In our highly automated, digitized world, kids do not spend enough time outdoors anymore. Back in the day, we had entire generations passing the ball outside, getting messy, learning about teamwork and participating in different fun outdoor activities.
On average, our children spend more time inside the house in front of the TV, computers, or tablets, having little to no idea what outdoor fun really means.
This is where the parents should step in. Plan a day with the kids outside, in your backyard, the nearest park, or a kid-friendly area, and embrace the genuine happiness feeling you will get at the end of it.
Today we will discuss five fun outdoor activities you can do with your kids that will also remind you how great childhood is.
Fun Outdoor Activities
Before we begin, we should all take stock of a few things to know before taking the kids outside to the playground. When you pick the outdoor activities to do with the little ones, make sure they also have an educational, cool, and novel flair to them.
Of course, taking them to an outdoor math class is not their idea of fun, and it should not be yours, either. The point is to keep the entire family engaged and entertained in a lighthearted manner, allowing the kids to make unforgettable memories while they also learn something new.
With these things in mind, let us proceed with the fun stuff!
1. Scavenger Hunt
Nothing beats a day out in the park or the woods. If the kids are young, a scavenger hunt is all they need to learn, engage in physical activity, compete, and laugh all day long.
Make sure you plan the hunt in detail. Give the kids comprehensive tasks and endow them with the proper equipment for the quest.
Make sure you offer the kids the opportunity to search and find some things, but also immerse in the natural landscape.
When the adventure is over, you can organize a picnic to talk about the things they found, watched, listened to, touched, or smelled. Moreover, you can entice them into creating different art pieces based on the scavenger hunt adventure (draw the flowers they have seen for instance).
This family adventure comes with great benefits for the kids, offering them the rare opportunity to learn naturally from experience, compete with each other, process the information, and have the time of their lives.
2. Kart Racing
You can channel the speed racers in your children (and in yourself) by spending a day at the karting circuit. A competitive sport in its rights, karting is fun, educational, and beneficial for the entire family.
Make sure your children have the proper age for this activity, and if they do, there is no stopping them in trying to become the kings of the tracks.
Karting develops kid’s motor coordination, attention and memory, reflexes, decision-making processes, body-mind coordination, and more. They will be incredibly excited about this activity, so you should expect them to demand some karts of their own to have at home.
If you do own a generous backyard, you can look for some of the best go karts for kids online and surprise the little ones. Family attractions are a great way to spend time together!
3. Pony/Horse Riding
Children these days do not interact enough with nature and animals. A pony/horse riding session – or even a horse riding summer school – is the best way to introduce children to a brand new world.
Make sure the kids are safe to ride ponies or horses and that you have a competent instructor by your side.
Many riding clubs and schools offer natural trail walks for families and groups. Some similar riding clubs have beach horseback riding and even competitive riding.
No matter what you choose, the kids will have the time of their lives. First, they will learn not to be afraid of animals or nature.
Secondly, the interaction with horses is beneficial, educational, and very emotional.
Healthy attachment to animals develops children’s minds and souls, teaching them a few things about nature, respect for the environment, boundaries, the good in the world, and much more.
Besides, horse riding promotes physical activity. Mommy and daddy may be a bit sore and walk a bit funny the next day, but children will only remember the great day they had with the ponies.
4. Adventure Trips
If the kids are too young to travel long distances – in a family vacation – you can scale things a little and propose a single-day adventure trip to a place of guaranteed fun and discovery.
While an X-Files adventure trip would mean planning a full holiday, you can find some places nearby to satisfy the family’s need for novelty and fun.
You can easily find adventure parks, aquatic parks, and many more. You can also profit from the surroundings and go hiking, visit the zoo or the botanical garden, take a road trip to a nearby town for visiting the important landmarks, and so on.
If you are looking for outdoor activities you can do with your kids that incorporate adventure a segway tour which many cities offer is a great option too!
As long as you are together and have a fun, chill day while laughing wholeheartedly, there is nothing to worry. You and the kids will love to discover, explore, learn new things, see new people, and have an entertaining day overall.
5. Outdoor Arts and Crafts
It is time to get messy and do not even flinch about it! If you have a backyard, the problem solves by itself. Come up with a project for the entire family to enjoy and spend the day creating art or building something with your hands.
If you entertain the idea of art, use washable paints, play dough, and other similar products to minimize the damage.
If crafts are your thing, you can consider building a fairy garden, a real flower/vegetable garden, a tree house, a new home for the family dog, and so on.
You can even organize a backyard car wash so that the kids can clean their bikes, karts, and scooters. Take things up a notch and spend the day organizing your backyard outdoor movie theater with all the trimmings.
Spend the evening watching movies of your choice. You have to remember that kids love to get creative and they are willing to work hard as long as they see the entertainment and coolness factor in the activity.
Moreover, you should ask them what they want to do outdoors, what trip to make, or where to go on an adventure. Getting kids involved in the entire process allows them to become more creative and more open to the idea of spending time outside.
