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Check out these fun ideas for outdoor play.
We go to a park or playground almost every day, so people often ask, “What do you DO there?” They can’t fathom hanging out there for over an hour on a regular basis. What’s left to do when the kids are done with the slide and monkey bars? Lots! And you don’t even need to bring much with you.
Leaf Fun |
- Ride bike/scooter around the playground if the playground is on a pathway (not on a busy road). We usually bike to the playground for exercise too.
Biker Babe |
- Play tag (or grounders if your kids are old enough to understand the rules)
- Play hide and seek
- Fly a kite
It takes 2! |
- Make a leaf pile / mud pies / fort / snowman / snow shelter
- Collect pine cones, interesting rocks
- Identify animal tracks
Moose Track in Bragg Creek |
- Go tobogganing
- Take a nature walk and look at all the different plants, bugs, and animals. Let the kids take their own photos, print them, and let them create a nature journal. Or have the kids draw a picture of the things they saw when they get home.
Old Man’s Beard makes a great Young Girl’s Moustache |
- Look at / collect bugs (bring a clear plastic or glass container with holes poked in the lid)
- Geocaching – My kids love “treasure hunting”. To learn more, go to www.geocaching.com.
“Insectophobia” Geocache in Nose Hill Park, Calgary |
- Birding: See my review of the free Merlin Bird ID app and how to use it. We love using the bird calls to “talk” to birds and get them to come closer.
- Splash in puddles, creek, etc.
- Throw rocks in the pond, lake, creek. See if you can hit the log (target practice). Teach older kids how to skip stones.
- Blow bubbles
- Do chalk drawings
Budding Artist |
- Play pass with a ball or frisbee; use trees or signs as goal posts.
- Work out: I do the Busy Parent Fitness Challenge while the kids play. Sometimes they do some of it with me.
- Do yoga: I’ve learned some cool kids’ yoga from Jamie on Cosmic Kids Yoga. Once you’ve watched a few of her videos, you can make up your own stories. My girls love doing yoga on the picnic blanket.
- Have a snack or picnic lunch: This is my kids’ favorite thing to do at the park. I swear we spend half our time eating!
What do you like to do at the park with your kids?
4 comments
Suzi, that's more than a microadventure I'd say! 🙂 Your kids are so lucky!
Sarah, that's the best! Sounds like you know how to pack!
We love biking from one park to another. Some days we have gone to as many as 6 or 7 different parks.
We love bringing a shovel and pail for digging as well as a ball, chalk and bubbles for the 2 yr old. And her bike!
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