physical education outdoor activities

8 Great Outdoor PE Games for Kids

By MK Editor, May 23, 2021

This post is brought to you by CROSSNET, a four-way volleyball net that was designed with the physical education teacher in mind. With just a click of a button and detachment of poles you can easily set up your net to be a variety of heights. This provides gym teachers and volleyball coaches with easy flexibility allowing them to use CROSSNET with both their younger and older students.

There are so many classic outdoor Physical Education games (soccer, kickball, flag football…) that are great for getting kids moving while encouraging teamwork and strategy along with strength and endurance. But that doesn’t mean you have to keep it classic every time the bell rings. Here are eight of the best outdoor PE games, using balls, beanbags, flags, hula hoops or no equipment at all, for keeping things fresh and fun on days when it’s time to head outside and team sports just won’t cut it.

1. Freeze Tag

Great for any age group, freeze tag is just like regular tag, except when a student is tagged, they must freeze with their feet planted widely apart; then they can be unfrozen only when another student crawls through their legs. Teachers can support group cooperation by encouraging students to unfreeze as many of their classmates as possible, and even award points to students who do the unfreezing.

2. Crazy Hoops

While this game works great as an indoor gym activity, it can be even more fun outdoors, where there is plenty of room plus more potential for obstacles and twists. In Crazy Hoops, students build teamwork and strategy skills along with math skills as they work together to grab colored beanbags from a central location and bring them back to drop into their team’s hula hoop. The teacher assigns point values to each color of bean bag: five points for beanbags that match the team’s hula hoop color, ten points for other colors, and one point for white, for example.

If your students are working on fractions or negative numbers, you can incorporate those skills as well (purple beanbags are worth -10 points, for example, or each purple beanbag divides the team’s total points by two).

There are also numerous ways to add twists to this game: You can allow students to use a turn to grab a beanbag from an opponent’s hula hoop and drop it back into the main pile, or instead of locating the main pile in a central spot, divide the beanbags by color and locate the piles in several different areas that students will have to run, climb or crawl to reach.

3. Capture the Flag

This game is great fun when played the traditional way, with two teams, each with its own territory, and one flag per team to guard or steal. Capture the Flag gets even more fun, however, when you switch things up.

Try selecting one spy per team, secretly and at random, who gets one chance to steal the flag belonging to their supposed team and bring it back to their actual team.

Or, for a fast-paced twist, use balls instead of flags and incorporate rules about throwing the “flag” to teammates in order get it back to the home base as quickly as possible. If you have a large PE class, try playing a chaos version of the game by dividing the field or court into multiple sections and having the same number of teams and flags compete for the win.

4. Frisbee Golf

Have students throw soft foam flying discs into buckets, baskets, cardboard boxes and other goals positioned all around your outdoor playing space. This game can be played by taking turns in a big group or in teams, and you can incorporate extra rules, such as having students dance in place for five seconds if they don’t land the frisbee in the goal in three or fewer tries.

5. CROSSNET

This four-square version of volleyball is a super-fun take on the traditional game. Incredibly easy to set up, with adjustable height levels for any age group, it’s a blast for kids from elementary up through high school. CROSSNET targets throwing and catching skills and helps kids develop their hand-eye coordination, while tapping into their competitive natures. It doesn’t take up a lot of room, making it perfect for days when you’re setting up stations outdoors for students to cycle through.

You may also interested in the Best Indoor PE Games for Kids .

6. Hopscotch

This classic game offers great plyometric exercise and balance training along with silly fun. Multiple teams of three or four students each can play at once on multiple hopscotch grids, racking up cumulative team points and competing to win.

It’s easy to switch things up in hopscotch to keep everyone engaged. For example, instead of writing numbers in the squares, have students draw animals, like cats, dogs and frogs, or write down the names of exercises, like jumping-jacks, squats and high-knees, in the squares. When students toss a marker onto a square, they have to make the corresponding animal sound or perform repetitions of the specified exercise before they can begin hopping.

Another twist is partner hopscotch, in which two students hopping along two grids drawn close together must hold hands as they strive to hop with balance and accuracy.

7. Topple Ball

Divide students into teams of four, and set up one cone per team with a tennis or Wiffle ball balanced on top. Have students take turns rolling other balls toward the cones, trying to topple them over. When the ball on top falls, the student who toppled it must try to chase it down and grab it within five seconds to win a point for their team. They also must set up the cone and ball on top for the next teammate to take their turn.

8. Beanbag Relay

Students develop teamwork along with speed and agility in a beanbag relay, which can be held on an outdoor track or blacktop, in an open field, or in nearly any other outdoor space. Set out cones or other markers, divide students into teams, and give each team three beanbags. Teams line up at the starting point with their beanbags, and the first runner from each team runs with one beanbag to drop it at the first marker. Then they race back to grab a second beanbag and run it to the second marker, and finish up by repeating with the third beanbag and marker. When they return to the starting point, they tag the second runner’s hand so the second runner can retrieve all the beanbags in reverse — racing to the first marker, grabbing the beanbag and running it back to the starting line, racing back to the second marker for the second beanbag, and so on.

Bonus: Fartlek Runs

Marathon Kids is all about running, but not necessarily about speed. We believe in getting kids moving by motivating them to cover cumulative distances over time, but we don’t really care about how fast they go — unless they or their coaches want to work on developing their speed. If you have students in track or who are simply interested in improving their running speed and endurance, Fartlek runs are a great way to kick things up a notch.

No, Fartlek training isn’t a PE game, per se — and yes, you’ll have to allow your students extra giggle time to adjust to the silly-sounding name (“fartlek” is a Swedish word that means “speed play”). But soon they’ll recognize the serious fun that Fartlek runs can be. Whereas regular interval training has runners recover between higher-intensity intervals by walking or even stopping altogether, Fartlek training has athletes continue running at a steady pace between bursts of speed, which helps condition both the body and the mind to build speed and endurance. Best of all, the natural challenge and variations inherent in Fartlek training can keep students motivated and engaged.

