Is it summer time where you live?
Or is it winter and you want to help your kids use up their energy outdoors?
Here you will find a variety of outdoors activities to do with your kids at your yard, a park or even your balcony!
The benefits of outdoor play are amazing for kids of all ages… and their parents!
Read this post either you prefer to order toys
or you want to set up easy, simple and affordable outdoor activities right away!
Creative activities
Creative activities include art, music, dance and drama (dramatic/pretend play). During the activities below, try to put music on and observe how children respond and express themselves accordingly.
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Chalk drawing
What you need to set it up now: 1 tbs cornstarch (aka corn flour), 1.5 tbs of water, food colouring and a hard surface (e.g. fence, concrete, wall, stones)
What you can buy: sidewalk chalk
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Water painting
What you need to set it up now: brooms and water
What you can buy: big paint brushes, water and food colouring
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Pretend play
Children love pretend or role play. For example, you can set up a dramatic play area using a cubby house, a kitchen, a tool bench or dress up area.
What you need to set it up now: old clothes, shoes, bags and accessories
What you can buy: a cubby house, a kitchen, a tool bench.
It could be a small cape cottage playhouse or a wooden cubby house. They can both spark children’s imagination and creativity and they will be playing for hours! Kids also love mud kitchens! Let them get messy and have lots of fun. A workbench would be great for children, who like tools!
Sensory activities
Sensory activities include the activities that encourage children to practise and develop their senses.
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Big bubbles
What you need to set it up now: shoelaces, dishwashing liquid and an old hanger
What you can buy: giant bubble wands kit
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Sensory tables
What you need to set it up now: homemade playdough, big tub
You can easily make your own playdough and let your children have fun outdoors. They can make playdough creations in any big plastic tub and you will definitely not worry about the mess!
What you can buy: water table playset, wooden sand and water table or wooden sand and picnic table
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Painting
What you need to set it up now: corks, cardboard rolls, syringes, balloons, paint and flat boxes
What you can buy: squirt gun, spray bottles, pipettes, canva
Motor skills
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Swing
What you need to set it up now: ropes, a big tree or vertical plank outdoors, tyre or small wooden plank
What you can buy: a Wooden Nostalgic Hanging Swing Seat or a Giant Nest Web Swing Seat
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Obstacle course
What you need to set it up now: objects from boxes to tyres and tables to pots
What you can buy: Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course for Kids
A fitness play equipment might include parachute, stepping stones, balance beams, hurdles, ladders.
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Sports
This can include tennis, soccer, basket, table tennis
What you need to set it up now: medium size ball and two tables (soccer)/ bucket (basket), a small size ball and two rackets (tennis)
What you can buy: soccer set game, table tennis set, backyard tennis set
Construction and STEM activities
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Big constructions
What you need to set it up now: plastic bottles and containers, cardboard boxes, old tyres
What you can buy: big blocks
There is a big variety of big outdoor blocks for children. There are giant stacking bricks, jumbo size extra-thick cinder blocks and giant Polydron set of 40. In addition, if you prefer to get The Jumbo Wooden Blocks Game, blocks can be used for building but, also, all family members can get engaged in a super fun game!
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Constructions with magnets
What you need to set it up now: any magnetic toys or self-adhesive magnet paper and light blocks, metal garage doors/gates or any other metallic surface
What you can buy: magnet wall chutes & tubes pack
This magnet wall chutes and tubes pack includes high quality, sturdy and durable magnetised PVC pieces. these can all be used on any metallic surface outdoors. This pack is similar, however it is sold by a different company. Check out which one you prefer based on your area of residence. Children can play with chutes and tubes using balls or even water!
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Rocket toys
Rockets encourage physical exercise, scientific exploration, fine motor skill development and balance.
What you need to set it up now: paper, playdough, scissors, tape, big and small straw, plastic bottle
You can find videos online displaying how you can make your own rocket toy with materials that you probably have at home. Here is an easy example of how you can make a Squeeze Bottle Rocket!
What you can buy: foam rockets or Air Rocket Toy with LED lights
This LED air-powered rocket goes up to 30.5 meters or 100 feet!
How about baby outdoor activities?
I would not recommend many DIY activities for babies due to safety concerns. Nevertheless, the most important part of outdoor play and learning for babies is exploring nature and the world around them. Give them opportunities to do so! Get a picnic rug and head outdoors. Let them observe closely, smell, touch and feel leaves, grass, sand, rocks, sticks and flowers. You can also get indoor toys with you, a plastic ball or a bubble wand to have some fun!
If you are thinking of buying outdoor equipment that you will enjoy for a while, have a look at these:
Outdoor activities in winter though?
I know most of us look for outdoor activities for kids to do during summer. However, all of these activities are great for kids throughout the year. It was Alfred Wainwright, who wrote “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”. And that’s so true! It does worth investing money on boots and rain gear as outdoor play offers great benefits to your kids even during winter. I’d like to share a parenting hack about water play during cold months. I personally add warm water to our water table in winter months.
Tip for DIY activities:
If you have specific materials at home and you don’t know how to use them, check out Pinterest! There are heaps of ideas for kids activities using a variety of materials and resources. You can also follow our Pinterest account!
This post was all about outdoor activities for young and older kids!
Outdoor play is beneficial for kids.
It is good for their physical health, development and wellbeing.
You can have fun with these activities no matter what your budget is.
Share your ideas and experience below!
Important note: children must be supervised at all times.