5 CREATIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO OUTSIDE WITH YOUR KIDS

Now that the weather is warmer, the little ones prefer to be outside doing something fun. If you're looking for some inspiration to keep things fresh and exciting, here are 5 easy outdoor activities you can do with your little ones.

Backyard Camping

Camping is a big commitment whenever you have littles under the age of 5. So we've introduced backyard camping to our boys. What's great about camping in the back yard is that you're only a few steps away from everything - so you eliminate the possibility of forgetting to pack something. Or if things get too uncomfortable or the weather makes a sudden shift, you can relocate inside.

We involve the boys as much as possible as we set up, teaching them how everything goes together and why each step is important. We'll cook dinner on the grill and light a bonfire for roasting marshmallows.

When it comes to making it extra comfortable for everyone, we will blow up the air mattress and put it in our tent. If you want to see some more details on our outdoor camping, you can check out a previous blog on that here.

Water Play

What's better than splashing in some water on a hot summer day?

We recently purchased a more permanent above ground Intex pool for the boys to swim in this year. But they're only allowed to play in it when an adult is outside supervising them. So having a way to encourage water play where you can step away for a few minutes can be nice. I overlap our water table with small plastic kiddie wading pool to help provide extra laters of fun.

For even more fun, you can add some bubbles to the water table.

Just make sure that you are aware of the long-term effects of soap and bubbles on your grass.

Treasure Hunts & Walks

A fun way to get outside and explore is doing a scavenger / treasure hunt. If you want some help knowing what to look for, there are a ton of fun lists you can find online. I really like this one designed by Lindsey Rose.

At the end of the hunt, we like spending time sorting the treasures we find and want to keep.

Homemade Bird Feeders

We enjoy birdwatching in our backyard. It's truly amazing how much wildlife is around you all of the time. We have several birdfeeders in our backyard, but we also enjoy making homemade birdfeeders, too. All you need is peanut butter, pinecones (which you can find in your backyard or local craft store), and birdseed. Just spread the peanut butter on the pinecones and roll them in the bird seed and they're ready to hang in your trees.

Picnics

When the weather is nice, it's really fun to throw a blanket or sheet down on the ground and take your food to the back yard. It's surprising how just changing the scenery a little bit will bring out different conversations and help make really memorable moments.

| Credits: Author & Photography - Jacintha Payne |