Getting outside for fresh air and family time can be challenging, but it’s always worth the effort. Not only does outdoor play strengthen family bonds, but research also shows that it boosts overall wellness for both kids and adults. And the best part? You don’t need to spend a dime to have fun outdoors!
If you’re looking for fun, free outdoor activities for kids, you’re in the right place. We’ve spent over a decade gathering feedback from parents and testing these ideas ourselves to bring you the ultimate list of free, screen-free activities that will keep your kids entertained all year long.
Whether you’re enjoying a sunny day or bundling up for cold-weather fun, these budget-friendly ideas are guaranteed to get your family moving. Plus, they’re perfect for kids of all ages!
Start exploring our top picks for outdoor fun below, and don’t forget to check out our complete list of 100 Fun Things To Do At Home With Kids for even more inspiration.
Classic Outdoor Games
Looking for timeless fun that requires little to no equipment? These classic outdoor games for kids are perfect for getting everyone moving and laughing. From hopscotch to hide & seek, these games are easy to set up and will keep kids entertained for hours. Best of all, they’re free and can be played all year long!
Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a timeless game that’s as fun as it is easy to set up. Do you remember the rules from when you were a kid? It’s as simple as chalk, a stone, and hopping around on one foot—but if you’re unsure, don’t worry!
Check out the official Hopscotch rules along with some fun variations to keep things interesting. Best of all, Hopscotch is a low-cost, no-equipment activity that keeps kids active year-round, making it a perfect free outdoor game for any season.
Flashlight Games
Flashlights aren’t just for power outages or camping – they can transform ordinary nights into exciting adventures! From classic games like flashlight tag to creative activities like light painting or shadow puppet charades, the possibilities are endless. Whether your kids are explorers, artists, or just love having fun in the dark, flashlight games are a perfect way to engage their imagination while playing outside after sunset.
For more ideas, check out 25 Best Flashlight Games For Kids. You’ll find a range of games that will get your kids moving, laughing, and learning, from catch the light to flashlight freeze!
Outdoor Hide & Seek
Hide and Seek is one of the most fun games for kids, and it’s even better when played outside! One player covers their eyes and gives the other players 30 seconds to hide. After 30 seconds, they’re coming for you!
Tag
There are so many ways to play tag!
- Shadow Tag: Players decide one person to be “it.” The “it” person must run around and jump on another player’s shadow, making them the new “it.”
- Flashlight Tag: On a warm summer night, bring out your flashlights and play flashlight tag, shadow charades, catch the light, or flashlight limbo, or have a flashlight disco party! Shop flashlights at Farm & Fleet >>
- Freeze Tag: One player is It. When a player is tagged, they must remain frozen in place. They can be unfrozen if they’re tagged by a non-It player.
- Tunnel Tag: One player is It. When a player is tagged, they must remain frozen in place, with their legs wide apart, creating a tunnel. They can be unfrozen if a non-It player crawls under the leg tunnel.
- Bandaid Tag: One player is It. When a player is tagged they put a hand (as a “band-aid”) over the spot where It touched them. When they are tagged a second time, they places the other hand on the new spot. When they are tagged a third time, they becomes It.
- Stuck in The Mud Tag: Players pick someone to be “it.” They get five seconds to run away from whoever is “it.” The “it” person must run and tag everyone to win the game. When the “it” person tags a player, the player gets stuck in the mud and can’t move. To save players who are stuck, other players can crawl through their legs to free them.
Simon Says
The leader gives simple commands starting with “Simon Says”. If they don’t say Simon Says, that others should not follow the command, and it they do, they’re out!
Red Light Green Light
Another fun way to keep your little ones active is with the game “Red Light Green Light”. One person is chosen to be the traffic light and they stand a good distance away from the other players with their back to them. The other players stand in a line facing It. When It calls ‘Green Light,’ the other players move towards him until he spins around, calling ‘Red Light’. If the other players move on a red light, they’re out! This game is meant especially for younger kids.
Sly Fox
One player is chosen to be the Fox, and faces away from the rest of the players. The other players sneak up gradually on the Fox and aim to touch their back before they turn around to catch them. Before the Fox can turn around, they must count to 10 under their breath or out loud as fast or slowly as they like. When the Fox turns around all the other players must ‘freeze’. If the Fox spots a player moving, or falling over, that player must return to the starting point again.
