TONS OF FUN Family Activities in the Woods or Forests

June 28, 2016 by Monica Atkins

Growing up, my family and I would go camping up and down the east coast. After helping my father set up the tent, we would explore the forest. Part of my favorite childhood memories is the two of us exploring nature. From running into a skunk as we walked our dog and not getting sprayed to finding frogs in lakes to admiring native birds, he taught me to appreciate the beauty of nature. It seems so difficult to break free and share these same experiences with my kids; however, I know how important nature walks and camping trips are to develop an appreciation of nature.

One of our goals this summer is to spend more time outdoors. We are intentionally visiting more playgrounds, enjoying more lakes, and going on more nature walks. Every neighborhood has a #Naturehood that needs to be explored. To help you find a neighborhood park or green space nearby, you can visit DiscoverTheForest.org. These “naturehoods” are just a short-drive away, making it easy for families to unplug from the daily routine and reconnect with nature. DiscoverTheForest.org features an interactive map tool that enables users to search for nearby forests and parks, and filter by zip code and desired activities. Free outdoor activities are also available for download and printing which you can take the next time you visit.

Research has shown that children who play outside have lower stress levels and more active imaginations, become fitter and leaner, develop stronger immune systems and are more likely to become environmentally conscious in the future. For my family, however, I don’t need the research to reinforce what I have already witnessed. As much as we enjoy scheduling educational activities, there is so much learning that takes places outdoors.

3 Benefits of Exploring Nature

Introduction to Science

Exploring nature introduces children to the amazing world of science. From studying bugs to observing animals to learning about plant life, exploring a forest, lake or nature trail helps kids gain knowledge in various scientific fields. While walking you can talk about ecosystems, how plants grow and what animals live in that area. You can also bring along tools such as magnifying glasses, binoculars and bug holders to explore nature even more!

On our last nature walk we found several orange lizards!

Keeps Kids Fit and Healthy

Kids will have so much fun exploring that they won’t even realize they are getting a great workout. Today’s kids are constantly using electronics. It is so important for them to unplug and get connected with the world around them. Taking a hike through a forest, reservation or arboretum helps children (and adults) grow an appreciation for nature. It helps them stay active and healthy while also learning all about the world that surrounds them. It also enhances gross motor development, balance and coordination!

Calming

The most important benefit I have seen is that being outside calms my children down. They are at peace when outdoors and are naturally curious about what the outdoors holds. Kids are able to take in the sunlight and fresh air which provides a sense of calm and tranquility. This allows kids to open their minds to new ideas and possibilities. It expands their imagination and creativity which, in turn, boosts development!

So, what are you waiting for? Get up and get out to Discover the Forest for yourself! If you want to share photos from your outdoor adventures use #ForestFotog or if you want to be inspired to get outdoors see what photos people are taking in their forest explorations!

You may also enjoy:

It can be easy to give the outdoors to your kids

We’ve put together a list of activities that have all the information you need to get started — including what to do, what to bring, and what activities are near you.

Digital Storybook

Identifying Trees

Biking

Camping

Studying Nature

Geocaching

Hiking

Playing Agents of Discovery

Learning to Navigate

Learning About Fossils

Learning About Biology

Fishing

Identifying Rocks

Tracking Wildlife

Walking

Cloudgazing

Nature Watching

Stargazing

Picnicking

Volunteering

Bird-watching

Identifying Plants

10 Kids Activities For Forest Exploration

August 17, 2016 by Jenny Eaves

I’m sure it’s not passed any of my readers by that we love to be outdoors. Spending time together exploring the world is what our little family does best. We don’t live close to a beach, although we would love that, but we do have a LOT of forests in our vicinity and they are great for exploration.

The hardest part of exploring forests with our kids is the short car journey to get to those forest outwith walking distance. Fortunately we have a few tried and tested methods to keep them busy in the car, including a stack of books to occupy them. Our 5 year old particularly enjoys his i-spy guides from Collins Michelin, just like the ones I had as a child too. For the car we have i-spy On The Motorway and i-spy On a Car Journey. The guides are great, you simply look through the book, tick off anything that you see and add up the points until you have a score of at least 1000 and then you can send off for your i-spy certificate.