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63 Outdoor Learning Activities Kids will Love

As a parent, and teacher, I try to get my children outside as much as possible. I am always looking for new outdoor learning activities. I was once told that (almost) any activity you can do inside a classroom, you can do outside.

There is a lot of truth to this and with the right materials, you can easily take learning outside. Although I used many of these activities as outdoor classroom ideas for kindergarten, children of all ages can enjoy the activities and ideas.

Whether you are an educator looking for outdoor education activities, or a parent or caregiver simply looking for outdoor activities for kids you will find lots of ideas in this collection.

I have gathered a collection of 63 outdoor learning activities. I hope they inspire you to try an activity outside!

The activities are sorted by subject area for quick reference. Some of the activities are simply ideas of how to bring learning outside. Other activities are specifically centered around nature and wilderness.

All of the activities can be done outside and involve learning! I hope you find some ideas that inspire you!

For a printable outdoor activity, a link to a printable outdoor scavenger hunt escape room is included. Simply print and play!

Outdoor Classroom Ideas by Subject

*Click the link below the picture for full activity description.*

This simple alphabet activity can be done just about anywhere, at any time. It is a great way for kids to practice letter formation and have fun in nature.

With this activity, kids will have fun recognizing their letters and then spraying the letters with water.

For children practicing sight words, have some fun finding, and splashing the sight word with a bucket of water.

Can you find two words/pictures that rhyme? This giant memory game is sure to be a favorite with kids!

This Sight Word Scrub is a great, hands-on, way to learn and practice sight words.

This Beginning Sound, Melt and Break is perfect on a hot day!

Create a nature journal with children to record some of their outdoor experiences.

Sometimes a simple, cozy reading nook is all kids need. Bring their love of reading outside.

You only need a few simple materials, and lots of sunshine, for these kid created works of art!

Get kids moving with a scooter board and some chalk.

Focus outdoor learning with a collection of hands-on activities all in a printable booklet. From STEM building challenges to art projects, kids will love working their way through the booklet and activities.

There are so many outdoor learning activities you can do with these vocabulary vases.

Did you know you can make paint using natural materials? You can with this nature paint activity.

Kids use the nature surrounding them to create these pieces of art. A small amount of clay, paint and lots of creativity is all you need.

Winter Outdoor Education

During the winter months, you can mix the snow into your outdoor education program. It is a wonderful sensory experience for kids to paint in the snow. It’s beautiful too!

Mix a bit of science and art with this exploding paint bombs activity.

How cute are these? This is a perfect outdoor education activity because kids use items they find in nature to create art.

Kids will love getting their hands messy with this outdoor sensory activity.

If your kids like drawing and creating using sidewalk chalk, they will love this liquid sidewalk chalk. It is easy to make and the color is bright and beautiful!

Kids love collecting rocks. Put those rocks to good use with this nature art outdoor learning activity. It mixes a bit of art and math into an activity you can use over and over again.

Keep creating and drawing outside with this homemade sidewalk chalk activity. Our favourite was the rainbow block of chalk!

STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Challenges

This is one of my all time favorite outdoor education activities. With only a few materials children are challenged to build a tent or structure. It is hours of fun!

Teach kids about gravity in a fun, outdoor activity as they watch their superheroes fly!

Add some extra learning during a hike. Learn about compasses and direction.

This activity incorporates a bit of science and math into a human body activity that kids will love.

This solar oven would be great when camping at home! The activity includes lots of science and fun.

Outdoor Learning Activities

Create something for a marble to roll down into a bowl. Kids get their hands on the materials and solve the challenge.

Kids create their own javelin and use it for a STEM activity! A easy way to get kids outside learning and moving.

More STEM and Hands-On

If your kids are interested in birds and their nests, this inquiry project is a perfect hands-on outdoor learning activity.

Kids love playing with ice especially if there are tiny treasures inside to dig out. Perfect for fall!

Kids create their own balloon rocket with this science experiment.

Outdoor learning activities do not have to require lots of preparation. Sometimes, just giving children materials and watching what they create results in amazing learning.

What if you simply gave children a collection of fabrics?

Outdoor learning is not limited to the warm months. Kids love being outside in all weather. This building activity can be done year round.

Teach kids about friction!

Create balloon rockets, then test and race them outside.

Small world play is a favorite with young children. This frog habitat is a great way for kids to learn about frogs.

Outdoor Learning Activities – Science

Can you do anything to make ice melt faster? Watching ice melt has never been this exciting!

Trap, inspect and learn about bugs right in your own backyard!

What lives in dirt? Kids discover all of the living things in the dirt.

Kids learn about photosynthesis in a way they can understand and see!

Kids explore their senses as they work through an outdoor scavenger hunt.

A simple sound hunt activity encourages kids to become aware of their surroundings.

Outdoor Learning Activity Printable

Help kids recognize various leaves and try out some fun experiments.

With this activity kids record what they find and explore with their senses.

Learn how to identify various clouds with this activity.

How many nests can you find? Mix math with science with this nature hunt.

Go rock pooling with children with this outdoor learning activity kids will love.

Where do all the animals go in winter? This fun outdoor scavenger hunt leads kids to find animals in their “natural” habitat.

Show kids how sunscreen protects their skin from the sun with this experiment.

Find and spray number activity!

Outdoor Learning Activities Math

Make a regular hike or walk through the forest even more engaging with a free printable scavenger hunt . There is lots of math mixed in as children are challenged to find twigs the length of their hand and stones smaller than their fingernail. The sheet is printable, and free!

A number scavenger hunt will get kids excited about numbers as they hunt to find the numbers in order.

This Outdoor Number Order Sort is a great, hands-on way to increase number recognition.

Test kids memory skills with this memory match game using various materials found in nature.

Get kids moving with this simple outdoor learning activity that incorporates a bit of math and physical education.

