Remember when you were young and played outside all day long? I do. I used to come home from school and put on my roller skates and I would not come back until dinner time and then after dinner I would go out again. If I wasn’t roller skating I was riding my bike. I had an ugly old bike with a banana seat and curved handlebars but I loved that thing. Many children don’t do that anymore and they are missing out. Not just on exercise and fresh air but a true appreciation for being outside.
Nowadays I have some parents emailing me that insist their kids HATE to play outside. It is a sad thing and as a parent I would be addressing it pronto. Here are six fun and green outdoor activities to encourage more time outdoors.
6 Fun and Green Outdoor Activities
#1 Host a scavenger nature hunt. Give children a digital camera and send them on a hunt for all things nature. For example, your list can contain items like dandelions, worms, a maple leaf, and a ladybug and so on. You can adjust the list of items to hunt for to the age of your children. If digital camera skills are beyond your little ones, then give them a pad of paper and a pencil so they can check off the items they find.
#2 Bird watching or stargazing. Looking up at the sky can fill hours of time and when you make it active, by looking for specific birds, bird habitats, constellations or planets, children learn and have fun. Both activities can be enhanced with a telescope or binoculars, but they can also be accomplished with the naked eye. Head to the library to pick up a book on birds or constellations and watch the fun.
#3 Watching bugs. Ants, bees, fireflies and praying mantises are fantastic to watch and children, for some crazy reason, like bugs. Children can learn about what bugs eat, how they interact and communicate with each other and how they benefit nature. They’re the bottom and the top of the circle of life.
#4 Go fly a kite! Flying a kite is 100% green and you can easily add a bit of a Benjamin Franklin lesson into the playtime. It takes zero energy, other than the energy you need to keep up with the kite, and if you add making a kite from household items into the outing then it’s a super environmentally-friendly outdoor activity. Who doesn’t love to fly a kite?
#5 Remember pet rocks? Those goofy items sold back in the 70s are actually a great outdoor activity. Using non-toxic paint, children can paint their favorite rock to look like a dog, cow, pig, monkey or whatever their favorite animal is. They can gather a collection of rocks and paint a whole zoo or barnyard. To keep mess at bay, lay out a piece of newspaper on the ground and let children create their masterpieces outside where it doesn’t matter as much if they spill the paint.
#6 Nature rubbings are one way for children to combine their artistic voice and an exploration of nature. All you need are some non-toxic crayons with the paper peeled off so children can use them sideways, paper, a hard surface and a bit of nature. Place the item to be explored, like a leaf or a flower, under the paper and on top of the hard, smooth, surface; then rub the crayon over the top of the paper. The image will come through. Children can create amazing masterpieces by rubbing a number of items on one page or they can add their own personal touches.
To enjoy more of the outdoors, check out this awesome post from My Kid Needs That. There are so many amazing things for children to enjoy and explore outside. It is shame that in this day and age we feel we have to help children along in this respect but it is well worth it.
Recommended: Let’s Go Outside!: Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature
I really like the idea of taking a digital camera on a scavenger hunt. That will really get my guy outside. We tried scavenger hunts using hand-drawn things to find – and that fizzled out after one try.
I love the idea of letting my kids play outside, wild and free. I know you do too! We live in a very “safe” area. Recently moved to a neighborhood with trees, a forest and a stream. Lots of boys my son (8) age. My son checks in every hour and all the families know each other and will call the other if theres an issue. Sounds ideal. Unfortunately, in the past couple of weeks, there have been 3 attempted abductions within 3 miles of my house. Its so sad!! Steal a car, break in a house but mess with a child is the worst! I think the answer is to educate your children. Be smart not scared! Fortunately, none of the attempts were successful because the children had been taught what to do.
ohh yes! I am so thankful for this post. I am so glad my daughter (who’s in middle school, no less) still loves to be outside and not with her nose in the computer or tv. But I do sometimes still have to help her figure out what to do on occasion when I hear the “I’m bored”.. line. (Which I don’t understand, when I was a kid, I was almost never bored unless I was being punished, lol) And my toddler son will love these ideas, especially the pet rocks, which I am excited to do with him. Thanks!
Nice post! Planting trees is also another great way to enjoy the outdoors, not to mention that it can do wonders for your yard!
Love the post, Tiffany.
Playing outside does seem to be becoming a lost art. I love the fact that you mention and discuss some of the simple, inexpensive and fun ways that kids can have fun. So much better than spending the day inside palying video games all day. Doing things that teach, help them create and help them discover the world around them is SO important!
I love the ’70s (which you mentioned a couple of times here) and I’ve written a book all about growing up back then called My ’70s Book! It’s a lot of fun remembering all the fun things we had and did as kids!
Keep up the great “mom” work! :)
Thank you for such an amount of lovely activities for children! I mean for my children too. As for me I was crazy about walking outside and playing with my friends.It was a real pleasure for me.As far as my children are concerned, They aren’t really fond of playing outside. They love computer games and so on. But I try my best to teach them to love another world of games. So I think that if the parents try to make the walking outside interesting and exciting, the children will love it. You’ll see!
I just started reading “Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv http://richardlouv.com/
It talks about Nature Deficit Disorder. I mention it because the back of the book has lots of great ideas for getting kids out in nature. It also talks about ADHD, autism, depression, emotional issues, child development and more. I am halfway through and find the book a useful read for parents and teachers. Has anyone else read it? Have you implemented any of the suggestions in the book? Are there other books along the same lines you suggest?
A bit of imagination and you’ll open a fantastic world for your children. These outdoor activities are so simple and so useful that I’m sure the children will love them very much. I’m convineced that every parent should do something to make the time that kids spend outdoors really interesting and full of unforgetable moments.