Spending time outdoors with your toddler is a great way to break the monotony of your everyday routine. Kids get more physical activity and encounter new things that help them learn more about the world.
An article from Nature Sustainability found that children exposed to green spaces, like parks or the woods, are actually benefitting developmentally as well. Kids who frequently spent time outdoors scored higher for cognitive development and were 17% less likely to experience emotional and behavioral risks.
Of course, not all kids enjoy being outside, especially in the age of TV and smartphones. Whether you’re having trouble keeping your child entertained outdoors or simply want to find more exciting ways to experience being outside, some of these ideas can help.
Play food pretend play outside
My daughter loves pretend play, and even if we don’t bring any toys with us outdoors, there are always nature items that can be used for pretend play. Sticks, rocks, leaves, and pine cones can be used to make pretend food. My daughter likes to create a large pretend meal with nature items: she likes to make a soup with water and grass (if water is available nearby), a sandwich (two rocks with grass in between), and always a dessert (sand, dirt, leaves, plants, rocks). If we have any toys with us, we like to feed this food to them, otherwise, we pretend to feed each other.
Playing games in a pushchair/stroller
Ever had kids turn grumpy when they’re tired? We’ve been there. First of all, having a comfortable pushchair really helps. We personally like single pushchairs on iCandy, they are great for outdoor time. The Core Pushchair has interchangeable and removable wheels, so it’s suitable for all terrains. It also features a Hub Light to be visible to passersbys. Some entertainment can help to increase the time the toddler wants to spend outside. Here are some ideas:
- Keep your child excited by playing chase with another adult ahead of you.
- You can also help enhance their observation skills by playing I Spy or naming shapes and letters you find along your walk.
- Look for cars of a certain color.
- Every time you get to the intersection, ask your toddler if they want to go left or right.
- Have special stroller-only snacks or toys.
- Have a singalong.
- Do a storytime.
Make creative chalk art
Allowing your kids to scribble is a great way to enhance their creativity. KidsHealth explains that sidewalk chalk is the perfect outdoor tool to help you and your child do this since they come in bigger sizes that are perfect for your child’s grip. Unlike drawing on paper, kids can interact with bigger-scale drawings. It’s fun to help your child draw a kid-size car or carriage, and take a picture of them in it. You can also wet the chalk and water to make it easier for your toddler to watch the pigments run.
Bubbles
Bubbles are timeless and are best played outdoors, where they won’t leave furniture slippery. The best thing about them is that they draw varying emotions from kids, from excited to soothed. What’s more, teaching your toddler to blow bubbles can train their oral motor skills. They can also be fascinated by watching something they created come to life. Having a bubble machine can take things to the next level. Playing some music can make it extra fun. Kids will likely run after them, training their motor and visual tracking skills.
Create a nature treasure box
Nature has so many treasures. Grab an empty egg carton, or any box (which can be decorated later) and look for nature items. Some ideas are flowers, interesting-looking rocks, pine cones, sticks, and leaves. Going for a walk to hunt for these items makes my daughter really excited!
Go on a scavenger hunt
We went on a scavenger hunt in our backyard and here’s a printable file of the scavenger hunt that we used. I added pictures of items to the printable file so it would be easier for little kids to see what to look for. It’s a fun family and team-building activity. Some other ideas for scavenger hunts are looking for items of certain colors, shapes, or items starting with certain letters.
Water play
Almost all toddlers enjoy playing with water. My article on ‘20 Fun Activities for a Toddler’ suggests playing water games with floatable toys — like plastic cooking sets or sponges. Allow your child to explore how these toys interact with water. Get stacking cups and let them watch the water drain through the holes. This can help them have a tactile experience with water and stay outside. It also means easier clean-up for you.
Do a photo session
- Get a small kids’ camera and have your child become a photographer. You can help your child look for cool things outside and take pictures of them. Kids’ imagination is amazing, sometimes they find interesting items that I would never notice.
- Do a photo session for your child. You can get really creative, and set up photo scenes with various themes – princess, high tea, car world, space, rain, siblings love, rainbow, and others. Kids can help you look for and set up the props. They also usually enjoy being models. I personally really have fun doing creative projects outdoors. And it all counts as time outside!
Camping/picnic in the backyard or in the park
A few months ago we got a beach tent to use on the beach, but we ended up using it in our backyard too. A few times this summer we set the tent up in our backyard and kids got really excited about decorating the inside of the tent with their favorite toys. Eating food in the tent or on the blanket is somehow more interesting, so I try to use this opportunity with my picky eater. Some activity ideas for camping in the backyard are cooking food outside, pretending to fish with magnetic fishing toys, looking for bugs, roasting marshmallows, and singing songs around a real or pretend campfire.
There is a great delight in watching our kids interact with the world around them. With some of these ideas, you can prolong quality time outdoors and ensure your babies enjoy learning.