Keep kids moving with these field day activities to do outside.

Match and represent numbers using rocks in this hands-on outdoor learning activity.

Challenge children to search for all of the beautiful patterns in nature.

Being able to sort by seeing the differences in objects is an essential skill. Try out this outdoor education sorting activity.

Outdoor Learning Activities Sensory

If you are planning a camping trip, this printable escape room is a perfect activity to take with you. Simply print and play and to add to the excitement of the trip. Simply print ahead of time, and use materials you (likely) already have with you.

This is one of my favorite outdoor education activities! Let kids get a bit muddy as they “bake” with this sensory activity.

If you are looking for an active game, this is a great way to get kids moving outdoors.

Kids explore their senses with their feet with this bare foot sensory activity.

5 days filled with outdoor learning activities, such as “Campfire Day”.

Leaf Weaving works on fine motor skills for little hands.

Kids love playing with cookies cutters and play dough, but used outside with snow creates a whole new sensory activity.

Instead of throwing out paper, recycle and create this seed bomb.

Outdoor Learning Activities – Social Studies/History

Children learning about World War 1 will be engaged with this outdoor learning activity for WWI.

For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

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Outdoor scavenger hunt escape room.

Escape rooms are very popular right now! Take the fun of an escape room outside to your own backyard with this printable backyard escape room. No special materials needed, simply print, set up in minutes and play!

Earth Day Printable Flip Book

Celebrate the earth with a collection of Earth themed activities. Ideal for classroom use or homeschool. Click image for more information.

Outdoor Learning Choice Board

Looking for a printable collection of outdoor learning activities that you can do at outside at home or school? Download the free choice board from Hands-On Teaching Ideas. Once you subscribe, and confirm, you will gain access to the Free Resource Library and be able to download lots of free resources.

Click here to subscribe.

More Kids Activities and Hands-On Teaching Ideas

Looking for more hands-on teaching ideas? Below are a collection of favorite and most popular activities, including science experiments, escape room puzzles and STEM challenges.

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• Pete Charrette

Winter PE Games: 10 Fun and Exciting Winter PE Activities for the Gym

As winter approaches, it is the perfect time to add some fun and excitement to your Physical Education classes. Taking your students outdoors to learn and have fun is an incredibly effective way of inspiring movement, engagement, and enthusiasm. Unfortunately, not all educators are able to bring this invaluable experience into their curriculum for a variety of reasons. Despite the limitations of being confined indoors, teachers can still be inventive and adapt winter-themed games and activities for their students to enjoy in any indoor gym or learning center. With a little creativity, you can keep your students engaged during even the coldest days!

An array of engaging winter-inspired games and activities await you, ready to be modified for your indoor teaching sessions. In this blog post, I will provide 10 great ideas for getting your students active and moving during the colder months. Many of these activities can be modified to be used with any grade level, making them perfect for schools, churches and community centers alike! Plus, they are a lot of fun!

Why include winter-themed activities and games in your indoor PE lessons?

Including winter-themed stations, games and activities in your PE curriculum is important as it helps to bring physical education to life. It can be difficult for students to stay motivated during the winter months, but these activities will help them become engaged with their PE lessons.

This is an ideal opportunity to shake up the tediousness of typical indoor physical education units and activities that occur during this time of year. It inspires students to be inventive and expressive with their physical activity and movement. Additionally, winter-themed games and activities allow for teachers to introduce their students to some winter-themed Olympic events, such as curling, luge/skeleton, skiing/snowboarding, speed skating, bobsleighing, and more!

Including winter-themed activities, stations, and games indoors is an awesome way to help you and your students reach SHAPE America Standard 5 which states: The physically literate individual recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction .*

10 tips for setting up the winter physical education activities

Making winter activities and games work in indoor PE classes requires some pre-planning and preparation. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

When choosing activities for your students, their age and abilities should be taken into careful consideration. Ensure that the tasks you select are appropriate to your learners' developmental level so that your kids learn more efficiently.

Make sure you have all of the necessary materials for each game or activity. This includes any props, equipment, or materials that are needed.

Before starting class, take the time to organize and prepare your games and activities.

Enhance the student experience by incorporating festive and/or Olympic-related music while they engage in activities.

Make sure that the directions for each game or activity are straightforward and easy to understand. Showing or having students show others how to do it will help them grasp what is expected of them, so there's no misunderstanding!

Incorporate a Winter Olympics (Olympic Games) discussion into your lesson. Decorate your playing area with Olympic rings and get the kids involved in the celebration.

Videos by Eric Turrill: Round Hill P.E. - @RHEPE1

Make sure to have a clear plan on how you will move between different movement experiences in order to make your lesson flow smoothly with minimal pauses or interruptions.

At the end of every lesson, review and highlight some of the most important take-aways that your students have gained.

So that the next class can start on time, reset the equipment. Assign this task to your current class so you don't have to do it yourself.

10 Active and Engaging Winter-Themed Indoor Ideas for PE

To ensure your physical education classes are filled with zest and enthusiasm throughout the colder winter months, try these 10 exhilarating winter-themed movement experiences in your learning area!

1- Paper Plate Activate- Winter Style

A great way to start off a winter-themed PE lesson!

Students move from laminated plate to plate every 30 seconds to perform winter sports and winter games fitness-skill movements. This is a GREAT warm-up fitness activity to tie in Olympic activities for kids.

Laminate several plates with exercises that relate to Winter Olympic activities (i.e. Luge - Leg lifts, skeleton - plank hold, curling - lunge jumps, downhill skiing - squats etc.)

Scatter the plates around the playing area face up

Evenly distribute the students at the laminated winter Olympic plates

Provide your students with instructions for the activity. Turn on some upbeat music. Set a timer for 30 seconds and play your favorite music to get in the zone. The students will do the exercise or movement for 30 seconds. After the music stops, have the kids rotate and choose any other plate. They can only go to a plate they have not been to before. Continue this pattern for 4 to 6 minutes

Bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four people make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled.