Anyway, on to our 10 Easy Forest Activities:

1. Hide and Seek. A simple game, but it gets everyone giggling and laughing. Especially if us parents get involved in the play too. If you are worried about your kids going too far away, give them a boundary area not to cross (such as no further than the large Oak tree that way, this side of the Holly bush).

2. Use Identification Books. My two love knowing what is around them, our two year old is always asking ‘what is that’ and our 5 year old is a the questioning our knowledge (and disagreeing!) stage. We love the i-spy In the Countryside and i-spy Nature guide books for the boys to use in the forest. There are lots of things they can tick off there (as well as other places, including the beach) in each changing season.

The countryside book is especially good for younger kids, with a few pages of ‘things to do’ such as hug a tree and splash in a muddy puddle, which are easy, but definitely fun things to do! At only £2.99 each they are also incredibly affordable and brilliant at getting kids exploring.

3. Blindfold Tree Tag.  You need two people, one to be blindfolded. The non blindfolded person carefully leads the other to a nearby tree and encourages the blindfolded person to explore the tree through touching it. After a few minutes lead the blindfolded person back to the starting place and remove the blindfold. That person then has to work out which tree it was that they were touching.

4. Create a Quadrat to Explore. Use four pegs and string to create a square (1m x 1m is good) and explore the different layers, identifying what you can see. It might start as leaf litter, insects, soil, roots, which can lead to explaining why each of these are important.

5. Find a Forest Pool.  We love to find pools in the woods to throw in tree cones and small twigs or if they are established ponds we like to look for forest wildlife like newts and frogspawn.

6. Climb a Tree.  This is a pretty obvious one, but even toddlers can climb small trees and join in with the tree climbing fun. It’s a great way to work on their co-ordination and balance, as well as a great sense of achievement.

7. Walk Barefoot. If it’s a warm day then walking barefoot is a fantastic way to get a feel of the forest floor and is great for their immune system, balance, posture among other benefits. Just make your children aware of any dangers such as brambles, nettles and sharp twigs whilst they are walking barefoot.

8. Make Natural Boats.  If there is a body of water then creating little boats out of anything you can find in nature is a great idea. Tie together twigs with string, leaf sails and reed masts all work well. Create a mini harbor or race them down a stream!

9. Natural Artwork. You can create lot of different art works in the forest from just using what you have found, from leaf pictures to little sculptures tied together with grass. Or you can take nature home with you and create art at home like Clare’s Little Tots did here.

10. Nature Weaving. Tie string to a fork in a twig and then weave in and out different things you find on your forest journey. Have a look at this post here for a tutorial.

What do your children like to do in the forest?
Do you remember the I-spy guides from when you were a child?

As a child, I loved being in the woods. I loved running my hands through the ferns as I ran down the path to one of my favorite spots. Not only building forts to play in, we built blinds to hide behind to watch for the wildlife in the woods that day. I loved feeling like I was there with the animals, but not disturbing them. I was tiny so I could sometimes hide beneath the ferns leaves and watch the squirrels scamper across the branches and the mama birds flying about to find food for the babies. There was a natural flow or rhythm of the things the animals did daily to feed and take care of themselves. I loved just watching the animals and listening to the sounds of the forest. We also tried every game and sport that we could in the woods as well. They were all more fun in the the woods.

I was blessed with a child that loved to be outside as well. So I got to play outside again as she grew. Anytime we moved into a new home, a back porch and space to watch wildlife was a requirement. She always wanted to take water and food to the animals because they didn't have mommies to take care of them. She talked to them as if they were her friends. I loved it.

My hope is that you find things that you love to do in nature too. I hope you and your family find a few favorite spots that you can enjoy frequently. 

PS...Expect questions about animals in the forest. For a great site for boning up on animals Click Here
The forest provides a habitat for many animals. Here they find food and shelter at the same time. Each animal occupies its own space – in the crown of a tree, in shrubs and bushes or on the ground. Hedges and meadows are often located near the edge of forests. Would you like to know what animals live in the meadow and what animals live in hedges?

