Outdoor Activities
Looking for activities to show your child the fun side of learning? From science experiments and math games to writing projects and more, we've got you covered! Use the selector on the right to browse around, or narrow your search by grade and subject area.
Energy is the ability to change or move matter, and matter is everything that takes up space. Without energy, the world could not function! Here is a practical way to demonstrate specific types of energy.
Encourage your child to practice skip counting by transforming number patterns with this fun and interactive game of catch. It will get your child moving and learning, ball in hand!
More outdoor activities:
Paint for Learning at "Sidewalk School"
Help your child practice new writing and math skills with a fun outdoor activity that will have your child teaching you! By using watercolor paints to practice writing letters, sentences, and math problems, your child will practice essential first grade skills in his "Sidewalk School."
Make a Self Portrait from Nature
Kids of all ages enjoy creating self-portraits. Add a fun and unique twist by having your child use nature as her palette!
What Doesn't Belong? A Categorization Game
In this outdoor activity you and your child will have fun hunting for objects that have something in common and choosing one that doesn’t belong in the group. The object of the game is to have the other person figure out what item doesn’t quite fit. Your child will have so much fun ...
Make a Tie Dye Surprise
In the spirit of recycling and reusing, as well as saving some money on buying new clothes, why not spend an afternoon outdoors creating some of your own designs by learning to tie dye? Here's how.
Practice Stick Writing!
First graders will get a kick out of creating a written message and practicing their letters using sticks they find in nature. This also helps to practice their letter formation and handwriting strokes.
Spin the Bucket: A Centripetal Force Experiment
Have your middle schooler try this classic and entertaining activity that demonstrates circular motion. Due to the nature of flying water and bucket, it is best to perform this activity outside. Be careful, you may get soaked!
Ice Cube Bead Necklaces
Create ice cube bead necklaces to cool off little fireballs of energy while practicing gross motor skills and sequencing, and discussing states of matter.
Chalk it Up! An Outdoor Classification Activity
Classifying and sorting into groups is also a large part of the first grade math curriculum. The outdoors offers an abundance of learning tools for children, and classifying in the natural world gives your child an added lesson in scientific observation and classification.
Get Your Head in the Clouds!
First graders are eager to learn about science - especially using large objects to observe like clouds. Let your child daydream a little and use those science and writing skills, too!
Make an ABC Nature Book
Take a nature walk in your backyard or local park to find one object for every letter of the alphabet. Your child will be loving the outdoors while practicing her science, reading, and writing skills.
