Outdoor Activities to Do with Your Grandchildren
Today, children spend twice as long looking at screens as they do playing outside. By the time they’re seven, children will have been looking at screens for the equivalent of 465 days, that’s an average of four hours every day... It also emerged more than half of a child’s screen time is described as ‘mindless’ – spent without family or friends.
That’s a huge amount of time indoors, and we all know how great being outside, playing in the mud really is! That’s why we’ve put together some quick ideas for you to enjoy together.
Geocaching
Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a GPS receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers anywhere in the world.
Geocaching is a great way to get out of the house with the whole family and is something fun to do together. It’s an ideal way to get grandchildren off their screens and enjoy nature as it involves walking and finding caches in new places!
Make homemade ice cream
You can’t beat a big bowl of ice cream on a hot summer’s day after you’ve been running around in the sunshine. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, we’ve got a quick easy way to make your own ice cream here!
Grow your own
Gardening is a hobby that will last a lifetime and not only does it provide children plenty of new skills it also provides a great sense of achievement, when watching what you have planted grow into something beautiful!
Children love getting hands on and growing their own veg you don’t need much to get started. It is a wonderful way to relax and spend time with your grandchildren in the outdoors.
Wild bees and other pollinators are in decline, so it would be great to plant bee-friendly plants and flowers! Aim for a good variety of pollen rich flowers that have different shapes, a range of flowering periods and avoid plants with double or multi-petalled flowers. For example: Bluebells, Foxgloves, Honeysuckle and Comfrey to name a few, are great for the bees.
Go on a picnic
Picnics are always great when your on an adventure, so pack your bags and go out to a local beach or woodlands where the grandchildren can run wild exploring the surrounding area while you find a perfect spot to sit and enjoy your picnic! We’ve provided some practical picnicking advice to ensure a perfect picnic every time.
Treasure Hunt
Treasure hunts have always been an exciting way to get children out of the house. With the promise of treats along the way and the added competitive kick, this fun afternoon activity can be done with minimum planning. You can even find and download free printables to use such as this Nature scavenger hunt which will definitely hold children’s interest.
Turn an afternoon in the garden into an exciting adventure with this fun treasure hunt with pictures clues or this pirate treasure hunt map, which you can make before setting out to find the treasure chest.
Visit the Zoo or Local Farm
Going to the zoo or a local farm is always a popular activity you can do with your grandchildren. With so much to see and experience, most families tend to spend the whole day there, leaving you with plenty of quality time to enjoy the company of your grandchildren and make memories together. It also helps that most attractions such as the zoo will offer senior discounts, so don’t forget to ask! Zoos also tend to have adventure playgrounds, offering plenty of space to run around and rule the animal kingdom.
Fly a kite
With the right weather conditions, and adequate space, flying a kite is ones of those everyone can enjoy. Unwind the string and help your grandchildren launch the kite high into the air! Don’t forget to help them hold the string!
Go to the beach
Why not spend the day down the beach on those sunny days! Pack a picnic and your kite and head to the shores. If don’t live close enough to the sea, try find a river or canal to wander along.
Crabbing is a great activity to give a go and doesn’t require much equipment! Grab a bucket and a crab line with some bait, dangle your feet over the quay and wait for the bait to catch!
