The weather is improving, and if you are anything like us, you want to spend time outside. Now’s the time to pull out the list of easy outdoor activities for kids. Make sure to grab the free printable guides! Everything from outdoor art to STEM, depending on your preferences and interest. Plus, there are heaps of outdoor activities that you can do with the whole family. Are you ready to soak up some Vitamin D?
Things To Do In Your Backyard
When you find extra time on your hands at home but can still get outside at least, you may end up needing a few tricks up your sleeve! We’re here to help! We also have a big list of fun indoor activities too!
You are watching: 50 Fun Things to Do Outside In Your Backyard
Now I want to share some big-time fun outdoor activities for when you aren’t fitting in schoolwork or if you have multiple age groups at home and you need to keep the younger kiddos busy while the older kids work on lessons. Or if the kids are bored and want things to do outside.
If you have toddlers at home, check out our backyard ideas for easy to set up ideas even if you have a small backyard!
Let’s Get Outside!
What can I do outside today? You could…
- Draw something!
- Plant something!
- Explore something!
- Get something wet!
- Build something!
- Grow something!
- The possibilities are endless…
I bet you have most of the supplies you need already. If not, add them to the grocery list. We even have fun FREE printable activities for you!
We can even help you throw together a plan for an outdoor nature summer camp!
Click here for your FREE printable nature activities pack!
50 Fun Things To Do Outside In Your Backyard
Click on the links below to start with some of our favorite outdoor activities for kids!
Try A Bottle Rocket
3-2-1 Blast off with a homemade bottle rocket using a plastic soda bottle and a chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar! Or try it these easy Alka Seltzer rockets.
Make A Mentos Geyser
Try this classic Diet Coke and Mentos eruption for some cool chemistry. You might be surprised to learn that this isn’t necessarily a chemical reaction!
Fizzy Sidewalk Paint
Make it fizzy and takes it outside. Fizzing outdoor paint is a fun way to take science outside this year!
Painted Rocks
We love to hunt for painted rocks on our walk every day and we have been finding tons of new ones each week. They really brighten the trail and can create a fun I Spy game for kids.
DIY Sidewalk Chalk
Have you ever wondered if you can make your own outdoor sidewalk chalk? Absolutely! Check out the easy recipe here.
Puffy Sidewalk Paint
This is the best sidewalk paint recipe ever to take outside! Easy to make and washes away just fine! Watch the video.
Birdseed Ornaments
The birds will love this one. Plus, you can also check out our classic cardboard tube bird feeder or a veggie bag bird feeder! Watch the video too!
Engineer a Water Wall
This water STEM activity is so much fun whether you have a fence, railing, trellis; all you need is a bit of creativity for endless hours of play!
Make A Homemade Pulley System
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The best outdoor activities are the easiest ones! Kids love pulleys and our homemade pulley system is sure to be a permanent fixture in your backyard this season.
Build A Fort
Make your own stick fort for outdoor engineering.
Build an Insect Hotel
We might not be able to go stay in a hotel but you can make one for the bugs in your garden. Read about all the advantages of having a bug hotel in your yard and see how we made ours!
Make A Bee Hotel
Take the learning outdoors and explore the world of bees with a DIY bee hotel.
Bubble Fun
Bubble science experiments, homemade bubble wands, 3D bubbles and more! Click on the link to watch the video. Check out two ways to make homemade bubble solution.
Go On An Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
Grab our pack of free printable scavenger hunts right here. There’s 8 to choose from!
Set Up a Square Foot Jungle
A fun way to take the science lesson into the yard and learn how to observe a small section of the outdoors very carefully.
Make A DIY Kite
A great family project or older sibling/younger sibling project.
Outdoor Science Lab
Do your kiddos love to whip up potions and experiment outside? It’s a great way to move the mess outdoors with nice weather.
Erupting Sandbox Volcano
Yes! You can build a volcano in the sandbox. Super easy and fun for kids.
Build A Toy Zip Line
This is a fun way to explore simple physics outside!
Make Ice Cream In a Bag
Everyone’s favorite and a tasty afternoon treat. No matter how warm it is outside though, you will need winter gloves! See the video!
Make A DIY Solar Oven
Of course, you will need a very warm and sunny day, but there’s no harm in experimenting!
Create LEGO Sun Prints
You don’t need fancy solar print paper for this activity, we used simple LEGO bricks and construction paper to create these fun sun prints.
Make Rain Prints
For days that aren’t sunny, why not not make a rain painting outdoors. Draw a colorful sky, and set your drawing outside on a rainy day and watch what happens.
Nature Sensory Bin
Super simple! All you need is a bin or tray and nature items from around the yard. Add plastic bugs or animals for play and storytelling.
Icy LEGO Rescue
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Icy play is perfect for outdoor fun, and here we added a fun LEGO theme.
Bubble Snakes
These gigantic bubble snakes are fun and easy to make!
Sand Foam
Shaving cream and play sand make a great messy but fantastic sensory experience for kids! Perfect for things to do outside. See the video.
Fun With Exploding Bags
Hilarious fun with bursting or burping bags and a common chemical reaction. Outdoor science at its best!
Make A Cloud Viewer
Will the clouds bring rain? Part craft, part Earth Science as you learn about clouds and get outside to discover what clouds are in your sky.
Mud Pie Slime
Did you know you can make mud pie slime? Mix it up outside too! Use one of our basic slime recipes (here) and add a small scoop of dirt.
UV Color Changing Slime
If you love slime, you’ll love color-changing slime with UV pigment powder. You can also use UV color-changing beads as an alternative and then enjoy making bracelets too. Take your slime into the sun and see what happens to the color!
Pool Noodle Activities
Over 25 pool noodle ideas from outdoor water play to structure building. Who would have thought there were so many fun things to do with a pool noodle!
Leakproof Bag Experiment
It’s a classic, and best left for outside experimenting!
Build an Anemometer
Learn all about the science of wind and test your engineering skills by taking this DIY anemometer project outside!
Fly Swatter Painting
A fly swatter instead of a paintbrush? Absolutely! Who says you can only paint with a brush and your hand?
Download this free printable outdoor art guide with clickable links to get you started!
Water Gun Painting
Why not use your water pistols to create a fun action painting outside! Action painting is a type of art where the artists see the canvas as a space for action.
Nature’s Paint Brushes
Get the kids outdoors and collect items you find to make your own homemade nature paint brushes. Painting with nature paint brushes is fun and easy to do.
Ice Cube Painting
Outdoor fun with a super cool and colorful ice cube painting activity! All you need is an ice cube tray, water, food coloring, and paper.
Bubble Art
Mix up your own simple bubble paint and grab a bubble wand. Talk about budget-friendly outdoor art!
Visit our SHOP for more easy ways to play and learn!
Get the printable nature fun pack…
- Nature theme writing prompts make for the start of a fantastic outdoor nature journal.
- Explore nature-themed STEM challenges that encourage your kiddos to use supplies found in nature and natural materials to complete.
- Discover the birds in your backyard, learn how to make different kinds of kid-friendly bird feeders.
- Observe a favorite flower or leaf, and go on a scavenger hunt or two!
- Discover how to set up a one square foot backyard jungle project.
- Explore what it’s like to be a collector and set up your own collection.
- Explore the senses outside.
- Simple leaf science activities with leaves including leaf rubbing, how do leaves breathe, and leaf drawing.
- Start a seed jar and observe how a plant grows even under the ground!
- Build an insect hotel for your garden using natural and found materials.
- Many nature-inspired scavenger hunts to get you moving.
- BONUS: Pine Cone Pack included!
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor
