids.

89. Set up an outdoor bowling lane

Bowling outside is a super fun summertime activity for kids. All you need is a few plastic pins (or water bottles!), a heavy-ish ball and a flat alley to set everything up (driveway or sidewalk works great). Bonus: teach your kids how to keep score and it’s a game plus a math lesson!

90. Make wind chimes

I just adore the sound of windchimes in the summer. And they’re surprisingly easy to make! You can make windchimes out of sticks, shells, old silverware, stones, glass or anything else you can think of! My kids and I made some beautiful windchimes from all the treasures we found on the beach last year (shells, driftwood, chunks of sand dollars, etc.). It’s a visible (and audible) way to remember our trip.

@sara_mccarty

91. Watch a parade

Summer is a fantastic time to watch a parade! In the US, there are 4th of July parades across the country, which are so much fun to watch. Bring your lawn chairs, a big bottle of water and enjoy the bands, floats and candy!

92. Treasure hunt with a metal detector

If your kids are into treasure hunting, try exploring with a metal detector! You may be surprised how many cool things you can find hidden, just beneath your feet. And if you find trash (which happens), this is also a great way to clean up your area! It’s a win for the kids and for the environment!

93. Raise butterflies from caterpillars

Watching a tiny caterpillar grow and then turn into a butterfly is truly one of the most spectacular miracles of nature. Give your children a chance to experience this incredible metamorphosis themselves by finding (or purchasing) caterpillars and watching them change. Releasing the butterflies into the wild is a memorable moment they won’t soon forget. See our post on raising butterflies from caterpillars for more info.

94. Make a sundial

Making a sundial is a surprisingly easy activity to do with kids. All you need are 12 small items (stones or shells work great) to serve as hour markers and a large stick. Paint the rocks/shells and number them 1-12. Put the stick in the ground upright and use the items to mark where the shadow is at any given hour. Explain to your kids how shadows work with the position of the sun. It may take a little tweaking over a few days to get it just right, but this is a great summertime science lesson!

@kmphotographytn

95. Take underwater photos

Underwater photography is all the rage these days! And it’s easy to see why with so many fun and incredible underwater shots! You don’t need a super fancy camera to get these shots either! Use a Go Pro if you have one, an iPhone with a waterproof case or try a disposable underwater camera! Take photos of your kids swimming, playing, and making silly faces underwater. Then let them have a turn taking the photos!

96. Create a treasure hunt

Have your kids come up with their very own treasure hunt in your backyard, neighborhood or local park. They’ll need to choose their treasure, figure out how/where to hide it, come up with a map and any clues they want to give. This is a great way for them to work on orienteering, map skills and thinking analytically for clues.

97. Learn how to play bocce ball

Bocce ball is a really fun game that the entire family can play, nearly anywhere you’ve got some open grass (there are bocce courts, but that’s not really necessary). The concept of the game is to get your bocce balls the closest to the white ball (which is the target). The four balls closest to the target are scored. Or, you can do like us and just make up your own rules as you go along! Either way, it’s fun!

98. Set up a course & have a remote control car race

Test your kids’ creativity and speed by having them create a race track for remote control cars! My kids love the off-roading cars that can go through puddles, off the curbs and through the grass. Their race tracks involve going all around our neighborhood, down the street, around the houses and through a few yards!

@laurakimbrown

99. Minibeast (bug) hunt

The insects are definitely out in full force during the summer months. Take advantage of the situation by going on a bug hunt! See how many bugs you can find! Kids love finding worms, caterpillars, ladybugs, grasshoppers, dragonflies, centipedes, butterflies, and fireflies! Take a photo of each or sketch them in your nature journal. If your kids are scared of creepy-crawlies (or you are), here’s some great info on how to get over your fear of nature.

100. Explore an area using a map & compass

Knowing how to read a map is an important skill for all kids to learn. Choose an area that’s unfamiliar to your child, print out (Google maps) or draw a map of the area and teach them how to use the map to get to a certain destination. X marks the spot! Teach them directions and how to use landmarks. If you want to get extra technical, try using a compass to determine your direction. Here are some tips for teaching kids how to read maps.

101. Outdoor finger painting

Summer is a great time to let your kids get messy! (because you can always just hose them off before they come inside!) Try letting your kids do some fun fingerpainting this summer. Use poster board or a giant sheet for a canvas. Or let them paint the sidewalks. Washable paints are non-toxic and come off easily with some water.

102. Jump on a trampoline

Trampolines are so much fun for kids, no matter what the season! Take advantage of the summer sun and heat to add some fun to your traditional trampoline jumping. Turn a sprinkler on over the trampoline or add water balloons (or water beads)! Set up twinkle lights in the yard and jump into the evening. Here are 30+ trampoline games and activities for kids to keep them entertained for hours!

@corihenderson

What’s on your summer outdoor activity list?
NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PRINTABLES, WINTER
Outdoor Learning: Winter Words Scavenger Hunt
- March 2, 2018
Today, I’m thrilled to share a fun outdoor learning activity created by Tara Rondinelli of Little Pine Learners. Tara has been an early childhood educator (K thru 3rd grade) for over 10 years and is mom to two adorable boys. She believes learning should be hands-on, fun and outdoorsy, if possible! She has an amazing talent for coming up with new and fun ways to get kids learning outdoors and incorporating natural materials into the classroom setting.

