Whether they're making sand castles in a backyard sandbox, looking at stars or participating in structured games, children of any age will benefit from playing outdoors. Encourage them to use their bodies and minds to investigate nature, play Dodge Ball or participate in a walk for a cause, or plan a family hike to get everyone outside.
Activities for Pre-Schoolers
Most children of pre-school age like sand play, whether it's in a sandbox or at the beach. The Silky Steps website suggests adding some sock creatures to this activity for even more fun. Purchase socks in plain colors and add some creature features using foam shapes. For example, the site suggests gluing foam butterfly wings and antennae to a plain blue sock, or attaching white teeth, green floppy ears, and eyes made of green, white and black circles to create a brown sock dog. Help the kids spoon sand into the socks, then close them by tying heavy string or winding duct tape around the open ends. The Preschool Rainbow website suggests taking children on a nature walk. Give each child a paper bag, go for a walk through a wooded area and talk about everything you see. Encourage the kids to collect leaves, rocks, flowers or anything that engages their interest, or ask them to collect one item such as colored leaves in the autumn. Use the collected items to make a collage.
Activities for Young School-Age Children
If you like to garden, include your children as you prepare the soil and plant seeds or seedlings. Show them how to fertilize and water the seeds, how to weed and thin out growing plants, and how to create a compost heap from garden waste. The Family Education website suggests gardening activities for young school-age children such as starting seeds indoors using old milk cartons. When the weather is warm enough and the seedlings have grown, the children can plant a garden or sell their bedding plants. Stargazing is another outdoor activity suggested on this site. Lie on a blanket with your children on a warm evening and find constellations in the night sky, using an astronomy book if you like.
Classic children's games such as Hopscotch, Red Rover, Tag and Hide-and-Seek also are appropriate for and popular with this age group.
Activities for Pre-Teens and Teens
Plan a scavenger hunt for your pre-teens or teenagers. Confine the search area to your immediate neighborhood for younger children, or extend it for older kids. The hunt will be more fun with a group of children rather than one or two, although a solo hunt can be challenging if you make the clues difficult. Ask your neighbors to participate and let the kids find items in their yards or on their porches. The Disney Family website suggests dog-walking as a good outdoor activity for older kids. If you own a dog, give older children the responsibility of taking it for a daily walk. Otherwise, have them offer to walk the neighbors' dogs.
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