Tons of Fun Things to do on a walk in the woods

Things To Make or Do on a Walk in the Woods

Woodland Outdoor Activities

Things to do in the woods with Kids

Things to do in the Woods

Why are woodland walks good for kids?

Going for a woodland walk is something that I very much remember from my own childhood. I remember spending Sunday afternoon in the woods somewhere and with my younger brother and sister getting very muddy in various puddles, it’s something that really stuck with me.

I think there’s just something about children in woods which means they can be free. They can run ahead of their parents, they can climb things, they can jump in muddy puddles and I feel like I really need to capture that and enjoy that to the full because there will come a time when they won’t want to spend their weekends doing that with us, they’ll prefer to hang out with their friends instead. But for now they really enjoy a family woodland walk and we’re lucky that there are lots of woods nearby to us and there are lots of things to do in the forest with kids.

And what if it’s raining? Raining doesn’t need to stop outdoor play – you’ll love our ideas of outdoor things to do when it’s raining!

24 Things for Kids to do with Nature on a Woodland Walk

Activities to do in the Woods with Kids

1. Build a Stick Maze in the woods with kids…..

…….and have the children navigate themselves out of it. A stick maze is a great woodland activity for kids.

2. Learn how to plait grass by Making a Fishtail Braid.

This is a great woodland activity for children.

3. Spot a Nest in the forest with kids!

For fun things to do on woodland walk with kids – use this cute Nest Nature Hunt to keep kids observant! Fancy bird watching with kids? Check out this FREE printable Bird Watching Book from Buggy and Buddy.com

4. Try Map Reading or Geocaching in the woods with kids

Playing with maps and compasses can be a lot of fun in the woods! Try out these map activities.

5. Play some Games in the woods with kids!

Try some of our games we love to play in the woods with kids! There are lots of different games here for playing in the woods with toddlers or older kids.

6. Make a Leaf Mandala in the forest

A good craft idea for the woods during Autumn (but would work any time of year) is to make a Leaf Crown or a leaf mandala.

7. Make a Nature Bracelet

Another collecting one – try making a Nature Bracelet using sticky tape. Our kids had lots of fun with this one and kept their bracelets on all day from Kid Citizen Blog! You can also see a Nature Belt idea here from How We Learn Blog. This is a fun activity to do in the woods with kids.

8. Play the Number Art Challenge

Once you’ve returned with lots of lovely nature materials. How about setting your child a Number Art Challenge? A great way of getting children to think about numbers and spatial reasoning. This is such a clever idea that I can’t wait to try out with our kids from Mosswood Connections.

9. Make Pot Pourri

Another lovely idea to make with your collected woodland is Pot Pourri – check out this recipe from Multiples Mom.

10. Do some Leaf Crafts for Kids

If you find yourself with a surplus of leaves at the end of your walk, try making our Autumn Leaf People or try one of our Leaf Crafts for Kids

11. Scavenger Hunts!

Scavenger Hunts are a Fantastic Way to help engage small people when out exploring nature. We tried this recently with my friend Laura and her kids. A scavenger hunt = 6 happy kids – it worked a treat! Here are some of my favourite Nature Scavenger Hunts. First up – is a FREE printable super scavenger hunt from Picklebums. The Father Fitness Nature Trail is also a great visual printable, suitable for younger children too.

12. Build a Den

Ever try building a Stick Fort in the woods? This is a fab Outdoor STEM activity that my kids have loved in their forest school classes at schools. This is a go-to activity for us and what our children are always happiest doing. Check out some great ideas for this at Littlebinsforlittlehands.com and instructions for building an awesome Stick Forest Home here, at Rainy Day Mum.

Fun things to do in the Woods

14. Climb a Tree or Find a Rope Swing

A great activity to do in the woods with kids is to climb trees or build a simple rope swing!

Things to do in the Woods with Kids

13. Storytelling

Collaborative Story Telling is a great way to help build your kiddos vocabulary and where better to do it then in an atmospheric woodland setting? See Rainy Day Mum’s ideas for collaborative storytelling here. Or you could try collecting some nature treasures and making some story art. Check out our other ideas for woodland crafts for kids.

