Get outside and connect is a challenge to get outside every day no matter the weather. We have a list of fun outside activities for kids and families to get you started!
Get outside in nature every day to take the time to connect with the things that matter most; your kids and family, the natural world, yourself, and, most importantly, take the time to connect with all that is.
We know how hard it can be to get outdoors on some days. Sometimes the hardest part about getting outside is gearing up and taking the steps up to get out there. Make a deal with yourself that you will get outside for at least 10 minutes. We’re willing to bet that once you get out there, you will want to stay a lot longer.
Sitting outside under an umbrella, overhang, or porch when it’s pouring rain counts–unless you feel like dancing in the rain and jumping in puddles, of course. Sitting in your house watching the rain out the window does not. Speaking of rain–we have a list of 20 fun things to do in the rain outside that the whole family is sure to love!
A healthy lifestyle is a gift you can give to your kids and share with your family for the rest of your life. Save children from nature-deficit disorder. You can start at any time of year. Pretty soon, you will realize that you have established the habit of getting outside every day. Get outside and connect with your family, yourself, and nature today!
Outside Activities for Kids and Families
Below you will find a list of 52 outside activities for kids and families that will help get you and your family outside connecting all year. There are things to do, things to learn, and places to explore that will get the whole family outside having fun!
Our world has become increasingly more plugged in over the years. Everywhere we go, we see more and more people lost in their bubbles–smartphones, tablets, e-readers, computers, TVs, cars, homes, offices–and less and less connection with ourselves, others, nature, and most importantly, God.
Even worse is what is happening to our children. Childhood obesity is at an all-time high, and they are spending less and less time outside–while screen time of all varieties is on the rise.
The most painful thing for me to see is a couple at a restaurant enjoying conversation while their child sits next to them plugged in and completely disconnected. I see this everywhere, and it hurts me inside. What happened to the importance of the family meal?
Research has repeatedly proven that spending mealtimes together makes a positive difference to the child’s psychological health.
If technology is such an advantage to our lifestyles, where did we go wrong? How can we reconnect with what’s most important? The answer for me was simple–get outside–period. No smartphones or tablets allowed–sorry. I love them and need them too.
We have decided to make this a 52-week lifelong challenge, and we want to encourage you to join us–Come on, it will be fun! The plan is to get outside and connect for at least 20 minutes per day, 365 days per year, no matter the weather.
List of Outdoor Activities for Kids
Use this list of 52 outside activities for kids to help you get outside every day, having fun and learning through play. You may also like this collection of outdoor learning and nature activities for kids.
- How to create a Nature Journal
- Spy on Squirrels
- Take Your Camera For a Walk
- Encourage Kindness to Nature
- Fun and Educational Shadow Activities
- Go on a Heart Shape Nature Scavenger Hunt
- Be Kind to Mother Earth
- Hug a Tree
- Take a Hike
- Bird Watching Activities for Kids
- Nature Sensory Bin Scavenger Hunt
- Walk and Balance on Trees
- Fly a Kite
- Search for Signs of Spring Scavenger Hunt
- Plant Sunflowers
- Investigate Worms
- Plant Spring Flowers
- Collect and Paint Rocks
- Make a Pledge to the Earth
- Nature Scavenger Hunt
- Go Fishing with Magnets Outside
- Observe Bees
- Search for Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt
- Pick Flowers and Make Suncatchers
- Go, Berry Picking
- Water-Wise Sprinkler Play
- Search for Signs of Autumn Fall Scavenger Hunt
- Have a Picnic
- Explore a Shore
- Build a Sandcastle
- Go Bouldering
- Visit a Splash Pad
- Play in a Creek
- Rock Balancing Stone Stacking Art
- Climb a Tree
- Search for Signs of Autumn
- Go for a Bike Ride
- Roll down a Hill
- Visit an Apple Orchard
- Go on a Nature Hunt
- Visit a Corn Maze
- Visit a Pumpkin Patch
- The Benefits of Outside Free Play
- Catch and Count Falling Leaves
- 10 Ways to Have Fun Outside with Fall Leaves
- 10 Tips for a Safe Bonfire with Kids
- Collect Press and Preserve Fall Leaves
- 20 Ways to Play in the Rain
- Make Shadow Art
- Human Sundial Shadow Science Experiment
- Rainbow Rainy Day Art
- Search for Signs of Winter Scavenger Hunt
Fight Nature Deficit Disorder–GEt Outside
Fight nature deficit disorder! Get outside and connect with your family, yourself, and nature today!
Care to join us? You can start in at any time. Begin your 52 weeks where you are. Let’s do this, shall we–ready–let’s go! See you outside!