Not only are these outdoor activities tons of fun for the kids, but they're educational and good for their physical and mental health. You can do these activities in your own backyard or during a walk around the neighbourhood or on a nature trail—it's up to you. But even if you only have a tiny outdoor space, you'll find so many ways to enjoy your time out in the fresh air with the kids.
WE HAVE ALSO WRITTEN APRINTABLE LIST OF 60 FUN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDSSCROLL DOWN FOR YOUR COPY!
You might also like to check out these other lists of activities for kids:
- Outdoor art activities for kids
- Indoor activities for kids
- Fine motor activities for kids
- Easy science experiments for kids
- Summer camp crafts
- Messy play ideasfor kids
What are you waiting for? Head outside with the kids now for some quality time playing and exploring all that nature has to offer.
Related - Activities for Preschoolers
Outdoor Activities from Messy Little Monster
We are big fans of getting outdoors to enjoy nature with the kids, so here are some favourite outdoor activities from yours truly.
Squirt Gun Painting
This Squirt Gun Painting activity is a fun activity that kids will love. Every painting will be totally unique, and who doesn't love the opportunity to use a squirt gun?
Colors of Nature Scavenger Hunt
Go for a walk (or into your yard or garden) and encourage kids to find and match colors with this Colors of Nature Scavenger Hunt. It's a wonderful way to practice color recognition while enjoying some fresh air.
Mud Kitchen
Making mud pies is a classic kid activity that's been enjoyed for generations. You should try it with your kids, too! Take some old pots, pans, and dishes outside to set up a DIY Mud Kitchen activity for your kids. They can make mud pies, stir flowers and leaves in water, and more. You might also like to get a set of our mud kitchen recipes to add to your mud play.
Nature Paintbrushes
Create some art with Nature Paintbrushes made out of flowers, leaves, grass, and other items you can find. It'll be interesting to see all the textures and patterns you can create.
Bubble Snake Blowers
How much fun are these Bubble Snake Blowers? This low prep activity will provide hours of fun for your little ones. Blowing bubbles is fun for kids and adults alike—I enjoy it myself!
Sponge Water Bombs
On hot summer days, these Sponge Water Bombs are an easy and fun way to cool off. It just takes a couple of minutes to make them, and then you can have a family water fight.
Bug Scavenger Hunt
Kids who love all things creepy and crawly will have so much fun with this Bug Scavenger Hunt. See how many you can scratch off the list! This is a wonderful activity for spring.
Painting with Water
Do you have one of those easels with a chalkboard on one side? Take it outside, cover it with chalk, and then let the little ones try Painting with Water. If you don't have a chalkboard, you could also let kids paint the fence, sidewalk, driveway, or porch with a bit of water. It's a no-mess activity that allows them to get lots of fine motor practice.
Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Paint the sidewalk or driveway in whimsical designs by your kids! ThisSidewalk Chalk Paintnot only look stunning outdoors, if you add vinegaryou can make your chalk paintings fiz!
Painting Kindness Rocks
Have fun collecting and painting kindness rocks. Kids will love heading outdoors to hunt for rocks and then using paint pens to create their own individual kindness rocks. Once their rocks are complete kids can hide their rocks in the local area for people to find.
More Fun Outdoor Activities for Kids
Let's not stop there! We've found a bunch more outdoor activities for kids that your little ones are going to love. They'll never get bored with this list of possibilities!
Wacky Walk
Make a walk around the neighbourhood a lot more fun with this Wacky Walk printable from Play Party Plan that offers lots of silly ways to mix up your walk. You'll also need a deck of cards, or you can just pick an option at random if you don't want to take cards on your walk.
Finding North
If you have a compass, head out on a hike with the family and try this Finding North Hiking Activity by Go Science Kids. It's more fun if you can find a trail with lots of twists and turns.
Climb a Tree
It sounds simple, but although we so often want to protect our kids, there are benefits to letting them engage in risky play. This post on 15 Reasons to Climb a Tree from Rhythms of Play explains the benefits, such as building physical strength, hand-eye coordination, and gross motor abilities.
Backyard Chalk Twister
If you have pavers in your yard or a cement or asphalt driveway, you should try this fun Backyard Chalk Twister game from Danya Banya with the kids. It's a great way to encourage movement and silliness!
Rock Maze
Make playing with toy cars a lot more fun by creating a Rock Maze. This activity from Pink Stripey Socks is easy to set up and can keep your boys or girls entertained for hours outside.
Printable Nature Journal
A Printable Nature Journal encourages kids to go outdoors to explore their surroundings scientifically and record their observations. The printable by Adventure in a Box offers 10 creative prompts for kids.
Backyard Dinosaur World
Gather rocks, sticks, branches, and dirt along with some toy dinos for this Backyard Dinosaur World from Glitter on a Dime. Kids can use the materials to build their own version of Jurassic Park.
