Playing outside used to be a favorite pastime of many children, but throughout the years, it has become lost in the world of video games and binge-watching television shows. If you have been searching for some amazing ideas to get your kids, and even you, outside for hours at a time, you will love at least a few of the ideas that we have come up with in our list of outdoor activities. Here are some amazing outdoor activities for kids:
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Backyard Movie Night
Turn your backyard into one massive movie theater with the help of a projection screen and, either your favorite movie, or a new release. Set up some comfortable chairs or, even inflate a blow-up mattress for the kiddos and add a few blankets. You will obviously need snacks to eat while watching the movie, so pop up that popcorn, add some candy to a dish, and grab some juice or soda to wash it all down. Then you will be all ready to sit back, relax, and have some fun while snuggling together. You can even extend movie time and watch a different movie outside once the kids are all tucked into bed.
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Treasure Hunt
There is nothing more amazing than watching your kids run around like crazy as they search for items during a treasure hunt. This is one of the best outdoor activities for kids, because it can be adjusted for all age levels. You can scale things down for the younger kids, while ramping things up a little for the older kids in the family. You can even choose to create theme treasure hunts, so that you can do them time and time again without anyone getting bored.
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Outdoor Games
It doesn’t take much to play a game of baseball or soccer in the backyard, because all you need is a ball and a bat or a soccer ball. Obviously, your kids may get bored if they are playing the same outdoor games all the time, so you may want to switch things up a little by adding a few new games every year. You may want to start with a basketball hoop, a volleyball net that can also be used for badminton, and even a bocce set. Of course, not every outdoor game needs equipment, and your kids might be very happy to simply play games like tag, red light-green light, and hide and seek.
Related: 8 Amazing Outdoor Activities That Can Improve Your Health
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Obstacle Course
Obstacle courses are so much fun, and they can even be used as outdoor activities for toddlers! Grab a few old tires for kids to scramble through, add cones for everyone to weave in and out of, and even place one end of a piece of wood onto something to create a ramp. The possibilities are endless with obstacle courses and the best part is that you can change things up as often as you want, so no one gets bored or too good at them!
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Water Fun
Now, we know that you cannot leave your children outside alone with water, but a little water fun is perfect for when you are all spending some time together as a family. Turn on the sprinkler to run through, attach the slip and slide to the hose for some running and sliding fun, or slip into a kiddie pool to simply splash around and have some laughs. If you are looking for variety, you can even fill up water balloons to toss at each other!
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Bug Hunting
Little ones love bugs for some strange reason, so turn this love into a fun outdoor activity! Turn over some rocks, dig in the dirt, search the flower petals, and check out fallen branches to see what lurks amongst it all. You and your kids will be amazed at how many bugs, worms, and butterflies you will find in the process. Of course, don’t forget to keep an eye out for birds, bunnies, and any other animals that may make their way into your yard.
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Picnic
No one ever said that you had to go somewhere else to enjoy a picnic outside, so why not take your blanket and picnic basket out to your yard. You can have a picnic at snack time, lunch time, or even at dinner and your kids will love every minute of it! In fact, a picnic is one of the things that most kids say tops their list of outdoor activities, as it is their favorite thing to do.
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Forts
You may see the word fort and think that this option is going to require wood, nails, and a lot of time and effort. However, you can always scale things down a little by allowing your kids to build their own fort outside. Their fort can be as simple as blankets draped over the top of a swing set. This is one of the better outdoor activities for toddlers too, because it will allow them to be outside without needing to be in the sun the entire time. Every child who uses the fort will find a million things to do in there, whether it is reading a book, taking a nap, playing with dolls or trucks, or having fun with friends and siblings.
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Art
Most adults think that art projects can get very messy and while kids don’t agree, they do agree that they love getting messy when they are creating something. Well, we can’t do anything about your kids getting messy while creating art, but we can help you keep the mess contained to the outdoors! Consider doing texture rubbings with leaves, paper, and crayons or make some pet rocks. Chalk art, painting on an old sheet as it acts as a canvas, and making a bird feeder are all excellent ideas as well.
There are plenty of other outdoor activities for kids, so use your imagination after you have implemented all the above ideas. You can even ask your kids what they think some fun options would be, as the more involved they are, the more likely they will utilize everything that you have in your yard. Whatever you decide though, just make sure to get outside with your kids and have fun together!
