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Keeping the kiddos entertained during the school holidays is hard enough, but making sure they get plenty of fresh air and move their bodies is something else. So, we have put together a list of 10 easy and free outdoor activities kids will actually enjoy. Not to mention, these are all screen free and budget friendly.  

The perfect way to teach your kids about the little parts of nature we often take for granted. All you need to do is some wide tape, such as masking tape, and mother nature. Simply rip off a length of tape that will loop loosely round their wrist and stick it inside out so that the sticky side is facing the world. 

From here, head out on a nature walk and see what wonders they can find. There are just a couple simple rules; anything they stick to their bracelet must be small and not a living or previously living thing. Once you’re home, they can use their findings to create an artistic masterpiece.  

2. Collect a Rainbow 

Help them learn their colours whilst experiencing the broad range of beauty that nature has to offer. Before going on a woodland stroll, draw out a guide with them with all the colours of the rainbow and space next to each with some double-sided tape for them to stick their findings. 

The same rules apply as the bracelet walks, nothing too big and nothing that is or has previously been alive. Depending on where in the world you live, your findings will be unique! 

Got some spare cardboard waiting to be recycled? Cut out an A4 sized piece and use it for our next activity. Nature boards are a great way for your kiddos to learn about and appreciate nature, whilst flexing their creative muscles and seeing things in different ways. 

Draw a simple picture on the cardboard, maybe a vase, maybe a friendly animal. Then poke a load of small holes around the top of the drawing for them to slot flowers and leaves. During your walk, they can fill out their picture with their findings. Whether they’re filling a vase or giving an animal friend a full head of flowery hair, they’ll have great fun on the journey. And if you need a bag to carry things in... well you know eatsleepdoodle offer some colour in, washable backpacks! 

Does your child love to collect sticks? Why not make them into personalised paint brushes with other flora they find out in nature. Attach the special bristled to their stick-handles with tape or string, making sure they’re tightly secured. You may wish to do this once you’re home from your stroll in nature. 

Brushes assembled, paper at the ready and your choice of paint on hand. It’s time for them to experiment with each brush and see what fun and unique textures each one creates on their canvas. Does it change with a dab? How do they glide across the paper?  

Embrace the chilly winter air with an easy activity to keep them busy and entertained. This one needs a little more prep ahead of time but nothing too tricky. Firstly, you’ll want to gather some small, hardy toys such as dinosaurs or other figurines. Then grab some small-medium sized containers that fit into your freezer. Fill the containers with water and submerge the toys in the water, you could even add some food colouring to make the activity more festive. Then pop your containers into the freezer overnight so they turn into giant ice cubes. 

Once fully frozen, you can turn out the ice blocks onto a solid surface outside ready for the kids to excavate the toys from their icy prison. Depending on the age of your children, they can use kid’s cutlery as ice picks to chip away at the ice or you can give them warm (not hot) water to slowly pour over the ice to melt it away and reveal the treasures hidden within.  

Do the fallen leaves seem to have a magnetic force that pulls your children towards them whenever you’re out at the park? Turn it into a game of who can build the biggest pile of leaves! If you’ve got a few children, they can compete against each other, even the adults can get involved. Why not turn it into a big family game! 

With such a competitive activity, there must be some clear ground rules in place...you can only gather previously un-gathered leaves, that means no stealing from other people’s piles. No tears here!  

Are you lucky enough to live in an area that gets snow? This one is for you. All you need are some spray/squeezy bottles, water and food colouring. Mix up a few different colours and bundle up ready to head outside. Find a large, clean area of untouched snow and start spraying your colourful water onto the snow. The possibilities really are endless with this activity, you could play noughts and crosses, create beautiful artworks or even get competitive and create sports lines for races. 

Not lucky enough to have snow but the ground is looking frosty and white? You can still get involved with this activity, just make sure you choose an area without slippy ice and you’re not creating any. No falls please! 

A classic for a reason, texture rubbing is a great way for them to discover the intricate beauty of the world around them. Collect a range of foliage and florals with them when you’re on your next woodland walk as a family, maybe they can take ownership of storing their findings in their own bag as you search. 

Once you’re all back in the warm, gather some paper and crayons ready to explore the treasures they’ve found and unveil the designs mother nature has given them. Simply arrange the foliage on a hard surface, place the paper gently on top and use the side of a crayon to gently rub the paper over each leaf and flower. This will leave a beautiful imprint on the paper, highlighting every detail of each treasure they collected.

Do you have a stream or river with a foot bridge nearby? A game of Pooh sticks is such a fun and easy way to make family walks more entertaining. Gather a few sticks each, try to find ones that look different so you can identify whose is who's in the water. Line up at the upstream side of the bridge and countdown to drop your sticks into the water. Once dropped, race (carefully) to the downstream side to see who’s stick appears first. First stick to emerge from under the bridge is the winner!