Sidewalk Chalk Activities
Unleash your child’s creativity with sidewalk chalk! Not only is it a fun, inexpensive outdoor activity, but it also helps children develop fine motor skills and encourages imaginative play. From classic games like tic-tac-toe to more artistic activities like family murals and chalk painting, the possibilities are endless.
For even more ideas, check out our latest post: 25 Fun Sidewalk Chalk Ideas Your Kids Will Love
I spy
Play this classic game the next time you’re bored. Say “I Spy with my little eye something…” and then choose a color or clue. The other players can take turns guessing. Whoever gets it right can choose the next clue.
Water Activities
Beat the heat with these refreshing water activities for kids! Whether you’re splashing around in a water balloon fight or running through the sprinkler, these fun-filled games are perfect for cooling off during hot summer days. Best of all, they don’t require expensive equipment—just water and a lot of enthusiasm!
Water Balloon Games
Looking for the ultimate way to cool off and have fun in the summer? Water balloon games are always a hit with both younger and older kids! Whether you’re doing a classic water balloon toss, having a water balloon fight, or trying a balloon stomp, these games will keep everyone laughing and active.
Explore our 25 water balloon games for non-stop fun. And when the water battles are over, wrap up the day with some well-deserved ice cream! For quick and easy fun, we recommend these quick-fill water balloons—they’ll have you ready in no time.
Slip n’ Slide n’ Grab
Place random objects along the slip n slide. Try to grab them as you slide down! Is there anything better than a slip n’ slide on a hot summer day?
Water Blob
Get a clear plastic tarp and fold it in half. Duct tape the three open sides so that they are completely shut. Leave a small opening to fill up the blob with water. Once it’s filled, close it up with duct tape. Everyone will love sliding, jumping, and laying on your new water blob.Level it up by adding glitter or confetti to the water.
Squirt Gun Fight
One of the best summer activities is a classic water squirt fight in the backyard.
Water Pouring Station
Set out a large tupperware or bin. Place a variety of pitchers, cups, and containers inside of it. Fill the pitchers with water. (Add food coloring if you’ve got it! Careful to water it down enough so it doesn’t stain anything.) Your kids will love practicing their water pouring skills.
Sink or Float
Fill a giant tupperware with water and grab a few items from around the house. Ask your kids if they think the item will sink or float, and then give it a try. Next, ask them to go collect other items to test out. Have them guess the results before they test the item. Older children can write down the name of each item, and write Sink or Float next to it to indicate their guess. Afterwards, put all the items that sunk into one pile, and all the items that floated into another pile. Which pile has more items? How are the items in each pile similar to each other? It’s a good way to give your kids an early lesson on density.
Water Painting
Fill a bucket with water, and set out some paintbrushes of different sizes. Let your kids paint to their heart’s desire. They can paint the fence, the driveway, the exterior of your house, the bathtub, even the walls in your house if you’ll let them. Can they paint a square, circle, and triangle? Write their name? Write how old they are? Your phone number? A pattern of some kind?
Fill up a bucket of water and paint anything!
Splash Pad
One of the best places to go on a hot summer day is a local splash pad. Often they offer free admission, and there is usually a play are and picnic tables nearby to make a day of it.
Wash The Car
Is there a child around who doesn’t love to help with this job? Throw on your favorite jams, and get your vehicle sparkly clean with the help of your child. Clear out the junk, wipe down the interior, vacuum it out, and scrub down the exterior. You’re sure to find some long-lost toys!
Lego Boats
Fill up a bucket of water. Have your child build a boat out of legos or any other material they’d like to try. Can they build a boat that floats?
Outdoor Learning & Exploration
Turn outdoor play into a learning adventure! These outdoor educational activities for kids combine fun and exploration. Whether you’re on a nature walk, doing a scavenger hunt, or observing bugs, these activities help children connect with the natural world while fostering curiosity and creativity.
Nature Walk
Head out for a leisurely walk through nature. State Parks are an easy and affordable access point to walking trails, wildlife, observation towers, and more. A local nature center may be another option for you to do some outdoor learning. Make a goal to visit a new state park or nature center this year to explore the natural world.
