20 Outdoor Activities to Do with Your Toddlers

My husband and I are frequent travelers. We love to go to different places and explore different cultures and natures. So, we had plans to visit different places throughout my entire pregnancy. However, my son was born right before the pandemic, and like most parents, we had spent most of our time indoors. Although we took him out for a walk at the nearby park and in our backyard often. It didn’t feel enough.

Our first real trip took place when he was about 10 months old. During this time, things have gotten a lot better, but there were still many restrictions in place. All hassles set-asides, we had a great time going to Lake Tahoe and doing our favorite outdoor activity, hiking! Our baby boy loved it. He enjoyed the sun and the stroller ride up and down the hills. He also pointed at different things and babbled. To be very honest, we didn’t understand what he was trying to say😂, but I assumed those were new things that he never seen before. 

Now, he has grown into his toddler years, and things are back to normal. Therefore, we get to do more and more outdoor activities. In this article, I want to share with you our favorite outdoor activities as a family. 

Outdoor Activities That Your Family Will Love

Homebound Activities

• Walk in the park. This is one of the easiest and most effective physical outdoor activities, and it is great for kids because it helps improve their posture and balance.
• Tricycle ride. Riding a bike (or a tricycle for the little ones) is a fun activity. It is also helpful for the development of little kids since it promotes body-eye coordination.
• Blow bubble. Kids love bubbles, and bubble play is an affordable activity that comes with many benefits. These include improving gross and fine motor skills, muscle toning, body-eye coordination development, and directional awareness. Check out how to make your own bubble here.
• Visit local playgrounds. Playgrounds are kids’ favorite. They get to run around, go up and down the slides, go on the swings, and, most importantly, make new friends. Visiting local playgrounds help kids build their social and communication skills.
• Hike your local trails. Hiking is a great way to help your kids connect with nature. When it comes to hiking with kids, you don’t have to go on the most intensive trails. Easy local trails would do the work unless you want to train your kids for something bigger 😊.
• Local beaches. When it is warm and sunny, a family beach day sounds perfect. Your little kids can feel the water and learn how to build a castle while you can enjoy your picnic foods.
• Local museums. You can spark your kids’ curiosity and boost their learning potential by visiting your local museums. Be prepared to answer lots of questions. If you are in Orange County, CA, you can check out this post from enjoyorangcounty.com for more information about the museums.
• Kite flying. Your kids can learn many things, including weather and sciences while flying a kite. Moreover, they can feel the excitement and learn to be patient as well.
• Playing with balls. Ball games are fun for both little boys and little girls. On top of the physical development, they will also be able to learn about communication and team works.
• Swan boat. Even though your little kids will probably not able to pedal the boat (you have to do most of the work), they will get to enjoy the freeze and spot different animals by the lake.

Far Away Adventures

• Check out different national parks. One of our favorite outdoor activities is visiting different national parks since they are dreamlands for exploration. Kids will learn many things, including animal habitats and new plants, and able to enjoy nature.
• Visit theme parks. Different than national parks, theme parks offer a sense of adventure. Your little ones can learn to be more courageous and face their fears when going on new rides.
• Visit new cities. Taking your kids to visit different cities will provide opportunities for them to experience environmental changes. This will also help build their adaptation skills.
• Road trips. These trips are perfect for family bonding, and kids will become much more patient with these long car rides. In addition, little kids will have chances to learn new things and step out of their comfort zones.
• Travel to a new country. If your budget allows, traveling to a new country once a year will be awesome. This allows kids to experience different cultures and foods.

Seasonal Outdoor Activities

• Easter egg hunts. Once a year, kids will have the opportunity to join egg-hunting events. These events are fun and allow kids to develop many skills, including planning, socializing, and discovering.
• Local festivals. At these festivals, your little ones can play carnival games like ring tossing, ball throwing, and getting their face painted. All these activities boost their physical and emotional health.
• Fruit pickings. What is better than eating the fruits of your labor? Your kid will learn how to work for their fruits. They will also learn how to share with friends or family members.
• Pumpkin patches. Visiting pumpkin patches allows your little kids to learn about pumpkins, hay, and corn maze and meet new animal friends at the petting zoo.
• Christmas light wonderland. Walking in the winter wonderland will give little kids a chance to see different light decorations. It will spark their creativity and curiosity.

Above are the 20 outdoor activities that our family enjoys doing together. Comment to let us know what your favorite outdoor activity is. Don’t forget to check out my other posts mentioned in this article.