Maria Bowering
Activities for kids – getting more kids outdoors more often!
… recognizes the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
Games & Activities
Ten fun ways for parents to encourage children to get outdoors.
- Create a homemade tent. Find an area where children can make their own tent or cubby house. You’ll need a couple of old sheets, clothes pegs a blanket and some rope. Just attach the rope between two trees or poles and the sheet on either side secure with a rock. Children will have hours of fun in their new home.
- Plant something and watch it grow. Children love to participate in the process of growing things in a garden. Many schools are encouraging children to be involved in school gardens. Even if you live in an apartment a windowsill garden is a great place to start.
- Try water painting. All children need for this activity is a bucket of water and a brush. Children can paint the side of a building, learn about evaporation and exercise at the same time.
- Create a simple treasure hunt. A treasure hunt can also be played indoors, if you are really struggling to find space but its best to be played outdoors so that children can discover their natural environment. Hide treasure and plant clues for children to use their cognitive skills and imagination.
- Design and build an obstacle course. If you have access to a backyard or park, why not set up a mini obstacle course? You can use old tyres, pillows, cardboard boxes, chairs, buckets, hoops and rope. Obstacle courses are designed to improve gross motor skills and general co-ordination. Children can also learn the concepts of over, under and through and decision making.
- Plan and take part in an Australian Bush Walk. A bush walk is an excellent way for children to discover and appreciate our unique natural environment. They can use their senses by seeing, hearing, smelling and touching and discovering simple things like the roughness of a tree trunk, the smoothness of pebbles and rocks in a stream or the crunchiness of a dried leaves underfoot. They can marvel at our native animals and listen to the sounds of birds.
- Plan a sporting match or join a sporting club. Children can develop their sporting skills and learn how to work as part of a team. It will keep them on their toes and encourage physical activity. Bike riding can be fun too and can get the whole family outdoors.
- Discover camp. Camps are a great way for your child to get active, try different experiences and meet new friends. They will develop skills in a fun, secure and professionally run environment. Children will be able to try new things, make new friends and really come out of their shell. Kids camps are available on the school holidays, or through schools.
- Visit Nature Play QLD. A FREE activities resource for parents and care-givers which features lots of affordable, family-friendly, educational and fun outdoor activities for the whole family.
- Book an active family holiday. Queensland Recreation Centres offer family camps and self-contained accommodation. You can book for a small or large group. Enjoy an adventurous family holiday and learn abseiling, kayaking and canoeing.
15 Camping Games for Adults, Teens & Kids
Going on a camping holiday with your family or friends is a fun, memory-worthy event. But if you’re like most families, whether your kids are little or teenagers, you’re bound to hear the dreaded, ‘I’m bored’ at some point during the trip. That’s why we’ve put together a list of camping games that will chase that boredom away—and the adults might even enjoy themselves too!
We wanted to make sure that these fun camping games aren’t just for athletic or nature-loving kids. So we pulled together ideas that will appeal to any kids, teenagers or adults. This family camping games list is geared for everyone! Read More
Source: Broken Head Holiday Park (near Byron Bay)
Trail Games And Hiking Activities
Cool of the Wild
17 Trail Games And Hiking Activities For Kids And Adults
Some people can hike for hours without losing interest in the sights and sounds of the trail. Some like to disconnect by listening to their favourite tunes, while others need something extra to keep them motivated. If you’ve ever been hiking with kids, you’ll know how important it is to keep them entertained while hiking, which is wear trail games come in! …
The best hiking games for kids and adults aren’t just fun, but they’re educational too. You can use hiking games to teach and learn about plants, wildlife, and environmental responsibility, or to practice essential backpacking skills such as map reading. Trail games are useful ice-breakers too.
- Trail games for adults and kids
- Invite five people to a dinner party
- And then
- Word association game
- Name that tune
- The Alphabet Game
- Twenty Questions
- Name it
- Trail games for kids
- When I went shopping, I bought…
- I Spy
- Hiking activities for adults and kids
- Map reading
- Nature photography
- Pick up litter
- Hiking activities for kids
- Catch my shadow
- Follow the leader
- Trail hide and seek
- Hiking scavenger hunts
- Treasure Hunt
Source: Cool of the Wild
Activities for Kids
Check out some great activities for kids and families with the School Camp at Home resources from the NSW Government! We have videos, activity sheets and infographics to help you keep the kids entertained throughout COVID-19 and beyond.