To make it even more interesting, you can do a nature scavenger hunt. Give your kids a simple list of things you’d like them to find like a sparkly rock, long stick, pink flower, etc. Then send them on their way with the checklist and a bag. There are lots of inspiring versions of nature scavenger hunts online that will keep your kids busy for hours.
Backyard Camping
You don’t have to travel far to enjoy a memorable camping experience! Your own backyard is the perfect spot for a family camping adventure. Set up a tent, roast marshmallows, share stories around a campfire, and stargaze before snuggling into your sleeping bags for the night. Backyard camping is one of the best ways to connect as a family, all while enjoying the great outdoors right at home.
For more ideas to make your backyard camping trip extra special, check out 50 Best Camping Activities Your Kids Will Love.
Planting Seeds
Get your kids excited about nature with fun and easy gardening projects! Planting seeds and watching them grow teaches children patience and responsibility, while also providing a great opportunity to spend time outdoors. Whether you have a small backyard or just a few pots on the patio, gardening can be a simple and rewarding activity for kids of all ages.
For quick-start options, check out our post: 25 Fast-Growing Seeds For Kids To Plant Today (2024). These fast-growing plants will have your kids eagerly watching their sprouts in no time!
Bug Hunt
For a fun outdoor adventure, grab a mason jar and a magnifying glass and head outside to find some bugs. Maybe you’ll find yourself a new pet! It’s extra fun to do this at night to catch some lightning bugs. This is especially fun for younger children.
Leaf Rubbings
Collect the most beautiful and interesting leaves your can find. Later, put them in between two pieces of paper and use a crayon or colored pencil to lightly color over it. The leaf’s imprint will begin to show! Create patterns, frame them, make a Summer Leaf booklet, send them to friends as greeting cards, or design a leafy scene in a corner of your house that needs some love.
Stargazing
Get familiar with the stars this summer. Just grab a blanket, lie down, and look up! Level up your stargazing with a beginner’s telescope. It’s great for kids to start learning about the cosmos!
Arrange A Bouquet Of Flowers
Does your kitchen table need a pick-me-up? Gather some dandelions, pretty twigs, or other flowers and greenery from outside. Set them out on a tray with some jars and a pitcher of water. Have them pour the water into the jar, snip the flowers the correct length, and arrange them into a lovely little bouquet. It’s a Montessori favorite!
Build A Bird’s Nest
Ask your child for their help building a nest for your neighborhood bird. What do they think would make a good base for it? What would make the bird comfortable living there? What do you need to include so it doesn’t fall apart? (Something besides glue or tape!) Set it out with some seeds or bird snacks and see if anyone visits! Building a habitat helps build critical thinking and analytics skills, as well as empathy for other living creatures.
Nature Cutting Tray
Gather some outdoor nature items from around your yard and place them in a bucket or on a tray. Have your kids practice their cutting skills!
Dirt Writing
Find the perfect writing stick. One that’s sturdy with a fairly pointy tip, and just the right length. Find some dirt to write in! Write the alphabet. Write your name. Write a sweet message to a loved one. Just write!
Adopt A Tree
Head out to the backyard or for a walk (keeping a safe distance from others) and find your lucky tree. It can even be a bush or a an old stump! Once you decide on a tree, get better acquainted with it together using your sight, touch, hearing, and smell to describe the tree. Is it alive? How can you tell? Can you tell what kind of tree it is? How could you find out? Do you see any opening buds, insects, holes where animals live, or birds preparing nests? If you have a tape measurer, measure the circumference of the trunk.
Check in on your Family Tree every so often to see how it’s doing. Take pictures of it every visit to see how it’s changed. Draw its portrait and hang it on your refrigerator. Write a poem about it. Start a log book. Give it a name and talk about it lovingly. It’s a family member, after all!
Paint Rocks
Rocks are perfect for painting! For a fun letter activity, paint one letter on each rock, and practice spelling out different words and messages. And, for a twist, heat your rocks up in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Paint the hot rocks with crayons. The crayons will melt into a paint-like texture immediately upon touching the rock. Careful not to burn yourself!
Mud Pies
Grab a pie tin or some old pots and pans, and head outside to make mud pie! Fill it up with dirt and then decorate it with pebbles, flower petals, twigs and more. The best part? No calories!