Students take turns winding their way through an obstacle course on folded mats perched atop scooter boards.

Place a folded mat on 4 to 6 scooters

Set up cones and poly spots to represent the ski hill bobsled course

Create an ending area that participants turn around to go back to the starting line

In small groups, students take turns pushing and riding the bobsled course. Use stopwatches to time each run or race against other teams. Stress safety while pushing and riding. The bobsleds must stay inside the course or the team is disqualified. Alternative: Connect 2 to 4 scooters together and do the above mentioned activity without the mat.

3- Winter Biathlon

The Winter Olympic event of Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, providing a unique challenge for athletes.

Students take turns gliding across the gym floor to a shooting station where they take 3 shots at a target.

Set up several relay lines using poly spot makers and cones. Keep the lines short (3 or 4 students per line)

Put laminated plates and pool noodles at the start of each relay line

Place 3 frisbees at the end of the course

Have a shooting area and a target for each line. It could be a wall target or a ball sitting on a cone

The students, in small relay lines of 3 or 4 students, use laminated paper plates or carpet squares and pool noodles as ski poles, to cross country ski from a starting line to a shooting area. At the shooting area, they will pick up a Frisbee and attempt to hit a target on the wall or a small ball off of a cone. They get 3 shots and then cross country ski back to the start line. The next person in line repeats the action. Alternative: use a ball instead of a Frisbee to shoot with.

4- Hockey Shooting

Hockey is an exciting sport in which two teams compete against each other, attempting to score goals by maneuvering a ball or puck into the opposing goal with their hockey stick.

Students take turns stick-handling a ball or puck down the gym floor and shooting on a goal past a goalie.

Place a goal at the end of each line. The goal could be a regular hockey or small soccer goal or 2 cones a few feet apart from each other

Place a ball and hockey stick (or pool noodle) at the start of of the shooting area

Put a market down that designates where a shot must be taken form (for safety)

The students, in small relay lines of 3 or 4 students, take turns stick-handling a soft ball and shooting on a goal. A goalie is placed in front of the goal for each line. Only 1 shot can be taken at a time (no rebounds). A shot must be taken at a designated line or marker. After they shoot, students become the goalie and the goalie brings the ball back to the next person in line. Alternative: students use hockey sticks and a small nerf ball to play a 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 game.

5- Ski Jumping

Ski Jumping is a thrilling Nordic skiing activity that challenges athletes to launch off of an inclined ramp and soar through the air, flying as far away as they can.

Students run down a path and jump as far as they can off a mat or springboard. .

Place a cone or polyspot as a starting line for this activity

Set up a running path with a mat, mini tramp or springboard at the end

Secure a crashmat beyond the takeoff implement for added safety

The students, in small relay lines of 3 or 4, run down a straight course and jump off of a spring board or folded mat (using 2 feet) and fly in the air on to a crash mat or another flat mat. Measurements can be taken and marked after each jump. Alternative: use a 1 foot takeoff for the ski jump.

6- Snowball Target Throw

A PE lesson during winter is incomplete without a classic snowball throw!

Students take turns throwing yarn or fleece balls at several targets in a station area.

Create, print and laminate some wall targets to throw at

Set up several throwing lines and targets in a set area of the gym

Place yarn balls out on the throwing lines

Targets could include a wall target, open cone on a chair, upright hula hoop, bowling pin(s), etc.

Organizing into small groups, the students put their hand-eye coordination and athletic ability to the test by taking turns throwing soft yarn or fleece balls in an effort to hit targets, knock down pins, throw through hula hoops, or land them inside cones. Alternative: partners or trios can play catch throwing the yarn balls back and forth to each other.

Curling is a beloved winter sport, where players strategically slide stones on an icy surface towards a target area composed of four circles.

Two students take turns sliding 2 Frisbees toward a target created with tape or chalk.

For every station, draw a line to curl from and put two frisbees on it

Create a target on the floor away from the curling line using either tape or chalk

The students, in groups of 4 students (2 teams of 2), take turns sliding a Frisbee down to the other end where the target is. Scoring is as follows: 1 point when the Frisbee stops completely in the larger target area. 2 points when a Frisbee stops inside the inner circle or square. A game can be played to 15 points. Alternative: beanbags can be used to slide at the target for certain floor types.

8- Ice Fishing Fitness

Ice-fishing is an exciting and rewarding practice that entails catching fish with fishing lines, spears or hooks through a hole in the ice atop a frozen body of water.

Students take turns using a fishing rod to put over a mat and perform certain exercises based on what they catch.

Set up several fishing rods with a string on the end with a magnet on each

Write down exercises and repetitions on index cards (laminate them prior to use)

Put something on the cards that sticks to magnets

Groups some tumbling mats upright to represent a frozen lake or pond

The students take turns putting a line and pole over and in a group of mats (representing a frozen pond). The poles could be pool noodles with a string and magnet attached to the end. Inside the mat area, another student attaches an exercise card (with a magnet attached to the back of it) and when the fisherman pulls it up, they must do the exercise. For example, the exercise card could say to do 10 pushups or 10 sit ups. Students should switch roles after each fishing trip! Alternative: the cards could be manipulative skills vs fitness activities such as dribble a ball 10 times, toss and catch a beanbag, etc.

9- Skeleton

Skeleton is an adrenaline-filled winter activity in which a competitor straps into a small sled and hurtles headfirst down a frozen course at breakneck speeds.

Students take turns scooting on a scooter board, gliding through an obstacle course face down.

Establish cones and poly spots to replicate the ski hill skeleton track

Place a scooter board at the starting line of each track

Create an ending area that students turn around to go back to the starting line

In groups of three or four, students take turns scooting down an appointed track as they lie on their stomachs atop scooter boards. With only the power of their feet and arms driving them forward, they move as quickly as possible down the track and back! Races can be timed with stopwatches or pitted against competing groups. Alternative: add 2 scooter boards together to make the surface larger if needed.

