No matter what time of the year it is, your kids will always want to get outdoors and explore! And no matter what the weather, there is always something fun to do! Remember, there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing! So get kitted out appropriately and embrace those outdoor activities for kids. Trust me, you’ll enjoy them just as much as they will.
And the best thing is, unlike many other attractions, outdoor activities for kids don’t need to cost a lot of money (if any at all) and they don’t need to be a mammoth trip that involves a lot of organising….all it needs is a bit of enthusiasm and some imagination!
Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing so you can plan your own family activities.
Games
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Simply draw on your own memories and recreate those fantastic traditional games such as rounders, hop scotch and stick in the mud. Or perhaps bring some craft skills in to the fun and make your own version of modern games, such as using an old bed sheet as a parachute (the kids can even decorate it!). Or better still, why not work as a family and come up with your own games, unique to only your family?
Local Landmarks
No matter where you live, you will no doubt have a natural area nearby that can host a number of outdoor activities. For example, if you live near a beach you can go rock pooling for a day, or have family races on the sand, or sand castle building competitions! If there is a forest nearby why not go on a bug hunt, or play hide and seek (safely of course!). Even if you live in a built up area you can create your own fun with an orienteering challenge through the local streets with a prize at the end!
House of Fun
As parents, we understand that it can’t be all play and no work. Sometimes chores just simply have to be done. But isn’t it better if the kids are on board and have fun while helping you out? Gardening can be great exercise as well as being able to spend valuable time together outdoors. Why not allocate gardening tasks in to family teams and have a race to see who can complete their chores first. Or perhaps who can pull out the most weeds in a certain amount of time? Even painting the shed together can be great fun! And of course growing your own veg together ensure that outdoor family time will continue on through the seasons.
Adventures
If you are more of an adventurous family then there are specific outdoor activities that may tickle your fancy. You could try camping, hill walking, canoeing, climbing/abseiling etc. There are many outdoor activity providers that offer a range of exciting and challenging adventures – it just depends how brave your kids (you!) want to be!
Fire Friends
Although outdoor activities are generally excellent for improving physical health, it’s important to remember about the benefits that the great outdoors has on mental health too. Emotional well-being is becoming increasingly more important for kids, as well as adults, and therefore incorporating activities that support this can be extremely valuable for individuals and families as a whole. One great outdoor activity is to enjoy an evening campfire together. It allows people to have ‘chill out’ time together away from the relentless speed of life and technology that engulfs us nowadays. It allows us to set aside a few hours to really engage with each other without distraction. It enables us to get to know each other better and encourages us to talk more which helps strengthen those important bonds and builds on trust and a sense of security within the family, which is crucial for children. Kids love a campfire (if only for the melting of marshmallows ritual that will inevitably happen) and adults love it too (if only for collapsing at the end of a long day and gazing up at the starry night sky).
So, what are you waiting for? Go and embark on your own family activities in the great outdoors and create some amazing memories!