Ways to Get Outdoors

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

1. Winter Scavenger Hunt – Download our printable here!
2. Go Sledding
3. Make Snow Forts
4. Go Snowshoeing
5. Skate on an Outdoor Rink – Indoor rinks are also great if it’s too warm!
6. Go Cross-Country Skiing
7. Go on a Hike with Hot Cocoa
8. Play Pretend Sled Dogs – Put some things on a sled to pull around
9. 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.
10. 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!
11. Play with beach / sand toys / construction vehicle toys outside in the snow
12. 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.
13. Flashlight Walks After Dark
14. Flashlight Hide and Seek
15. Look for Animal Tracks in the Snow

Spring

16. 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!
17. 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.
18. Make a Backyard Obstacle Course
19. Mud Kitchen: Bring pots, pans, mixing bowls, baking sheets, and utensils outside. If it’s snowy outside, make “snow soup”!
20. Make a Bird Feeder / Bird Seed Ornaments and watch the birds it attracts
21. Go on a Walk with Binoculars or a Camera
22. Container Gardening
23. Play with Sidewalk Chalk
24. Learn to Identify Milkweed and Find Monarch Butterfly Eggs. Let them hatch and watch the lifecycle.

Summer

25. 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”.
26. Picnics and Playdates with Friends
27. Go Beach Combing
28. Get outside on a Camping or “Glamping” trip
29. Try Fishing in a local river or lake
30. Take a Hike Somewhere New
31. Enjoy More Meals Outside
32. Watch Movies in Your Backyard
33. Waterplay with a Water Table or Kiddie Pool
34. Make a Bouquet
35. Car Wash Party
36. Make a DIY Bubble Mixture
37. Have a Water Fight
38. Go on a “Bug Hunt”: Bring a magnifying glass to observe critters!
39. “Paint the Fence” with paint brushes and water

Fall

40. Play in the Mud
41. Read Outdoors
42. Make a Pulley Outside: Sling a rope over a sturdy tree branch and attach a basket.
43. 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!
44. Make a Meal Over a Campfire or Roast Marshmallows
45. 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.
46. Bundle Up and Go Stargazing
47. Leaf Art: Collect leaves and make crayon rubbings. Alternatively, paint on the leaves and press onto paper.
48. Bike or Walk to School
49. Feed Birds in Your Hand
50. 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!

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