Outdoor Activities You Can Do Without Leaving the City

There are countless benefits to spending time outdoors. One study of nearly 20,000 participants found that spending at least 120 minutes in nature each week can significantly improve your health and well-being. Going outside can help everything from your sleep cycle to your immune system.

There is good news if you want to spend time outside but live in an urban or suburban area: you don’t have to go far. There are opportunities to spend time in nature without ever leaving city limits – or even your backyard. Here are a few ideas to get outside and appreciate everything Mother Nature has to offer.

To connect with nature in a city, explore local parks, visit botanical gardens, spend time by water, and observe urban wildlife. Consider participating in community gardening, rooftop gardening, or even just taking a mindful walk in nature. 

Many cities also offer opportunities for cycling, hiking, and other outdoor activities in designated areas.

Here are some specific ideas:

Parks and Gardens:

• Visit a city park:.Many cities have large parks with walking trails, picnic areas, and sometimes even lakes or ponds. 

• Explore botanical gardens:.These gardens showcase a wide variety of plants and offer educational opportunities. 

• Join a community garden:.Get your hands dirty and learn about gardening while connecting with your local community. 

• Check out rooftop gardens:.Some buildings have green roofs that offer unique perspectives on the city and its nature. 

Water Activities: 

• Spend time by a lake or river: Enjoy a walk, have a picnic, or try kayaking or paddleboarding.

• Visit a public pool: Swimming is a great way to stay active and enjoy the water.

• Look for splash pads: These are fun for kids and adults alike on hot days.

Wildlife Observation:

• Look for birds, squirrels, and other urban wildlife: Take a walk and see what you can spot. 

• Visit a zoo or aquarium: Get up close and personal with animals from around the world. 

• Look for insects and other invertebrates: Explore under rocks and logs, or look for them on plants. 

Other Nature Activities:

• Go for a mindful walk: Pay attention to your senses and notice the details of your surroundings. 

• Go on a nature scavenger hunt: Create a list of items to find, such as different types of leaves, rocks, or insects. 

• Attend a nature program: Many cities offer educational programs about nature in parks or other locations. 

• Go cycling or hiking: Explore designated trails in and around the city. 

• Enjoy outdoor sports and games: Play frisbee, volleyball, or other games in a park or open space. 

• Go geocaching: Use GPS coordinates to find hidden containers (caches) in your area. 

• Find a farm-to-table restaurant or farmer's market: Learn about where your food comes from and meet the people who grow it. 

• Press flowers and leaves: Collect natural items and preserve them. 

• Build a birdhouse or feeder: Attract birds to your yard or balcony. 

• Create a wildlife-friendly garden: Plant flowers and other plants that attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. 

By exploring these options, you can find many ways to enjoy nature, even in a city.

Attend Local Outdoor Events and Festivals

Getting outside can be as simple as attending local events and activities. You can walk around, enjoy the sunshine and enjoy entertaining or educational presentations. There are multiple ways to find events that you are interested in:

• Check the events page for your local newspaper or TV station.

• Follow local businesses on social media that usually host or attend events.

• Join meetup groups online to see which events are happening around town.

• Make a note of your favorite annual festivals and see when they are happening each year.

If you are a music lover, you can also follow local bands to see if they are touring in your area. A concert under the stars is a great way to spend a summer night.

Camp in Your Backyard

Camping in your backyard is a great way to practice for the wilderness. You can teach your kids how to set up a tent and use various tools to create a comfortable campsite. Once you’re ready to camp in a nearby state park, your kids will feel confident with the set-up and take-down process.

Backyard camping is also a great way to hone your gear pack essentials before the real thing. For example, make sure you bring a shovel that isn’t too heavy to weigh you down, otherwise, your hike to the campsite will wear you out.

Do Water-Based Activities

You don’t need to live next to a vast ocean or one of the Great Lakes to enjoy watersports. In fact, many outdoor, water-based activities can be done in urban areas. Here are a few ideas:

• Stand-up paddle board in a nearby river.

• Go fishing in a nearby pond or lake.

• Host a water balloon fight for kids in your neighborhood.

• Swim laps in the community pool.

• Set up a sprinkler in the front yard.

Even if you live in the desert, you can still cool down with different water sports in your area.

Explore Local Parks and Playgrounds

You don’t have to wait for the weekend to spend time in nature. You can get outdoors during your lunch break or after work. Look up city and state parks that are within a short driving distance of where you live. Many of these parks have playgrounds for kids and walking trails for adults. Some even have exercise equipment built in. Even spending 30 minutes in nature can have a big impact on your health.

If you decide to spend a day at the park, pack a picnic and some activities for the family. This could include games, plant and animal identification guides, and even treasure detectors. Your kids might love the thrill of metal detecting and working as junior archaeologists to identify the items they find.

Go on a Walk

You don’t need to be physically fit to enjoy nature. Simply taking a walk at your own pace can give you some time outside while you move your body. More cities are developing accessible walking paths and green belts through urban areas. You can also look for any rails-to-trails projects in your area.

Even if you are going for a short walk, make sure you have a supply pack with you. A few key items include:

• Water;

• Sunscreen;

• Bug spray;

• Basic first aid items;

• Granola bar (or another energy snack);

• Binoculars;

• Animal and plant identification guide;

• A treasure detector for discovering cool items.

You can decide whether you want to bring your smartphone on your walk or leave it at home. Some people like to disconnect from the online world while others bring their phones to take pictures and use in case of an emergency.

Look for Local Sports Courts

You might be surprised by how many free amenities are available in your area! Visit your local parks and recreation website (or head to a nearby rec center in person) to see if there are any courts and fields that are available. You can also ask about joining local recreation leagues or renting these courts for your personal use.

A few common types of courts and fields that are offered by cities include basketball courts, soccer and football fields, tennis courts, frisbee golf courses, and baseball fields. You might have different field options near you.

Plant a Garden

You don’t need a green thumb and a large yard to enjoy a garden. You can look up easy plants that are hard to kill or urban gardening for patios and porches. The best part is that you can choose the type of garden that speaks to you. You can plant flowers that bloom throughout the warm months or grow herbs that you add to various dishes and meals. You can even grow carnivorous plants full of venus flytraps if that’s your style!

Gardening is a great way to connect with plants and get your hands dirty with soil. Almost anyone, from the overworked finance intern to the retiree in their Golden Years can enjoy growing a few plants in their living space.

Scout for Birds, Animals, and Insects

Nature is all around you and your world might be more colorful than you realize. Butterflies can float around your yard while bright birds sing and hope from branch to branch. There are multiple ways to connect with nearby wildlife, depending on your preferences:

• Download apps like iNaturalist to identify critters.

• Participate in citizen science programs to count native species.

• Join birdwatching and hiking meetup groups.

• Develop your own recording system to track the animals you see.

Every animal has a place in nature, from the spider that helps control the mosquito population to the squirrel that spreads seeds from one area to another. Try to be respectful of your local creatures by observing them but not disrupting them.

You don’t have to save the outdoors for weekend getaways and vacations. You can connect with nature for a few minutes each day when you take your lunch break at work or get home from the office. Even taking small walks or planting a few flowers can increase your time outdoors and make you feel happier, calmer, and better prepared to take on any problems that come your way.

21 outdoor activities to do in a town or city

Urban areas offer a brilliant backdrop for adventures, and with a little creativity, you can turn any street corner into a space for learning, fun, and exploration. So, grab your chalk, camera, or coin, and let the urban exploration begin with these 21 activity ideas to help you explore your town or city.

Try some hopscotch - or make a chalk obstacle course!Expand all

1. Play hopscotchHopscotch is a timeless game that never fails to entertain. Take this classic a step further by creating themed hopscotch games. You could make it longer, draw the board in a different shape, such as a circle instead of a straight line, or leave bigger gaps between the squares for people to jump across. You could also have a silly hopscotch version, where certain numbers mean you have to do silly challenges, such as singing a nursery rhyme backwards.