I absolutely adore Tara’s clever ideas and find her passion for outdoor learning inspiring! I’m honored to have her here sharing this awesome winter words scavenger hunt that you can easily do with your kids at home this winter, no matter what the weather. I hope she’ll be back soon to share more educational activities with us, but in the meantime, if you need some additional inspiration or ideas for other outdoor learning activities, be sure to check out her shop, blog and social media sites (listed below).

Take Learning Outdoors

As parents, it can sometimes be difficult to think of new, fun and engaging ways to support our children’s learning at home. Many of us have some not-so-fond memories of sitting at the kitchen tables doing homework, while we longingly stared outside. Learning is often associated with being inside and boring, while being outside is fun and adventurous. But it doesn’t have to be one or the other. What if I told you that it’s possible to meet the academic needs and interests of our children, while spending quality time outdoors having fun?

That’s what we’re all about! Taking educational activities outside is a great way to make learning fun and make outdoor time educational. The winter word search activity that I am going to share with you today offers a fun and hands-on way for children to learn basic seasonal vocabulary words and expand their knowledge of the seasonal differences in the natural world.

Benefits of learning outdoors

First of all, there are incredible benefits of taking children outdoors to learn. Learning outdoors is active and increases students’ physical, mental and social health. Outdoor education and play support emotional, behavioral and intellectual development. Most children learn better by using their senses, and outdoor environments provide wonderful hands-on experiences in nature. Outdoor environments also naturally inspire children to be more physically active, which decreases stress and anxiety, helps elevate mood, and helps with emotion.

Many experts have documented that when children are allowed time outside, they are given the opportunity to:
- connect with nature;
- burn off extra energy;
- develop leadership skills;
- increase attention span;
- develop muscle strength;
- increase problem solving skills;
- increase creative thinking;
- decrease hyperactivity; and
- develop empathy.
Winter words scavenger hunt

There are so many wonderful ways to incorporate academics into an outdoor setting. From writing with natural objects to telling nature stories with sticks and stones, I have so much fun coming up with new and creative ways to teach my kids while outdoors. Whether indoors or outdoors, my boys love to search for objects and be challenged with a finding game. I thought it would be fun to incorporate their love for seeking with a way to learn about the winter season and words associated with this time of year.

For this winter words scavenger hunt, I hide clothespins labeled with winter words in our backyard. I included objects that are easy to find during winter, like sticks and rocks. I also included words associated with wintertime, like snow and icicle. My older son collected the clothespins and colored the pictures on his recording sheet as he found each one (fine motor skills). He had so much fun searching high and low and running around looking for the words. A couple of clothespins were difficult for him to grab due to the uneven landscape and slippery snow, so he had to really focus and problem solve on how to collect them (problem-solving skills). We also discussed the words and used them in a sentence as he found them (textual usage and vocabulary).

Expand the learning

After he located all of the clothespins, we searched for the real objects in nature. We were lucky enough to find nine out of ten words! Learning in the outdoor environment gave us the direct experience of interacting with nature, so we were also able to describe the objects that we found in detail. For example, we decided the icicles were “cold” and “sharp.” The animal tracks we found were “deep” and “little.” He posed many questions as we were looking at the objects, which I recorded for us to research at a later time. We finished our outdoor activity by writing a story that included some of his new vocabulary words. It is so interesting to hear the stories this little guy comes up with. They are too cute and always loaded with information.

How can I try it at home?

This exercise is great because you can try it out during all four seasons. Plus, there are so many various ways to incorporate learning into the activity. If you want to try it out for yourself, it’s easy to create. All you need is a few printed pictures of natural items that you can find during winter in your area, some clothespins and a clipboard. If you like our list, you can find a digital download of the printable materials HERE (winter) and a bundle with all four seasons HERE.

I hope you and you little nature lover give this activity a try and enjoy it as much as we do!

Tara Rondinelli is an early childhood educator and nature schooling momma of two young boys. She is a blogger and creator of nature inspired resources for classroom, homeschool, and outdoor educators. She lives in Wisconsin and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Alverno College and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction (ECE) from University Wisconsin- Milwaukee. You can find her and Little Pine Learners at any of the online locations below.

Teachers Pay Teachers Store – Little Pine Learners
Instagram: @LittlePineLearners
Facebook: Little Pine Learners

Photo credit: Little x Little Photography
BIKE, FAVORITE GEAR, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Gear Review: Burley Minnow Bike Trailer
- November 17, 2017
This post was sponsored by Burley. Bike trailer was provided as post compensation and for review purposes. All opinions expressed and photos herein belong to the author.

Biking with the kids is quickly becoming one of our family’s favorite ways to spend time together outdoors. We are lucky to live in an area with some incredible state and local parks full of beautiful bike trails. The fresh air and exercise feel fantastic, but getting the entire family out on the trails is never easy.

