Summer is a fantastic time of the year to get your family together to explore the wilderness. Going outside is, unfortunately, not as common as it used to be thanks to indoor entertainment biases like movies and video games that kids simply can’t get enough of. So to help you and your family out, we’ve put together a list of green outdoor activities for you and your family this summer.
1. Picnic at a Local Park
Picnics are a fantastic way to enjoy a green day out with your family. Pack you and your family a filling lunch with lots of finger foods, bring some music or a book and enjoy a day bathing in the sun surrounded by greenery. Just make sure you use reusable plastic containers to store your food and keep an extra bag around for trash. Make sure you’re also wearing sun protection to keep your skin safe.
2. Hiking Trails With Your Family
Hiking trails can be a lot of fun if you’re in the right location. A lot of hiking trails can be difficult on younger children, so try and pick a few short routes and do one or two each day. It helps if there’s a goal or landmark to visit during the hiking trail so that you can take a break to have a little snack.
3. Meet up With Friends for a Sports Day
Meeting up with your friends and family members for an enjoyable sports day is a great way to enjoy the summer. Your kids can invite their friends, you can bring other family members along and you can even have a big picnic together for lunch before you continue the games.
4. Spend a Day Gardening at Home
If you’d prefer something more relaxing then spending a day at home in the garden can be a great option. This is a great choice if you’ve been meaning to get some work done in the garden, or if you’d like to teach your kids about green gardening such as growing their own fruits and vegetables.
5. Have an Outdoor Reading Session
Kids love to read and creating a tranquil environment can be an excellent opportunity for them to visualize the books they’re reading for school. It can also be a bonding moment if you read to your children and discuss it with them. It could be a book that you’ve introduced to them or it could even be something they’ve been asked to read for school. Bring a deck chair if you plan to do it in your garden or combine it with a picnic at a local park.
6. Consider Camping Nearby
Camping is a brilliant way to spend a weekend with your kids. Whether it’s camping in your backyard or a dedicated camping site, picking someplace close means that you won’t need to drive around with your luggage in the car and it adds to the environmentally-friendly nature of camping. It might cost you a little money initially to buy a tent and other camping gear, but it’s a brilliant way to get in tune with nature and have your kids learn more about the environment that they’re growing up in and why it should be protected.
7. Put a Treasure Hunt Together
This is a great option if your kids can invite some of their friends over or if there’s an occasion to celebrate such as a birthday. Planning a treasure hunt can be quite involved, but if other parents are willing to pitch in to help then it can be a creative and fun way to get your kids active and running around. You can keep the clues relatively close together, or you can make kids run around the garden if you space them out. You’ll want to add some treasure at the end to motivate your kids, so try to pick something fun and environmentally-friendly.
Preparing for Outdoor Activities
Before you set out for an outdoor adventure, it’s important that you prepare in advance in a couple of different ways.
- Since it’s summer, you’ll want to make sure that you and your kids have sunscreen on and with you wherever you go.
- You’ll also want other types of sun protection such as sunglasses and a cap
- Bring some organic food as a packed lunch. This can include fruits and vegetables in a reusable container.
- Make sure you bring plenty of water in a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day. The more time you’ll be spending outside, the more water you want to bring with you. However, if there’s a water fountain where you plan to visit, then it’s perfectly fine to refill as well to minimize waste.
- Wear appropriate clothing! If it’s hot, you might be tempted to go with fewer clothes or
- Bring personal insect repellent
Preparing is the best way to ensure that your outdoor adventure goes smoothly, so don’t neglect it!
Green Ways to Travel
To keep your outdoor activity as green as possible, we’d suggest taking some greener travel options to help reduce emissions.
- Use public transport when possible and keep your car at home unless absolutely needed
- If the location is nearby, consider using a bike or even just walking to the activity
- Plan your trips so that you don’t take multiple trains or buses and instead, travel directly when possible!
- Make sure you bring plenty of bags with you to hold waste and trash if you can’t find somewhere to dispose of it
We understand that you can’t be a hundred percent green when it comes to travel unless you walk everywhere, but taking the time to sit down and consider greener ways to get around is also a good idea to help you do your part in conserving the environment.
Conclusion
There are plenty of wonderful eco-friendly activities to choose from this summer. However, it’s important to remember that no matter what activity you choose, the way you get there and how you prepare can also have an impact on how green your activity really is.