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We are always looking to have some fun outside with the kids, but we don’t always have a ton of supplies on hand. When we want to get the kids out and moving every day, here are some of our favorite things to do:
Bikes and Scooters and Skateboards, oh my :-)
We got both children bicycles for Christmas because we wanted to encourage them to get outside when the weather was nice. It was even warm enough here in December that we took the bikes out for a ride the day after Christmas. They also like to take their scooters out for rides. We have a little park close to our house, and it has a track around the edge of a huge field. It’s great for practicing and just riding.
Big Airplane
We got this huge airplane last Spring, and we love it! I saw another family with one there, and my son was fascinated by it. I found one the next day and we’ve been using it ever since. We take it to the field at the park and let it go. We even took it when we were babysitting our nieces. The kids can chase the plane or try and throw it themselves. Depending on how you place the tail, it can turn loop de loops or fly straight ahead.
Tag
My son is loving this game right now. We have two trees and our swing set as the bases. You can only stay on base for 5 seconds and you can’t base sit (wait really close by for the person to get off base so you can tag them). Lots of running and giggling and a great way to get energy out before dinner.
Stomp Rockets
I saw this in use when we were on vacation a couple of years ago. The kids love to jump and see how high they can send the rockets. We often do this in our backyard or deck, only to have the rockets get stuck somewhere high. It would be better if we used it in an open space, but we still have fun with it. Maybe we’ll start bringing it to the park as well.
Frisbee
We (as in me and the kids) are working on our Frisbee catching and throwing skills. It’s fun, but we must look pretty sad to others who actually know what they are doing. My husband is quite good at Frisbee, so he’s helping to teach the rest of us.
Nature Walks
We like to go on nature walks in our area. Sometimes we go to a local park that has a paved loop of 1.6 miles and we have such great times there. We’ve taken scooters there. We released our butterflies there last week. We’ve seen deer and chipmunks and all kinds of birds and insects. It’s so relaxing to spend time there.
Quests/Geocaching
When I ran a summer program one year, I had the campers do a quest. Quests are a fun way to work together as a family too. Check to see if your local area has set up any quests. For my friends on the South Shore of Massachusetts, check out South Shore Quests.
The Social Connection
The activities above fall into the category of movement play, which is a great way for kids to work on self-regulation, working together, and problem solving.
What do you like to do outdoors with your family?
