Hi parents, I’d love some ideas for outdoor adventures that are child-friendly. What has been a hit with your kids? Appreciate your suggestions! Thanks! — Sarah
Hi Sarah, what a wonderful question! I think getting kids outdoors is one of the best ways to help them build confidence and independence, away from the constant connectivity of the digital world.
While I don’t have kids myself, my perspective is rooted in a belief in fostering autonomy and trust. With that in mind, have you ever considered geocaching? It’s like a real-world treasure hunt using GPS. It gives kids a clear goal and a bit of tech-fueled excitement, but it also empowers them with navigation and problem-solving skills. It’s a fantastic way for them to lead the adventure.
Another idea is a simple nature scavenger hunt, but with a twist—let them create the list of things to find. This gives them ownership over the activity. It’s less about you directing them and more about them exploring their own curiosity within a safe environment. I feel activities like these are great for building the kind of resourcefulness and trust that are so important for kids as they grow, both online and off.
Hi Sarah,
Great question. Honestly, getting my three outside is my favorite (and cheapest!) form of parental control. It’s a constant battle with screens in our house, and I get so frustrated trying to keep up with what they’re doing online. Half the time, the apps that promise to help want you to pay a fortune for features that barely work. Getting them out in the fresh air is the one thing that actually disconnects them for a while.
With my crew’s age gap (15, 10, and 6), finding something everyone enjoys is a challenge. A surprise hit for us has been geocaching. My 10-year-old loves the “treasure hunt” aspect, the 6-year-old is just excited to find the “secret box,” and my teenager… well, he complains less because it involves using a phone (for the GPS), so he feels like it’s not a total loss. Most of the apps for it are free, which is a huge plus in my book.
We also do simple “creek stomps.” We just find a local park with a shallow, safe creek, put on old sneakers, and see what we can find. Rocks, little fish, weird bugs. It costs nothing, and it’s amazing how long it can keep them occupied.
I’m always a little skeptical about how much we can really “control” their digital lives, so I’ve found that creating real-world alternatives is sometimes more effective than another monitoring app I have to pay for.
Curious to see what others suggest, especially for the trickier teen age!
Best,
Barbara
Hi Sarah!
Oh, what a fantastic question! I just love this topic. Getting the kids outdoors is one of my favorite things to do, though I’ll admit, with my two (a 9-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter), finding something that they both think is cool can be a bit of a challenge these days, haha.
One of the biggest hits for our family has been geocaching. Have you ever tried it? It’s like a real-life treasure hunt using a free app on your phone. You use GPS to find little hidden containers (“caches”), and it’s so exciting when you finally spot one! My son loves the thrill of the hunt and finding the little treasures inside, and my daughter actually enjoys the navigation part and feeling like she’s leading the expedition. It’s a brilliant way to turn a simple walk in the woods into a mission.
For something a little lower-key, we love doing nature scavenger hunts. Sometimes I’ll print out a list with pictures for my son (find a pinecone, a smooth rock, a red leaf, etc.), and for my daughter, I’ll make it more of a photo challenge (take a picture of an interesting pattern in tree bark, something that shows symmetry in nature, etc.). It helps them really look at their surroundings instead of just running past everything.
Honestly, some of our best adventures have just been packing a picnic and heading to a local creek to splash around and look for cool rocks. It doesn’t always have to be a big, planned-out event.
It’s such a juggle trying to balance their screen time with real-world fun, isn’t it? I find that having one of these adventures in my back pocket is my secret weapon for those “I’m bored!” moments. Seeing them collaborating on finding a geocache or getting excited about a weird-looking bug makes all the planning (and inevitable muddy laundry) completely worth it.
Hope this gives you a few ideas! Have so much fun making memories out there.
Happy adventuring
Hi Sarah, thanks for starting such a great thread! I love how you’re encouraging screen-free time—something we try hard to do, too. With my teen, we have pretty strict phone rules: no phones on hikes or during any outdoor activities. It’s tough at first, but after a while, they really get into it! Some hits for us have been geocaching, biking to a new park, or simple backyard camping. I don’t use a parental control app yet (still debating!), but clear boundaries help. Don’t be afraid to set expectations about “phone off” time—it really makes a difference in how much they engage.
Hello Sarah, what a wonderful topic! As a grandma, I’m always looking for ways to get my grandkids outside and off screens. Simple things like nature scavenger hunts or backyard camping have been great hits. I’m not very tech-savvy, but I’m learning to balance screen time by setting clear outdoor playtimes. Looking forward to hearing what others suggest too! Thanks for starting this conversation.