10 Low Prep Outdoor Activities for Your Kids

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Summer fun doesn’t have to be complicated. Check out these 10 low prep outdoor activities your kids will love!

No matter how much your kids enjoy playing outside, you can be sure that they’re going to be telling you they’re bored at some point this summer. The next time you hear those two words from your kids’ mouths, be ready!

With these fun outdoor activities, you’ll not only get your kids outside for the afternoon, but you won’t have to spend hours prepping the activity for them. These 10 low-prep outdoor activities for your kids are perfect for lazy summer days.

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Outdoor Art

All you need for your kids to make some outdoor art is a box of sidewalk chalk. Send your kids outside to the driveway or sidewalk and let them create their own art outside with chalk for a while.

You can give them some inspiration for their drawings or challenge them to think creatively and make their own design. In addition to drawing pictures, your kids could also entertain themselves by playing games with their sidewalk chalk like tic tac toe or Pictionary.

Go for a Walk or Bike Ride

One of the easiest ways to get your kids active outside is by heading out on a walk or bike ride. You don’t need any special equipment for a walk. And all you need for a bike ride is a bike for everyone in your family.

With this fun activity, you don’t even need a plan! Just head out on a walk or ride through your neighborhood and see where the journey takes you. Each outing could be a new adventure for your family, allowing you to explore your neighborhood as you get some exercise.

Bug Hunt

To go on a bug hunt, all your kids need is a jar – although a net would make those bugs a little easier to catch. Send your kids out in the backyard to search for bugs.

They can look for bugs flying through the air, crawling on the ground, or digging in the dirt. And when they find a bug, they can collect them in their container to inspect further. Or they could just watch the bugs in their natural habitat and leave them alone as they observe.

Related: Check out this Nature Themed Scavenger Hunt With Free Printable!

Water Play

On a hot summer day, there is nothing more fun than playing with water. And the amount of prep work needed for this activity varies depending on the type of water play you choose.

Fill up some water balloons for a water balloon battle, give all the kids squirt guns filled with water, or simply turn on the hose and let your kids spray each other. No matter which activity you choose, it will only take a few minutes of work for your kids to enjoy some time outside.

Eat Outside

Your kids will be eating everyday anyway, why not take those meals outside to add something interesting to lunch or dinner? Make your kids plates as you normally would, then let your kids take their meals to the porch or backyard for a fun change of scenery during meal time.

Look at the Sky

While most of the items on this list are great ways to keep your kids active, sometimes they’ll just want to relax! Take a break from active play this summer by laying in the grass and gazing at the sky. During the day, your kids can look for different shapes in the clouds. And at night, they can try to find constellations in the stars.

Related: Check out this In the Night Scavenger Hunt! (Printable)

Play a Game

There are tons of fun outdoor games your kids can play that don’t require equipment or prep work. All you need are a few kids that understand the rules of the game to keep your kids entertained for hours.

These fun outdoor games don’t require any equipment:

Tag
Hide and seek
Simon Says
Freeze Tag
Red Rover
Red Light, Green Light

Related: 14 Ideas for Equipment Free Outdoor Games!

Blow Bubbles

If you have younger kids at home, don’t underestimate the power of bubbles. All you need is some bubble solution and a wand to provide endless entertainment to your little ones.

And you can get your older kids in on the fun by letting them blow the bubbles for the younger kids to chase!

Fun Outdoor Chores

There are a variety of chores you need to do outside at any given time. And while these chores may seem like work to you, they’ll probably be fun for your kids.

Get your chores done and entertain the kids with these outdoor activities:

Washing the car
Watering the plants
Washing the dog
Walking the dog
Pulling weeds from the garden
Picking up sticks from the yard

Ball Games

Tossing a ball to your kids when they head out the door is another great way to keep them entertained while they’re outside.

There are so many great ways you kids can play outside with a ball, like:

Kick ball
Catch
Hot potato
Soccer
Dodge ball

10 Low Prep Outdoor Activities for Your Kids