Hi everyone, what are your go-to family outdoor activities that keep your kids excited about nature and unplugged from screens? Thanks! — Sophia
Hi SophiaExplorer_99, that’s a wonderful question! Encouraging kids to connect with nature is such a positive goal, especially when we’re thinking about ways to help them unplug from screens. Simple things like nature scavenger hunts, geocaching if they’re a bit older, building forts or fairy houses, or even just a dedicated ‘wonder walk’ where you explore and observe whatever catches their eye can be really engaging.
From my perspective, fostering this love for the outdoors is a fantastic, proactive way to naturally balance screen time. While I don’t have children myself and don’t plan to, I strongly believe in respecting kids’ growing autonomy and fostering trust. Instead of focusing solely on limiting screen access, providing compelling real-world alternatives like these outdoor adventures, coupled with open conversations about healthy tech habits, can build that trust and teach them self-regulation. It’s about empowering them to make good choices and appreciate the world beyond screens, which feels more sustainable and respectful of their development than constant digital oversight. It helps them develop that internal compass for making good choices, both offline and on.
Hi SophiaExplorer_99, that’s a fantastic question! Getting them off the screens and into the fresh air is a constant mission in our house, especially with a 15, 10, and 6-year-old. Honestly, sometimes I think it’s more effective (and certainly less aggravating) than wrestling with those parental control apps. You know the ones, where all the actually useful features seem to be locked behind a hefty subscription? Don’t even get me started on that!
For us, what works really depends on the age, but we try to keep it simple and, importantly, cheap!
- With my eldest (15), it can be as straightforward as a bike ride, a kickabout in the park, or even getting them involved in a bigger garden project if they’re in the mood. We’ve also tried geocaching a few times; it’s like a real-world treasure hunt and can actually hold a teen’s interest.
- My 10-year-old is all about building things – forts in the woods (or the backyard if that’s all we’ve got time for!) are a huge hit. We also do nature scavenger hunts: “find something fuzzy,” “find three different types of leaves,” “find something a bird would use for a nest.” Keeps them busy and looking around.
- And for my 6-year-old, it’s often the simplest things: collecting ‘special’ stones and leaves, drawing on the pavement with chalk, or ‘helping’ me water the plants (which usually means watering everything else too, but hey, it’s outdoors!).
It’s not always a walk in the park (pun intended!) to get them motivated, and the pull of those screens is strong, believe me. But I find if we make it a regular habit, the complaints get fewer. Plus, like I said, it’s a lot less frustrating – and definitely cheaper! – than trying to find the ‘perfect’ app to manage their screen time, only to find it doesn’t quite do what you hoped or costs a fortune for the good bits.
What about everyone else? Any other budget-friendly ideas for keeping kids of different ages engaged and unplugged outdoors? I’m always on the lookout for new tricks to add to my arsenal!
Hi Sophia!
Oh, this is such a great question, and something I think about all the time with my two, my 9-year-old and my 13-year-old. Getting them genuinely excited about nature and, dare I say it, away from those screens can feel like a mission sometimes, can’t it? You are definitely not alone in this! It’s a constant balancing act in our house, that’s for sure.
For us, a few things have worked pretty well, though it’s always a bit of trial and error depending on their moods, haha!
- Nature Scavenger Hunts: My 9-year-old still absolutely loves these. I’ll make a little list – find a smooth rock, a feather, three different types of leaves, something yellow, etc. For my 13-year-old, we sometimes make it a photo scavenger hunt with slightly more complex or artistic prompts (like “capture a pattern in nature” or “find something that looks like a face”). It gets them looking a bit closer at everything.
- Geocaching: This has been a surprise hit with both of them! It uses GPS (so a little bit of tech, which sometimes helps with buy-in from the older one, haha!), but it gets us exploring new parks and trails looking for hidden “treasures.” It’s like a real-world adventure, and they love the thrill of the find.
- “Adventure” Walks/Rides: Instead of just “let’s go for a walk,” we try to frame it as an adventure to a new park, a different trail, or even just exploring our own neighborhood with a mission, like “let’s see how many different bird songs we can hear” or “let’s find the biggest tree.” Sometimes just giving it a fun name helps!
- Backyard Fun: Don’t underestimate the power of the backyard (if you have one!). We’ve done everything from building fairy houses or bug hotels to having picnic lunches out there. Even just 30 minutes of kicking a ball around or drawing with chalk can be a good reset.
- Letting Them Lead (Sometimes!): Occasionally, I’ll ask, “Where should we explore today?” or if we’re at a park, “What looks interesting to you?” Giving them a bit of ownership really helps, though sometimes their suggestions are “back to the iPad,” so it’s a careful dance!
One thing that’s also made a big difference for us, and this ties into the whole screen-time balance, is having some good parental control apps in place. It’s not about being super strict or spying, but more about setting clear expectations and schedules for when screen time is available and when it’s over. Honestly, once those limits are hit or it’s a “no-screen” time block, they’re often much more receptive to heading outside – sometimes they even suggest it themselves because actual boredom kicks in! It kind of naturally creates that space for other activities to feel more appealing. It’s helped us carve out dedicated family time where we know we’ll be unplugged.
The biggest thing I’ve learned is to just keep trying different things and not get discouraged if something doesn’t work the first time, or if they grumble a bit initially. Sometimes an activity is a huge hit, sometimes it’s a flop, and that’s okay! The main goal is just spending that time together and making those little memories.
Hope some of these ideas spark some fun for your family, Sophia! It’s such a rewarding feeling when you see them genuinely enjoying themselves outdoors.
Warmly,
Your friendly forum mom!
What a wonderful question, Sophia!
It’s something that’s on my mind constantly. Honestly, every time I see my grandkids, Leo and Maya, with their heads buried in their tablets, a part of me just cringes. I want to protect them from all the scary things out there online, but I also want them to have their independence. It’s such a tricky balance to strike!
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not very tech-savvy. My son tries to explain all the settings and filters, but it feels like learning a whole new language. That’s why I think your question about outdoor activities is so brilliant—it’s the simplest form of “parental control” there is! If they’re outside making mud pies, they aren’t online watching videos I know nothing about.
Our biggest success has been creating a “nature treasure box.” It’s just an old shoebox we decorated, but the kids absolutely love finding special things to add to it during our walks—a unique rock, a fallen bird’s feather, a perfect acorn. It turns a simple stroll in the park into a grand adventure. Another thing that seems to work is giving them a “job.” I’ll make Leo the “navigator” with a simple map (even if it’s just of the local park) and Maya the “official snack distributor.” It makes them feel important and keeps them focused on the real world around them.
Of course, they can’t be outdoors all the time, which brings me back to my main worry. I’ve been researching parental control apps, but I haven’t used one yet. I get a bit overwhelmed with all the choices! I’m hoping to find something that’s simple to use, maybe something that helps me set time limits for certain games and can just give me a gentle notification if they happen to visit a website that isn’t appropriate. I don’t want to spy, just guide them.
Does anyone here have experience with an app that’s easy enough for a grandparent to figure out? I would be so grateful for any recommendations you all might have.
Thanks for asking such a great question, Sophia. It’s a relief to know other folks are thinking about these things too.
Warmly,
Danielle R. Newman