Woodland Activity – story art for kids

Fun things to do in the Woods

15. Create a Nature Journal

Here’s an idea, I can’t wait to try out this summer as our kiddos love anything to do with reading, writing or painting! Creating a Nature Journal. I love the idea of trying out different art forms and processes in our Nature Journals – maybe we’ll try a different art form every week! If you’d like to start a Nature Journal with kids – here’s our post of Nature Journal Prompts for Kids.

16. Animal Observation

I love these Animal Observation Free Printable Logs for helping kids to learn more about animals – these are fun things to do on a woodland walk with kids by observing and recording them from Kcedventures.

17. Nature Bingo

Another FREE Printable that can be completed on the smallest of Nature walks or even in your back garden. Try out The Jenny Evolution’s Nature Bingo Game.

18. Make a Fairy House

Another activity to do in the woods is to build a Fairy House. Now, whenever we’re out for a walk, the kiddos like to collect little bits and pieces to decorate their fairy houses. I absolutely love these ideas for Nature Fairy Houses – you’ve got to take a look at this cute fairy teepee from Red Ted Art!

Fairy Houses to Make in the Woods with Kids

19. Nature Paint Brushes

Make simple paint brushes from nature and see what unusual patterns you can create. This is such a lovely outdoor process art technique with spectacular results from Messy Little Monster.

Crafts to do in the woods with kids

Crafts for kids to do in the woods

20. Bark Rubbings

And if you’re looking to explore nature in more detail – how about creating bark rubbings or going on a play-dough nature walk where you create nature play-dough creatures. Find out more how this idea works at How we Learn. Bark rubbings are fun to do with metallic crayons and black paper too!

21. Geocaching

Ever wanted to try Geo-caching? This is a great idea to keep older children engaged outdoors. Find out about our first not-quite successful geo-caching trip here! And a more successful pro how-to guide from Parenting Chaos.

22. Nature Keyring

If you should find some flowers on your woodland walk, then why not try making a perfect little keepsake – a woodland flower keyring.

23. Hapa Zome

Another flower idea – but can also be made with why not try Hapa Zome in the woods?

24. Woodland Arts and Crafts Journal

My last idea for fun things to do on woodland walk with kids really is a – ‘save the best idea ’till last’! I recently created this lovely Nature Adventure Journal. It’s a whole host of Nature Art and Craft materials in one pack. You simply head on a woodland walk, collect lots of nature materials and use the printable to document your adventure. If you’re looking to get your kids to play outside more – there are lots of easy nature journal activities to inspire kids to explore nature’s wonderland from cloud watching and scavenger hunts to designing their own garden and rock pooling. This is a fun and easy nature workbook with beautiful watercolour drawings encourages kids to look a little closer at nature and gently develop the lifelong habit of nature observation.

If you’d like to get your hands on this amazing Nature printable pack – click here. It doesn’t have to be used in the woods – it can be used on any kind of walk.

Nature Adventure Journal for kids

Hope this has inspired you to take more nature walks or fun woodland walks with your kids! I’ve got a whole load of things I now want to try out with my little people! How do you explore nature with your kiddos? Comment below and let me know any ideas we’ve missed! And don’t forget to try out this Nature Pack next time you’re on a woodland walk!

Do you have older kids? Teens or Tweens? Here’s our ultimate guide to getting older kids outside!

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR TEENS AND TWEENS

100+ Nature Crafts

Summer Holiday Outdoor Activity Pack for Kids!

If you liked these ideas you’ll LOVE our Holiday Outdoor Activity Kit for Kids! It contains 3 weeks of fully planned outdoor activities including….

• Games

• Science Experiments

• Nature Crafts

• Codes to Crack

Each week has an eco friendly theme where kids can learn about topical issues such as ‘saving the bees’ and ‘plastic pollution’. All the activities are suitable for kids aged 4-11 and it even includes ideas for family adventures! It’s like your own printable DIY Eco friendly Summer Camp for Kids!