Nowadays, kids are stuck with their smartphones and tablets. Get them to be active no matter the season (not just spring or summer) with these games and other activities that will guarantee hours of fun and learning! Plus, they’re not so hard to set up.
1) Water balloon games
Fill up several balloons with water and tie up the ends. Perfect for water balloon throwing challenge, balloon stomp, blindfold water balloon toss game, laundry basket catch, relay games, water balloon darts, water ballon pinatas and several other fun games that you can ever think of! The only limit is your imagination.
2) “Simon Says”
It involves of a participant named “Simon” who tells the other players what to do by saying the phrase “Simon Says.” If “Simon” says something that doesn’t have that phrase and the player does what he says, they’re out of the game. This popular and classic game also helps in building your child’s listening and attentive skills.
3) Scavenger hunts
Gather some items that are easily found at the park or even at your own backyard – flowers, pebbles and leaves, etc. Affix those items with names and have the kids to start looking for them!
4) Making “mud pies”
For a kid, nothing compares to the feeling of mud squishing between their hands and turning it into “mud pies.” It’s time to get down and dirty with this simple but fun nature activity! It also espouses your kid’s creativity.
5) Sand games and water fun
If you live on a sandy beach, you are quite lucky! The beach and the sea are your vast playground. Aside from the usual water activities, you can also get your kids into playing with sand. There are different types of fun activities using sand, such as making sand castles, sand drawings, making a “sand angel,” building a sandman and lots more!
Kids love the water, but remember to keep your eye on them as they wade through the shallow waters — especially on the younger kids! To keep them safe as well as provide them additional element of fun, check out 15 Fun Float Ideas for Your Pool or Next Vacation for cute water floats.
6) Making art pieces and décor using natural materials
Exploring nature doesn’t have to be done in a faraway forest – it can be done at your front yard or at a nearby park dotted with lush plants. You can make arts and crafts using natural materials that you’ve gathered from your nature walks, such as painting using different kinds of leaves or a collage using fallen acorn nuts. Have fun making Christmas decors using fallen pine cones that you’ve just collected from the nearest park, and sprinkle them with silver-colored glitter or polystyrene powder for the “snow.” These are the perfect activities especially during fall or winter.
7) Shadow drawing
Art doesn’t have to be confined inside the four corners of a studio, as it can also be done in the sunny outdoors! One clever trick to get your kids into art is to do “shadow drawing.” Place your kid’s favorite toy or object and see the shadows fall onto a piece of plain paper. The kids will trace the outline of the shadow and then start filling it by drawing faces and colors of their choice! This is perfect during the mornings or early evenings.
8) Fun fall activities
Outdoor fun should be for all seasons, not just summer and spring. There is a host of fun and exciting activities that you can do with your children as soon as the foliage starts to show the colors of fall and the air begins to feel a lot crisper. Collect some beautiful fallen leaves, fallen ripe acorns and pine cones and small pumpkins, then turn them into a beautiful “fall art,” autumn leaf collage, or a lovely “fall wreath.” Create and leaf maze or labyrinth in your backyard. Start a leaf-hunting scavenger hunt game. Or just simply rake in fallen leaves and create a mountain of them for your kids to jump in and play!
8) Fun winter activities
Most kids get so excited whenever they encounter the first snowfall – and that means it’s going to be a winter wonderland for them! There are many fun outdoor activities during the winter season: building a snowman, making a “snow angel,” snowball fight games, ice skating, sledding, building snow forts, making igloos, creating ice art, and so much more!
Having fun with kids doesn’t have to be very high-tech, elaborate or costly. Some of these classic outdoor games and activities have proven, time and again, to be a hit even with kids in this generation.
There are lots of benefits your children can get from doing outdoor activities such as getting lots of exercise, developing their creativity and promoting their social skills, among other things.
Some outdoor activities, like nature walks, can also ignite your children’s curious nature and their desire to explore more new things.