10- Snowflake Fitness

A great full-class activity to use to get everyone moving and active. Great for a warm-up or class-ending activity.

Students perform a variety of locomotor movements and fitness-based exercises using snowflake cut-outs as task cards

Create some snowflake cards with exercises and reps/time added on them

You’ll need at least twice as many cards as students

Place the snowflake cards in the middle of the playing area, face down, to represent a Snowfall

Place 6 – 12 cones around the gym perimeter and group the students into small-group, even clusters, behind each cone to start Snowflake Fitness

On a teacher signal (preferably upbeat music), the first student in line runs (or uses a teacher-directed locomotor movement) to a card, flips it over, and performs the exercise listed, using the designated number of repetitions

The student perform the exercise out in the center & then returns to their line

After returning, the student then tags the hand of the next student in his/her line and that student moves out to find a new snowflake card in the middle and performs the exercise for the designated number for repetitions or set time

The process continues for a teacher-designated, set time such as 5 or 10 minutes

Alternative: use scooter boards to enter the card area.

Final thoughts

Physical Education classes can reach a whole new level of excitement with the introduction of winter-themed activities, games and stations! Not only will they be engaging, but educational too - making them an ideal choice for PE teachers. A true gold medal performance and so much fun! Through modern Olympics-inspired activities, students can have the opportunity to discover and explore a wide range of previously unknown activities while learning more about some Olympic events.

In this post, I've shared ten helpful ideas for incorporating this topic into your physical education lessons. By incorporating these outdoor seasonal activities and sports into your indoor lessons, you will be sure to keep your students engaged and active during the winter months!

Even during the colder months, your students can stay active by participating in wintry physical activities outdoors at home or around their community. Urge them to get involved and enjoy themselves! To keep them away from digital devices while remaining physically fit, assign homework that involves some fun movement options!

What winter-themed physical education activities do you enjoy the most? Share your insights in the comments section below! Also, if this post has been beneficial to you in any way, please pass it along and share with fellow PE teachers and on social media. Thanks for reading!

*SHAPE America. (2013). National Standards for K-12 Physical Education. Reston, VA: Author.

Need some FREE Instant Activity Fitness Blasts for Winter?

Do you need a fun fitness instant activity BLAST to get your students moving immediately when they walk through the door?

Fill in the form below to download this FREE Snowman Fitness Blasts: 6-Workout Set, with 6 distinct workout visuals from Cap’n Pete’s Fitness Blast Resource Pack. Just download, print, laminate, and use for years! Inside this package are 6 fun and exciting winter-themed PE BLASTS for students in PE classes or for classroom teachers to use during transitional times of the day. The packet is designed for a wide range of ages.

If you're looking for several PE Winter-based stations, activities, and movement experiences that are ideal for large, medium or small-sized groups, check out Cap'n Pete's PE Winter Stations and Fitness- 6 Product Super Bundle!

This Super Bundle includes 6 ACTIVE and ENGAGING, large or small group winter-themed movement and fitness activities that you can use for your physical education classes, school classrooms, or camp situations. The PE Winter Super Bundle is a combination of 6 of Cap’n Pete’s DYNAMIC, fitness and movement-based activity sets for teachers to utilize to get students moving in fun and interesting ways, incorporating a Winter theme. Together these 6 products will give you several weeks’ worth of movement experiences that you can copy, laminate, and use during the winter months, for years!

You can download them from either of the following platforms: Cap'n Pete's Power PE Website or Teachers Pay Teachers- Cap'n Pete's TPT Store

What Resources are in the PE Winter Stations and Fitness, 6-Set Super Bundle?

1- Snowflake Fitness- Activity Plan and Snowflake Movement Task Cards

2- PE Winter Sport Stations: 20 Activities and Station Cards

3- Paper Plate Activate- Winter Olympic Edition

4- PE Concentration: Winter Version- 32 Matching Memory Cards

5- PE Homework (Winter)- Top 10 Activity Visuals- Simple Large Print Design

6- Snowman Fitness Blasts- 12 Action-Packed Workouts

• Seasonal Activities
• Fitness Activities
• Warm-Ups & Instant Activities

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No Equipment Games and Activities for Physical Education

No equipment games and activities in physical education needs to be considered moving forward. We can’t take the chance of contaminating multiple pieces of equipment that hundreds of kids will share throughout the day.

Cleaning will start slacking, and equipment will carry around our germs to be passed from student to student.

Even as the teachers, we have to worry about our own health.

With that in mind, I have compiled a list of no equipment activity/games your students can do in physical education class.

No Equipment Games In Physical Education:

1. relay races.

Simple enough. Your students can social distance in line, while their teamamtes complete their part in whatever type of relay you create.

Instead of tagging hands for their teammates to take their turns, just cross a specific marking on the floor like the baseline.

2. Fitness Exercises

Throughout K-12 physical education, our students should be learning about the five health related fitness components .

This can easily be incorporated into fitness activities while you are trying to teach your students while having them social distance from one another.

Your students can get a great body weight workout with no machines or equipment if you teach them how and why it’s good for them.

As stated in a previous post called, Social Distancing Activities in Physical Education Class I talk about different resources you can find to teach your class yoga.

With all the known benefits of yoga , it would be a disservice to your students if they didn’t learn it.

4: Get to Know You Activities

These are usually done at the beginning of the school year, but who says you can’t use certain activities throughout class.

One of my favorite ways to keep little kids engaged if I’m losing them is to tell them to get in a line in order by tallest to shortest, or vise versa.

With any grade you can create different scenarios. For instance, get in order by age, alphabetical order, birthday month, alphabetical order by favorite number etc.

You could go a step further and put poly spots on the floor to ensure your students are standing 6 feet apart.