2. Make chalk mural masterpieces-Get out the chalks and start drawing. You could even try making your own chalk. You could all draw images around a certain theme, write poems or positive messages, draw mazes and obstacle courses, or just let people have fun making the ground more colourful!

3. Try alphabet photography-Give each participant a camera or smartphone, and set out on a mission to find objects or scenes that represent each letter of the alphabet. From ‘A’ for an archway to ‘Z’ for a zebra crossing, see if you can fill every letter with something you spot.To make it harder, you could try to spot the letters, or the shape of the letters, in the environment, such as on signs or road markings, then spell out a word with the letters you’ve found!

4. Build stick sculptures-Parks and green spaces within the city are perfect for gathering natural materials, such as sticks. Once collected, challenge the group to create sculptures or structures using just the sticks, string or elastic bands, and any other natural materials they can find. This could range from simple shapes to more complex designs, such as animals. 

5. Create nature faces-Even in the heart of a city, you can find bits of nature peeking through. Gather leaves, flowers, pebbles, and twigs, and make nature faces on the ground. Each face could represent different emotions, or they could be modelled after famous figures.Why not use them to play Guess Who and see if you can work out who each person made? You may need to ask some questions to help you!

6. Make leaf animals-Collect various types of leaves in different shapes, colours and sizes. You can then use them to create animals or even invent new creatures. Try making our leafy hedgehog, leaf crown, leaf squirrel or leaf art.You could also practice identify different types of leaves. Use our leaf spotter wheel, Guess the tree game or tree switch game to help you.

7. Go on a penny hike-A penny hike is where you flip a coin at every intersection: heads means turn right, tails means turn left. As you wander, make sure to observe their surroundings or find interesting landmarks. You could even try to follow along with where you on a map to practice map-reading.

8. Make a journey stick-A journey stick is a traditional way of recording a journey by attaching objects found along the way to a stick, either with an elastic band or string. During a walk, collect items that represent different parts of the journey, such as a feather from a park, a ribbon from a local event, or a unique leaf. Later, you can share their stories using the stick as a visual aid, helping to develop storytelling and observational skills.

9. Search on scavenger hunts-Plan and run a scavenger hunt that lets you discover unique aspects of the town or city.For older groups, you could create a list of items to find or have a list tasks to complete, such as answering a question by going to a landmark. You may also want to involve map-reading or using what 3 words to practice navigation.

For younger groups, you could try a road sign safari treasure hunt or run a colour scavenger hunt. Each person could be given colour and have to find things that match their colour - or everyone could try to look for items to make up a rainbow.If you want to do a bigger scavenger hunt, you could even try running a local Scout event, such as a Monopoly Run, outdoor escape room or treasure trail.

10. Play with shadows-On a sunny day, head out to somewhere where you can make lots of shadows. Use chalk or pens and papers, then trace the shadows of various objects, from trees to benches to each other.As the sun moves, you could observe how the shadows change, showing how the Earth moves around the sun and time.After tracing, you could use the shapes to create unique abstract art pieces.

11. Spot urban street art-Take a walking tour of your city’s urban street art - you might even spot a Banksy. You could take photos of the art or talk about the different styles and messages behind the work.Afterwards, on paper, you could recreate let the urban art you saw using paints and felt tips, or let people design their own. Remember, in most countries, including in the UK, graffiti without permission is illegal and considered vandalism. Street art can be done legally with the permission of property owners or as part of a community art project.

12. Search for wildlife-Search for birds, insects, and small mammals that live in the city or town. You could use bingo sheets to see who can spot the most wildlife or use your senses to see what wildlife you can hear. Why not wake up early and go bird-spotting?Use some free spotting sheet guides to help you know what to look for. You can get some from the RSPB, Woodland Trust, Wildlife Trust and WWF, either to print at home or use on a phone. You could look more closely at what you find with with magnifying glasses too.Always be careful and to always handle wildlife gently, making sure to return it to where you found it.

13. Go for a story stroll-Go for a walk around the local area and, at different stops, read a page or two of a storybook. It’s a great way to bring a story to life. For example, you could try ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ in the local park and hide a bear for your group to find. 

14. Go geocaching-Geocaching involves finding hidden ‘caches’ using GPS coordinates, so go geocaching around the town or city. It’s a modern-day treasure hunt that teaches navigation skills, problem-solving and patience. You can even encourage people to create their own cache for others to find or try the geocaching badge. 

15. Make a splash puddle jumping-After a rainy day, put on some wellies and go puddle jumping. Encourage them to observe the ripples, reflections, and even small creatures they might find in the puddles, then see who can make the biggest splash!

16. Have a boat race-Make a tinfoil river, or use a piece of rain guttering to make a river, then make some small boats to race.You could make them from sticks and leaves, rubber ducks, kitchen sponges or paper boats, then decorate the boats before racing them. Remember to have a start and finish line, and stay safe when running activities near water.

17. Learn tracking symbols-Practice some tracking symbols, then put together a short treasure hunt and get groups to follow the symbols to find a small prize. You could make the symbols out of sticks, pebbles or chalk. 

18. Fly kites-Get outside and fly some kites, whether it’s in the park or the playground. Why not trying making your own kites too?

19. Make and launch rockets-See who can make rockets fly the highest in our rocket activity.

20. Go litterpicking-Go litterpicking and help to clean up your local town or city. Always wear gloves, use litterpickers and wash your hands afterwards.

21. Cook s'mores in a solar oven-Pizza box solar ovens are quick and easy to make.To make a pizza box solar oven, start by closing a clean pizza box and drawing a square on the lid, about 2.5cm from the edges.An adult should carefully cut along three sides of the square to create a flap that can be lifted open. Cover the inner side of this flap with aluminum foil, shiny side out, to reflect sunlight into the box.

Next, open the flap and tape a piece of clingfilm over the opening, making sure it's tight and smooth to help trap heat inside.

Cover the bottom of the box with black paper, as this helps to absorb heat. For better insulation, you can add rolled-up newspapers around the inside edges of the box. Next, close the box and prop open the foil-covered flap with a bamboo skewer. Place the solar oven outside in direct sunlight, with the flap angled to capture as much light as possible.Inside the oven, place a chunk of chocolate and a marshmallow on top of a biscuit, then place this on top of the black paper and let it cook for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the sun’s intensity and the type of food being prepared.

The oven can get very hot, so always make sure to be careful when placing and removing the food items. Always wear and use protective equipment, such as tongs or heatproof gloves. When removing the items off the oven, place them onto a heatproof plate and make sure they’ve plenty of time to cool. Make sure you’ve access to a bucket of water, fire-safety equipment and a first aid kit, including for burns.

Always supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors or sharp objects. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

Try a penny hike and let the throw of the coin help you decide where you go.Staying safeAll activities in Scouts must be safely managed. It’s important to choose an appropriate, accessible outdoor area. You may need to think about avoiding steps, being close to public transport, or steep gradients or including frequent breaks. You must have permission to use the location.You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. You should use our safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Take a look at our guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.  

Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process. You may need some parents and carers to help.

Always check the weather forecast, tide times and sunset before running the activity.

You should inform parents and carers of any change in venue, days or times, and have a suitable drop-off/collection point. You could use our activity information forms, and always make sure everyone knows what people should bring and wear. Before playing a game, there are some things you need to do to help keep everybody safe and make sure everyone can be included.

Take a look at our advice on running active games safely and accessibly.

Finding Nature in the City

City vs. nature

My husband and I fell in love while traveling the United States and hiking through national parks. Spending time outdoors is one of our favorite things to do together. However, before having kids, immersing myself in nature felt like an all or nothing thing. I lived in the city; nature was something I visited on the weekends and on vacation. We were living in Denver when we had our first son. Shortly thereafter, we moved north to a smaller city with a population 87,000 residents. It’s not as urban as Denver, but it’s still substantial. We live about a 15-minute walk to downtown and just a couple blocks off from a major street.

