Outdoor Adventure
So you got your child outside, now what? You may be looking for an activity to do with them in nature but aren’t sure where to start. Whether your child is an artist, an athlete, or a little bit of everything, we have the right activity for you to encourage your child to engage with nature.
Nature stamps:
Collect different objects you and your child find outside (leaves, pinecones, seeds, flowers). Bring them home and coat them in paint, then press them into paper or cardstock. This is great for making diy cards and for helping your child identify different objects in nature.
Rock Mandala:
Task your child with finding different types of rocks (ie twenty gray rocks, 10 rocks that sparkle, 15 smooth/round rocks). Then arrange them in a beautiful mandala on the ground.
Nature rainbow:
Give your child a scavenger hunt. Have them find as many red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple objects in nature as they can. Then, arrange these objects in the shape of a rainbow on the ground.
Give your child the camera:
How many times a day does your child ask to look at pictures in your camera roll? Give them a chance to take some of what they find in a local park!
Litter patrol:
Give your child appropriate PPE: thick gloves, trash bags, trash pickers, etc. Go out with them to one of Boston’s many public parks and clean up trash. This is a great opportunity for them to learn about the importance of not littering and give them a chance to give back to their community.
Pet rocks:
All you need is some glue, paint, and googly eyes for lots of fun! Make sure your kids take the time to carefully find a rock to “adopt” before decorating it outside.
Make a bug hotel:
Teach your kids the important role bugs play in our ecosystem (they’re not just pests!). Help them find fallen tree bark, sticks, and rotting wood they can use to become the best architect in the insect community.
Leaf rubbings:
Have your child collect leaves they find interesting outside. Then, lay a piece of paper over the leaves and use the long side of a crayon to rub on the paper. The patterns of the leaves will begin to show!
Bug Catcher:
You don’t need a fancy bug-catching kit to give your child the experience of looking for bugs. A simple tupperware will do. Make sure to return any friends you find back to nature when you are done!
