Back-To-Nature . . . Fun Outdoor Activities For Kids
When I was young, especially in the summers, or on warm non-school days, there were many times when my sister and I played outside almost all day. Sure, chores had to be attended to first, but once they were done, we always found something to do outdoors. Whether it was in the park near our apartment in the big city or in the fields near our grandparents house in the south . . . outdoors was the place to be. And it just wasn't play . . . it was exploration, discovery and wonder.
Sadly, most children these days don't get to do that . . . and they're missing out. Not just on exercise and fresh air but a true appreciation for nature and our environment.
Here are five nature-focused outdoor activities for kids they'll have a blast with . . .
A "Nature" Scavenger Hunt
Outdoor Activities For Kids . . . That Gives Them An Eye For Detail
Give children a digital camera and send them on a hunt for all things "nature.' Depending on your locale, your list can contain items like dandelions, worms, a maple leaf, and a ladybug and so on. You can adjust the list of items to hunt for to the age of your children.
If digital camera skills are beyond your little ones, then give them a pad of paper and a pencil so they can check off the items they find.
Kids Digital Camera For Capturing Their Finds
Vtech - Kidizoom Plus Digital Camera - Blue
Rugged and easy to use, the Vtech Kidizoom Digital Camera is ready to document all your child's adventures. With two-eye viewing, grips designed to fit in little hands, and a built-in flash, this real digital camera can also shoot video. It also includes simple-to-use photo editing software so kids can add creative touches to their images.
Nature Rubbings
Outdoor Activities For Kids . . . That Sparks Creativity
Nature rubbings are one way for children to combine their artistic voice and an exploration of nature. All you need are some non-toxic crayons with the paper peeled off so children can use them sideways, paper, a hard surface and a bit of nature.
Place the item to be explored, like a leaf or a flower, under the paper and on top of the hard, smooth, surface; then rub the crayon over the top of the paper. The image will come through. Children can create amazing masterpieces by rubbing a number of items on one page or they can add their own personal touches.
For Works of Art
Display Your Children's Nature Art
Lil Davinci Art Cabinet 8.5" x 11"
Proudly display and archive your child's artwork in an instant. This unique art cabinet will display and store 50 cherished masterpieces. Simply lift the latch to open the door, push the artwork into the spring-loaded pocket, re-latch the glass door, and your display is instantly refreshed! Their older creations are stored behind their newest artistic endeavor. Proudly display each new (8.5" x 11" paper size) masterpiece with the greatest of ease and elegance!
Watching Bugs
Outdoor Activities For Kids . . . That Helps Them Learn About Community
Butterflies, ants and fireflies are fantastic to watch and children, for some crazy reason, like bugs.
Children can learn about what bugs eat, how they interact and communicate with each other and how they benefit nature. There many opportunities for kids to learn about the cycle of life.
What Kids Want To Know About Bugs!
Pair This With Some Outdoor Activities For Kids
Everything Bug: What Kids Really Want to Know about Bugs (Kids' FAQs)
Reviewer's comment: "Some kids only go to science books when they have to write a report. EVERYTHING BUG makes reading non-fiction fun! (My daughter took it to the couch and just read it because it was so captivating). The beautiful, enticing photos combine with the lively writing to make a fabulous read for anyone (current bug enthusiast or future one). It's not intimidating like some non-fiction. Just pop it open anywhere and find something fascinating. A great way to excite kids about reading science!" ~ Wendi Silvano (Grand Junction, CO)
Rock Painting
Outdoor Activities For Kids . . . That Develops Their Imaginations
Some of you may remember those quirky "Pet Rocks" sold back in the 1970s. Well, you can turn that idea into a great outdoor activity.
Using non-toxic and environmentally safe paint, children can paint their favorite rock to look like a dog, cow, pig, monkey or whatever their favorite animal is. They can gather a collection of rocks and paint a whole zoo or barnyard.
To keep mess at bay, lay out a piece of newspaper on the ground and let children create their masterpieces outside where it doesn't matter as much if they spill the paint.
Kids Washable Non-Toxic Paint
10 ct. 2 oz. Bottles - Assorted Color Washable Kid's Paint
The Crayola Kid's Paint Jars includes 10 colors of washable paint in ten 2 oz. plastic jars. The colors are yellow, violet, red, orange, magenta, blue, green, white, brown and turquoise. These paints are recommended for children ages 4 and up.
Bird-Watching or Star-Gazing
Outdoor Activities For Kids . . . That Causes Them To Look UP & Wonder
Depending on where you live, looking up at the sky can fill hours of time and when you make it active, by looking for specific birds, bird habitats, constellations or planets, children learn and have fun. These outdoor activities can be enhanced with a telescope or binoculars, but they can also be accomplished with the naked eye.
Have a book on birds or constellations on-hand and watch the fun.
Kids Binoculars
Carson Hawk Kid's Binoculars
The HU-530 Hawk from Carson Optical is an ultra deluxe, 5x 30mm Binocular. This Kid's Binocular is durable and lightweight. It will aid your child in exploring the world around them. The Hawk is great for outdoor events, sports, birdwatching.
Give This Photo A Caption
Just for fun . . . Go ahead and add a caption for this image.
I've been waiting to get a glimpse of the elusive purple-tailed singing bluebird with 3 wings. But I'm getting kinda hungry now.
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Check Out This Delightful Lens About A Young Boy's Discovery
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Hangin' With A Luna Moth
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As I have raised my children, it has become clear that I missed out on a lot in high school. My son's favorite class was AP Biology and almost daily he would come home with a new story. Can you believe they even had a pet snake in class? And he touch...
There are so many amazing things
for children to enjoy and explore outdoors and most of them are completely eco-friendly.
Take the time to teach your children to appreciate nature and they'll grow with an appreciation for the planet we live on.
Did "Nature-Focused Outdoor Activities For Kids" Spark Any Other Ideas?
Or, Just Let Me Know You Stopped By . . .
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Reply
- wolftyrs wolftyrs Oct 25, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
- Beautiful lens, with great ideas. Linking this lens on my Origami page through lensroll and discovery.
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Reply
- a_willow a_willow Sep 4, 2009 @ 4:10 am
- Love your suggestions! Blessed by an Angel!
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Reply
- aj2008 aj2008 Sep 3, 2009 @ 1:25 am
- I love Children and Parenting lenses like this! The Art Cabinet looks great. SquidAngel Blessings for you!
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- BevsPaper BevsPaper Sep 2, 2009 @ 11:37 pm
- Wonderful ideas, Dee!
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- Sylvestermouse Sylvestermouse Sep 2, 2009 @ 10:47 pm
- These are all wonderful suggestions! This lens reminds me of some great memories with my children when they were little. In addition to doing all of the above, my luna moth loving son used to help me plant flowers too. 11 years later, his morning glories are still blooming in my backyard. This lens gets my "most excellent" stamp!
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Lensmaster nDee has been a member since September 18 2007, has rated 1,153 lenses, favorited 128, and has created 103 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is ""Pound Cake Recipes" Gone Wild!". See all my lenses
by nDee
The wonderful thing about nature-focused outdoor activities for kids is that you can build upon these ideas according to your locale . . . seaside, co...
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