It’s summer, and it’s time to go outside and play. There are many ways to bring activities such as art outdoors and make it a nature-empowering experience. This blog contains books and project ideas to make a colorful splash this summer.
Here are a few fun ideas to bring art outside:
Here’s an example of a scavenger hunt kit created from an egg carton. You can customize your hunt to include anything you want!
Book Picks:
Outdoor Fun Preschool Activity Book: 80 Skill-Building Activities For Outside Play by Sharon Fisher-Shumpert
Kids learn through play, so engage them in engaging outdoor activities to strengthen their skills in letters, numbers, motor skills, science, social development, and more.
Wild Child: Nature Adventures For Young Explorers by Dara McAnulty
Nature is all around us to see, hear, and touch–in the leafy woods, by the sparkling water, or simply out the window. What will you discover? A chattering jay hiding an acorn, a butterfly with camouflage wings? A brilliant red feather you’ll carry home and tie to your journey stick to remember. This glorious book invites children outdoors on every adventure, from counting the species in an oak tree to searching the riverbed for aquatic dragonfly nymphs. With wonder and poetry, color and curiosity, Wild Child will stir the hearts of readers, young and old alike.
Wild Adventures by Mick Manning & Brita Granström
The activities in this book will help you develop self-sufficiency skills and explore nature. Topics covered include tracking skills, wildlife spotting, foraging for wild food and cooking outdoors, how to light a fire safely (with adult supervision), stargazing, including star maps, outdoor games, nature chase, how to mimic birdsong, how to make whistles and peashooters from elder stems, and much more!
Wild Girl: How to Have Incredible Outdoor Adventures by Helen Skelton
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to cycle to the South Pole? Or kayak 2,000 miles down the Amazon? Or run an ultramarathon through the scorching Namib? Follow the author’s incredible adventures and discover how to get outdoors and unleash your inner wild girl!
The Outdoor Scientist: The Wonder of Observing the Natural World by Temple Grandin
A guide to exploring the outdoors and asking questions about nature. Dr. Temple Grandin introduces young readers to geologists, astrophysicists, oceanographers, and many other scientists through a series of projects to understand the world around them.
Backyard Birding For Kids: An Introduction To Ornithology: Field Guide, Projects and More! by Erika Zambello
Become a young ornithologist. Learn all about the scientific study of birds. Author, birder, and outdoors researcher Erika Zambello presents a kids’ introduction to bird-watching. With fascinating information for beginners, the book provides readers with an understanding of bird anatomy, life cycles, habitat, and 60 species of backyard birds!
The Children’s Book of Birdwatching by Dan Rouse
The Children’s Book of Birdwatching celebrates local wildlife and teaches children about the challenges birds face and what we can do to help. Whether you love gardening, enjoy arts and crafts, or simply want to do your part to help endangered animals, this delightful book is full of lots of easy and fun projects.
Get Outside Guide: All Things Adventure, Exploration, and Fun! by Nancy Honovich
This fun-filled guide inspires kids to get out of the house and explore the great outdoors to discover the wonder and amazement of the world around them, whether in their backyard, across the country, or around the world. Full of fun activities, kids will learn how to make backyard bird baths, explore their local state parks, participate in an outdoor community event, and much more.
Let’s Play Outdoors!: Exploring Nature for Children by Catherine Ard
A book that encourages children to go and play outside and discover what nature has to offer. Leave the house and roam into nature: It is a fascinating place waiting to be conquered by little ones with curious minds. Whether in the garden, park, or a nearby forest, a closer look at nature will draw out budding architects, their first constructions built from stones, branches, and leaves; a thorough investigation of trees will reveal all kinds of insects; and listening to the animals around will teach their sounds. Let’s Play Outdoors! is for a new generation of environmentally conscious children, showing them how to interact with their surroundings meaningfully.
Backyard Adventure: Get Messy, Get Wet, Build Cool Things, and Have Tons of Wild Fun! 51 Free-Play Activities by Amanda Thomsen
The backyard has long been associated with recreation and relaxation, a private patch of earth to escape to, and a springboard for the imagination. In her signature style, drawing on her personal experience as a mother, gardener, and author, Amanda Thomsen encourages kids to create kingdoms of their own making right in their own backyards.
Get Out!: Outdoor Activities Kids Can Enjoy Everywhere (Except Indoors) by Hallie Warshaw
Presents a variety of outdoor activities and creative projects.
Great Things to Do Outside: 365 Awesome Outdoor Activities by Jamie Ambrose
Games and activities for kids to do in the great outdoors.
Let’s Go Hiking by John McKinney
A title written in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America encourages boys to become familiar with the great outdoors and to enjoy reading about nature trails that lead to waterfalls, mountaintops, swimming holes, picnic areas, and campgrounds.
Muddy Boots : Outdoor Activities For Children by Liza Gardner Walsh
This book is for kids and families who value outdoor exploration and grandparents who long for their grandchildren to enjoy the same unfettered time in nature that they did. Although not primarily about mud, these activities encourage all hands to get dirty as children explore the world around them. This delightful book features a wide range of hands-on activities for kids, including mud pies, mud monsters, mud paintings, magic mud, stick forts, tepees, and sunflower houses, twig rafts, acorn cap boats, fairy boats, flower presses, dandelion chains, and ice orbs, sun clocks, rain paintings, and story stones.
Go Out and Play!: Favorite Outdoor Games by Kaboom!
A guide to more than seventy classic and contemporary playground games provides instructions for favorites such as kick the can, freeze tag, and sardines. The volume also includes tips for adults on encouraging and facilitating outdoor play.
