4 Fun and Easy Ways to Get Your Kids Outside

1. Sidewalk Chalk Games

When is the last time your kids played a simple game of hopscotch? In fact, what’s the chance that your kids even know what hopscotch is? That and more classic games can be played with a bucket of chalk and a space to draw outside. Try out a game of Pictionary on your driveway. Maybe on a hot day, the winners of each set get to run through the sprinklers, while the losers wait it out on the cement.

2. Gigantic Bubbles

Bubbles attract kids of all ages without fail. Bring gigantic bubbles into the picture, and your kids will never want to come back inside. It’s easy to make your own huge bubble kit at home. Take a wire coat hanger and stretch it out to make a circle with a handle. Make as many as you need to create wands for the bubble. Find a flat container large enough to dip the wands into, such as a roasting pan or plastic crate. To make the liquid for the bubbles, simply squirt some dish soap into the container and fill with water. Outside, dip the wands into the liquid and run them through the air to create the biggest bubbles your kids have ever seen

3. Scavenger Hunt

If your kids are not at all in the mood to go outside, try creating a fun activity (with prizes involved) that just so happens to take place outside. Leave notes with clues for your kids in locations around the house and outside throughout the yard. Maybe prizes involved can be thirty extra minutes of video game time or renting a movie of their choice. But don’t be surprised if running around outside gets your kids excited enough to want to stay there.

4. Watermelon Stand

Forget the lemonade stands of last year. Instead, try sending your kids outside with a delicious treat that everyone loves. In fact, why set up a stand for profit? Maybe your kids can have a good time giving out free watermelon slices to neighbors and passersby on hot days. Take it a step further and head to the park to delight fellow outdoor lovers.

Guest writer Jemima Lopez is a freelance blogger and writer who writes for Zen College Life, the directory of higher education, distance learning, and online degrees. She welcomes your comments.