Prioritizing outdoor time

This past year when choosing my New Year’s resolution, I sat down and reflected the things that are most important to me and the values I want to instill in my children. I then wrote out a schedule of the things we actually do every day to see how the two listed compared. At the top of my “values” list was spending time nature and instilling a sense of love and responsibility for Mother Earth in my kids. However, while spending time in nature was at the top of my values list, I realized we almost never went outside! That’s when I knew that I needed to make nature a part of our daily lives, no matter where we lived.

I no longer wanted the excuse of living in a city to stop us from connecting with the environment and spending time outdoors. I realized that being immersed in nature couldn’t be all or nothing anymore. It’s too important and shouldn’t have to wait for the weekends or vacation. We need more nature every day!

Look up

We live in the Pacific Northwest so we have plenty of clouds. I’ve taken to pointing them out to my son. Looking for familiar shapes in the clouds, and telling the weather. Now, instead of only looking up for airplanes and helicopters, we look up to find birds, bees and butterflies. We lay under trees in the park and watch the sky shine through the leaves, soaking up the sun and enjoying the fresh air.

We also love looking up at the night sky, too. While city lights may block out some stars, the moon is almost always visible. We observe the phases of the moon and watch for special lunar events, like new moons, supermoons and blood moons.

Look down

Nature is literally right there at your feet! Make sure to look down occasionally and your child will be delighted to find a variety of insects, crawly critters, worms and even flowers growing through the pavement. Little ones are so close to the ground already, it gives them a great vantage point for discoveries. I only had to point out natural novelties on the ground a couple times before my son started finding these things (and more) on his own.

And while your child is looking down, let them turn over stones and look for rolly-pollies. Point out any mushrooms your find or pinecones that have fallen from trees. There are all kinds of discoveries kids can make just by being observant of what’s right at their feet.

Watching a favorite tree through the seasons

My son has a cherry tree right outside his bedroom window. We started watching it when it was beginning to sprout new buds and leaves after the winter. It was a beautiful pink in the spring, and so we call it “Solomon’s Pink Tree.” Now, this tree is part of our morning ritual. We look out his bedroom window to check on his pink tree every day, observing it through the seasons and watching how it changes. Sometimes in the afternoons we’ll go outside and sit under it, have a picnic or read a book. We hung a bird feeder on a branch and now we love watching the birds eat, communicate and chase each other. Our tree is located on that strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street, but it’s our own little slice of Mother Earth, right in the city.

Parks aren’t just playgrounds

Almost every city has hidden away parks filled with nature. Now, we make a point to walk around and explore the whole area, including any wooded areas, creeks, and streams.

Some of our parks have perfectly landscaped nature that’s not meant for exploring. In that instance, we just look. We listen for bird songs, look for nests, point to the different flowers and plants, watch for squirrels, etc. Sometimes we’re lucky enough to find a city park with some wild nature we’re allowed to explore! I usually do a quick visual check that there are no homeless people sleeping in the bushes (we are in a city, after all) , and then allow my son to explore around as he chooses.

Neighborhoods

Some of our neighbors have vegetable gardens, and that sparks conversations about how much of our food comes from Mother Earth.

We love playing iSpy in our neighborhood or going on a neighborhood scavenger hunt. It’s amazing how much nature you can find on your own street if you’re actively out looking for nature.

Community gardens

We rent, so, unfortunately, we cannot plant our own garden, but we’re on the waitlist for a plot in the community garden. Lots of cities have community gardens for those that rent or don’t have space in their yard. Community gardens are a series of plots where you can rent out a garden box or two and grow your own flowers, fruits or veggies.

When we lived in Seattle, I worked at a preschool with a drab, metal, green-less playground that jutted out into a parking lot. However, across the street we had a large plot in the community garden. Together, our school community and the children built a beautiful little oasis in the city with climbing peas, lush greens and potato buckets. It’s amazing how children will eat kale by the handful when you tell them, “You can eat that plant!” If you have a yard or garden, encourage that! And if not, look into your city’s community garden options. Even if you have a black thumb like me, the experience of digging in the dirt and trying is worth it.

Making small changes

That realization about my imbalance of values and time followed by implementing these simple changes has impacted our lives dramatically for the better. Getting outdoors and into nature is no longer an all or nothing thing for us; it’s a part of our daily lives. It’s had a huge effect on my older son and how he views the outdoors. Two-year-olds are like little mirrors, they mimic our habits and phrases. I’ve found that now on walks my son will say things like “Look at this flower, mama!” or “What’s this, mama?” as he picks up a pinecone, rock or leaf. It’s not sweeping mountain views or acreage of pasture or long hikes through national parks, but it’s still impactful.

Even just small changes of getting outside a few minutes every day or a few times a week can make a huge difference. Every time we go outside my children are learning to cherish nature, and pay attention to it in their everyday lives. And that’s the best way to start. 

Things To Do In Parks

• Camping

• Hiking

• Birding

• Freshwater Fishing

• Saltwater Fishing

• Shellfishing

• Boating

• Paddling

• Watchable Wildlife

• Summer Camps

Just for New Yorkers

• Love Our New York Lands

• Adventure NY

Recommended

• Camping Food Your Kids Will Love Eating & Making

• Raising Butterflies with Kids

• Easy and Eco-friendly Bird Feeders to Make with Kids

• « Outdoor Cooking with Kids: 7 Kid-Friendly Ways to Make Camp Cookouts Fun and Fuss-Free

• Lessons Learned while Traveling with Kids »

You may also like: 

We believe that everyone — no matter who they are or where they’re from — deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Girl Scouts- Love the Outdoors 

Boy Scouts- Programs

Boys and Girls Club- Find a local club

Green Girls- City Parks Foundation

Royal Rangers (Christian Scouts)

YMCA- Find your closest Location

Youth For Christ- Christian 

• Youth for Christ International

• Youth For Christ USA

• Youth For Christ Military Youth Ministry

• Youth For Christ around the world

Lesser known Inner City
Youth Programs 

Our aim is to improve our nation's health by providing programs and activities that promote overall well-being, no matter where you are on your journey toward better health. And when people feel their best and have fulfilling lifestyles, their communities become stronger, too.

• Stand Up for the Kids

• Youth Impact Program

• All Stars Project

• Inner City Struggle

• Inner City Youth Charitable Foundation

• Inner-City Arts

• ABC Youth Foundation

• Maryland Youth Club

• Houston Children’s Charity

• Inner City Impact

• Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation

• Inner City Youth Opportunities

• Inner City Inner Child

• Urban Youth Impact

• Inner City Youth For Change

• Common Ground Foundation

Nature Activities for the Family

• ​​​​​​Natural Orchestra: Engage your child to discover their musical sense by experimenting with sounds made from items found in nature.​​

• Make Your Own Rainbow: You do not need to wait for afternoon Colorado showers to show your child a rainbow. Simply create one at home using just a few items found inside!

• Birding with Kids: Birds are less elusive than many other kinds of wildlife and provide valuable lessons in ecology – the interaction between animals and their environment. Kids enjoy watching birds at any age. Consider the activities below to help your children become excited about birds.

• Tree, Sweet Tree: Trees are home to many different animals, from insects and spiders to birds and squirrels. Trees also provide food and shelter for many animals. In this activity, your kids will explore trees and the animals that live in or visit them.

• Hunting for Ants: We have many species of ants in Colorado. This activity will take your kids outside looking for ants and observing their behavior. Ants are social insects that live in large colonies and have developed a complex system of communicating with one another.

• Make a Leaf Bracelet: Use fallen leaves to make a bracelet! This is a very simple craft that kids and adults alike will enjoy.

• Make a Self Portrait from Nature: Whether it's a bit of grass for hair, some colorful rocks for eyes or even a flower petal to create lips, your child will have a blast using all that nature has to offer to create her very own natural self-portrait!

