1. Explore a creek or stream.
2. Observe living creatures.
3. Have a designated spot available
for free-range creativity and loose-part play.
4. Climb trees, rocks, hills...
5. Ride on a boat or go canoeing.
6. Walk in the rain.
7. Splash in puddles.
8. Get muddy.
9. Walk in the woods or hike on a trail.
11. Visit a botanical garden, local nursery,
or secret garden.
12. Engage in digital photography.
 Photo taken by Gerrick (age 6) at a local botanical garden. |
13. Have a scavenger hunt
14. Search for four-leaf clovers or gather flowers.
15. Get a closer look with a magnifying glass,
hand-held microscope, or binoculars.
16. Experiment with a prism.
17. Blow, pop, or watch bubbles.
18. Fly a kite.
19. Paint with water on fences, walls, rocks, sidewalks...
20. Lie on the ground and look for shapes in the clouds,
watch the trees sway in the breeze or the hawks soar...
or just take a rest.
21. Ride a bicycle, scooter, skateboard, rollerblades...
22. Take some inside toys outside.
23. Roll down a hill or run through a field.
24. Blow dandelions (or beat them with sticks).
25. Build a tree house or simple fort and play in it all day.
26. Stack rocks, skip or throw them in a lake,
or search for special ones to add to a collection.
27. Relax on a blanket with a picnic and a good book.
28. Go camping or put up a tent in the backyard.
29. Build a fire; roast marshmallows or make s'mores.
30. Plant something and care for it.
31. Play with a ball, frisbee, jump rope, hula hoop,
horseshoes, croquet set...
32. Make a masterpiece with chalk.
33. Swing!
34. Draw in a nature journal.
35. Paint en plein air or paint with nature.
36. Go fishing.
37. Target shoot with a b.b. gun, bow and arrows,
Nerf gun, sling shot, etc., or have a Nerf, water,
or marshmallow gun battle.
38. Touch animals at a farm or petting zoo.
39. Wash the family car together or give the wagon
or other outdoor toys a good scrubbing.
40. Watch a sunset.
41. Make BIG, messy, experimental art.
42. Make a volcano...or just
experiment with baking soda and vinegar.
43. Make soups, mud-pies, and various other treats
in an outdoor "kitchen" or "restaurant".
46. Cool off in a sprinkler or wading pool
or go to a local pool or splash pad.
48. Observe the moon and stars on a clear night.
49. Visit a farm to pick stawberries, blueberries, or apples, or cut a pumpkin right off the vine; or harvest items from their own garden.
50. Take time to smell the roses.
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