63 Fun Things to Do Outside With Kids

Shila said:  One of the best ways to encourage outdoor time with kids is to play with sidewalk chalk! Buy some or make your own and use it to trace your shadow, make Picasso art, draw hopscotch, write inspirational messages to neighbors, etc.

Kelly R. said:  On a clear night, take a look up at the stars! SkyView Lite, a free app, lets you point your phone to the sky and identify the stars, constellations, galaxies, satellites and planets that are present. You can even use it in daylight. Download it at the App Store and Google Play.

Shila said:  Encourage your kids to go camping in your backyard - even during the day just for fun! Have them create their own packing list, attempt to pitch their own tent, make camping food, hang out in sleeping bags, etc.

Shila said:  Using natural ingredients that you can often find in your backyard (or your pantry), kids can make and apply their own face paint. No ingredients? Just use mud! From Mommypotamus

Shila said:  Depending on the season and the climate you live in, turn your thumb green! Gardening is a great outdoor activity for all ages. Some flower seed packets are relatively low cost and fast growing, too. Use a flower pot or reserve a small section in your backyard.

Shila said:  Whether it be for the holidays, to celebrate a particular cause, or for the love of art - wrapping yarn around bare tree branches can be a creative way to spend time outdoors. You'll need plenty of yarn, of course, and an optional glue gun. From HGTV

Shila said:  Go for a neighborhood walk as a family, or encourage your kids (if age appropriate) to go on their own walk around the block for some "free range" time.

Shila said:  Send your kids out to have their own picnic - blanket, basket, picnic foods and all.

Kelly R. said:  Pay your kids a penny per weed to help pull them from the garden or the yard! This is an especially fun activity for toddlers or preschoolers.

Shila said:  If the temperature where you live can get extremely hot and sunny, try and crack an egg on your driveway. Does it begin to cook?

Shila said:  Freeze a plastic tupperware dish full of water overnight mixed together with some small treasures. Take this block of ice outdoors to your kids to slowly chip away at it. Treasures in this "glacier" can include smaller plastic toys or even coins!

Shila said:  Safely throwing rocks into a pond and challenging yourselves to skip them, too, is a relaxing and fun way to play outside with kids. Plop!

Shila said:  Take your sketchpad outdoors and get inspired. Kids can sketch any outdoor object, though a keepsake of your family home could be a nice framer!

Shila said:  During the peak of summer, these docile bugs appear to fly in slow motion around us - and it's so simple to catch them with just the palm of your hands. Put them in a jar for a bit and watch their bodies illuminate up close.

Shila said:  Even if you have absolutely no chance at all of actually catching a fish, just the idea of it can be fun for kids. They can use long sticks, hot dogs, flies, etc., to fish while sitting at the dock of the bay - or by a big puddle or a plastic baby pool!