We love going out and exploring. Finding new trails. Visiting favorite places. Biking trails we usually hike. Simply finding a piece of public land and exploring.
The reality, however, is that leaving the house for outdoor adventures takes extra time and energy. And sometimes we do not have one or the other or both. So we (micro)adventure in our backyard!
I tend to be a “hands off” type of parent when it comes to entertaining our children. Not saying I don’t play with them, but I generally don’t come up with ideas of things for them to do. We go outside together, and they lead the way with their play. That being said, I find it’s always nice to have a few SIMPLE, mostly nature-themed ideas in my back pocket if they are tired, clingy, or just need a little guidance!
So here are 10 “back pocket” microadventures you can suggest (if you want 🙂 ) for your children in the backyard.
- Build a nest. For Easter this past year, we built a large nest in our yard where there would be some Easter surprises waiting for them in the morning. Our oldest claimed it as an osprey nest. So instead of an Easter bunny, we now have an Easter osprey in our house! Even if it’s not Easter, building nests is a fun activity for a variety of ages. Children collect sticks, feathers, grass, leaves, really anything! And then they can decide what kind of nest it is – a robin nest? A dinosaur nest? A bald eagle nest? Whatever they want to name it! As a fun surprise, you could even leave a little treat in it occasionally!
- Speaking of Easter, have an egg hunt anytime of the year! One of the boys found the bag of Easter eggs, so we got them out again for a brief play period. I say brief, because I really didn’t want to have plastic eggs all over the yard for too long! 🙂
- “Fossil” hunt. Have any rocks in your yard? Or a place where your children can dig? Go on a fossil hunt! Whenever we are actually fossil hunting as a family in Montana, our boys find rocks and say, “Fossil!” So we’ve brought this home and fossil hunt in our backyard! Simple round rocks become egg fossils. Others become dinosaur fossils. Many times it eventually becomes about finding pretty rocks. Or ants! Either way, it gives them a place to begin, and then they can go with it where they choose.
- The bucket adventure. Give them an empty bucket (any size you have on hand) and have them fill it with treasures. Watch as they gravitate towards their unique interests. Maybe it comes back filled entirely with rocks. Or one lady bug. Or a variety of nature items. Then have them show you everything and tell you about it.
- Sand + containers of various sizes + water = an afternoon of play. Our boys love playing with water and sand. In our backyard, we have a large dig pit with several old flower pots, measuring cups, buckets, trucks, and shovels. In the front, we have a homemade (so simple and cheap) standing sandbox with cups, bowls, spoons, and other small random toys in it. Next to each one is a water source. Hours are spent playing with both of these. Sometimes just mixing up the buckets/toys in each one makes it a new experience for them. And don’t be afraid of letting them get messy – encourage it!
- Recreate book stories. This works better for children over 2 (in my experience). Find a book, or a theme in books, and play it out in the backyard. For example, we recently read Ruby’s Sword, and then when outside, we can find sticks (swords) and use them like Ruby – to draw in the dirt, provide a bridge for ants, build a fort. Or my oldest is really into firefighters, so we say different items (a tree, the basketball hoop, etc.) are on fire or somebody needs help, ring the bell, and he finds a “pole” (tree, post, anything) to slide down, gets on his bike, and pedals to the fire to put it out or uses a rope to rescue me/pull me out. Over and over and over! On hot days, the garden hose is the perfect fire hose!
- Follow the rocks. Do you have some larger rocks? Place them in a row, circle, randomly, and have your little one follow the rocks. You can easily change the pattern around or take turns doing so.
- Wet/dry chalk. Chalk – such a classic item. My boys don’t usually last too long with chalk, but one way to extend their chalk play is to fill a bowl with water and show your kids how wet and dry chalk draws differently.
- Cairns. Does your little one like to build towers with Legos, blocks, plastic cups, anything? Have them build rock towers outside! You can even make up some stories about them. Are they simply markers for hikers? Or for squirrels, deer, or other animals? Maybe they are on an island and sailors out at sea use them like they would a lighthouse? Stories or not, they are fun to build!
- Bug stories. My boys love finding insects, bugs, worms, and any other small creature that flies or crawls. So we pick a creature to find (ants, ladybug, worm, etc.) and then make up stories about it/them. What it was doing, where it was going, and anything else they ask questions about.
As you can see, one of my themes in many of our backyard microadventures is story. Stories get our older one asking more questions and keep both kids more excited. They also keep me entertained! 🙂
How do your kids microadventure in the backyard?