I encourage you all to look up the adventure education curriculum. There are 7 stages, but stages 1-3 will be the easiest to social distance.

See what games and Get to Know You Fun I played with my students while staying socially distanced here!

5: Track and Field Games

If you are lucky enough to teach near a track, you could incorporate a track and field unit. Even if you don’t have a track, get creative. Have kids run around your building or field.

Normally when I write, I try to make the article readable and beneficial for all grade level teachers. But in this section I will show how a track and field unit will be helpful for high school students using 9-12 Grade Level Outcomes with students showing level 2 proficiency.

The great thing about seeing high school standards even though you teach elementary, is knowing what you should be prepping your young students for long term.

Below are just a few of the many grade level outcomes you can use to guide your students towards success while social distancing at the same time;

• Applies rates of perceived exertion and pacing. (S3.H3.L2).
• Creates a plan, trains for and participates in a community event with a focus on physical activity (e.g., 5K, triathlon, tournament, dance performance, cycling event). (S3.H6.L2).
• Adjusts pacing to keep heart rate in the target zone, using available technology (e.g., heart rate monitor), to self monitor aerobic intensity. (S3.H10.L2).

6: Hand-Eye Coordination Drills

Yes…this does have equipment. But the great thing about this is that it’s individualized practice meaning everyone works in their own space with their own equipment.

Jason Calhoun creator of Kid Fitness Challenge on YouTube , created this awesome video showing how to keep your hand-eye coordination sharp for any sport.

You could make this as easy or challenging as you need based on the age/grade of your students.

Check out more of Jason’s YouTube video with the link above, or his Instagram account: @calhounskidfitchallenge.

7: Numbers Creativity Game

Another amazing idea I stumbled upon was created by Dan Betty in his YouTube video, Physical Education Games with NO Equipment. Check out his channel for more visual ideas.

One of my favorite activities from his video was the numbers game where he will call out a number, and students will have to have that many body parts touching the ground.

This can be used for the older kids as well. Maybe a quick instant activity to get them bring them back to focus if they are getting off task.

And for the little ones, you could create a whole lesson out of it!

Check out the full video below, where Dan introduces 5 no equipment games to play in PE.

8: Mental and Emotional Health Unit

I love how close PE and health relate to one another. You can’t have one without the other.

Of course PE should include movement, but physical literacy isn’t the only thing we need to teach our students about. Their mental well-being is important too.

In a previous article, I talk about emotional health and how to strengthen it, as well as improving your mental health .

Sit your kids down and talk about the importance of healthy bodies and healthy minds .

Anyone watch the office?

If you haven’t check out the clip above about how “not” to do parkour. But as Jim says in the video, the point is to get from point A to point B as creative as possible.

Parkour is also known as free running where you can jump, climb, roll, vault, swing etc. to avoid obstacles in your way.

I don’t know about you, but as a PE teacher my grade level outcomes radar just went off the charts hearing all of the skills parkour includes.

Be as creative as you want with this one!

10. Outdoor Pursuits/Geocaching

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

How fun would it be for students to go on a real life treasure hunt!? The only problem is that most geocaches are located off school property, so it would be near impossible to pull this off without getting permission to take your students on a field trip.

But…you could teach your students about Geocaching and have them download the app as a family.

Families will get to spend more quality time together while getting physical activity…and they learned about this in PE class! See PE is important.

After you have introduced your students to this outdoor pursuit activity, you could have them create their own geocaches to hide around the school with a detailed map. Then each student would select a different treasure hunt map created by a classmate and go find their item!

Rules and boundaries must be created before heading out, but once that is squared away…happy outdoor pursuits!

Virtual Teaching

For detailed information on how to set up your virtual classrooms, and what to do with your kids during your live Zoom or Google Meets, check out my two latest posts:

• Virtual Physical Education Activities for Grades K-2
• Virtual Physical Education Activities for Grades 3-5

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By: AJ Carpenter

Published: 08 July, 2011

Outdoor PE Activities

Outdoor PE activities can be done during an actual physical education class or during recess to promote physical activity for children. There are many activities that can be used to get the heart rate up while providing fun for the kids.

Capture the Flag

Children need to be physically active for at least 60 minutes every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Capture the Flag game can provide a portion of this activity because it requires children to move constantly. The point of the game is to divide the participants into teams and provide each team with a flag. Each team works to take possession of the opposing team's flag. The flag is hidden and participants should separate their team members into those who will protect the flag and those who will work to get the opponent's flag. Players run into the opposing team's territory to try and find the flag and run back to their side with the flag. "Defenders" can tag players on the opposing team, causing them to "freeze." When this happens, the player's teammates can free him through direct contact, such as by crawling between the legs. To win the game, the opposing team's flag must be captured.

Kickball is a good alternative when softball or T-ball equipment is not readily available. Kickball for children will not have as many rules as the adult version, but a few rules are necessary. The person kicking must be tagged out with the ball or the ball must be caught in the air by the opposing team. The kicker kicks the ball and then attempts to reach the first base. Runners advance from base to base as in baseball or softball. The goal is to make it to home plate to score a point. Like baseball, you also can create a boundary line and if the ball is kicked past this, it is considered a home run.

Freeze tag is a classic childhood game. It involves someone being designated “it” and the remaining players trying to avoid being touched by the designated player. When someone is tagged, they become “it” and the game continues. To help keep the game going, you may want to designate two or three people as “it” at the same time. This is a good idea if you are playing with a group of 20 or more. Also, having more than one “it” helps to prevent any children from feeling singled out. If you can keep this game going for at least 20 minutes, you will greatly help the children toward meeting daily physical activity needs.

Hula hoops at one time were considered a girls toy, but this is no longer true. In fact, this activity can offer a variety of health benefits. Using a hula hoop provides a good cardiovascular workout and can raise the heart rate to about 84 percent of the heart rate maximum. This type of exercise also can contribute to increased core strength. All you need to do is provide the hula hoops for the kids and encourage them to move around and have some fun. Even if they are not great at it, they are still getting the physical activity benefits from the movement required to learn how to use a hula hoop.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Childhood Overweight and Obesity
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity do Children Need?
• ACE Fitness: ACE-Sponsored Research: Hooping – Effective Workout or Child's Play?

