Children's Outside Guide activities

Spending time outside is incredibly valuable for both children and adults. Being outside and connecting with nature can help us to relax, unwind, and appreciate why it’s so important. We’ve curated some fun and educational outdoor games and activities that the whole family can enjoy! As you explore these activities together, keep an eye out for the mindful moments that help connect with nature, movement, and the senses.

Hopscotch

Playing hopscotch is a fantastic way to promote counting skills, balance, and coordination while having fun. You can also play hopscotch with letters to help your child understand letters and their sounds. For an added challenge, ask them to tell you a word that begins with the letter they land on and for older children see whether they can spell the word.

You will need:

• Chalk or masking tape 
• A small object, like a stone, to throw.

How to Play:

1. Draw a hopscotch grid with chalk or masking tape
2. In the squares draw numbers or letters
3. Have your child throw their small object so that it lands on a square
4. Hop from square to square, skipping to the square with their object on, repeat step 3 and 4 until you get to the end of the hopscotch.

Water Dash

Use a cup to take water from one bucket to the other – if you want to make this harder add holes to the cups! By the end of the game there will be as much water on the children as in the buckets but that’s all part of the fun! 

You will need:

• Two Buckets, one empty and one filled with water 
• Water, enough to fill one bucket
• Cups to transfer the water from one bucket to another
• Stopwatch

How to play:

1. Place one bucket filled with water on one side of your outdoor playing area
2. Place the empty bucket the other side of your playing area
3. Have your child get all the water from one bucket into the other bucket as fast as they can by only using the cup. 

This game can be played in teams, and you can even add holes to the cups to make the game harder. For older children use a stopwatch to time them or set a time for them to beat.

Outdoor alphabet hunt

Discover the wonders of nature while practicing your ABC’s! Explore a garden or green space while learning the alphabet and practice spelling and writing.

You will need: 

• A picnic blanket or mat
• A piece of paper
• A pen or pencil

How to play:

1. Find a comfortable place to sit in a garden or a green space like a local park
2. Begin at the start of the alphabet with the letter A. Ask your child to look around and find something that starts with the letter, for example for ‘A’ they could spot an ‘Ant’
3. Depending on the child's age ask them to spell it and for older children ask them to write the word down
4. Move to the next letter and continue with the alphabet until you reach the letter Z.

Outdoor story time

Bring your children’s favourite books outside and read them under a tree in a garden or at a park. Reading outside combines the cognitive benefits of reading with the calming effects of nature, stimulates imagination, and improves focus.

Children will have a great time with these engaging and educational outdoor activities. Enjoy the fresh air and the benefits of playing together as a family! 

There are families in our community who, due to various challenges, struggle to provide these enriching experiences for their children. If you’re in a position to do so, this is where your help can make a profound impact. Making a small donation today could mean that together we're able to support more parents struggling with the cost-of-living, from our school uniform banks to children who attend Salvation Army summer clubs.