Exploring Nature: 5 Fun Outdoor Activities for Kids

Learning is not limited inside the four corners of the house or classroom. Kids will learn so much more with nature and there are just endless ways to enjoy them.

There's no better time to explore nature with your kids than summer time or spring time when everything is colorful, vibrant and alive. We collected outdoor activities from Parents.com and No Time for Flashcards so you and your kids can enjoy exploring nature this summer.

1. Underwater Exploration

Go to the nearest pond and explore the different living things as you can encounter lots of them. Try to prepare a list of critters that you are about to find in ponds and see if you can find all of them. Check out how to make materials that you may need in this activity here.

2. Nature Color Hunt

This is a fun activity to do outside with your kids. Put on different colors on a tray with multiple partitions and let them find things outside with similar color. For instructions on how to make the tray and how to go about the game, check it out here.

3. Track Trap

Bring out the Sherlock Holmes in your kids. Set up a trap in your backyard during the night to know what creatures are lurking in the dark. Place a white sheet on an area that animals will likely visit and lure them with pieces of bread or fruits. Placed them at the center and cover the edges of the sheet with soil. Wet both the sheet and the soil. Check out the next morning if any animals have taken the bait and try to guess them through their tracks.

4. The Bug Hunt

This is a fun way of integrating science and math in an activity. Prepare a clipboard, draw the critters you usually see on your background with their corresponding names. Now ask your kid to check your backyard and see how many of the animals he can find. For detailed instructions on how to do this activity, check it out here.

5. Mud Soup

Just like playing in the sand on the beach, you need almost the same materials for this. Prepare a set of containers, spoons, shovels and buckets. Collect some dirt and water them down. Then let them play with it. Check out how it turned out for this family by clicking the link here.

Don't worry about getting a little dirty and be a little creative in doing these activities. Most importantly, don't forget to have fun. For more outdoor activities, check out the video below: