Simple Ways to Make Outdoor Play More Fun

When you have children it is important to have lots of fun together and create lots of memories. Not only can it help them to develop as a person, but it can create some amazing bonds between you all as a family. Getting outdoors and out in nature is a great thing for a family to do, and the good news is that it is something that is inexpensive, and in most cases completely free. So there is no excuse for not getting out and about as a family. Encourage your children to learn, explore, create, and relax when they’re outdoors. Here are some fun ideas to help you. 

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Rocks or gravel pit

If you have little ones that love to be outdoors, but can’t ever be too far from their cars or diggers, then a gravel or rock pit to play with outside can be a good place to start. You could use a patch of the yard that you already have, or fill a sandpit with gravel, rather than sand, if you’d prefer the area to be more contained. 

S’mores

The great American tradition of a campfire and s’mores is still as good today as it has been for years. So why not make the most of the lighter evenings that will be coming with spring and summer, and get outside and roast marshmallows? Just make sure that you have all of the things that you need, ready to start a fire, like Fatwood lighters, matches, and the all-important ingredients. These are the kinds of memories that children will have for years and years.

Outdoor easel

Children love to be creative, but we as parents can often hinder their creativity because of not wanting to make the house too much of a mess. This is why being creative outdoors can be a good idea instead. You could get your own easel to take outside, and let them get creative with either chalks or paints. You could make one of your own to keep outside permanently, using birch plywood and some chalkboard paint. Either way, it can provide hours and hours of fun, especially over the long summer months. 

Hunt for bugs

Children of all ages can enjoy hunting for bugs in their own yard, or when they’re out in the woods. You could make it like a scavenger hunt, to find a list of bugs, making sure that you check some of the places where plenty of bugs are likely to be, like under rocks and stones. A little bug kit can be handy, such as a magnifying glass, for example. Then they can inspect a little more and find out some fun things about each bug.

Water play

There are so many options with water play that you can enjoy. It could be a straight-up water fight or perhaps using a water table to create a car wash for toy cars or a salon for dolls. You could also do water painting; all you need is water and a paintbrush, and the yard is your canvas.