50 Ways to Get Outdoors in 2024
In 2024, many of us are looking for more ways to get outdoors, ranging from walking to school to 1000 Hours Outside. While daily walks have their merit, some days may take a little more creativity to inspire your kiddos to come outside. We asked our brand reps for their favourite ways to get outside year-round and compiled a list. Here’s 50 ways to get outdoors in 2024!
Winter
- Winter Scavenger Hunt – Download our printable here!
- Go Sledding
- Make Snow Forts
- Go Snowshoeing
- Skate on an Outdoor Rink – Indoor rinks are also great if it’s too warm!
- Go Cross-Country Skiing
- Go on a Hike with Hot Cocoa
- Play Pretend Sled Dogs – Put some things on a sled to pull around
- Make “Frozen Treasure”: Fill a shallow container with water and place your assorted “treasures” found outdoors. Freeze overnight or in your freezer. Take out and break apart with hammers or melt with salt.
- Snow Art: Fill containers with a variety of different washable paints. Grab your brushes and find a nice “canvas” of packed snow and get painting!
- Play with beach / sand toys / construction vehicle toys outside in the snow
- Pretend Bonfire: Have kids collect sticks outside and build a pretend bonfire. Put snowballs on the ends of sticks to pretend they are marshmallows to cook over your “bonfire”. You can also bring play dough outside to make food things to “cook” over the fire.
- Flashlight Walks After Dark
- Flashlight Hide and Seek
- Look for Animal Tracks in the Snow
Spring
- Make a Flag: Use paints or fabric marker to design a flag on an old pillowcase or spare fabric. Attach to a long stick and let your kids run around!
- Big Building Blocks: Save up a stash of empty boxes like tissue boxes, cereal boxes, diaper boxes, big cardboard boxes, and take them outside to build with.
- Make a Backyard Obstacle Course
- Mud Kitchen: Bring pots, pans, mixing bowls, baking sheets, and utensils outside. If it’s snowy outside, make “snow soup”!
- Make a Bird Feeder / Bird Seed Ornaments and watch the birds it attracts
- Go on a Walk with Binoculars or a Camera
- Container Gardening
- Play with Sidewalk Chalk
- Learn to Identify Milkweed and Find Monarch Butterfly Eggs. Let them hatch and watch the lifecycle.
Summer
- Make a Fort: Bring tarps or sheets and a spool of string outside.
Tie strings between trees and drape the fabric over your strings to create your “fort”. - Picnics and Playdates with Friends
- Go Beach Combing
- Get outside on a Camping or “Glamping” trip
- Try Fishing in a local river or lake
- Take a Hike Somewhere New
- Enjoy More Meals Outside
- Watch Movies in Your Backyard
- Waterplay with a Water Table or Kiddie Pool
- Make a Bouquet
- Car Wash Party
- Make a DIY Bubble Mixture
- Have a Water Fight
- Go on a “Bug Hunt”: Bring a magnifying glass to observe critters!
- “Paint the Fence” with paint brushes and water
Fall
- Play in the Mud
- Read Outdoors
- Make a Pulley Outside: Sling a rope over a sturdy tree branch and attach a basket.
- Play with Yarn or String Outside: Wrap it around trees, run with it, build spider webs. Don’t forget to bring a scissor for easy cleanup!
- Make a Meal Over a Campfire or Roast Marshmallows
- Go on a Treasure Hunt: Make a treasure map of your backyard or part of your favourite park. You can hide a goodie at the X, like hot cocoa in a thermos or a new toy.
- Bundle Up and Go Stargazing
- Leaf Art: Collect leaves and make crayon rubbings. Alternatively, paint on the leaves and press onto paper.
- Bike or Walk to School
- Feed Birds in Your Hand
- Make a List of Parks in your Area (try to visit them all)
We hope this list of 50 ways to get outdoors in 2024 will inspire you to give some of these a try. Bookmark this page for later or share with a friend. And don’t forget to dress for the weather!