• Create a Solar Print: Let the hot summer sun do most of the work and create your very own solar print, using the power of sunlight.

• Build a Toy Boat: With this activity, your kids can try building their own toy boat and then SEA how WORTHY it is on a local lake or stream. Get your child juiced about crafting with recyclables and help them turn an empty juice carton into a sailboat.

• Create Your Own Field Guide: Get your child started on a project that they can continue all year. By making a field guide for the park, the woods, or your own backyard, they will gain a new appreciation for the living things around them.

• I Spy a Beautiful Spring Color: Take advantage of a nice spring day, when the flowers are in bloom and the insects are buzzing, to enjoy nature with your kids while they learn colors. This is a colorful (pun intended!) spin on the classic "I Spy" game.

• Make a Bird's Nest: Birds are busy in the spring building their nests, using material they find in nature. In this activity, kids are encouraged to "think like a bird" and build their own nest.

• Create a Wind Spinner: March weather in Colorado can be a bit unpredictable as winter makes way for spring. Harness those winds of change by creating your very own wind spinner.

• Make Your Own ​​​​Snowy Pine Cone Trees: Using just a few simple supplies, create a snowy pine cone tree to bring the beauty of winter indoors.

• Design Your Own Constellation: Have you ever stared into the night sky and played connect-the-dots with the stars? Now you can design your own starry sky and decide which stars go where!
  Bird in Bird Bath 

• Make a Bird Bath: Watching birds in your backyard is a great way to learn more about the natural world in which we live. There are thousands of different types of birds flying around us, wouldn't it be fun if some of them stopped by your house?

• Create a Fossil: This "Create a Fossil" craft, as the name implies, lets kids create "prehistoric" fossils of their favorite natural objects or even some y​​et to be discovered creatures.

• Alphabet Hike: See how many letters of the alphabet you can find next time your out on a trail or visiting a park.

• Pass and Touch: This activity will test your nature I.Q., and your memory, as you try to identify various objects from nature without seeing them.

• Meet-A-Tree: Head outside and become closer to nature with this outdoor activity that can be adapted to work with kids of all ages. Don't forget, trees need hugs too!​

• Grow a Grass-a-pillar​: Tired of getting in trouble for having real bugs into the house? Create your very own, indoor friendly, caterpillar by cutting an egg carton apart and painting it. 

• Create an Avalanche: Create your own avalanche and learn how this natural phenomenon works.

• Make an Ice Sun Catcher: Add a splash of color to your backyard this winter with a homemade ice sun catcher.

• Create a Cloud Diary: This activity can be done in any kind of weather and it helps kids build their observation skills.

• Making Leaf Prints: As the leaves begin to fall, use them to make colorful, original artwork. Leaf prints are a great craft for children of all ages.

• Create a Homemade Birdfeeder: Making a homemade birdfeeder is easy, and there are many different ways you can create one by using objects and food found around your house.

• Create a Solar Oven: Take advantage of the summer heat and cook yourself a tasty treat in a homemade solar oven!

• Magical Backyard Square: Discover the amazing natural world that exists in your own backyard! With just a few tools, you can explore the rich soil and critters that call it home.

• Nature Scavenger Hunt: Whether you are at a State Park campsite, walking on a nature trail or just exploring the backyard, you can find countless living creatures and fascinating objects with different textures, shapes and colors.

• Create a Stick Compass: If you are lost and without a magnetic compass, fear not. You can make one with a stick and a few rocks. ​

Ways to Create With Nature at Home

Let them help be a part of the whole process of collecting and assembling and then investigating nature inside your home

Nature Sensory Bottles

These were a real treat in our house. Simply choose which sense you’re going to activate and fill small clear jars with either flowers (sight), herbs (smell), grains (hearing) or anything that will surprise your little one! I used empty spice jars or plastic jars from Dollar Tree. The grains were a big hit as they made lovely gentle sounds, which she preferred over loud, synthetic commercial ones. I used smaller spice jars when the kids were babies. Fill bottles with water and your natural treasures and tighten the cap securely.

Laminated leaves & Flowers

Simply trim the stem off a few flowers as tight as you can to the bud then run them through the laminator (or press them in a heavy book for a few days then use clear contact paper folded over the flowers. I cut all my sheets to the same size to make it easier for children to sort through. She really enjoyed studying each little bud and leaf.
The girls made theirs into a suncatcher garland& loved exploring the flowers with magnifying glasses and comparing the flowers and leaves. Beautiful right? I love spring crafts because they bring so much color into the house!

Baby Nature Blocks

Hope was a happy baby who loves simple games like that (as do most babies. Blinking lights and flashy toys are really not necessary!)

But sometimes mama just wants to get crafty and make a new toy for baby. I did that today with a grocery store bouquet of flowers and some upcycled baby food containers!

How to Make Baby Nature Blocks

First off, this is going to be the easiest toy to make! I barely need to make a “how to” section on this post. But I know how much some of you like details, so here goes:

Supplies:

Flowers (I used a grocery store bouquet) or other nature

Baby food containers (Gerber’s plastic ones work well)

After the food containers were empty and had been washed, I just placed a few flowers and leaves inside of them and snapped the lid back on. That’s it. The hardest part of this whole activity is having flowers on hand.

The next step was introducing them to baby. He was soooo happy! He knocked over every tower I made, threw them across his mat, investigated them from all angles, banged them together, etc.

These blocks are so inviting! The way the light shone through them, the vibrant colors of the flowers, and the way the petals gently swished as he shook them made them extra intriguing for our little guy

I know some of you will ask how long these blocks keep for. The truth is I don’t know. We just made them yesterday, so I’ll test them out and update you all later.

Sound Blocks

Sound blocks can be made with the same process. The eight sound blocks I made were filled with nature, rice, beans, pasta, birdseed, shells, pea gravel, beads, and colored gems. You could use any materials you have on hand though that you feel would make a neat noise when shaken. I think next I’d like to make one with bells inside!

Nature Sticky Mural

Nature is art, and you can also create your own custom art with elements from nature! I can Teach my Child has a lovely idea for an outdoor mural where toddlers can stick leaves, petals and whole flowers in any pattern of their choice. You’ll need contact paper for this activity, which you can stick to a wall or solid gate outside. Hand the children the materials and let them create art!

Nature Collage

Collages are among the easiest craft projects for toddlers and preschoolers, and this one from Kids Activities Blog is no different! However, what’s special here is that you use only natural elements to make the collage! They have used contact paper to make the collage do double duty as a sun catcher, but you can just use a sheet of thick paper or card stock as well. Use fresh flowers or dried ones – they’ll all look pretty!

Nature Sensory Bag

Sensory bags are a great way for babies to explore and learn to focus their attention. This sensory bag from Hands On as We Grow also doubles as a sun catcher – just stick it on window! Gather the materials by doing a scavenger hunt or a nature walk and use double bags especially if you’re dealing with over-excited toddlers or babies! You can focus on using different textures here, so it’s more fun to squish and move around!

Scent Jars

This is an excellent sensory activity for toddlers and preschoolers and helps them learn about different scents. Mamas Happy Hive has used lavender, lemon and basil, but you can use any scent of your choice. Just use clean, dry glass jars, add a piece of lime or a spring of lavender along with the associated essential oil. Hand the jars to your child and let him sniff and guess!

DIY Rainstick

Sensory bottles are a great option for babies and toddlers, and we love this one from Rhythms of Play! The best part is that you can make it with things lying in and around your house. Get a transparent plastic bottle so kids can see all the components even while they’re shaking and playing with their rainstick. With the rains coming soon, let them get used to the sound of falling raindrops!

 Nature Soup

Who doesn’t love water play? We bet your little one does and that’s why she’ll love this nature soup activity from Meri Cherry! This is basically a water based sensory activity, where you create a ‘soup’ with all kinds of elements – lemons, leaves, flowers, twigs and more! Put it all into a large plastic tub with colored water, and then hand them utensils and brushes to swish everything through. Let them stir, sieve and pour to their heart’s content!

