30 Ways Your Kids Can Enjoy 30 Minutes in Nature

Feb 22, 2016

Child playing outdoors



Kids these days aren't spending enough time outdoors.

Perhaps Miss Charlotte Mason and Mr. John Muir understood the importance of being outdoors, but modern people seem to be lacking in this knowledge.

Nature isn't just for naturalists. It's for everyone.


Nature was created for us. Therefore, we benefit from it. In fact, we need it. Nature is the key to good physical and mental health. 

Just google "children, outdoors, important" and you'll find a wealth of information on the social, cognitive, and health benefits of being outdoors.

So how can we get out kids outdoors more often?

child on monkeybars


{This post may contain affiliate links.}


Here are some easy ways to add outdoor time to your day. 


A photo posted by Michelle Cannon (@tmichellecannon) on
  • Make a nature shadow box or nature table.
  • Look for traces of animals (tracks and scat).
  • Sketch in your nature journal.
  • Collect items for your nature journal.
  • Listen for sounds in nature.

  • Eat outside. Always fun!
  • Observe spiders and their webs.
  • Take photos. Macro photos of flowers, spiders, icicles, or any other thing in nature, make for a great scrapbook or addition to your nature journal.
  • Climb trees.
  • Build a fort!

A photo posted by Michelle Cannon (@tmichellecannon) on
ffee
A photo posted by Michelle Cannon (@tmichellecannon) on


A photo posted by Michelle Cannon (@tmichellecannon) on
  • Play outdoor games.
  • Go for a bike ride.
  • Explore shells and rocks at the beach.
  • Fly a kite.
  • Hike in a nearby state park.
What ideas would you add to the list?

More useful tasks that take little time!

7 comments

  1. The weather is finally turn nice here in MN and Spring is in the air. I am GIDDY to get outside and explore nature! (popping by from the Squishable Baby linkup)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm in Florida, so we pretty much enjoy outside all year. Glad spring is finally in the air in MN!

      Delete
  2. We are making our spring nature table...inspired by the warming weather!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I keep telling myself I'm going to make a nature table. I just never seem to get around to it. :/

      Delete
  3. Lovely ideas! We love spending lots of time outside.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So do we. I'm big on outdoors and art!

      Delete
  4. Love these ideas. We enjoy all of them! Living in New England, we're even used to getting out in the snow and having fun with winter nature studies. :)

    Thanks for linking up at the Homeschool Blog & Tell! I pinned this post.

    ReplyDelete

Join the conversation!