4 Fun Activities to Connect Kids With Nature

Children learn most effectively when given the freedom to explore, create, manipulate, and get hands-on. These concepts are uncomplicated, enjoyable, and require little preparation, and your little ones will thoroughly enjoy discovering the world around them.

Easily incorporate these outdoor tasks into homeschool curricula or engage in structured outdoor activities with your children. Immerse both yourself and your children in nature, or bring materials indoors to continue exploring and having fun with nature-based activities at home.

Scavenger Hunt

Collaborate with your child to compile a list of nature items found outdoors (like a bird feather, wildflowers, pinecones, and a green leaf). Transform your list into a simple printable with pictures for the little ones, fasten it to a brown paper bag, and head outside.

You can even transform it into a group game for multiple kids — the first one to locate all the natural items on the list is the winner! This serves as an enjoyable method to enjoy fresh air and encourage young children to observe the natural world and their surroundings. After collecting the items, take the bag home for sensory play.

Create imprints with pine cones in playdough, make natural suncatchers by adding leaves and feathers to contact paper, use acorns for a counting activity, or craft a collage for a straightforward art project. The possibilities are endless, turning a nature scavenger hunt into just the start of a range of educational activities.

Take a Hike

Load a wagon or backpack with snacks, pails, plastic bags, or other containers to gather intriguing items, and a journal or camera (real or pretend) to document interesting sights and experiences.

Sing songs as you hike along. Search for rocks, flowers, shells, bugs, seeds, or shapes like triangles, circles, squares, and octagons. Create stories about the real or magical creatures that might inhabit the rocks, trees, or underground.

Once you return, assist the child in making a collage or scrapbook to share their discoveries from the hike. The GR20, one of the most famous and challenging long-distance trails, is a great option for older children who are up for a more physically demanding hike.

Study and Collect Rocks

Encourage children to gather fascinating rocks from your backyard, a nearby park, a creek, or around your neighborhood. Create a basic scientific exploration station with a magnifying glass, various containers, egg cartons, and clear water bowls.

Teach them to use the magnifying glass to observe the details and texture of each rock, to note the changes in water level when rocks of different sizes are placed in a container, and to sort the rocks by characteristics like size, color, and texture. Once the exploration is complete, children might enjoy keeping and displaying their rock collection in a decorated egg carton.

Cultivate a Garden

Marigolds, Radishes, and beans sprout quite rapidly, and kids can begin by planting them in paper cups or directly in the garden. Fast-growing herbs like parsley, basil, mint, and chives can be planted by children in a window box or container, or along a path, where they can be picked to enhance mud pies and tea party drinks.

Engage children in activities like planting, digging, monitoring growth, watering, and harvesting, while discussing the essentials of plant growth and human intervention. Prompt children to observe changes in their plants and engage in conversations with you about their observations.

Endnote

Outdoor activities offer children a special chance to express their creativity while enjoying the beauty and variety of nature. These activities enable them to explore various art techniques and materials, enhancing their artistic skills and imagination.