Dry herbs and Flowers bouquets from your walks and adventures
Hand drying, the oldest method, is also the easiest and most effective method for drying anything: leaves, flowers or herbs. Hang drying is also good for drying large quantities. You can tie and hang dry flowers in a closet, attic, dry cellar, garage, outdoor shed, or anywhere that is dry, warm and out of strong sunlight. Use for wall hangings from a stick or small branch or display in a vase.

Make placemats to spread your love of nature 

It could become an ideal gift for any occasion. Older children will manage this easily on their own but younger children will need help from an adult with the lamination process. It takes a week or so to dry the flowers, so you'll also need to plan to set them aside and be patient.

Nature Collages

Even the smallest child can make something of great beauty with this collage technique. Cut a picture frame out of cardboard ahead of time, sizing it so your child can comfortably carry it.

Turn it plain side down and measure out enough clear contact paper to stick all around the frame. (Some people call it shelf paper instead -- you can find it in the housewares section of a big store.)

Peel off the backing, stick down the contact paper, turn it over, and voila! You have a sticky canvas for your child to decorate.

You could use this technique for any sort of collage, of course -- it needn't have a nature theme. But I love the experience of accompanying my kids as they take their little picture frames along on meadow walks or strolls in the woods. I find it helps them slow down and really look at the natural world around them.

Nature Squishy Bags

Fall is such a beautiful season. Whenever I think of it, I imagine color change, cooler temperatures and the smell of sweet potato pie. Recently, I asked my nieces what their favorite part of the season was, and they both immediately answered: “Playing with leaves!” With this enthusiastic response, I decided to make a Fall-themed sensory activity.

Recently, my nieces and their friends have been extremely interested in anything remotely “squishy.” They search toy aisles for kid-friendly stress-balls, get excited to make slime, etc. They just love the feeling of being able to squeeze their hands into something oozy.

I put together my oh-so-easy Fall Squishy Bags to offer them something new to play with. Today, I’ll show you how to make them for your very own!

HOW TO MAKE A FALL-THEMED SQUISHY BAG

The wonderful thing about squishy bags is that you can get extremely creative with its inner contents. For my Fall-themed one, I decided to focus on leaves since my nieces expressed such a liking to them.

Items Needed:

Artificial or natural leaves, preferably in autumn shades

Scissors

Large freezer bag

A bottle of hair gel or Aloe vera gel

Medium-sized bowl (optional)

Colorful duct tape (optional)

Colored Glitter or confetti...if desired.

Directions:

1. If necessary, cut artificial leaves off from their stem. For one large freezer bag, you’ll need about 4 to 6 leaves.

2. If you don’t have anyone helping you to keep the freezer bag open, I suggest opening it up and placing it in a bowl. This will keep it standing upwards and will allow you to fill it up with easy. First, add your leaves then, add your entire bottle of aloe or hair gel.

3. Squeeze out the air from the bag and zip shut. I always like to seal the top of my squishy bags with decorative duct tape for extra protection.
If you have a biter, tape around the edges too.

4. Squish away and have fun!

My nieces had a great time playing with their squishy bags. I was happy to provide them with an activity that they found so satisfying to squish their hands into. We’re just getting into the fall season in my area, so this sensory play was just what we needed to welcome the beautiful season!

Easy Nature Wall Hanging

Using a full sheet of semi transparent waxed sandwich paper, glueing leaves and color tissue paper folding in the middle and adding a stick and ribbon or string for hanging

Painted PineCone Flowers from Emma Owl – This cheerful “bouquet” won’t wilt after a week, and I’m sure the children will have such fun creating it. HINT: we used sticks from the forest floor instead of dowels.

Dip Pinecones in Paint

Place a small amount of paint on the paper plate and dip pinecone to add color to the petal's edges. Rotate pinecone as you dip it so each tip is covered with paint. Repeat will all pinecones and set aside to allow the paint to dry completely. My idea of fun was the single color. Hope’s was several dabs of bright colored paint on the plate. In fact she ditched the plate and put paint in her hands then wrapped her little hands around the pinecones. Then I grabbed glitter glue. Or you can use good ole Mod-podge to roll them in then sprinkle glitter on them.
Need more Pinecone crafts for you while they are napping?
CLICK HERE

Need more easy craft ideas?! Check out these beautiful ideas:

How to Preserve Flowers for Kids Activities
A Beautiful Nature Frame
Icy Flower Sensory Play

Air Drying Wildflowers & Herbs

Drying is even better than pressing for preserving wild flowers. It keeps their shape as well as their color, and in some cases dried flowers are hard to tell from fresh ones.

Members of the daisy family, like daisies, thistles, and dandelions all dry well. Thistles, Field Scabious, and roses are good too. Always pick the flowers just before they are in full bloom.

Don't pick any flowers that are beginning to fade or wither, unless of course you wait until they go to seed. Poppies, Teasel, and many other seed heads look very attractive dried. So do grasses.

Continue to see how to air dry your own flowers!

Air-Drying Wildflowers

The easiest way to dry flowers is simply to tie them up in a bunch, hang them upside-down, and dry them for a few weeks.

What you will need to get started

1. Rubber bands

2. Dry airy place to hang the flowers

Steps

• Tie the flowers into a bunch with a rubber band. Don't put more than 8-10 stems into each bunch.

• Hang them upside-down in a dry, airy place for a few weeks. A linen cupboard is ideal because you can hang them easily. An attic, spare room, or garage is also fine, but you will need to fix up a pole or line to hang them from.

Continue to learn another way dry more delicate flowers.

Drying More Delicate Flowers

Some flowers lose some of their shape and color if they are just air-dried. It's better to dry roses, lilies, and anemones using a mixture of cornmeal and borax, which you can buy from a supermarket or grocery store. This way preserves leaves better too.

What you will need to get started

Shoe box

Borax

Cornmeal

Flowers

Paintbrush

Step 1

• Find a box, like a shoe box, which is large enough to hold the flowers easily.

Step 2

1. Mix equal parts of borax and cornmeal together, enough to half fill the box.

2. Pour some of the mixture into the box to make a layer 1 inch deep.

Step 3

• Cut the flower stems so they fit into the box, and carefully arrange the flowers on top of the mixture without overlapping each other.

• Gently sprinkle some more of the mixture over the flowers until they are covered by a layer about 1-inch deep.

Step 4

• After a week, gently take the flowers from the box and dust off the drying mixture with an artist's paintbrush.

Preserving Flowers Plus 14 Ways to Use Them

Preserving Woodland Nature Treasures

FUN WITH PINECONES

Our collecting of bits from the forest, has led the kids to ask lots of questions about trees, which I don’t have the knowledge to answer, I will have to take this forest guide out with me next time.

More Pinecone crafts  -Pinecone Aliens

Nature Art Ideas 

Nature Inspired Activities

Scented Nature Frame

***We used this on many occasions when we found sage growing on the roadside or Lavender in our wildflower bed.

Inspired by a craft we discovered at a recent Festival, we thought we'd have a go at creating a hanging nature sculpture. Minnie has been growing a selection of herbs in her garden area, & regularly uses them as props for her imaginative play! For our scented nature sculpture she collected a selection of her favourites; lavender, thyme, rosemary, curry plant(!), mint, & a few bay leaves from our bay tree.

Then we set off on a stick hunt & came back with enough to make about 20 of these hangings!! My girl is very keen on sticks!!

We laid some of the sticks out to make a frame & started to tie them together with garden string. Minnie found the string a little too tricky to wind, so we swapped the string for some pipe cleaners which were much more pliable for little hands. (Florist wire would work well perhaps for slightly older children.) Minnie wound the pipe cleaner around the frame (with a little help from me to start) until the sticks were all secure.