Sample Activity
Human Camera
Get theatrical with this fun activity. It will push your child’s observation and recall skills. Take it in turns to be the photographer and then the human camera. Find a vista or a close up and use your human camera to take a quick snapshot. Then have them describe what they saw in those few seconds.
Source: NSW Government
The Great Indoors
We know the coming days and weeks are going to be difficult for families across the UK, as the spread of Covid-19 causes schools to close. As the experts in developing skills and bringing adventure to young people, we want to do what we can to help.
While normally out in the great outdoors, Scouts UK have pulled together some inspired indoor activity ideas. Keep your kids learning and having fun (and avoid hearing ‘I’m bored’ every 30 seconds) all in #TheGreatIndoors – a collection of 100 activities designed to encourage kids to try new challenges and learn new skills at home. Learn more here!
Camping Activities for Kids
11 fun camping activities for kids aged 5-10. You can download all activities at once or individually below. Print them out in colour, or black-and-white.
Download all camping activities
Source
Camper Champ
Nature Activities for Kids and Families
Source: Richard Louv’s Resource Guide
Parents, grandparents, and other relatives are the first responders, but they cannot resolve society’s nature-deficit disorder by themselves. Educators, health care professionals, policy-makers, business people, urban designers—all must lend a hand.
… here are a few suggestions READ MORE
7 kid-friendly games to play on trail walks and nature hikes
Source: Active for Life (slightly adapted)
Bushwalking — one of our favourite activities — can be enjoyed in any season and by virtually all ages and abilities. Most young kids love the freedom of running down paths, climbing on fallen logs, examining animal tracks, and everything else our trails have to offer. But, every now and then, little ones need fun distractions to keep them going and it’s handy to have a few games or activities ready to avoid any potential meltdowns (and of course, bringing along snacks and water can buy you extra time on the trails as well).
1. Giddy up
Thanks to Active For Life role model, Karen Ung, for this idea: Karen and her kids make hiking more fun by riding “horsies” down the trails, making “gates”, and using secret passwords to go through.
2. Follow the Leader
This simple game is an adaptation of an Active For Life activity. Encourage your child to “lead” you through the trail, over, around, and under obstacles, incorporating as many trees, shrubs, and rocks along the path as possible.
3. Nature Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of natural treasures and prepare each participant with a bucket and marker. Next step: Hunt! You can find a scavenger hunt template on our Pinterest page. For a fun twist on the scavenger theme try this nature ninja scavenger hunt where the hunt becomes focused on interacting with nature, rather than collecting it.
4. Geocaching
For a tech-savvy update on the Nature Scavenger Hunt, try geocaching in a nearby outdoor space. You can find out if any “caches” are in your neighbourhood trails by visiting geocaching.com.
5. I Spy!
Walk and talk your way down the trail by testing each other’s eyesight in nature. If you want to prolong the game throw out “I spy something green” when it’s your turn.
6. Hide-And-Go-Seek: Trail Edition
As the “seeker” stays back, the “hiders” run a short distance ahead in search of a safe place out of sight. Be sure to predetermine acceptable boundaries (and don’t forget to look up).
7. Pick up sticks
Something as simple as choosing the perfect hiking stick can give kids a sense of ownership over the trail. Bonus: leaving the sticks at the trailhead can teach little ones to pay it forward and continue the search on the next hike.
25 Things To Do In Winter
- Make leaf boats and float them down a stream or in a puddle
- Collect fallen leaves, paint them with winter colours & press onto paper to make leaf prints
and many more … courtesy of Nature Play WA
31 Adventure Ideas That Anyone Can Do
31 cool adventure ideas for families, couples, teenagers and adults from UK based Cool of the Wild.
Kayaking with Kids (How to Guide)
We all know children love to play in the water, and a further progression for them can be having fun on the water. The best way to do this is by teaching them Kayaking. From early ages, they can see the fun that can be had and the places they can explore.