Mud Paint
Grab some containers you don’t care much about, some plain paper, and a handful of old paintbrushes. Outside, scoop a healthy amount of dirt into each container, and then add a small amount of water and good amount of food coloring. If you don’t have food coloring, this will be just as fun with plain old mud. Some recipes call for dish soap to help prevent stains in clothes, but it’s also optional. You’re ready to mud paint!
Sports & Physical Activities
Get your kids moving with these action-packed outdoor sports and physical activities! From soccer shootouts to jump rope challenges, these activities help kids burn off energy while improving coordination and teamwork. Perfect for families looking to stay active in the great outdoors.
Bike Ride
Grab your bikes and helmets and take a ride around the neighborhood or to a nearby park. Be sure to review bike safety rules before you head out. If you’re in the market for a new set of wheels, check out our guide to the Best Bikes for Little Kids to find the perfect bike for your child!
Frisbee
This summer, hone your frisbee throwing skills. Grab a bucket or laundry basket, and try to toss the frisbee in from varying lengths across the yard.
Jump Rope
Jumping rope is one of the best activities you can do for your heart, and it also happens to be really fun! Have a competition to see how long you can jump rope before tripping up.
Soccer Shootout
Set up two cones for your goal, and mark a ten foot distance, or any distance you choose. Dribble the ball up, and shoot! See how many you can make in a set amount of time. Get a real net to make it official, like the Costway 6’x4′ Soccer Goal on Overstock.com. It’s super lightweight and you can assemble it quickly.
Backyard Baseball
Place four large objects in the yard as the bases and play some ball!
Kickball
Set up four large objects for your bases, and have a pitcher roll the ball to the kicker. Just like baseball, try to get around the bases. It’s a playground favorite!
Seasonal & Weather-Specific Activities
No matter the season, there’s always a fun way to enjoy the outdoors! These seasonal outdoor activities for kids include everything from sledding in the winter to kite flying in the spring. Find the perfect activity to match the weather and keep your kids engaged year-round.
Sledding & Tobogganing
In the winter months, it can seem more difficult to get outside for outdoor adventures. But the cold weather lends itself to fun activities like sledding, tobaggning, snowshoeing, and ice skating. If you dress appropriately, you can easily enjoy your time outside in any temperature.
Apple, Pumpkin, and Berry Picking
In the summer and fall, take advantage of local crops and pick-your-own farms. Head to an apple orchard, pumpkin patch, or berry farm to get fresh produce right off the tree.
Kite Flying
On a windy day, it’s a good idea to take advantage of the wind and fly a kite! Here’s a classic rainbow kite for beginners.
Backyard Fun & DIY Games
Transform your backyard into a fun-filled playground with these DIY outdoor games! Whether it’s a cornhole tournament, giant Jenga, or a homemade obstacle course, these activities are easy to set up and provide hours of entertainment for kids and parents alike.
Cornhole
One of the most fun outdoor games is cornhole. This classic game will get you through the summer. You can even start a family tournament! Check out this classic, super-durable set from GoSports. A variation of this game is Paper Airplane Cornhole, where each player creates the best paper airplane they can, and then takes turns trying to land the airplane into a bucket or other target.
Egg & Spoon Race
Place a small object like a marble or egg on a spoon, and set up two cones or markers on either end of the yard. Each racer has to try to get from one end to the other with out dropping it! Use objects from around the house, or use the cute and colorful Hey! Play! Wooden Egg and Spoon Race Game from Overstock.com.
Penguin Race
Set up two cones or markers on either side of the yard. Each racer has to place a ball (the “egg”) between their legs. See how many laps they can complete in one minute. If they drop the “egg” they have to do 5 jumping jacks!
See all 100 Best Backyard Games & Activities >>
ABC Run & Find
Find a comfortable spot to sit, then tell your little explorers to run and find… anything! Run and find something that starts with A, B, C, and beyond. Run and find something that is a triangle. Run and find something they love to play with. Run and find something they can write with. Run and find a ball. Just run and find!
Climb The Ladder
Go grab the ladder from the garage and place a bottle on the bottom rung. Fill a bucket or laundry basket up with sock balls and take turns trying to knock it down. When you knock it off one level, move it one rung higher. How many throws does it take you?
