10 Outdoor Kids Activities to Choose From (Or Try Them All!)

Posted On October 29, 2021

Taking your kids for outdoor play is a never-ending adventure, no matter where you are. Spending quality playtime with their parents and their peers is crucial for their emotional and social intelligence. So what are you waiting for? Pack your things and get ready to head out, as every day is a new experience for the little ones.

Whether in the park or on the beach, outdoor activities should always be fun and entertaining. But sometimes we all run out of ideas what to do, what games to play, and what activities to conduct with our kids. Well, we got you covered as we made a list of all the great games that you can play with your dearest. But first, let’s see why is outdoor play so important for our kids that we need to have a wide array of games and activities at disposal at any time.

Why is Outdoor Play Important for Kids

We are social beings, and as such rely on human contact in order to develop socially and mentally. Kids that play outside tend to develop better in terms of social skills, as well as social and emotional intelligence than those that spend their playtime at home. In other words, they grow up to be friendly, sociable beings. That’s what we all want for our little ones, right?

Then there are the more obvious benefits such as the effect on skin, hair, body in general. Next to fresh air, and possibly a couple of new friends, kids also gain by increasing vitamin D levels in their bodies. Every human being benefits from being out on a nice sunny day.

And finally, there’s the effect of vitamin D. It’s procured by a process of synthesis in our bodies that occurs when we are exposed to the sun. More precisely, as a result of cholesterol molecules being hit by healthy UV light, that is sun rays. As vitamin D levels increase, our body changes the priority for certain minerals that we extract from food. For example, calcium and phosphorus extraction is in high demand. And we all know how important these two minerals are for a developing young body. More vitamin D means better and stronger teeth and bones for the little ones.

Long story short, being outside when the sun is just right is important for a child in so many ways. Lack of exposure to the sun isn’t something that’s actually recommended unless the person has a rare skin condition. Sun is a natural source of good vibes, energy and in many ways health.

Activities For Outdoor Play Enthusiasts

Racing

Does your preschooler love to ride? One of the best ways to spend quality time with your family is racing or cruising in the part. Choose your favorite mean of transportation and join in on the fun, or let the kids play around with their scooters, bicycles and ride or ride on cars.

There are so many ways to make this fun for the little ones, and for you, if you choose to. Depending on the type of ride they have, you can pick a race that suits that ride the most. For casual cruising in the neighborhood kids usually go with scooters. There’s no better way to get some fresh air and catch some sun than by taking a ride with their new cool scooter.

Preschoolers and older kids might want more excitement from their outdoor adventure. So be ready to get their favorite bike from the garage, or get a new one, as this season promises to be ideal for kids bike races. Having kids of different ages can mean that they can share toys but that rule doesn’t apply in every case. That’s why most parents tend to get a ride on cars for the little ones so that they too can enjoy driving around with their siblings.

Pool Party

Whether in your backyard, at friends or family house, pools offer plenty of activities for the youngest. It’s always fun to watch them get goofy in the pool with their favorite toys. Also, water activities have a way of relaxing the muscles and the entire body. The kids get their enjoyment from the pool party, and you a couple of hours off.

Because spending time in a pool during a hot summer day is so much fun, kids tend to get carried away and create their own games. Depending on whether these games are beneficial for them and entertaining you might want to add a couple more options or not.

If they run out of cool ideas for playing in the pool, you can always bring out their toy guns. Spraying water at each other, refilling the toys with water as they run around and chase in circles, is a never-ending fun for them. So if you haven’t added new and cool water guns and toys to their arsenal now’s the time as pool parties are always better with cool accessories. If that doesn’t prove to a fun activity, try adding ride-on cars in the equation. Having fun in the pool, than chasing around with water guns and finally racing in ride-on cars is the ultimate combo of fun. Just be sure that they have enough towels so they can dry off before stepping in their favorite ride on transportation.

Fun at the Beach

The beach should always be an option for outdoor activities for kids. For them, spending time at the beach means ice cream. But you know that the day offers more than that, and that is will be filled with activities and recreation. That’s why you should never cross the beach from your list for daily activities, no matter how far it is, or how tired you are. You only need a couple of things and you’re ready to go. Bring only the essentials, like towels, beach toys for kids, and some snacks as they’ll spend lots of energy and will need to replenish it. And what better way to do is than with healthy snacks.

