50+ FREE Things Kids Can Do Outside {+ Printable}

The post below is sponsored by the Michigan Wildlife Council. All opinions belong to me.

Most parents know children thrive when spending ample time outdoors. The sad reality is, kids are getting too much screen time and not enough outdoor playtime. With the rise of limiting recess and screen usage ticking upwards, there has been a major increase in nature deficit disorder, a playful term coined by an author.

Statistics show children who spend time outside aren’t sick as often as those that don’t. Things like mud, water, leaves, sticks, pinecones, and more, help to stimulate children’s immune system and imagination. Also, children who play in natural settings are more resistant to stress; have less behavioral disorders, anxiety and depression; and have a higher measure of self-worth. {See more stats HERE}

I’ve noticed my kids get along better, sleep better, and are happier after plenty of sunshine, so I try to make it a priority to get outside daily, even when we have to bundle up.

Thankfully, Michigan’s vast natural resources offer plenty of options for outdoor enjoyment. Our more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, 11,000 inland lakes, tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams and nearly 20 million acres of forest land provide opportunities for every interest.

Instead of staying in, I encourage you to get your children’s brains turned onto nature by offering these suggestions to get outside and play!

50+ FREE Things Kids Can Do Outside

• Collect nature: Leaves in the fall, pinecones in the spring, dandelions in the summer, etc.
• Go on a bike ride
• Collect trash to practice kindness to the planet
• Nab a blanket and books and read outside
• Take a hike on a local trail
• Search for a four-leaf clover in a clover patch
• Go on a rock hunt and create a rock garden
• Visit a public garden and identify the flowers growing
• Make a leaf press craft
• Go bird watching and record the birds you see

• Take a walking tour of your city
• Fly a kite on a windy day
• Take a night walk when there’s a full moon
• Visit a {free} local park
• Take a walk in the woods and identify plants
• Go geocaching
• Do yoga outside
• Challenge your kids to a race around the block
• Play parachute with a large sheet
• Plan a picnic
• Visit a new town and look for street art
• Go disc golfing at a local park
• Visit a park to watch the sunset
• Have a bonfire and make s’mores
• Pick wildflowers and make a bouquet
• Practice Parkour

• Climb a tree
• Create a fun play area or mud kitchen outside with recycled materials
• Plant flowers or herbs with your kids and watch them grow
• Run through the sprinkler
• Draw with sidewalk chalk
• Blow bubbles
• Make an outdoor obstacle course with nature {i.e. sticks to jump over}
• Play catch, frisbee, soccer, etc.
• Attend a local farmers market
• Check out a youth hunt activity
• Go fishing in a local lake or pond {Fact: Hunting and fishing licenses fund the vast majority of wildlife conservation in Michigan!}
• Play outdoor hide and seek
• Take a walk with flashlights after dark
• Bring art supplies outside and encourage kids to draw what they see
• Walk a dog — either yours or a neighbors
• Paint rocks with encouraging words and leave them for a stranger to find
• Jump in mud puddles

• Plan a scavenger hunt or bury ‘treasure’ for kids to find with a map
• Stargaze on a blanket at night
• Look for shapes in the clouds
• Set-up a ‘carwash’ and wash outdoor toys
• Camp in your own backyard
• Bring a card game outside to enjoy
• Have a water fight
• Create a fairy garden with supplies at home
• Set-up a lemonade stand
• Catch and release fireflies
• Go on a photowalk
• Skip rocks in a pond or lake
• Go on a bug hunt
• Hide trinkets in egg containers and have the kids hunt for them

50+ Free Things Kids Can Do Outside –> Follow this link for the printable version!

The Michigan Wildlife Council is an awesome organization that exists to educate the public about the importance of conservation and wildlife management, as well as the direct impact fishing and hunting have on Michigan’s wildlife and natural resources. Check out this awesome page for ideas on places to hike, fish, hunt, camp and more in Michigan.

Learn more about the Michigan Wildlife Council on their website | Facebook | Twitter.

How do you enjoy playing outside?