Outdoor Scrabble
You can DIY this classic word game using cardboard and sharpies. You’ll need: A-9, B-2, C-2, D-4, E-12, F-2, G-3, H-2, I-9, J-1, K-1, L-4, M-2, N-6, O-8, P-2, Q-1, R-6, S-4, T-6, U-4, V-2, W-2, X-1, Y-2, Z-1 and Blanks-2.
Run Through the Sprinkler
In warmer months, there’s nothing more refreshing than a free run through the sprinkler. For a variation on this classic summer activity, play Sprinkler Tug of War. Put one person on either side of the sprinkler, grab a rope, and tug!
Three legged Race
Tie the left leg of one person to the right leg of another person and see how fast you can get across the yard!
Bubbles!
POP! Bubbles make everything more fun. My kids LOVE this machine. Turn your backyard into a magical land of bubbles with this lightweight and durable bubble machine.
Keep It Up
Keep It Up may be simple, but it’s so much fun! And it encourages cooperation and teamwork. Using balloons or a light bouncy ball, see how long you can keep it in the air without it touching the ground. Team members cannot touch it more than once in a row. The team gets a point for every touch.
Bowl Buckets
Bring some bowls outside and put a piece of paper in each one indicating how many points they are worth. Mark where each player should throw from and see how many points you can get in a set amount of time.
Horseshoes
Horseshoes is a simple game that all ages can play. Just toss the horseshoe to try to get a ringer around the stake! Get this safe-for-kids Hey! Play! Rubber Horseshoes Set from Overstock.com.
Bows & Arrows
It’s the perfect summer to perfect your archery skills. This beginner archery set comes with everything your child needs to become a skilled little archer: Hey Kids! Bow & Arrow Set
Backyard Playground
If your kids are little, they may love a play structure in the backyard, and you can easily watch them while you get things done around the house. This one on Amazon gets great reviews.
Freeze Dance
Bring a speaker outside and blast your favorite music. When the music stops, everyone freezes!
Human Ring Toss
Use a hula hoop to play human ring toss, or just have some fun spinning the hula hoop around your waist! Get the Wham-O Original Hula Hoop Set of 3 Sizes, to fit your kids of all ages (and you!).
Potato Sack Races
Use sleeping bags or potato sacks to race across the yard in this field day favorite! You can get classic double burlap potato sacks on Overstock.com.
Around The World
Bring out a laundry basket and set it against a wall outside. You can play H.O.R.S.E., Around The World, and Knockout – no hoop required!
Of course, it’s more fun with a real hoop if you have one!
Limbo
Put some limbo music on the speaker, and grab a pole, stick, or shower rod. Let the limbo games begin!
Wacky Catch!
Ask your child if they’d like to go play catch. Find an open space, and practice playing catch. Try throwing underarm, overarm, sideways, under your legs, and any other way you can think of.
Then, try throwing items besides a traditional ball. Can you spare an oval-shaped egg? What would it be like to throw and catch a wet sponge? A coin? A square pillow?
DIY Chutes & Ladders
All you need is some Sidewalk Chalk to create your very own game of outdoor giant Chutes & Ladders. Check it out on Pinterest.
Giant Dot-To-Dot
Choose a few colors of sidewalk chalk and draw an 8×8 grid of dots. The first player draws a line to connect two dots. Each player takes turns connecting two dots horizontally or vertically. When a player’s turn closes a box, they can color it in or write their initials. Continue until the board is complete, and see how wins!
Lawn Bowling
Set up some bottles and use any ball for a DIY version of lawn bowling.
DIY Twister
Right hand – Red! Left leg – Blue! Find out how you can create a giant outdoor Twister game on your lawn using paint. See it on sheknows.com.
Bocce Ball
Easy to learn but difficult to master, Bocce Ball is a family favorite in the summertime. Try to get your ball as close to the pallino as possible. .
Juggling Games
Try to juggle three balls at one time. Then, try to jog while juggling. It’s joggling! You can use any ball you have lying around the house, but if it gets serious, try these Multicolor Juggling Balls from Overstock.com.
Beach Ball Shot Put
Create a throwing line in the grass and throw the beach ball (or any ball) from there by “pushing” the ball in the form of a shot putter. Measure each throw with a tape measure and write the measurement. See who can throw the farthest!
