10 Challenges for Getting Your Kids Outside

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Do you have a hard time getting your kids outside?

Or maybe you’re just not sure what to DO once you’re out there.

I have this conversation often with parents and it almost always ends the same way – parents want to get their kids outside and engaged with nature, but they don’t have the time or tools to do so.

get kids outsideLuckily, integrating outdoor time into your daily lives doesn’t have to require a lot of time or energy. In fact, you can easily get outside and do something fun in as little as 10 minutes a day!

Below, I’ve included 10 challenges to get your kids outside and exploring nature, along with tips for different age groups.

10 Challenges that will get your kids outside and engaged in nature:

  1. Can you catch a grasshopper?
  2. Can you find the big dipper in the night sky?
  3. Can you build a bird’s nest out of twigs?
  4. Can you find a cicada singing in a tree?
  5. Can you find a bee pollinating a flower?
  6. Can you climb a tree?
  7. Can you tell me the color of the bird singing in our backyard?
  8. Can you stack rocks up to your waist?
  9. Can you find a spider in its web?
  10. Can you make a bird feeder out of items from around the house?

Tips for Different Ages

  • 0-7 years old: If your kids are young, the logistics of getting outside may be hard, but you typically don’t have to find things for them to do. They’re naturally attracted to nature and can easily entertain themselves.
  • 8-12 years old: As the kids get older, they may need help staying engaged and entertained outside. A great way to do that is to ask them one of the questions below. It provides a challenge and gets them excited about going outside. If the challenge alone doesn’t work, offer them a reward. They can have 10 minutes of game time if they spend 10 minutes outside.
  • 13+ years old: Teenagers can be the most difficult group to get outside. What I’ve found that works best is making an outdoor activity social. You could turn the 10 challenges below into a scavenger hunt where they have to take a picture of each challenge and post it on Instagram. The first group to get all 10 will win an afternoon at the movies!

If you need more ideas or have a challenging kid and want to talk through ideas, feel free to contact me! My information is below.

For other fun outdoor activities, click below:

5 Summer Activities to Beat the Heat

10 Spring and Summer Activities