Sidewalk Chalk Outdoor Math Game
Combine arithmetic and movement with a rousing Sidewalk Chalk Math Game from Look We're Learning. Work on addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division—whatever your kids need some extra help with.
What Lives in Dirt?
What lives in the dirt in your yard? Dig some up, grab a magnifying glass, and observe by doing this What Lives in Dirt activity from Go Science Kids! You'll be surprised to see all the tiny crawly things that never usually catch your eye.
Shadow Art
This Shadow Art activity from Rhythms of Play helps children learn how shadows form. Kids trace their shadows and paint them for a fun and artistic STEAM activity.
Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course
A Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course is a low-prep gross motor activity by Toot's Mom is Tired that kids will have a blast with. Toddlers and preschoolers will ask to do it again and again. Older kids can play, too, or they can help set it up for their younger siblings!
Rock Balancing Stone Stacking Art
Try this Rock Balancing Activity from Rhythms of Play. It's a meditative art form that doubles as a STEAM activity. It's a wonderful, calming activity to do with the kids outdoors.
Puffy Sidewalk Paint
You've probably made puffy paint before, but have you tried Puffy Sidewalk Paint? You only need a few ingredients to make this fun twist on a classic by The Best Ideas for Kids.
Telling Time Outdoor Clock
Make your own Outdoor Clock with natural materials. Using just rocks, sticks, and a Sharpie to write the hours, your kid can set up an outdoor clock like this one from Sun Hats and Wellie Boots in no time flat.
Outdoor Number Hunt
Hide numbers around the yard, and let your toddler and preschooler find them. This Outdoor Number Hunt from The Ladybirds' Adventures is a fantastic way to reinforce number recognition.
Frozen Ocean Sensory Bin
Do you have ocean animal toys? If so, make a Frozen Ocean Sensory Bin like this one from Natural Beach Living for the little ones to play with. They'll spend hours trying to figure out ways to melt the ice quickly to retrieve the animals.
Journey Stick Craft
Your children probably collect lots of souvenirs when you go on nature walks, but have you ever thought of collecting them all together in one spot? That's what a Journey Stick is! Kids can collect things like feathers, flowers, leaves, twigs, or pinecones during the walk, and glue or tape them to their journey sticks along the way. Isn't this idea by Growing Family just brilliant?
Cloud Viewer
Make your own Cloud Viewer to study the different types of clouds during a weather unit or just for fun. This view by Little Bins for Little Hands makes cloud identification so much easier. You may want to write the names of each different type on the back of the viewer to help you match the name to the picture until you have them memorised.
Scooter Maze
Here's a fun way to get the kids excited about playing with their scooters again: a Scooter Maze by School Time Snippets! Not only is it fun, but it encourages gross motor movement and coordination.
Fairy Houses
Building Fairy Houses is a magical, fantastic way to spend a few hours outdoors with the kids. This activity by Red Ted Art shows several different ways to make fairy houses out of natural materials.
Nature Wands
Speaking of magic, these Nature Wands by Laughing Kids Learn certainly look magical! Make them with sticks, leaves, flowers, and other beautiful materials found outdoors.
As well as this collection of fun and easy outdoor activities for kids we have also written a fun tick list of 60 outdoor activities for kids that you can print out. There is also a blank version for you to add your own ideas.
SCROLL DOWN FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS LIST
List of outdoor activities for kids
(where possible we have added links for you to click on for more details)
- Draw with chalk
- Make a fairy garden
- Paint with water
- Go on a scavenger hunt
- Play hopscotch
- Hunt for bugs
- Make mud pies
- Have a water fight
- Make art from nature
- Have a teddy bears picnic
- Plant seeds
- Make an obstacle course
- Dance in the rain
- Eat ice cream
- Make perfume from petals
- Run as fast as you can
- Kick a ball
- Blow bubbles
- Start a nature diary
- Make a rock collection
- Play tag
- Make a bug hotel
- Paint BIG
- Do a leaf rubbing
- Make a suncatcher
- Plant flowers
- Make & fly a kite
- Splash in puddles
- Measure a tree
- Make daisy chains
- Run through a sprinkler
- Wash the car
- Look for images in clouds
- Make a camp
- Make shapes from sticks
- Paint rocks
- Grow vegetables
- Make a bird feeder
- Squirt water guns
- Try a new sport
- Make a rock pet
- Sand play
- Make a scarecrow
- Dig a hole
- Identify trees & flowers
- Paint with ice
- Squirt gun painting
- Climb a tree
- Paint with mud
- Build a bridge
- Do some gardening
- Take photos of nature
- Toast marshmallows
- Draw & label a flower
- Make a nature wand
- Draw around your shadow
- Have a race
- Listen to the birds
- Sit & relax
DOWNLOAD YOUR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS PRINTABLE BELOW
To download these printable list for free click on the link below and use the discount code- outdoor. For personal or classroom use only. Not for redistribution. All images are copyrighted. Thank you.