Our kids are as different as they can be. The 5 year-old is all wild unbridled energy. He rides his own bike and expects us to keep up with him. The 3 year-old, on the other hand, is like molasses sometimes. She takes her sweet time and would much rather twirl around and pick wildflowers than get anywhere in a hurry. She has little to no interest in riding a bike right now and is certainly not ready for any lengthy family bike rides. We’ve been looking for the best way to include her in our rides in the most efficient, cost-effective and whine-free way possible. Which is why we love our Burley Minnow bike trailer.

Benefits of a bike trailer

While being outdoors with your kids and getting fresh air and exercise are all amazing benefits to biking with kids, having a bike trailer offers benefits beyond the obvious. Here a few of our favorite things about using a bike trailer when biking with kids:
- Storage – Most bike trailers have a cargo area in the back to store a backpack, groceries, diaper bag, toys, camera, small cooler or whatever gear and supplies you need for your biking adventure. We tend to overpack on outings with the kids, so without a storage area, we’d have to purchase a separate storage basket for our bikes or pack everything in a backpack we wear during the ride.
- Safety – I don’t claim to be an expert bike rider, so having a bike trailer behind the bike, as opposed to a large toddler in a bike-mounted seat, feels much safer to me. Bike trailers are much sturdier and less likely to tip over the adult’s bike. Plus, good bike trailers have a durable roll-cage and 5-point harness to keep children secure.
- Longevity – Bike trailers can be used for years and can accommodate kids and cargo up to about 100 pounds. This means kids can ride in a trailer for a much longer time than they can fit in a mounted seat.
- Weather-protection – While we don’t ever plan on biking through rain or storms, bike trailers offer a level of weather protection that bike-mounted seats or tow bars don’t. Lots of bike trailers have water resistant covers to protect from wind, rain and/or snow. You can even get a separate Amazon that will keep little ones (up to 2) snuggly and warm.
- Stroller option – Some bike trailers also offer the option of converting in to a stroller, jogger or even a sled!! Depending on what you want (and how much you want to spend), there are a lot of options out there for whatever outdoor needs you have.
Features and specs of the Burley Minnow

If you’re looking at adding a bike trailer to your family outings, check out the Burley Minnow. It’s the newest trailer in the Burley line-up and perfect for families looking to haul around one kid and some gear. Here are few features and specs that we love about the Minnow:
- Single-seat – While Burley does make a number of other trailers that accommodate more than one kid, the Minnow seats one and that’s all we needed. This single-seater is perfect for our 3 year-old and will last a few years until she’s ready for rides on her own.
- Safe – The Minnow has a full aluminum roll cage, 5-point harness system and passes rigorous Burley Standard durability testing. It comes with a safety flag, reflectors and UV protection on the tinted windows.
- Smooth ride – While I haven’t actually sat back there myself to personally test it out, both kids have tried it and love it. They both said it’s comfortable, not too bumpy and lots of fun.
- Storage – The Minnow has a ton of storage space. There’s a spacious rear-cargo area large enough for a full back-pack and my camera bag. Plus, there’s upfront storage for water bottles, keys, phone, snacks, etc.
- Infant seat accessory – I love that Burley offers a separate infant seat (Amazon) that you can use to secure babies 3-12 months old. While I was certainly not expecting anyone but Mim to get use out of this trailer, turns out that it will be the perfect biking accessory to have when baby #3 gets old enough to be able to go on biking outings with us. Although, be advised that the baby seat should only be used on trailers that have stroller option if your child is less than 12 months old. When towing behind a bike, baby needs to be able to sit up unassisted and wear a helmet.
- Easy to assemble – The trailer comes nearly unassembled, but it’s a quick project. There are no extra gear or parts that you’ll need to order or purchase. It comes ready-to-bike and includes a hitch, tow arm and safety flag.
- Fold-flat design – The Minnow folds flat for easier storage and transport.
- Affordable – Starting at $215, the Burley Minnow is a quality, entry-level trailer that won’t break the bank.
Our Burley experience

We have thoroughly enjoyed having the Burley Minnow bike trailer as an option for biking with the entire family. My daughter calls it her “buggy” and asks to take rides daily! We bike around our neighborhood and to local parks and playgrounds. We’ve biked to a local farm to feed the horses carrots. We’ve even ventured out a few times to hit more serious trails. Having the trailer keeps the little one safe and prevents (so much) whining! She gets to sit back and enjoy the ride…maybe even take a nap! It’s also nice to have a place to store gear and supplies while we’re out. Even small items like water bottles and Goldfish car be a hassle to carry. It was a breeze to assemble and takes no time at all to hook up to our bikes whenever we’re ready for a ride.

Find Burley online

Burley was started nearly 35 years ago in Eugene, Oregon. They’ve built a reputation for safe, durable products. The name Burley is synonymous with “bicycle trailer.” They’re known around the world for recreational transport gear that sets the standard for safety, durability and thoughtful design. While they’ve continued to perfect the bicycle trailer, the product line has grown to include multi-functional child carriers, jogging strollers and balance bikes. To shop Burley products and/or get more biking inspiration, you can find them online:

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Anyone else use/have a bike trailer?