Ladder Toss
Challenge your family to a game of ladder toss in the backyard. We like the Triumph Ladder Toss Set from Farm & Fleet because no tools are required to assemble it. It includes two tubes with transparent crossbars and six soft ball bolas (3 blue and 3 red).
Giant Memory Game
Use a Sharpie to write two of each letter or number on large pieces of cardboard. Then lay all the cardboard facedown in your yard and play a giant game of Memory!
High Jump
Find a big tree or a clear section of wall space outside, and make sure the area is safe. Jump and reach as high as you can. Use a tape measure to record the heigh of each touch. Who can get the highest?
Giant Jenga
Stack up the wooden blocks and remove the one by one. Don’t let the tower fall! We like this set from Hey! Play! on Overstock.com because the pieces are large, but they aren’t so giant that they would hurt someone when they all come crashing down.
Human Log Roll
Find a large grassy area of your backyard or local park that is free of dangerous obstacles. Make a starting line and have everyone lie down sideways on it. Roll sideways until your entire body crosses the finish line. Who can do it fastest?
Croquet
Croquet can be played by two or four or six players. The object of the game is to hit your ball(s) through the course of six hoops in the right sequence in each direction and finish by hitting them against the centre peg. We like the Triumph 6-Player Beginning Croquet Set from Blain’s Farm & Fleet because it’s durable and weather resistant.
Long Jump Competition
Find a grassy area of your backyard that is safe to jump around. Market a take-off line, and have everyone jump from that spot. They should bend their knees, swing their arms, and jump for distance. Measure each jump with a tape-measurer and see who can jump the farthest!
Ring Toss
Toss each ring to get it around a peg, worth different amounts of point. This classic game will be fun all summer long! We like the Triumph Wooden Ring Toss Game from Blain’s Farm & Fleet because it’s super compact and disassembles easily.
Washer Toss
3-Hole Washer game boards are designed with 3 holes for maximum scoring potential. You have three chances to score on this game. The Triumph 3-Hole Washer Toss also comes with six bean bags and six washers.
Nature Matching Game
Pick an item found in nature and show it to the group. The group has 100 seconds to find a similar-looking item. The person with the most similar item is the new nature guide.
Connect Four
Can you hear the 1990’s jingle in your head now? Bring Connect Four to life in your backyard with the GoSports Giant Dark Wood Stain Four In A Row Set on Overstock.com.
Outdoor Checkers
Almost any game can be adjusted for outdoor play. If you love Checkers, you’ll love Giant outdoor Checkers even more. There are lots of ways to set up a game outside. Here’s one tutorial from Americanlifestylemag.com.
Obstacle Course Race
Grab some cones, hula hoops, outdoor blankets, small stools, and any other equipment you could use for an outdoor obstacle course. Time each other running through. Who can do it fastest?
Football Toss
Perfect your football toss and hand-eye coordination with a football toss game.
Backyard Bananagrams
Use giant pieces of cardboard and paint or Sharpie to recreate the family favorite game, Bananagrams. Or, make a more durable version like the folks at Constantly Lovestruck.
Water Transfer
Take water from a large bucket and transfer it across the lawn to player’s smaller personal bucket. Players must use a spoon, measuring cup or other small container to transfer the water. The first person to fill their personal bucket wins!
Parachute Popcorn
Have each person grab one or two handles and place light ball and objets on the parachute. Start waving the parachute to make the objects pop like popcorn. Don’t have a parachute lying around? We like this classic parachute on Overstock.com because it has reinforced handles.
Outdoor Movie
Snuggle up on an outdoor blanket and watch a movie outside! Shop projectors and screens on Overstock.com.
Spud
You need five people to play this game, so the whole family should join in! Choose one player to be “it” and assign everyone numbers. Then have the person who is “it” stand in the middle of a circle, throw up a ball, and call out on of the number. The person with that number has to catch the ball and yell “Spud!” Everyone has to freeze when they yell “Spud!” Then the person can take three big steps towards any player and try to hit them with the ball. If they miss, or the player catches the ball, the thrower gets an S. If they hit them, the person who got hit gets an “S” and they are now “it”. If someone shouts a number that nobody has, know that this is called a “ghost number”.If a ghost number is called, everyone must rush up to the ball and touch it. The last player to do so gets a letter. For each letter a player gets, spell out S-P-U-D. If you spell out S-P-U-D you lose. The last player standing is the winner.