Source
Nature Sport Central
Fun Fitness Activities for Kids
Collections of fun physical activities for kids collated by Ohio University. While these are US resources most can readily be used in any setting, anywhere.
Your Family’s Guide to Exploring Our National Parks
The revised edition of the South East Queensland version of our Kids In National Parks booklet, now titled “Your Family’s Guide to Exploring Our National Parks”, has been published.
You can download a PDF from www.kidsinnationalparks.or
Places To Go
Nature Play QLD
Nature play spaces in Queensland – search by type, age group and proximity
Traditional Indigenous Games is a selection of games and activities from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies all around Australia. It provides an opportunity to learn about, appreciate and experience aspects of Indigenous culture.
Suitable for children and adults of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, Yulunga can be used in schools as an educational resource and as a guide to inclusive, structured sport within communities.
Cool Scavenger Hunt Ideas
While clearly a US based resource these scavenger hunt games can easily be adapted to suit any of the varied Australian types of terrain and environments.
Source
Cool of the Wild
Making outdoors a habit can be easy if you know how. Here is a list of simple ideas to try, adapt and add to, and many of them you can do right in your own backyard. These groups and activities are suitable for kids of all ages, so join your children and get outdoors!
- Try a night walk. Bring a torch for fun and safety, but be sure to turn them off for listening to the nature sounds and stargazing.
- Go on a nature walk. Smell flowers or hug a tree. Look for animal footprints. Watch insects. But remember, soaking up the smells, sounds and sights is sufficient, and leave only footprints behind.
- Get outside. First, set up any outdoor space you have access to so that it’s inviting, and spend time outside with your child. A sandbox, wading pool, swing, climbing structure or garden will keep your child entertained for hours. But if permanent structures aren’t possible, think impermanent: A tablecloth teepee or a bucket of water with funnels and cups, or a shovel to dig a hole you can later refill.
- Plant a native tree. Together, take responsibility for your tree or shrub. Care for it, and you and your child will reap the satisfaction in the months and years to come.
- Grow a herb garden. This could be a window box, or be included in a vegetable patch if you have the outdoor space. Choose plants that your child will eat and enjoy, and especially those that develop before your eyes. For example, herbs are generally quick to mature, and bush tomatoes change colour as they grow.
- Take your camera out into the backyard, a nature strip or a nearby park, and photograph areas of nature where you think animals might live. Take pictures of trees, leaves and grasses and see if you can name the plants/animals when you get home. By printing them off and sticking them into a book, your child can create their own story.
- Go on an adventure bike ride. Remember all your cycling safety, and simply enjoy riding in the fresh air.
- Go on a picnic. Pencil in your diary or on the family calendar one day to venture out into nature. Encourage your children to help pack the food, and discuss where it has come from. You could picnic at your local park, beach, river or even just in the back garden.
- Set up a colouring in and painting table. Ask your child to draw or paint a number of environmental images, including trees, rivers, and animals. You can also use leaves that have fallen off trees as stamps, by painting them and pressing onto paper. If you can, doing this outside is perfect. See your child’s interpretation of nature.
- Lend a hand in the garden. If you do have a garden space, ask you child to assist with raking leaves and pulling weeds. Check out if you have a community garden in your local area by searching on Communitygarden.org.au.
- Take an indoor toy outdoors. Introduce your child’s favourite toy, game or book to nature.
- Create an obstacle course. This could be indoors or outdoors, and you could use trees to run around, a pile of leaves to jump over, a stick ladder on the lawn.
- Create a collection of nature objects. Try and collect one item each day. It could be as simple as a leaf or a stone. Use each object to tell a story – perhaps about where it came from and what or who it has come across before reaching your hand. Although make sure you don’t take anything from a National Park, or any animal’s homes.
- Visit a local look out, hill or mountain. See the world from a different view. Talk about how birds and animals see the world differently to us. Discuss what the world might look like for a magpie, and how it might seem for an ant. If it’s safe, roll down the hill – careful not to get too dizzy!
- Watch the sunrise or the sunset. Find a natural environment to watch the sunset. If you aren’t by the sea or a river, you could watch the sun rise or fall behind a tree in the local park.