AJ Carpenter has a bachelor's degree in P=physical education and a master's in Journalism from Missouri State University. He has written for various publications on topics ranging from health and fitness to education and gardening.

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Outdoor and Adventure activities

Click  here  or on the image above to access our full suite of outdoor adventure resources on our updated Scoilnet PE page. 

T he strand units of the Outdoor and Adventure curriculum include:

• Orienteering
• Outdoor Challenges
• Water based activities (fifth and sixth class only)
• Understanding and appreciation of outdoor and adventure activities

These activities help to develop appreciation and enjoyment of the great outdoors.  They also help children foster a healthy attitude to the environment around them. The activities are team-orientated and develop social skills.  Some involve map-reading and problem-solving, coming to group decisions, developing leadership qualities and taking calculated risks.  In the senior classes water-based activities may include novel opportunities to canoe or sail – facilitated by a visit to an Outdoor Education Centre with adequate instructor/pupil ratio and safety standards.  In summary, outdoor and adventure activities are mainly non-competitive and offer alternative ways to enjoy a healthy approach to recreation and outdoor activities.

The outdoor and adventures activities strand has many links with the Geography curriculum. This strand is an aspect of the physical education curriculum that traditionally might not have been considered by schools in their programme. Many of the suggested activities appeal to the child who may not be highly motivated to participate in physical activity. However, the presentation of the curriculum caters for a broad range of activities.

Some of the suggested activities in the outdoor and adventure activities strand can take place indoors. This is often the best place to learn basic skills before applying them outdoors. Many orienteering skills, for example, can be developed initially using the school building as a base. Other activities can be undertaken within the school environment or local amenities may provide the ideal environment for some of the outdoor challenges, for instance.

Positive attitudes towards caring for the environment are fostered as children engage in outdoor activities.

While the PE Curriculum outlines the specifics of each of the strand units of outdoor and adventure across the class levels, the table below provides a summary of progression across the class levels

When planning for outdoor and adventure activities the teacher should consider:

• Warm up and cool down activities appropriate to the particular lesson
• Inviting support from additional personnel to help with group work or any activity that involves travelling from the school site
• Visiting an outdoor activities centre which provides opportunities for orienteering, adventure challenges or water-based activities
• Planning for aspects of a number of strand units to be delivered in each lesson or emphasising a particular strand unit for some lessons

The approaches and methodologies for PE, outlined in the PE ‘Teacher Guidelines’ on pages 42 -100 are an excellent reference for teachers in organising Athletics lessons.

A unit of work in outdoor and adventure activities outlining a five week programme of work for first and second class is outlined on pp92-93

In addition the PSSI lessons on outdoor and adventure activities for all class levels are an excellent resource for teachers and outline a comprehensive programme of work specific to each class lesson incorporating a variety of approaches and methodologies across the class levels.

Please find attached further resources to support you in implementing outdoor and adventure activities

Walking activities:  A selection of walking activities suitable for all class levels

Outdoor Challenges: A list of outdoor challenges, team building activities and parachute activities which can be completed in either the school hall or the school grounds, with activities suitable and adaptable for all class levels

Orienteering control cards: Sample control cards which can be used for orienteering activities. Instructions for the control cards are provided

Mini Control Cards: Mini control cards which can be used for orienteering activities

PSSI Lesson plans: A set of instructions or ‘to do’ list which may support schools in preparing for the Outdoor and Adventure lessons on the PSSI materials to ensure adequate sets of resources and materials are available for all classes

Map hunt: This handout lists activities that may be completed on one’s schools grounds with a sample control card which may be adapted to suit a particular schools facilities

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Outdoor education has psychological, cognitive and physical health benefits for children

Professor, Department of Preschool and Primary Education, Université de Sherbrooke

Professor, Faculté des sciences de l'activité physique, Université de Sherbrooke

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Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet receives funding from SSHRC and FQRSC. The Quebec MInistry of Education funds the Research Chair in Outdoor Education.

Felix Berrigan receives funding from CRSH, IRSC, and MEQ.

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There is a growing interest across Canada in outdoor education that is formally integrated into school. This trend has increased since COVID-19 , particularly because open-air environments significantly reduced the risks of disease transmission.

Outdoor education is an umbrella term that includes many approaches and settings. Practitioners of outdoor education may be involved in what they see as nature-based education, place-based learning, forest schools , environmental education or experiential learning. Especially with younger children, outdoor education can be play-based, using movable parts that are open-ended like buckets or blocks — what educators call “loose parts .”

Outdoor education can happen in green spaces, on playgrounds, on school grounds, a nearby natural environment, garden or any other accessible place in the community.

The benefits of outdoor education

While the idea that outdoor education can be beneficial to children’s learning and development has been shared by practitioners in formal education systems for generations , in recent decades research has documented multiple benefits from cognitive, physical, psychological and social perspectives.

At the cognitive level, outdoor education has the potential to improve how children retain learning and to increase students’ ability to transfer their learning to everyday situations. Even brief contact with nature can have positive effects on cognitive performance .

On the physical level, outdoor education reduces sedentary behaviour .

Health research also shows that contact with nature reduces blood pressure and the risks associated with myopia .

Read more: Hidden in plain sight: How the COVID-19 pandemic is damaging children’s vision

From a psychological perspective, learning in contact with nature is known to reduce anxiety and increase people’s overall sense of well-being . Immersion in nature can even increase feelings of self-efficacy and self-esteem .

In terms of social outcomes, outdoor education develops social relationships between students and provides additional opportunities for collaboration among them .

Outdoor practices in school settings also provide equal opportunities for all youth to experience nature and outdoor environments in the community.