Then using another pipe cleaner she wound it around the stem of one of her herbs, before winding it around the top of the frame.

She added more herbs, smelling them & exploring as she went, until she had finished her creation I added string to the back of the frame & it was ready to hang up inside. I have to say it smelt fabulous!

It looked pretty good hanging outside too. We attached it to our living room window with a suction hook, so we could have the best of both worlds, admiring it inside & outside the house.

Here's a simpler version, using just herbs & a pipe cleaner

This has been hanging in our kitchen now for over a week, & although the herbs have dried it still looks & smells great. 

NATURE CRAFTS FOR KIDS: HOW TO MAKE A JOURNEY STICK

Making a journey stick is such an easy, fun outdoor craft to do with the kids – and a great low-cost way to have some fun family time.

WHAT IS A JOURNEY STICK?

A journey stick (also known as a story stick or nature stick) is essentially a memento of a nature walk, featuring items collected whilst on the walk. These might be things like leaves, twigs, flowers, feathers, or anything else natural that you find along the way.

I’d never heard of journey sticks before, but apparently they’ve been around for a very long time. Native Americans and Aboriginal people used them to track their journeys and tell stories about their travels.

Items collected on a journey would be tied to a large stick in the order that they were found. Symbols could also be painted or carved onto the stick. Each item on the stick would help to build up a picture of the journey, including things such as natural features, weather and adventures. The stick would then be used as a prompt for the retelling of the journey upon return, and also as a way to navigate the trip in the future.

It’s not hard to see why journey sticks make a great nature activity for kids, is it? They’re perfect for when you want to keep a walk interesting, and you can also use them to introduce lots of discussion about nature and how to take care of it.

HOW TO MAKE A JOURNEY STICK

To make a journey stick, you will need a few basic supplies.

Younger children can use a piece of cardboard with double sided tape attached to secure their items to the card.  We covered one side of the board with Mod-Podge so it was more like a sensory board and the treasures stayed on better.Older children can make a journey stick the traditional way by choosing a stick and attaching items to it using string or wool.

With all nature activities, you need to be mindful of protecting your surroundings.  Make sure you spend a couple of minutes explaining this to children before you start, and only collect things that have fallen to the ground.

This activity really appeals to kids; it involves hunting, collecting, comparing with other children, as well as the opportunity to get creative with the stick design.  We found lots of different items with a variety of shapes, colours, textures and sizes.

A Wildlife Trusts Ranger was on-hand to help us identify each item we found. If you were doing this on your own, it would be nice to have a nature spotters book with you to help with identification.

By the time we finished our walk we had two lovely records of the nature we’d seen along the way.

SOME IDEAS FOR CREATING YOUR JOURNEY STICK

Here are a few ideas for questions you could explore with children while making your journey sticks.

• Do you want your journey stick to have a theme? For example, a colour, all flowers, all leaves.

• How long does your stick need to be? Think about how long your walk is!

• What senses does each item stimulate?

• What is the story that your journey stick is telling? Let your imagination run wild!

A journey stick is such a great activity to do with children during an outdoor trip. It keeps them busy, helps them learn about nature, and provides them with a memento to take 

home.  You also need very little in the way of preparation; just some string or sticky cardboard, depending on which type you’re making.

Since we learned how to make journey sticks, we’ve repeated this fun nature craft again and again, building up a little gallery of journey sticks from our nature walks. We really like being able to compare journey sticks from each season, and each one always prompts some lovely reminders of fun family days out.

MORE NATURE CRAFTS FOR KIDS

If you’d like to explore some more nature crafts for kids, take a look at these fun projects:

• Homemade bird feeders

• Natural noughts & crosses

• Twig-wrapped flower pots

• Leaf printing

• Painted rocks

• Miniature gardens

Ways to Enjoy Nature Inside

Ways To Enjoy Nature Indoors With Kids

These activities are wonderful if you don’t have a garden or experience horrible winters and your stuck indoors.

The kids will love spending some time playing with and caring for nature indoors. They will enjoy playing with nature, in their own way.

Plant Play Pots

This is a little bit of fun. Bring indoors some of your tender garden plants or use your favourite house plants.

Using some of the kids toys why not make them into something playful.

– A cactus pot could be the scene for a cowboy showdown,

– a spider plant could be the scene for an epic battle between dragon and some knights.

– Or what about a fairy garden hidden under your money plant. These ideas are all so cute and they can be changed to suit your mood.

Air plants.

Growing up I loved these beautiful plants.

My mum would have one hanging in the bathroom and it would thrive in the steamy atmosphere.

Why not get a few of these and dot them around the bathroom.

They need almost no looking after and can bring a lovely outdoors feel.

Also, for the bathroom, why not try hanging some eucalyptus leaves from the shower head?

This adds a wonderful smell to the air when the steam heats the essential oils inside and looks amazing.

Why not Download a copy of “11 Steps to Creating a Wildlife Garden with Kids” and spend some time planning your wildlife garden while the weathers rotten?

Bring Nature Indoors With Succulents.

Picture from FB Budget 101

Sempervivums grow in very little soil and need very little care.

You can use a box frame with mesh on it to plant succulents in to make a hanging picture for your home.

Like this one from Balconygardenweb.com

Add a touch of the whimsical to your houseplants and plant some in old toys like an old toy truck.

These troll dolls(above) and truck have been recycled into fun planters the kids love.

You could use any toys for this and recycle them into a new purpose. Try this one from tobyandroo.com

Grow something tasty on the window sill.

There are so many things you can grow on a windowsill, you’ll be spoiled for choice.

– You could try salads in pots on the window for kids to snip off the leaves as they grow,

– herbs grow incredibly well on a sunny windowsill, try this set to get started.

– or another good idea is to sow lots of pea shoots in a pot or deep tray.

Instead of waiting till the plant sets seeds (pea-pods) use the growing tips as an edible leaf.

Better yet. You don’t need special seeds to grow pea shoots.

Just buy a cheap bag or dried marrowfat peas from the supermarket.

The kind that you might use for soups. These are just dried peas and will grow into fab pea shoot really quickly.

– This seed growing set allows you to grow chia seeds as a coat for an animal ornamant. Check it out here Microgreens are incredibly easy to grow and are becoming a fashionable crop for chef’s.

You can grow them at home so easily.

Or why not grow something hot hot hot and grow a chilli or a pepper?

Regrow vegetable scraps.

Try regrowing some of your veg scraps on the windowsill.

Carrot tops. Celery etc. see this wonderful post here for lots of ideas.

Bring your wildlife indoors

 A wonderful activity we tried last year was bringing in some wildlife.

In May we ordered some catapillars which we kept in a butterfly farm and fed it daily.

Eventually it wrapped itself into a cocoon and turned into a beautiful butterfly.

The kids were beside themselves with excitement each day but it was a little sad when they had to set the butterfly free.

We have also tried  raising a tadpole in a tank of water.

My son set up an old fish tank with some gravel and a little water in it.

We put in a stone so the little frogs can crawl up.

Everyone watched and waited and they eventually grew all their arms and legs and begin hopping about. The kids loved taking the baby frogs back to their original pond at our allotments where they hopped off into the sunset.

If your interested in trying this, here are some kits you could try:-

An Ant Farm
Ant Farm T with free Ants and Queen – Educational formicarium for LIVE ants

or A Snail World

My Living World Snail World

 Make A Terrarium To Bring
Nature Indoors

Using a glass bowl, jar or other container you could make onne of these amazing terrariums.

They can be any size or shape, and are mostly self watering.

Check out morningchores.com for some fantastic terranium ideas

Pinecone Or Moss Topper.

Use small pinecones as a dressing on top of your houseplants for an unusual but natural look.

They help to keep in moisture and slowly breakdown to feed your plant too.

The list is endless and it’s a great way to introduce kids to knew flavours too.

