63 Fun Things to Do Outside With Kids

Kristy Pepping said:  Playing a game of catch is a fun way to burn off some energy, work on those gross motor skills and bond with a friend or sibling.

Sunshine Girl said:  This portable hammock can be hung anywhere - between two trees; stakes of a fence; bars of a play structure; or even sturdy poles of a backyard deck. Find absurdity in hanging out in a hammock hung someplace unexpected.

Shila said:  Safely throwing rocks into a pond and challenging yourselves to skip them, too, is a relaxing and fun way to play outside with kids. Plop!

Shila said:  Let's play ball! Fill up some water balloons and serve up the pitch! Cool off in the backyard and get some silly exercise too. Backyard water fun bonus: lay a tarp down - or use a backyard water slide - to help you slide on base!

Kelly R. said:  Have your kids make and decorate their own kites as an easy craft, then pick a breezy day to fly them around the yard!

Kelly R. said:  On a nice day, it can be fun to enjoy sitting and reading in the backyard, and I find that my kids tend to enjoy reading for longer stretches of time this way. Just set them up with some age-appropriate books that they can read independently at your outdoor table or hammock, or spread a sheet or towel out on the grass. Don't forget the water and snacks!

Kelly R. said:  Craft a DIY bird feeder (you can probably repurpose recyclables you have around your house), hang it in your backyard and enjoy watching the birds visit as you spend time outside.

Shila said:  Take your sketchpad outdoors and get inspired. Kids can sketch any outdoor object, though a keepsake of your family home could be a nice framer!

Shila said:  During the peak of summer, these docile bugs appear to fly in slow motion around us - and it's so simple to catch them with just the palm of your hands. Put them in a jar for a bit and watch their bodies illuminate up close.

Amy S. said:  Sun prints (also known as cyanotypes) are a simple form of photography in which you arrange objects on specially treated paper, place in the sun for a few minutes, and then rinse in water to reveal beautiful prints. You can use any types of small objects, but it’s especially fun to use intricate natural objects (feathers, leaves, etc.) to create your design and capture the memories of a special day spent outdoors.

Amy S. said:  This requires a bit of effort, so if you’re not handy (or don’t know someone who is), this project is probably not for you. But the finished project is worth the investment and a great addition to outdoor play. The plexiglas easel surface allows two kids to work from either side and observe or play off what they are making. As long as you use washable materials, clean up is as simple as spraying with a hose and wiping down (which is sometimes as much fun for kids as the art making is). From Fix This Build That

Shila said:  Even if you have absolutely no chance at all of actually catching a fish, just the idea of it can be fun for kids. They can use long sticks, hot dogs, flies, etc., to fish while sitting at the dock of the bay - or by a big puddle or a plastic baby pool!

Alexandra F. said:  My preschooler and I just discovered the PictureThis app, and we are obsessed! Just take a picture of any plant, and it will tell you its name, give a brief description, answer frequently asked questions, and provide other helpful and interesting tips and factoids about it. We are having so much fun walking around our yard, neighborhood, park, etc and quickly learning about the plants around us. The basic plan is free and super easy to use, and according to reviews and our experience, extremely accurate.

Lisa R said:  If your yard is like mine and overrun with clover and dandelions, then you have everything you need to make flower jewelry. I like to braid the stems together, adding new stems as I go, like a French braid. When I was little, I would make slits in each stem and thread each stem through the next. If you're all thumbs, you can cheat and use floral wire. My kids are too little to make the crowns themselves, but they are happy to run around picking clover while I do the braiding. It is a handy activity for when I just want to sit or if I'm talking to another adult outside and want the kids to stay busy in the yard.

Jaclyn Keifer said:  Thanks to COVID, I started taking the kiddos to the local nature parks more and I stumbled upon a beautiful, easy, and affordable nature study that was a hit for all of my kids (ages 1-14).

Exploring Nature With Children is a complete, year-long curriculum designed to guide you, step by step, through an entire calendar year of nature study. Completely self-contained, this book has all the information you need to make nature study happen regularly for your family.