10 Fun & Easy Outdoor Activities for Kids
Summary
- Enjoy nature walks, scavenger hunts, and crafts, fostering sensory and motor skills development in children.
- Create a mini-garden with your child, promoting executive functioning and fine motor skills, while also offering a learning experience.
- Get moving with activities like bike rides, park visits, and sports, which strengthen motor skills, social-emotional development, and executive function.
The weather is getting warmer, which opens up a whole new world of fun outdoor activities for kids! Nature is doing the heavy lifting on this one— all of these outdoor activities require little-to-no set-up. Just take advantage of what nature has to offer! So whether you’re welcoming spring, celebrating Earth Day, or just soaking up some sunshine, get outside and play these fun outdoor activities for kids.
1. Go for a Nature Walk
Walks like these are great for exploring the senses and working on communication skills for all ages. While on a walk, have your little one: 
- Touch the bark on trees.
- Pick up a dandelion and blow the petals off.
- Talk about what they see around them.
2. Create a Mini-Garden
Creating a garden is a great outdoor activity for kids that uses their motor, sensory, communication, and executive function skills! It’s more than just digging and planting; for this activity, you can:
- Take your child to a gardening store and let them pick out some seeds
- Find a nice area in your backyard that will get plenty of light and will be easy to water.
- Read instructions on the seed package to your child (this helps their communication AND executive functioning skills!)
- Dig holes for the seeds.
- Water and care for the plants all season long!
3. Try a Scavenger Hunt in Nature
Scavengers hunt are ready-made in nature and can help your child’s communication development.
- Make a list of what to look for. Some ideas are leaves, stones, and birds.
- Walk around your backyard with your child and see if they can find everything on the list.
- Have them talk about the things they find and point when they see something. For example, if they are searching for a sunflower, make sure they are talking about the color and size of the flower when they find it.
4. Play in the Sand
Allowing your child to play in the sand helps develop fine motor skills! They can: 
- Use a small shovel to dig holes.
- Use toys with wheels, like a toy truck.
- Build a castle or moat.
- Bury themselves in sand. This helps them feel their body position within the sand to use their proprioceptive sense.
- Write words in the sand.
5. Try an Outdoor Craft
Outside craft projects are a great way for kids to create and play while outside!
- Paint rocks with water colors or washable paint.
- Get out the sidewalk chalk.
- Try tie-dye!
- Look up craft kits or do-it-yourself ideas.
6. Practice Mindfulness
The idea of being mindful is to be present and to focus on where you are and what you’re doing. You and your kiddos can practice mindfulness by just:
- Sitting in a relaxed setting.
- Thinking about your breathing and what you’re feeling from each of your senses.
Doing this outside can create an even better sensory experience! Learn more about mindfulness here.
7. Go for a Bike Ride
Ride around your neighborhood or on a path or trail. Parents and kids of all ages can get some exercise, but always make sure to wear a helmet! Bike riding can also be a great independent experience for kids. Learn more about exercising freedom in during playtime.
8. Visit a Park
Going to a park can help your child get outside, while also learning so much in a public space! Outdoor interactions in public spaces can help with communication, social-emotional and executive function skills.
Go to a park and try:
- Flying a kite.
- Having a picnic.
- Planning a scavenger hunt.
9. Try out Different Sports
Some outdoor toys for kids that are sport-based include:
- Child-sized basketball hoops
- Plastic baseball bats and tee
- Plastic golf clubs
- Lawn bowling
- Small soccer ball
These help with all kinds of motor skills, as well as the vestibular and proprioception senses. Playing games helps with executive function skills, and can even teach children new words and phrases!
10. Build a Bird Feeder
Ok, nature may need a little help from you on this one. Building a bird feeder is a simple way to create something animals will love— and your kids will love watching them!
- Find a pine cone of any size.
- Put down paper towel or newspaper because it may get messy!
- Take the pine cone and put peanut butter all over it.
- Roll the pine cone in bird seed and then you are ready to hang it up in your yard.
Make sure to hang it somewhere that your child can watch it from a window in your house!
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