Warm weather is here and it’s time to get kids outside. Check out these 25 outdoor activities for kids just in time for Spring and Summer.
In this list, you’ll find great outdoor activities for kids of all ages. You’ll also find outdoor games for kids, outside arts and crafts projects, and ways to stay busy in the outdoors!
It must be the fact that the days are getting longer and just a bit warmer, but it has me dreaming up all the fun outdoor activities for kids to do. My girls have already declared they are spending all day outside this year!
Of course, outdoor time is fun and new since we’ve been inside for the cold weather and it doesn’t take long for kids to start looking for new outside activities to do. If that’s how your kids are too, you’re in luck.
I’ve got a great list of over 25 outdoor activities for kids below!
Before we get to that extensive list, let me share a few of my girls’ favorite outdoor activities.
Outdoor Games for Kids
This Backyard Scavenger Hunt printable always gets them excited to explore our backyard. We even take it on a walk around the neighborhood for new scenery to explore.
If you’re going to the beach during the summer, you’ll want to print this Beach Scavenger Hunt to take with you too!
If your kiddos are adventurous, they probably love to play on bigger toys outside too! Between our trampoline and this kids roller coaster toy, they stay busy during the Spring months.
My girls also love to draw and play with outdoor chalk. They love to make up all kinds of outdoor games to play with it.
I also love to get the girls involved in our backyard garden. They’ve helped plant seeds, helped weed the garden, and gather tomatoes and zucchini when they are ready to harvest. Gardening with kids is a great outdoor activity!
Even More Easy Outdoor Games for Kids:
- Tag
- Hide and Seek
- Red Light, Green Light
- HORSE [Basketball]
- Kickball
- Duck, Duck, Goose
- Monkey in the Middle
- Red Rover
- The Floor is Lava
But my girls absolute favorite things to do inside, as well as outside, is arts and crafts! It doesn’t matter what, if they get to be creative, it’s a win in their book.
Arts and Crafts to Create Outside
Creating arts and crafts outdoors is great for many reasons.
- Kids can get messy! Painting and other craft activities are often messy anyways. Crafting outside is a great way to keep the mess out of the house.
- There’s just something creative and peaceful about being outside. Seeing the great outdoors often inspires extra creativity.
- Did I mention the mess? Ha! It’s so true, though – cleanup outside is so much easier!

Painting outside also brings out more appreciation for nature – especially when you use nature to paint!
When the girls were younger, I would take them outside to look around our yard for painting tools. I encouraged them to use their imagination and treat leaves and flowers as their paintbrushes!
Still looking for even more outdoor activities for kids? I’ve got a whole list for you!
Be sure to let me know which ones your kids love the most!
Outdoor Activities for Kids
Learn how to make fun DIY walking sticks with your kids.
Paint your own terra cotta pots with this easy to follow tutorial. A great way to encourage your children to garden!
This printable scavenger hunt list is great for kids of all ages and can be used in your own backyard or on a neighborhood walk!
I love chalk art and with the addition of tape, your child can make a beautiful abstract mural.
This fun DIY Sidewalk foam paint is a fun way for your kids to get creative outdoors.
This DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint recipe is super simple to create and makes a fun activity for the kids that only requires a few household ingredients.
Water gun painting is super fun!
Enjoy a fun art project and learn the science behind how sunscreen works!
Sticky nature cards are the simplest kids craft to set up ever! They’re portable, and a great way to record a day outside. You really can get the kids going on this in under a minute.
Create wind spirals out of old water bottles with this fun upcycled craft.
Did you know that you can dye sand? It is easy to do and you can make colorful sand castles with this fun tutorial!
Kids will enjoy making this Jellyfish Windsock to hang outdoors.
A little sunshine, craft paint and bubbles have kids making wall art.
Making bird feeders is always fun for kids and this one can be made out of popsicle sticks and glue!
Create these fun garden markers using can lids and paint! The kids will love painting on the flowers and vegetables and placing them around the garden.
Painting is always done outside at Little Sprouts. It is much easier to clean up and more fun too!
Painting rocks is a super fun outdoor activity to do with kids and you can use them in the garden too!
Children collect a few nature items to create their own print.
Making a stepping stone for your yard or garden is a great craft project for kids to do.
These sea turtles are fun for kids to make and then they can play with them outside and they actually float!
Tie Dye is so popular - but why not make your own? This is definitely an outdoor craft activity!
What a fun way to get ready to plant Spring flowers - make seed bombs!
Go on a mindful nature walk and gather some nice flat stones. Paint them and add positive phrases to make beautiful and affirming painted rocks.
DIY zen fairy gardens using nature items to calm and focus your mind. Gather items from nature and find a flat container to assemble a fairylike zen garden. Trace patterns and practice mindfulness when you need a little break.
This craft is so fun and uses rocks that you can find outdoors. Painting rocks with melting crayons is a creative and unique craft project kids love.