Fun outdoor activities are on every parent’s mind as the summer holidays start. While we’re all hoping for clear skies and sunny days, there are so many fun outdoor activities that your children can do to enjoy time outside in the fresh air!
Chalk
Outdoor chalk is a great way to encourage your budding artists, but you can also use it for energetic outdoor play. You can draw out a traditional hopscotch pattern or try something new. You could add in some instructions on some of the squares. For example, perhaps your children may have to hold a tree pose for five seconds or do five star jumps if they land on a particular square. You might also want to try drawing out a Twister type pattern and get everyone all jumbled up together.
Water
Children love water! And sometimes, there’s nothing better on a hot day than a good old fashioned water fight. Let your little ones run riot with water balloons, water pistols, and sponges. You can make it a little different by adding in a game of rounders but use water balloons as the ball.
If you have older kids, you could set up a home quiz with a paddling pool and an outdoor chair. In turns, your children sit in the chair and answer questions. If they get a question wrong, they get splashed with a water pistol, or a small bucket of water.
Paint
Another one of our fun outdoor activities includes paint! Outdoor painting can be more than just painting outside. You could try encouraging your little ones to paint using things in the garden as paintbrushes. Twigs, rocks, and leaves can all be used to create wonderful art. Another option is to set up a canvas, and fill some water pistols with different coloured washable paints, give your little one a canvas, and let their abstract art take shape. You may need to mix the paint with some water to make sure that it comes out of the water pistol properly.
Scavenger Hunt
Children of all ages enjoy scavenger hunts, and you can customize the scavenger list based on their ages. For small children, you could either try making the list with pictures, or find the item yourself first, and tape them to a piece of card. For older children, you can write the list, or instead of simply telling them what to find, give them clues instead.
Excavating Ice
If you have some small plastic toys, such as dinosaurs, farm animals, or even small dolls, you can freeze them in ice. Take them outside, and let your little ones figure out how to get the toy out of the ice. You can give them blunt tools such as spoons, and other items like warm water so that they can melt or break the ice. This activity can even be done if it’s raining.
