Ahh, summer, the time for fun outdoor activities with the family. The sun is shining, the kids are out of school — time for fun!

Fortunately, you don’t have to leave the country — or even the neighborhood — to enjoy the great outdoors together and make memories that will last a lifetime. 

Here are 12 fun outdoor activities for families to try before it’s time to go back to school. 

Exercise

Take a walk: An early-evening walk is the perfect way to get the family outdoors and work out extra energy before bedtime. Mix things up: Take a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood and talk about the day’s activities, or drive to a new neighborhood and ask the kids to take note of differences and similarities. Feeling ambitious? You could even sign everyone up for a 5k or 1-mile fun run for a challenge! 

Ride bikes: For a fun outdoor activity on wheels, hop on bicycles (or scooters, skateboards, or roller skates) and go for a spin around town. Set a destination everyone can agree to — like the local ice-cream shop — or simply map out a route around the neighborhood. If you have little ones along for the ride, stay safe by sticking to residential streets and make sure there’s an adult at the front of the pack and another one bringing up the rear

Get in the water: There’s nothing like a dip in cool water on a hot day. Even if you don’t have a beach or a lake in your town, odds are you live within a few hours of one. Head to the nearest body of water and go kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboarding. If that’s not possible, take the kids to a local pool for a swim. Be sure to pack healthy snacks and plenty to drink, and go heavy on the sunblock!

Play

Have a water-balloon fight: Beat the heat with a family water-balloon (or water gun) fight! Find a big outdoor space — ideally a patch of soft grass — fill up some buckets or a cooler with water balloons and fire away! Make sure everyone knows the rules (aim for the body, not the face!) so the littlest participants have a great time and there are no tears. 

Hide and seek: Take this classic family activity to the next level — outdoors! You’ll be surprised at the creative spots your kids will find to hide! Set a timer and clear boundaries in every direction to ensure the kids stay safe, and enlist the neighbors to keep an eye out for the little ones, especially when you’re “it!”

Get a game going: Whether it’s kickball, wiffleball, soccer, mini golf, or capture the flag, start up a game for a little friendly competition and a lot of outdoor family fun. No equipment, or need to make up something on the fly? Try an old-fashioned game of Red Rover or even tag!

Explore

Try geocaching: Geocaching is a giant treasure hunt where people use the GPS on their smartphones to find millions of prize-filled containers all around the world. It’s a great way to get the kids outside and teach them about navigation! Just create an account, scan the map, and find the geocaches close to you. Once you find them, sign and date the logbook and record your score online. (You can even take the prize, as long as you leave something of equal or higher value behind!)

Host an outdoor scavenger hunt: Looking to keep the kids busy for a couple of hours? Send them on a scavenger hunt to look for things like pine cones, acorns, or other common items. If you want to make a day of it, invite the whole neighborhood to participate! You and other parents on your block can hide inexpensive objects around participating families’ yards for the kids to find. Make it as easy or as challenging as you want! 

Volunteer outdoors: Spend quality family time outside while demonstrating the value of volunteering and the importance of community! There are all kinds of ways to contribute: Do a beach clean up, collect trash or pull weeds at your local park, paint a neighbor’s fence, or even walk shelter dogs to have some fun in the sun while nourishing your souls!

Chill

Set up camp: Is there a more classic outdoor family activity than camping? Whether you go to a state park or pitch a tent in your own back yard, kids always get a kick out of sleeping outside! Start a bonfire, roast marshmallows, sing campfire songs, tell ghost stories, or just look at the stars. Don’t forget the bug spray!

Have a picnic: Picnicking is another fun outdoor activity that you can do just about anywhere: at the beach, at a park, or even on your front lawn. Pack up your cooler and a big blanket and eat a meal outside. Bring a radio to play your favorite tunes, or take the opportunity to point out different bird calls and nature sounds! After lunch, play a game of paddleball or just lounge around and enjoy the summer weather. 

Draw on the sidewalk: Pick up some inexpensive sidewalk chalk and find a shady spot for a fun, laid-back afternoon. The whole family can take turns tracing each other, play hopscotch or tic-tac-toe, or simply doodle to their hearts’ content!
Whichever outdoor activities you try, keep the kids healthy and hydrated with fruit-punch flavored THRIVE K! Our proprietary blend of premium-grade vitamins and minerals helps supplement your child’s nutritional needs so they can maintain an active, healthy lifestyle!