Want to tire the kids out, so they’ll sleep well tonight?
Well, here’s my Top 10 Outdoor Activities for Kids list, without breaking the bank account!
Go Walking
Walking in The Lake District
If you live near the coast, how about a family walk on the beach
If you’re a city dweller, chances are there will be a park near by
If you live near the mountains – buy yourself and the kids some hiking boots and off you go
Go Cycling
Cycling near Sydney Airport
Cycle paths are appearing all over the place in Sydney and I image it’s much the same in other cities
For the more adventurous, try mountain biking
If children are still young, many parks have mini cycle roads where kids can ride their bikes and scooters
Go Fishing
Fishing on the Northern Beaches of Sydney
Watch a child catch their first fish, and they’re hooked 
Fish in rivers, lakes or the ocean – safely of course
For a guaranteed catch of the day, visit a fish farm
Go to the Zoo
Sydney Zoo
If you live near a zoo, it might be worth buying an annual pass
Smaller animal sanctuaries are also lots of fun to visit
Don’t let the rain stop you. Often animals are more active on wet days – take a brolly
Go to the Beach
North Curl Curl Beach Sydney
Live near the coast? Then why not spend a morning or afternoon at the beach
Have a sandcastle building competition
Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Go Play with a Ball
Shot Put Practice
If your kids are sporty, then playing with a ball might be one of their top 10 outdoor activities for kids
And kids don’t just kick balls – they throw them, catch them, pass them, hit them and even shot put them!
Just find a place with some open space and you’re onto a winner
Go Fly a Kite
From Mary Poppins Musical
I was reminded of this wonderful outdoor activity when I recently saw Mary Poppins
If the wind’s blowing, grab a kite and have some amazing fun
You can even make your own kite
Go Gardening
Gardening at Grandad's
As well as being a great outdoor activity, gardening is educational and helpful
You don’t even have to leave home to do this one
Weeding, watering, planting and mowing – it can all happen in your own back yard
Go to your local Park
Roseville National Park Sydney
Many parks have BBQ’s
There’s often a children’s playground in parks
Take the deck chairs and do some relaxing as well – if you get a chance!
Go for a Picnic
Picnic on shore of Hooker Glacier Lake New Zealand
Pack a yummy picnic and find a nice place to eat it
Take a picnic with you to any of the above outdoor activities for kids
Take some extra bread, just in case you get a chance to feed the ducks
So, there you have my Top 10 Outdoor Activities for Kids – that wont cost a fortune!
You might also enjoy:
Raising Great Kids – Building Sandcastles
Raising Great Kids – Nippers
Some blogging friends of mine have written posts that contain the word ‘outdoor’. You may like to check them out:-
Lisa Wood – Outdoor Room
Rita Pepper – Outdoor Education
Renee Allert – Outdoor Gyms
Renee Allert – Outdoor Weekend
Jackie Stenhouse – Outdoor Party Decorations
Jenny Locke – Outdoor Composting Problems
Lisa Wood – Outdoor Zumba
Kerry Lea – Sydney Outdoor Cinemas
My Own – Outdoor Activities for Kids
Thanks for reading another Raising Great Kids Blog.
Jan Littlehales
There is some great outdoor activities for kids – I really like the idea of the picnic and the beach.
Our boys are so active so we try to head outdoors every day. The zoo yearly passes are the best – we had one for Australia Zoo last year…..and yes we went there even in the rain!!
Cheers
Lisa
This post has so many great outdoor activities for kids, there is really no excuse not to do at least 5 of these activities each year.
When My kids were little we used to walk miles each week. We would visit the community Farm, the parks and walk to the swimming pool.
it was fun
What a fabulous list of ideas. We are so lucky to have a climate where we can enjoy outdoor activities all year round.
Ahh – what great ideas for outdoor activities for kids. But I would not limit them to kids, they are great for adults as well.
Come think of it – I think I have to get my kite out of the shed and fly it again!
Cheers
Renee
When the kids were younger, we were always looking for free or cheap outdoor activities for our kids. Picnics were a huge favourite as well as going to the beach. There is plenty to do outdoors, you only have to be a little creative.
Thanks for comments Jackie, Renee, Jenny, Rita and Lisa,
Seems like you are all keen outdoor activities people. We have such a great climate in Australia there really is no excuse
Hi Jan
Always good to get the children outdoors, especially with so many people these days low in vitamin D.
Flying a kite brings back memories of making a kite out of sticks and brown paper, the kites today are quite fancy.
Thanks for dropping by Kerry,
It seems strange that people should be low in Vitamin D in a country like Australia. I guess the slip slap slop hasn’t helped, but then we don’t want to get sun burnt either!
You’re right about some of the kites today being fancy. There’s a place not far from where I live that’s perfect for flying a kite and some of the kites I see there are amazing – and massive too!
One of the best activities, at this time of the year, where I live is cross country skiing. My kids started that before they could walk – on daddies back of course.
I’ve never tried cross country skiing with my boys, but we’ve skied together since they could walk and I agree it’s a fantastic family activity. Maybe my next blog post