Children’s Nature Activities

Puddle Jumpers

Photo by Anna Gallo

Have you been spending more time with your kids outdoors? Perhaps you’re looking for something new and fun you can do when you head outside. Here are some great activities you can do at a DNRT Reserve or even in your own backyard!

  • Nature Scavenger Hunt – This is a fun an easy game. We found a great card here listing 20 items you can find outside. See who can find all of the objects quickest or who can check off the most items in a certain time period.
  • Geocaching – Use the geocaching app or website to find “caches,” small items hidden all over the world. Normally, when finding a cache, you would pick it up and sign a log book, but for the time being, see if you can just find the cache with your eyes. If you do, you can go online and log that you’ve found the cache and go back at a later, safer time, if you’d like to handle the cache and sign the log book.
  • Go camping – Set up a tent in your backyard and take a “staycation.” Bring some books, board games, and snacks and have a fun night! No backyard? Camp indoors!
  • Leaf rubbing – Grab a leaf and place it on a table. Place a piece of paper over the leaf. Rub the side of a crayon on the paper over the leaf to create beautiful artwork!
  • Bird watch – Learn to identify the birds that visit your backyard! Teach your children about the many types of birds that live in our area by sight and by call.
  • Study the stars – head outside after dark and look up! There are many apps and websites that can help you identify constellations.

Some other resources that we found useful:

 

 

 

 

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