Once you’ve picked your favorite spot, it’s time to have some fun. Play beach volley ball them, just be sure to use a lighter ball. After that, it’s time to cool down in the water. There you can play ball as well as kids need as much activity as possible. When the kids have already played in the water for some time and grew tired of it it’s time for playing with sand. Kids love playing with sand as it is, so why not show them how to build a castle out of sand? It’s a fun experience for both parents and kids and will strengthen your bond. Get beach toys like plastic cups, toy showers and start building! You can create a masterpiece in a relatively short period of time. And you’ll build it together with your kids which is a beautiful experience that they’ll always remember.

Backyard Adventures

There’s a bunch of activities you can play for your kids in the backyard. Playing so close to home gives you the advantage of being always prepared for snacks, etc. And they won’t have to go far if they need a bathroom as well. But more importantly, they’re spending time outside, playing with their family.

So what games they can play in the backyard? How about soccer? That’s always fun and exciting especially if you have boys. Get some soccer equipment for kids, arrange the goals and put the net on each goal. The last thing you’ll need to do is mark the area and the fun can start. You can let the kids play and be the jury, divide into teams and play parents vs kids, or mix it all up and play random teams. They’ll spend their excess energy, socialize, and you won’t have to drive miles to bring you kids home from a soccer camp for example. Backyard hold so much potential for a variety of outdoor activities. It has all the benefits of playing outside as they can bring whoever they want, and invite them for backyard playtime.

Playing in the Park

Do you have a favorite park for your kids? It doesn’t really matter if it’s close to your home or not, what’s important is that they like it and that it’s not overpopulated. So the best thing to aim at is a park for kids or a playground that’s equipped with roundabouts, swings, slides, etc. And if it’s close to school or kindergarten, you can surprise your preschoolers and take them there after picking them up.

Pick a bench to keep their favorite backpack safely stored, while they play with friends. The best thing about taking your kids to a park is that you can relax and unwind, while they play and socialize. Also, parks usually have lots of trees so that extra fresh air will surely help them spend their quality playtime. Playing in the park also means meeting new friends as this goes for both of you. Meeting parents of other kids that play in the park is a common thing. And the socializing part really benefits the younglings. They can meet their new best friend in the park, connect with their peers and spend quality time playing together.

Hide and Seek

Who doesn’t like playing hide & seek? One thing is for sure, kids can never get tired of it. The best place to play is your backyard or favorite park. The kids can play on their own for hours, but this means that you should be there to watch them so they don’t get carried away and wander off too far. There are two things to keep things safe. The first one is to mark the playing area and restrict it. For example, from one tree to another, or if the area doesn’t have that many trees, use other objects.

You can also get them cool walkie-talkies. This way you’ll always know where they are no matter how well they can hide. Just be sure not to talk loudly so you don’t give up their position. Adding talkie-walkies changes everything, and when they get tired of playing hide & seek, they will come handy for other games as well.

Treehouse Play

Building a treehouse for your kids is something that you’ll always remember. And every kid should have one. It’s great for when their friends come over, they can organize sleepovers when they’re older, and will always have a place for privacy while being outside!

If you didn’t already build one, you can start now. And the best thing about building a treehouse is that you can do it together with your kids. There’s always a need for a helping hand, whether to add you tools, bring light material or plan together. You can create a plan together to make sure that it’s exactly as they imagined it. Now having a boy and a girl makes things a bit more complicated as you’d need to make a treehouse that’s for both genders. So don’t make it too girly, or pain it in a color that your daughter wouldn’t like.

When it’s done they’ll always have an extra activity and more options for games in your backyard. From climbing a treehouse to enjoying a swing underneath it, kids will always have a mean of entertainment. So be sure to accessorize it, add a swing or a slope, and they’ll never get tired of playing in their treehouse.

Playing outdoor games is important for kids. There the fresh air, a chance to meet new friends and socialize, play a variety of games and enjoy fun activities. So next time your kids are bored at home, instead of playing the same old movie or cartoon, take them out to the closest park, the beach, or any other outdoor spot for kids. They’ll spend their excess energy, exercise and have lots of fun no matter where you are. The important thing is to have different types of activities and games in your sleeve at all times.

Author: Catherine Evans

Catherine is a writer from Canada who simply loves toys, collectibles and superhero figurines. Writing is her passion, but she also loves reading, enjoying her “me time” and finding new ways to improve her work and ways to entertain the readers.

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