Give Your Toys A Bath
Gather up your child’s favorite toys (or any household items that need a scrub), and fill a bucket with soapy water. Show them how to clean and dry the toys. You could also do this with your outdoor balls and toys that have been gathering dirt all winter.
What Do You Hear?
Choose a cozy looking spot underneath a tree and sit very still. When your child joins you, explain you’re trying to stay as still as a tree for as long as you can. You might go through a few rounds of this, trying to go for a little longer each time. The goal is to awaken your senses to the sounds and sights in nature.
Afterwards, talk about what you saw and heart. Start drawing a picture or writing a list of what you observed. (On a piece of paper, or in the dirt!) Invite your child to do the same. Send your picture or list to a loved one. Challenge them to do the same and send it back to you!
Outdoor Yoga
Look up some basic yoga poses and head to the backyard for an outdoor yoga class. For example, tell your kids that you’re going to turn into a tree, tall and steady. Show them the Tree Pose, bringing one foot to the inner thigh, and palms together at your chest or above your head. It takes balance!
Creative Outdoor Activities
Unleash your child’s creativity with these outdoor art and craft activities! From chalk murals to painting rocks, these imaginative projects encourage self-expression and artistic exploration in the fresh air. Ideal for keeping kids entertained while fostering creativity.
Shadow Tracing
One of the best outdoor activities when the sun is shining is shadow tracing. Choose a toy of object that you’d like to trace. Position it in a way that casts a shadow on the paper. Trace the shadow’s outline, then color it in.
Fence Funnel
On an outdoor fence or wall, use paper towel or toilet paper cardboard rolls to create an elaborate funnel. Send a marble or small ball through the funnel, and see if you can get it to land in a cup.
Ice block treasure hunt
Grab small toys from around the house, and place them in water in a freeze-safe container. Then place it in the freezer until frozen. Pop it out and let your kids chip away at the ice to find the toys. You may need to let it melt awhile before they can safely and effectively chip away at the ice block.
Treasure Hunt
Hide a small toy or treat somewhere in the yard, and ask your child to help you create a treasure map so they can find where it is. Set out some cold coffee and a piece of paper and have them paint the paper with coffee to create an old, antique effect. Then, draw the route to the buried treasure on the map. Can they find it on their own? If they’re into it, have them create their own treasure map.
Geometric Chalk Mural
Place masking tape on the ground, fence, or any surface you are working on your chalk mural. Create geomatric shapes similar to a stained glass window. Color in the shapes. When you lift the tape up, you’ll have a beautiful geometric mural.
Plein Air Painting
Grab some paper and paint, and paint in the great outdoors! Paint the trees, grass, and flowers that you see around you. Paint your house. Art easels make this activity even more fun, and we love this Studio Designs Kid’s White Foldable Dual-sided Easel With Storage Tray on Overstock.com.
Cloud Stories
This is one of our favorite outdoor activity ideas. Remember when you were a child, how mesmerizing clouds could be? You could stare at them for a long time, finding new shapes and animals, watching them form and dissipate. On a mild day, lie down with your kids with a good view of the clouds. Make up a story about them!
Spending time outdoors is a great way to enjoy the summer, but bee stings can sometimes spoil the fun. Check out our guide on home remedies for bee stings so you’re prepared.
There are so many different ways to enjoy the outdoors. We hope you loved this list of fun outdoor activities as much as we loved putting it together!
What is your favorite thing to do outside with your kids? Email us at hello@mkewithkids.com.
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In 2013, Calie Herbst, a former teacher with three little ones, saw a need for a “One Stop Shop” for family fun in Milwaukee. So she founded Milwaukee With Kids. Her goal was to find the best this city has to offer families and share it with other parents. In one place.
In 2019, she published “Exploring Milwaukee WIth Kids”, a comprehensive Milwaukee travel guide for families and kids.
She appears regularly on WISN News, Fox 6’s ‘Real Milwaukee’, B93.3, and Wisconsin Morning News. She has been featured in Medium, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NPR, the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, and on CBS 58 News.
Calie is available for hosting, moderating and media appearances.