The micro leaves are different colours too so why not try a picture of a butterfly etc. That would look very pretty and delicious

Take Photographs with kids is a great way to bring nature indoors.

A great way for kids to bring nature indoors is too photograph it.

My son is wonderful at capturing a perfect image.

Why not go for a day out to the zoo, or a wildlife park and try to take some unusual pictures you can take home.

Make a college, canvas, photobook or even printable wallpaper to look at in your home when you can’t get out.

Set up a collectors box.

This idea from photoshop.com is a great way to display anything the kids love to collect when they’re outside.

Encourage the kids to collect all sorts of pretty bits.

•  Pinecones

• Feathers

• Leaves.

• Twigs etc.

Then display them indoors where the kids can play and explore with them.

A tray of conkers and pinecones, recently became a feeding tray for a group of zoo animals the kids were playing with.

You could display your nature ‘bits’ in a small basket,

I have also used cutlery tray inners and a muffin tray before. Have fun with it.

So, I hope you have found a few ideas you can try.

Bringing nature indoors can be so rewarding.

50 Sorting and Classification With Nature Activities 

Easy to whip up and create, sorting activities are perfect for toddlers. While organizing, preschoolers and kindergartners are practicing fine motor skills along with critical thinking.

A fun way to get your child exploring while learning foundational math and science skills!

Gathering Supplies for the Activities

Each of these 50 activities can be prepared ahead of time using objects found outside.

Using natural elements for sorting activities is a great way for preschoolers begin building a sense of their world.

For free paper based sorting activities for kids: Cut and Paste Counting 1-10 Worksheets, Leaf Printables, and Butterfly Printables

Go outside on an adventure to collect the natural elements together. Little ones are always excited about making connections to items they discover outside in nature.

This post covers how to::

• Gathering Supplies for the Activities

• 50 Activities Organized by Category

• Sensory Bins using Different Objects

• Easy to Create Math Centers

• Go on a Color Hunt

• Sorting Bins

• Color Sorting

• Sticker Sort

• Be Safe While Having Fun

• Get Ready to Practice Sorting with Your Preschooler

• More Nature Activities for Preschoolers

50 Activities Organized by Category

For this easy to follow guide, activities are organized into six categories:

• Sensory Bins

• Math Centers

• Color Hunt

• Sorting Bins

• Color Sort

• Sticker Sort

Do them all or pick and choose ones based on your toddler's interests. Most activities contain more than one way to sort and organize.

In many ways the opportunities are endless once you see how easy the activities are to create and modify.

Do these activities with your toddler at home for fun. Or in a homeschool environment. Easy to modify lesson plans for the kindergarten classroom to use with older learners.

If you are keeping a nature journal with your little one, drawings can be added as an entry after sorting.

Sensory Bins using Different Objects

Sensory bins and baskets are a great way to introduce your young learner to sorting and classification.

Toddlers can do these activities independently or with you. Sensory bins provide the perfect activity for a busy toddler to practice new skills.

When using sensory bins, select items that have different textures, colors, and or smells. Exploring using the senses is a great way to learn about the natural world.

Each item below can be used to create its own sensory bin or combine one or more to create a mixed basket.

Either ask a child to sort them a specific way or allow them to create their own classification system.

Letting them do it themselves increases their critical thinking skills. However, if you are looking to have them practice a specific skill such as identifying by a specific color, that is also great way to do these activities.

River Stones or Beach Rocks

Smooth river or beach stones are the perfect object for a sensory bin. Simply collect different shapes, colors, and sizes and place them in a basket.

Young learners will enjoy feeling the smooth texture and comparing the different weights. If using beach rocks, you can often smell the ocean on the rocks.

Stones or rocks can be sorted in many ways by your toddler. Go through the pile together and compare the different weights of the rocks.

For a new way to do the activity, classify by color or by pattern. Some rocks will be mostly made up of one solid color while others will have color bands or colors in circles.

A small collection of stones can be used to create multiple activities.

Pine Cones

Sticky and picky, pine cones make a great addition to a bin or basket. Pair them with other natural elements or simply create a bin using only pine cones.

Collect different sizes and types of pine cones with your little one.

Observing the sticky sap and pine scent adds to the activity. Some pine cones will be sticky, others will be dry, compare and sort into category by stickiness.

Preschoolers can sort them by size then type.

Acorns

Whether it is fall or summer, acorns can be found in abundance in deciduous forests. Red and white oak trees drop acorns in the fall, but they can be collected all year long.

From pointy ends, to smooth surfaces, to the rough and bumpy tops, acorns provide many textures. Little ones can create groups by:

• type of acorn

• smooth vs rough

• with and without tops

• whole or cracked open

• with or without insect holes

Little ones can even create piles to sort acorns by color. Different types of oak trees produce acorns in a variety of sizes, textures, ans colors.

Shells

Small shells collected at the shore create a perfect classification activity for preschoolers. Shells provide different textures, colors, and shapes.

• separate by type

• sort by color

• group by size

• line them from smallest to largest

• compare ones with holes to ones without

Even similar looking shells, provide enough differences for young children to compare and contrast.

Dried Seaweeds

Easier to handle and transport than living seaweed, dried seaweed can be observed by young children.

Seaweeds contain different textures such as long strands, air bubbles, and rough spots. Some varieties contain many holes while others are smooth and flat.

Seaweeds can be sorted by texture, smell, and then shape.

With children you can talk about the different types of seaweed as you sort them together.

Pair this activity with an ocean themed read aloud for an easy way to integrate science and language art!

Driftwood

Along with shells, collect some driftwood on your next trip to the coast. Driftwood can be organized by length. Then again by thickness.

Little ones can even sort them by overall texture. Vertical ridges or smooth overall. I'm always amazed by the differences between items when you take the time to really stop and look closely.

Sticks or Small Branches

Simply use sticks collected in your area. Wood found out in nature provides a variety of textures and colors for kids to explore.

Sticks collected outside can be sorted by types of bark, color, then overall shape.

Many sticks found around forests contain lichen and or small insects.

Children would enjoy examining them to look for common properties including green lichen or holes from bugs.

Fresh Flowers

Wildflowers, garden flowers, or even store bought flowers are the perfect objects to sort and classify. Toddlers can explore scents, shapes, and sizes.

To keep flowers fresh, provide a few small jars with water. Young children love sorting and classifying flowers while they move them from vase to vase.

Always practice safe handling if you are picking flowers from the garden. There are a surprising amount of flowers that are toxic if ingested.

Fresh Leaves

Sometimes the simplest natural elements make the best objects. Fresh leaves can be found in your local area.

Or for a fun way to use a bouquet of purchased flowers, observe both the leaves and the blooms.

By looking at leaves, children can sort by shape, size, and then color.

Sort and divide leaves by their texture. Some will have deep ridges while others will be smooth.

Leaves can also have a pleasant or unpleasant scent which can create another way for them to sort them. Leaves from peppermint, spearmint, and lemon balm would be perfect for a sensory bin.

Collection of Seeds

Preschoolers are naturally drawn to unique objects outside in nature. During all four seasons, seeds can be hunted for and collected outside.

Maple tree samaras commonly known as spinners come in different shapes and colors. Birch and oak drop long seeds which break apart easily.

Picking up and sorting seeds found outside helps kids practice fine motor skills. Spinners have a papery texture which break apart easily.

What better way to get your little learner interested in the life cycle of plants then to sort and classify seeds.

Create a Mixed Basket

Combine two or more natural elements to create a mixed sensory basket.

Rocks mixed with shells, dried seaweeds, with driftwood will create an ocean themed sensory bin.

Different objects can be compared and contrasted to create an endless combination of categories.

Easy to Create Math Centers

I know math centers do not sound like as much fun as a sensory bin, but there are ways to make them exciting.

Sorting and math go hand in hand. Not only are early learners practicing critical thinking skills, but number sense.

