10 Kid-Friendly Tech-Free Outdoor Play Ideas to get kids outside for fresh air, exercise and to help give them fun ideas of what to do outside!

10 Kid-Friendly Outdoor Play Ideas

1. Ride bikes

The perfect thing to do during childhood is to learn to ride a bike! Oliver loves pushing himself around with his feet while Adalyn can ride a bike with training wheels. Us parents get to walk beside her as she rides, so it is good exercise for us as well.

2. Draw with chalk

My 2-year-old is completely obsessed with drawing with chalk. It will keep him occupied for 20-30 minutes, which is a lot for him. My 4-year-old loves it as well. This is great opportunity for kids to be creative.

3. Visit a playground

We have a swing set in our backyard that the kids use and we also love visiting lots of different playgrounds all over the area. Such a great opportunity for movement and learning new skills.

4. Go for a walk

Pretty much every single day, we go for a family walk outside. Sometimes, Adalyn and Oliver will walk. Other times, they may ride in the stroller.


This is a great way to get some fresh air and for us all to talk about our days.

5. Ride a scooter

Even more than biking, Adalyn loves riding her scooter. I think that this helps teach balance and coordination.

6. Kick a ball

Both of my kids love to kick a ball around the yard. Adalyn played soccer in the fall and got pretty good at it! This is a great way for adults to get involved in outdoor play as well.

7. Help with gardening and yard work

You would be surprised how much kids love helping with gardening and yard work. Recently, Troy had Adalyn come outside and pick up sticks as he trimmed them from the tree. She felt so special and did a great job. Oliver was watching from the window and was so jealous that he made me take him outside so he could help, too! Sometimes, we will have the kids help with raking, picking up trash that has blown into the yard, etc. When we plant our garden soon, they will definitely help with planting and eventually, picking the vegetables.

8. Go on a nature scavenger hunt

As soon as we started seeing signs of spring, our walks became super fun and we would all look for signs of spring that we hear, see, and smell. The kids would tell me that they see flowers, the grass getting greener, the sky looking more blue, hearing the birds chirp, seeing the animals outside and more. It is such a great way to teach young kids like Oliver new words and help learn to associate them with different objects that we regularly see. For Adalyn, it helps to get her excited for the new season, learn positivity, and notice the little things that you can easily overlook.

9. Read books outside

At age 4 1/2, Adalyn is learning to read and we practice every day. It is fun to take reading outside instead of inside and to get some fresh air. It is also fun to grab a blanket and sit on the grass while I read to the kids.

10. Run through the sprinkler

It's almost sprinkler time here in Michigan! The kids have so much fun running through the sprinkler or swimming in our small pool in the yard. We also regularly visit different lakes and pools all summer for them to swim in.

What are some of your favorite ways to get outside and play with your kids?