- Make a grass trumpet. Pull a blade of grass (making sure it’s clean) and put it between your lips. Press your lips and blow out, trying to push the air out of your mouth. It will make a squeaky, trumpet-like sound kids will love and be fascinated by.
- Go camping. Set a date to go camping with your family. There are great options for hiring camping gear if you don’t have the resources (time/money/storage space) to own it.
- Look for shapes in the clouds. Sit down and create a story. As the clouds change, the story will evolve.
- Create a nature mystery bag. Find a box and put in a collection of nature objects, with different textures and shapes. Ask you child to guess what it is, and discuss where it’s come from. Next time they’re outside, ask them to collect some natural items (safely – or with the assistance of another adult), for them to create a mystery box for you.
- Start a nature journal. Ask your child to write down all their favourite things in nature. If there’s something they’ve learnt about, but haven’t seen, add it to the list and try and find a time and place to catch a glimpse or make a visit. Use this to reflect as well. How did they feel when they saw it? Where were they, and who were they with? What was the weather like? Keep adding to the list, and watch it grow and change.
Tree Day Planet Ark
Best Outdoor Playground Games For Kids
As technology advances, kids are not spending as much time as they should be outdoors. Nowadays, children are choosing tablets over teeter-totters. Outdoor activities allow for mental, physical, and social stimulation.
These simple games are well liked by all kinds of kids, no matter what their different interests or abilities, and you can play them all without any special materials or equipment.
Camping activities for kids: 5 things to do with children when outdoors
Is there a worse phrase in the world as “I’m bored?” f you are a parent, I am pretty confident that you have heard this more than once. And whilst camping offers a lot to do, sometimes children fail to notice what is around them and might need some guidance.
(If you are new to camping, take the time to read our 10 tips on camping with children.)
Source
Go Camping Australia Blog
Night-time Camping Activities for Kids
After dark games can work depending on the age of the children and your environment. Games like Tag or Hide-and-Seek in the Dark, may not be appropriate or safe where you are camping. We have tried to list mainly games that don’t mean you will have children scattered all over the campground.
Source
Go Camping Australia Blog
There are numerous reasons why one should learn how to make a solar oven, whether they are going to be using one for camping/outdoor living, or conducting a science experiment, learning the dynamics of a solar oven are greatly beneficial.
Solar ovens afford many the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint, minimize greenhouse gases, and learn about Newton’s Laws of Physics all in one creation.
Ten fun ways for parents to encourage children to experience the great outdoors
Five Things to Do Before they are 5!
You know you want resilient kids, who can learn new skills, have fun and be in nature.
Then here are some great things to do with your child before they are 5 to start them on a path to ‘claim their childhood’ the way it can be.
Fifteen Things To Do Before You’re 12
1. Climb a tree
2. Build a cubby house
3. Sleep under the stars
4. Invent a game that lasts three days
5. Learn to swim
and 10 more …
50 things to do before you’re 11¾
Way of encouraging kids to get outdoors, get mucky, discover their wild side and most of all enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer!
Cool Outdoor Ideas for Hot Summer Days
A great little online ebook from ‘Be Out There’
Fun Outdoor Games And Activities
If you’re looking for activities and games to enjoy in the great outdoors, there are literally hundreds of possibilities. Depending on the nature of the game, outdoor activities can provide simple enjoyment, promote physical fitness, or even stimulate learning. An activity which challenges the mind, as well as the body, while exposing kids to the natural benefits of fresh air and sunshine, is likely to have a positive impact on mood and behavior, as well.
Tag Games (PDF)
10 Fun Games from Around the World
Scouting Games (PDF)
Getting Kids into National Parks
Whether the idea of taking your children out into nature fills you with a sense of excited anticipation or nervous dread, one thing is certain – today, more than ever, we are well aware of the benefits of childhood contact with nature.
For hints and tips on how to share the wonderful experience that national parks have to offer, download the new Getting Kids into National Parks guide from NPAQ.
Find a book!
Search for books and DVD’s on kid’s activities in the Shop.
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Discover
Search for kid’s activity providers in Discover
(search on ‘bushwalking’ in Select Activity)
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