Are your kids screen free and you're looking ideas of things to do with them? Or do they use screens but you want to give them other things to do, ways to get fresh air and leave the house, and have a fun time while you're at it? Try these 10 inexpensive ideas sent in from a helpful reader.
The great outdoors is calling you to come and explore. Whether you are living in the city, suburb, or somewhere farther, there are plenty of things that you and your child can do outside no matter what the season is. People know that there are a lot of things competing for their attention nowadays and sometimes it can be hard to get them to go out. Sometimes playing on their phones and tablets games about nature are enjoyable for them than actually experiencing it.
Here are ten ideas that you can do to get your kids outside to play and explore!
1. Organize an outdoor play date with other parents.
Meet up with others in a park, river, museum, or lake, and take your kids with you. Allow them to interact with other children in a fun environment and let them find their own adventure there. Simply let them run, climb, or swim with you merely acting as a guardian, watching them from a distance to make sure that they are safe.
2. Give them tangible things that they can play with.
Fuel their creativity by giving them the right tools that they can work with. You can give them balls, chalk, sand, building blocks, and even chalk.
3. Plant flowers or vegetables
Build a garden in your backyard. Kids will definitely love the thought of being able to watch their own plants grow outside. It might also excite them that they can eat what they planted after some time.
Easy plants to grow are carrots, green beans, lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, and even basil. They are easily available in grocery stores and they are not that hard to take care of.
4. Do things that will challenge them like a scavenger hunt or a maze
A lot of children enjoy activities like a good scavenger hunt or getting out of a maze because it’s challenging and energizing. Sites like Mazeplay.com offer their services when you feel up to the task of making your own personalized mazes just for your child.
5. Go out on weekends to explore your town or city
Take the whole family out on weekends or holidays to explore new areas or newly opened restaurants. This can also be a good bonding time to spend with each other while the parents are home for the weekend. Go out to visit amusement parks or go on hiking trails and explore the outdoors.
6. Have a picnic breakfast, lunch, or dinner
You can do this in your own backyard or even in your patio. With just a blanket you can lie down and enjoy your meal with your kids. For added creativity, try to bring everything in one picnic basket. You can do this for all breakfast, lunch, or dinner as long as you are all in a comfortable place.
7. Volunteer to do something
There are a lot of ways that you can encourage your kids to help out the community like help paint the house, do gardening for older people, walk the dogs of your neighbor, help clean up litter, and so many other things. Not only will you make a difference in your community but you will also make another person or group of people happy.
8. Watch the sunrise and sunset
Let your kids experience the majesty of nature and let the sun do the talking. No picture or video can ever capture the glorious waking up of the sun to shine on the earth and its slow goodbye to bid people goodnight. You can do this by going to the beach, or even by getting up early to go on a hike and watch the sunrise from a high point in your city or town.
9. Gaze at the stars
Take your kids out stargazing and let them experience how the stars really twinkle against the backdrop of the dark night sky. While you are outside you can use this time to also teach them something about the planets, galaxies, and the solar system. Who knows you might be raising a future astronaut in the future?
10. Dance party
Invite other kids along and have a dance party outside. With just a speaker you can crank up the fun in a very inexpensive way. Allow the children to freestyle and follow the moves that their heart desires. Bonus tip: this is one way to help them out so that they will sleep soundly through the night.
Conclusion
There are a lot of inexpensive activities that you can do outside with your kids. You don’t need to shell out a lot of money for them to have fun. Just let them be their own creative selves and they are sure to have fun.
The great outdoors is calling you to come and explore. Whether you are living in the city, suburb, or somewhere farther, there are plenty of things that you and your child can do outside no matter what the season is. People know that there are a lot of things competing for their attention nowadays and sometimes it can be hard to get them to go out. Sometimes playing on their phones and tablets games about nature are enjoyable for them than actually experiencing it.
Here are ten ideas that you can do to get your kids outside to play and explore!
1. Organize an outdoor play date with other parents.
Meet up with others in a park, river, museum, or lake, and take your kids with you. Allow them to interact with other children in a fun environment and let them find their own adventure there. Simply let them run, climb, or swim with you merely acting as a guardian, watching them from a distance to make sure that they are safe.
2. Give them tangible things that they can play with.
Fuel their creativity by giving them the right tools that they can work with. You can give them balls, chalk, sand, building blocks, and even chalk.
3. Plant flowers or vegetables
Build a garden in your backyard. Kids will definitely love the thought of being able to watch their own plants grow outside. It might also excite them that they can eat what they planted after some time.
Easy plants to grow are carrots, green beans, lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, and even basil. They are easily available in grocery stores and they are not that hard to take care of.
4. Do things that will challenge them like a scavenger hunt or a maze
A lot of children enjoy activities like a good scavenger hunt or getting out of a maze because it’s challenging and energizing. Sites like Mazeplay.com offer their services when you feel up to the task of making your own personalized mazes just for your child.
5. Go out on weekends to explore your town or city
Take the whole family out on weekends or holidays to explore new areas or newly opened restaurants. This can also be a good bonding time to spend with each other while the parents are home for the weekend. Go out to visit amusement parks or go on hiking trails and explore the outdoors.
6. Have a picnic breakfast, lunch, or dinner
You can do this in your own backyard or even in your patio. With just a blanket you can lie down and enjoy your meal with your kids. For added creativity, try to bring everything in one picnic basket. You can do this for all breakfast, lunch, or dinner as long as you are all in a comfortable place.
7. Volunteer to do something
There are a lot of ways that you can encourage your kids to help out the community like help paint the house, do gardening for older people, walk the dogs of your neighbor, help clean up litter, and so many other things. Not only will you make a difference in your community but you will also make another person or group of people happy.
8. Watch the sunrise and sunset
Let your kids experience the majesty of nature and let the sun do the talking. No picture or video can ever capture the glorious waking up of the sun to shine on the earth and its slow goodbye to bid people goodnight. You can do this by going to the beach, or even by getting up early to go on a hike and watch the sunrise from a high point in your city or town.
9. Gaze at the stars
Take your kids out stargazing and let them experience how the stars really twinkle against the backdrop of the dark night sky. While you are outside you can use this time to also teach them something about the planets, galaxies, and the solar system. Who knows you might be raising a future astronaut in the future?
10. Dance party
Invite other kids along and have a dance party outside. With just a speaker you can crank up the fun in a very inexpensive way. Allow the children to freestyle and follow the moves that their heart desires. Bonus tip: this is one way to help them out so that they will sleep soundly through the night.
Conclusion
There are a lot of inexpensive activities that you can do outside with your kids. You don’t need to shell out a lot of money for them to have fun. Just let them be their own creative selves and they are sure to have fun.