Christmas is just around the corner, so the kid’s excitement is no doubt building up to fever pitch. So, why not calm them down and use up some of their endless energy with some kids outdoor games or winter sports? It’s one of the safest ways to get active during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ve gathered together a few ideas for you:
- Outdoor Scavenger hunt for kids
- Playground slides and outdoor swings for kids
- Other Outdoor Ideas for Kids
These are sure-fire ways to keep your kids busy, fun-filled and educated throughout the winter season, so put on your big coats and let’s get exploring…
Outdoor Scavenger hunt for kids
One of the best ways to combine education and fun in the outdoors is to create an outdoor scavenger hunt. They’ll have fun learning about the different kinds of leaves, trees, animals and more while developing all-important problem-solving and teamwork skills.
To set up your own, you can find downloadable hunts online, or you can use professional seasonal advice to design a brand new one just for your kids. You could go specific and take a trip to the woods and ask for a type of leaf or stick or feather. Or you could ask them to find shapes and colours instead. There’s plenty of options.
Another option is to keep it local to your home and do something called an Ice Egg Hunt, but this only works if it’s cold enough to keep the ice from melting quickly. The idea is to:
- Get some balloons
- Fill them with water
- Freeze them.
- Once frozen, peel off the balloon
- Hide the ice eggs or balls in and around your garden
It’s less about learning and more about working as a team to find them all before they melt. To make it a bit more special, you could freeze some toys and figurines in the balloons too.
Playground slides and outdoor swings for kids
Another easy outdoor option if you find yourself strapped for prepping and planning time is to go to the playground. Since it is an outdoor activity, going to the playground is allowed in all three tiers so long as cleanliness and social distancing guidelines are followed as needed in that tier.
You may not think it is overly educational, but going on the outdoor swings and slide kits are incredibly useful for child development. For example, swings help with their balance, spatial awareness and fine motor skills. And slides are great for their patience and vestibular systems too.
So, while it may not seem educationally beneficial to go and play on the playground alone, it is very good for them – just keep the anti-bacterial wipes and sanitiser handy.
Don’t let the rain stop you from going to the playground either. Puddle jumping is just as fun for your kids as it was when you were younger, so pull on the wellies, zip up their coats and get jumping.
Other Outdoor Ideas for Kids
Aside from these, there are loads and loads of other outdoor recreational activities you can do with your kids, and most are free too! Don’t stay cooped up inside, try some of these:
- Go for a bike ride
This one gives you a great work out and some things to look at too. Let’s not forget that it’s socially-distanced as well! Just get your bikes out, or hire them from your local public bike share scheme (Beryl bikes, Hourbike and Santander bikes are some good ones), plan your route and get cycling. You could make a day of it by taking a backpack of refreshments and blankets, just make sure everyone wraps up warm and safe with helmets.
- Trail walking or orienteering
This one is probably better for your older kids as it requires map reading and navigational skills. The best thing to do is go online and look at your local area for walks or routes that your council or local nature reserves recommend. Some even do competitions for families to get involved in and all you need it a smartphone.
- Play in the snow
If we get some settling snow this year, there is so much fun to be had. You can build a snowman or snow dog; you can have a snowball fight or make snow angels. The fun is endless…or until the snow melts anyway.
- Play Pooh sticks
If you’ve got a running river or stream nearby then pooh sticks is a classic outdoor pastime. It’s a simple game where everyone chooses a stick and you drop them into the river on one side of the bridge. Then you run to the other to see which stick comes out the other side first. You can do it with rubber duckies too, just make sure to take a net to fish them back out again.
- Get to know the wildlife
Mini David Attenboroughs and Autumnwatchers at the ready, nature has loads of things for you to play with and learn. See if you can find any footprints or nests. Are there any animal homes nearby you can watch? What about birds – have you got a feeder you can put up to watch? You could make a DIY Birdfeeder easily if not.
There is so much outdoor recreation you can do outside during the pandemic that is safe and socially-distanced too. You could get scientific with ice, plan to watch some meteor showers and even try snowboarding or ice skating. So, don’t let your tier or the R rate stop you from having some fun in the winter weather with these outdoor ideas for kids. There is plenty of kids outdoor games and things to explore and learn just waiting for you.