May 1, 2023 - Debbie Ide
By: Debbie Ide, Chief Executive Officer
With warmer weather arriving, it’s time to put down those phones and iPads and get everyone outside! Outdoor activities are easy and very accessible to all. Every community has great parks and trails for starters but push beyond the obvious. Time spent outdoors is good for the soul, and research has shown that children thrive physically and emotionally when given regular opportunities to explore nature and breathe fresh air!
Here are 30 ideas to get you started:
Go on a nature hike, maybe even play I Spy along the way
Go birdwatching
Create a scavenger hunt (think pinecone, acorn, feather, etc.)
Visit a local farm
Identify bugs and other critters
Go camping—even in your backyard!
Fly a kite
Collect rocks and have fun painting them
Visit a local garden
Draw, paint, or color wildlife pictures
Go swimming
Visit a local park to climb and swing
Have a picnic
Pick and press flowers
Play with water balloons
Draw with sidewalk chalk
Plant a garden
Look for shapes in clouds
Go stargazing
Blow bubbles
Use crayons to do leaf rubbings
Have a bonfire and make s’mores
Read books outside on a blanket
Ride bikes or scooters
Catch fireflies
Go berry picking
Play kickball
Go to a farmer’s market
Run through a sprinkler
Play games like cornhole and croquet
May 1, 2023, Debbie Ide