A few foundational skills for math education are number sense, counting, and cardinality. Through exploration kids can practice counting along with determining how many items are in a group.

Basically, young learners should begin practicing:

• counting in sequence

• pairing a number to an actual amount

• comparing groups to see if one has more or less than another

Finally, basic geometry including identifying and creating shapes is also important.

Math centers may sound intimidating to create, but they can be done easily using objects found in nature. All of these math center activities practice one or more of these math skills.

Sorting mats can be used to guide the activity. Keep it simple and reuse natural elements collected for sensory bins.

Sort Objects by Amount

Create a mixed collection using different objects found in nature. By separating each type of object into groups, kids can then count how many in each group.

Groups can then be classified according to how many objects in each. Toddlers will practice important math skills such as counting by amount.

Create Visual Numbers

Natural objects can be gathered then used to create numbers. This activity incorporates fine motor skills.

It can be challenging to grasp small or irregularly shaped objects with little hands.

Rocks and sticks are relatively easy for toddlers to manipulate. To offer a challenge, try having them create numbers with uniquely shaped objects such as pine cones.

Many numbers include circles and ovals which integrates basic geometry skills.

Count to 10

Once a young learner grasps the concept of counting they seem to count everything they see. Have them line up the objects then count down the line.

Use ten of the same object or let them create a mix.

If your little one is ready to move beyond the number ten, then make a longer line and count all the way down.

Rocks lined up in a row, pine cones, or shells would be perfect objects to use for this activity.

Make Number Groups

Separating and organizing objects into number groups is a great way to practice foundational math skills.

I love how little ones are eager to apply new skills to everyday experiences.

Simply turn snacking on blueberries into a fun way to make number groups. Berries can be counted and placed into groups by young children.

Blueberries are perfect for little hands to grasp as they create groups. Start with one then work your way up.

This would be a fun activity to do with a small group. Or while having a picnic outside.

For older learners, have them place one, then two, then three objects into piles or an ice cube tray as they create number groups.

Using shells, rocks, and seeds in ice cube trays would be a new way to organize and classify an ocean themed sensory bin by amount.

Sort by Common Properties

Little learners naturally want to sort and organize objects by common properties. Provide them with a basket with a mix of natural elements and let them create groups.

• older children can explain why they sorted items together

• younger children can point out similarities with you

Flowers picked together or separated out from a store bought bouquet would be a great elements to sort. Shared colors, smells, or even dividing flowers by type is a great way to do this activity.

Create Shapes with Objects

Along with counting objects, toddlers seem to enjoy identifying shapes. A fun way to learn shapes is to create them using natural elements found outside.

Rocks and sticks can easily be collected and used to create shapes.

Draw shapes in the sand for them to use as a guide. Or use shape cards if you are doing this inside.

This activity would be fun to do in an early childhood classroom, small group setting, or one on one with your toddler.

Provide children with a variety of objects and see what types of shapes they can create.

Older children will be able to do this independently while young children will need some guidance.

Organize by Shape

Shape identification is a toddler favorite. Create a mixed bin of natural elements such as river rocks, leaves, and flowers.

Young children will enjoy dividing and sorting by the shapes they see. Let them try it own their own then provide assistance when needed to find smaller hidden shapes.

Even a few leaves from different trees and plants provide a variety of shapes. Leaves may be oval in shape, contain pointy triangles, or be circular.

Surprisingly, even rocks found in your own yard come in a large variety of shapes and sizes if you look closely.

This activity can easily be turned into a shape hunt which can be completed outdoors.

Explore nature together while identifying triangles, rectangles, ovals, squares, and diamonds.

Sort by Size

An easy way to begin making sense of a variety of objects is to have them sort them by size. Many children will do this instinctively on their own.

If you would like sorting by size to be the focus of the activity, provide some prompting.

Phrases including, "which one is the largest" or "lets line them up from littlest to biggest" can provide guidance to get started.

This activity can be done alone, together, or started together, but completed alone. Young learners will proudly share with you once they have finished the task.

Making sense of their world through sorting by size is an important skill for them to practice.

Compare Weights

A basket filled with one type of object such as rocks can be used for this activity.

Or create a mixed bin using a combination of rocks, feathers, acorns, and sticks.

Comparing and contrasting the weights of different objects is soon to become one of your kids favorite activities. Toddlers love exploring heavy and light objects.

Practice Simple Addition

To add a challenge for older learners or to simply being introducing new skills to little learners, practice addition.

Using concrete objects to teach math skills is a great way to show a new concept.

Pull apart the petals from a flower and create a simple addition problem.

One petal plus two petals equals three petals. Line them up then have them count the amount of petals they see.

For a way to older children do this independently, provide a basket of rocks or acorns. These natural elements can be manipulated and moved without breaking apart.

If an acorn's top pops off, that is a great way to show how one item can be broken into two different parts. Even the act of taking the acorn top off, shows math in action.

Go on a Color Hunt

Color hunts can be done in a natural setting, your own yard, or even using one tree growing along the sidewalk.

Ideas for color hunts include identifying different colors found:

• In a spring flower garden

• In a summer vegetable garden

• On one tree growing near a sidewalk

• A mossy patch growing near woodlands

• Rocky path found near the ocean

Kids of all ages enjoy hunting and searching for colors. Winter color hunts are also fun for young children.

Keep it simple and explore one object together such as one tree or one flower. Nature seldom displays color in one color tone.

                                                       Link

Bark of trees contain a variety of colors. Practice main color words such as green, purple, yellow, and brown.

Then talk about different tones including tan, light grey blue, peach, and burnt orange.

Sorting Bins

When using sorting bins or baskets, either let your little one create their own classification system. Or provide sorting mats or color cards for a more guided activity. Toddlers have a natural desire to sort and make sense of their world.

Simple ice cube trays can be used to sort and divide small items into categories or amounts.

Any of the above activities can be turned into a sorting bin. Create a bin using only one type of object or create a mixed bin.

Themed Mixed Bin Inspiration:

• Deciduous Forest Theme: pine cones, sticks, leaves (fresh or dried), and acorns

• Rocky Shore Theme: different shells, dried seaweeds, and rocks of different sizes

• Spring Theme: a collection of brightly colored spring blooming flowers

• Winter Theme: sticks, lichen, rocks, and evergreen branches

Have fun and go outside together to create a sorting bin. Natural elements collected from family vacation or camping trip would make for an excellent bin.

Not only will little ones be practicing math and science, but making connections to real world experiences.

Color Sorting

Sorting and classifying by color is another preschooler favorite. Stick with the main color words or add in new terms.

Providing a collection of items along with color cards will create an activity kids can do independently.

For a new way to create color cards, make them together using construction paper or water color paints on watercolor paper.

Then use the DIY cards when sorting objects. Natural objects can be placed directly on the color card as they work.

Color sorting is a fun way to observe and explore the natural world. Nature provides an array of beautiful colors.

Sticker Sort

If you are looking to sort and classify on the go, you can use a removable sticker book. Stickers are a fun way to engage young learners while practicing fine motor skills. Nature themed stickers can be stuck on and moved around to create categories.

• North American Birds Reusable Sticker Book

• Butterflies Reusable Sticker Book

• Reptiles Reusable Sticker Book

The sticker books listed above are filled with removable stickers that toddlers can place inside the book or on a glass surface such as a window.

A reusable sticker book would be a great activity for a long car ride or flight on an airplane. Since the stickers are removable, kids can have fun sorting them multiple ways.

Be Safe While Having Fun

Always practice proper safety if using small items that are a chocking hazard. For independent practice, use larger items.

When conducting the activities together you can supervise little learners using smaller objects.

Get Ready to Practice Sorting 

Hopefully these activities will get you and your little one exploring and learning new things together.

Use this list as your guide or create your own activities using items you and your little one find. Sorting activities are soon to become some of your preschooler's favorite tasks.

• Make a Bird's Nest Activity

• Tulip Exploration with Free Printables