Now that the weather is getting warmer, it’s the perfect opportunity to get out and enjoy the sunshine while spending quality time with your family. If you are looking for fun activities to enjoy in the great outdoors, here are some ideas to get you started. These activities would be great for the weekend, or any time when you want to make the most of a beautiful day with your family.
Go for a Picnic
Food tastes so much better when it is eaten out in the fresh air, so why not pack some sandwiches and fruit with you and find a beautiful beach, forest or park where you can spread out the picnic blanket? You can run, play, swim and enjoy the great outdoors and then lounge on the blanket and enjoy an alfresco meal.
Have a Water Balloon Fight
Your little ones will squeal with glee as they lob water balloons back and forth to each other and they will run away screaming when you bring out the garden hose! A water fight is a great way to cool down on a hot and sunny day. You can make different teams and fight against each other or you can just make it a crazy free for all. Either way, make sure that you have plenty of towels ready for drying off afterward.
Camping in the Backyards
You don’t have to travel very far out of town to enjoy a camping trip – why not set up the tent in your own backyard? This is a great way to get your little ones used to the idea of camping, while still being close to the house so that they can go back inside to their beds if they get scared. You can stay up late reading stories and making hand puppet shadows on the tent walls.
A Day at the Beach
If you live within driving distance of the ocean or a lake with a beach, take a day to visit and enjoy the waterside. Here’s a great tip for visiting a beach with your family in the summer – head there later in the evening a few hours before sunset. It will still be warm, but rays of the sun will not be as strong as they would be during mid-day, so you will not have to worry as much about heat stroke. Also, the beach will be less crowded because most of the crowds will be on their way home.
Go For a Family Bike Ride
Get the whole family together, hop on your bikes and take a ride to the nearest park, lake or beach. Riding together as a family is fun, as well as being great exercise. If you have little ones who are too small to ride on their own, you can always hook up a bike-trailer-stroller so that you can take them with you. Make sure that everyone has helmets and a good understanding of road safety!
Fly a Kite
Just like the song in Mary Poppins, it is fun to go fly a kite! Research the best kite flying spot in your area, it should be somewhere with strong winds and plenty of wide open space. You can buy kites from the store or try making your own from instructions that you find online and see how well they fly.
Go Fruit Picking
In rural areas you will often find fruit orchards where you can pick your own fruit, such as strawberries, peaches or apples. This is a great day out for the family and not only is it fun for the kids, but you will also bring home a delicious feast of fresh seasonal fruit to enjoy. You could even spend time with the kids baking a fruit crumble or making fruit jam!
Go For a Hike
Take the family out into the wilderness for a day of hiking, a great way to get some exercise and enjoy your natural surroundings. Research online to find out about the best hiking trails in the city and plan a day of exploring. Make sure that the hiking trail you choose is suitable for the skill level and endurance of your children, as young ones will only be able to hike for a couple of hours before getting too tired but older children will be able to hike longer. Also, make sure that you bring plenty of water, a map, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
These are just a few fun ideas for enjoying the great outdoors with your family. Don’t spend a sunny weekend inside – get out and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings and make some wonderful memories with your children.
