20 Outdoor Activities for Kids

Summer is a great time to take the family outdoors! Here are twenty activities to keep you having fun in the sun. Don’t forget the sunblock!

1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt. There are a ton of free scavenger hunts to print on the Internet, or you can create your own.
2. Have lunch on a picnic blanket in the backyard. Or better yet, pack up your picnic and take it to a destination like a park.
3. Make a pool noodle boat and see if it will float.
4. Play with the hose. Or set up a sprinkler and let your kids run through it.
5. Bring your messy toys outside for the day. Kinetic sand, play dough, and anything with glitter becomes much easier to tolerate when it’s outside.
6. Build a bird feeder.
7. Freeze small toys in ice cubes the night before and challenge your child to free the toy by melting the ice cube.
8. Try some splatter paintings like Jackson Pollack. Or bring out kitchen utensils like a potato masher or whisk to be the paintbrushes.
9. Start a new collection. Look for rocks, flowers, leaves and see how many different ones you can find.
10. Make your own chalk paint.
11. Plant some flowers together and watch them grow.
12. Use your water table in a new way. Try adding shaving cream or bubble bath to create foam.  
13. Have your child clean their toys. You can get the toys extra muddy beforehand to make the activity last longer.
14. Create a windsock to watch the weather.
15. Paint with water on the sidewalk or use a spray bottle.
16. Play a sidewalk game. Chalk different colored dots on the pavement and have your child do a unique movement from dot to dot.
17. Watch nature! Lay down on your backs and watch the clouds move across the sky. Look around your yard for birds and keep an eye on the ground to look for bugs.
18. Make a simple bird kite to fly (third craft on the list).
19. Set up an obstacle course for your kids to run through. Use pool noodles, jump ropes, and hula-hoops for easy obstacles.
20. Play a game from your childhood. Some examples: Red Light Green Light, Follow the Leader, Mother May I?, and Tag.