Québec study

In response to the increase in outdoor education, our research team documented teachers’ practices during the 2020-21 school year , guided by the following research question: What are kindergarten to Grade 11 teachers’ outdoor education practices in the province of Québec? Among the 1,008 participants in the online survey, 578 teachers practised outdoor education: 432 were kindergarten to Grade 6 teachers and 146 were Grade 7 to 11 teachers.

The three main intentions teachers shared for leading outdoor education were to connect children to nature, to use real-life contexts for learning and to benefit from being in a larger space. When discussing the benefits of being in a larger space, teachers did not specifically talk about reduced risks for viral transmission outdoors but rather simply having more room for learning activities.

Two categories of teachers stood out: kindergarten teachers, for their focus on letting students initiate free play, and physical and health education teachers, for their focus on engaging students in sports activities.

Challenges and solutions

Since teachers generally practise outdoor education on a voluntary basis, they identified challenges and solutions. Although weather conditions are unpredictable and students aren’t always dressed properly, students can adapt to outdoor learning and embrace the Québec climate when they wear proper clothing. As many teachers say, there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.

Other teachers see outdoor environments as an opportunity for students to learn to manage risk and develop motor skills , rather than a harmful or hazardous place.

Although the outdoors is different from classrooms, many teachers see the differences as an opportunity to creatively address challenges and develop partnerships in the community. Some examples include asking the municipality or a private landowner to take care of a green space, meeting with seniors who are familiar with the history of the community or approaching an organization for sport equipment loans.

Our research also shows that in the outdoors, learning is everywhere, whether it’s the development of knowledge or skills. All fields and many skills can be addressed. For example:

physical competence is enhanced through gaining motor skills;

developing languages can happen through a writing project;

students can gain mathematics skills through measuring perimeters or areas;

students gain insight into biodiversity and ecosystems through science lessons outdoors;

through a historical walk examining the built environment students can learn about the humanities, social sciences and arts;

through outdoor sports students grow skill and knowledge of physical and health education.

Key messages for policies

For outdoor education to flourish in educational settings, policymakers can play an important role:

Adapt school yards to allow schools to maximize the potential of outdoor education.

Consider outdoor education as a way to achieve equity among students, by offering equitable access to the outdoors .

Value outdoor education to increase the legitimacy of these practices among the entire educational community and communities at large.

Consider outdoor education as a way of increasing the well-being of students and teachers.

Research Chair in outdoor education

The Université de Sherbrooke recently created a Research Chair in Outdoor Education , held by one of the authors of this story, Jean-Philippe .

The overall goal of this new research chair role is to advance knowledge and practices in the field of outdoor teaching and learning in school settings. An additional objective is to develop a diverse scientific workforce through influencing school practices. The other author of this story, Félix, is president of the scientific committee supporting this larger work.

We hope many practitioners, policy makers and researchers across Canada and worldwide will join us to develop world-class research for students’ benefit.

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75 Easy Outdoor Activities & Play Ideas For Preschoolers

• Last Updated: November 23, 2022

By Sarah Peerless

Inside: easy outdoor activities for preschoolers to keep 3-5 year olds busy all summer long! And, if you’re lucky, give you a bit of peace…here’s hoping!  Plenty of outdoor activities suitable for a preschool setting too.

If you’re little, nothing beats good clean fun outside.  Actually, what am I saying, the messier the better! But that’s the beauty of taking things outdoors – getting messy is totally fine and just about every toddler or preschooler’s mission in life (only mine?!)

Here are my favorite outdoor activities for preschoolers aged 3-5 years old; they’ve kept my two (now 3 and 4 years old) busy and happy for several minutes, sometimes hours, at a time.

Many will also be suitable for toddlers, but for outdoor activities specifically aimed at 1 and 2 year-olds, watch out for a post coming soon.

Most are super simple to set-up or even better, no prep, because, you know, life is busy…

But a few of these activities do require a little more time – when I’ve seen something too cool looking to pass up and am procrastinating other important life stuff (probably my finest skill in life).

So I’ve split these outdoor activities for preschoolers accordingly…

This post contains affiliate links.  If you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

So what kinds of outdoor activities do preschoolers enjoy (& need)?

There are certain things that little kids gravitate towards – preschoolers AND toddlers.  What’s fascinating is that this love of a certain type of activity (e.g. throwing) is often driven by a skill your child is trying to master. 

So there’s a very real need to give your preschooler the opportunity to practice this skill, in a way that doesn’t destroy your house, garden or other stuff in one way or the other.

The types of things that both toddlers and preschoolers love to do, inside or outside, is pretty infinite.  The list below are some examples.

• packing (and unpacking)
• opening (and shutting)
• move, move, move!*

Most of the preschooler activities listed in this post involve one or more of the above.  And of course, taking these types of activities outside just opens a world more possibilities, for any activity that involves, water, paint or any other type of mess… 

So expect a bunch of these types in this list of easy outdoor activities for preschoolers.

For simple play ideas that allow little ones to practice these emergent skills inside, try this bumper list of indoor activities for toddlers and preschoolers or these dry messy play ideas .  Minimal mess and virtually no prep, they got me through many days of lockdown! 

These are outdoor activities for 3-5 year olds

This post is aimed at outdoor activities for preschoolers aged 3 – 5 years old.  My two, pictured frequently throughout this post, are 3 and 4 years old, the ideal age. 

In fact, many of these outdoor activities were aimed at my 4-year-old, who is a typical boy with plenty of energy to burn and who loves to build and get as messy as possible!  The types of activities he likes the best, need to be outside.

However, we’ve been doing many of these outdoor activities since the toddler years and my two still haven’t tired of them.  So there will be a bit of an overlap between this outdoor activity post for preschoolers and the one for toddlers (coming soon).

If you have more than one kid to entertain set the difficulty level for the youngest – simple is always best!

Importantly – just go with the flow and adapt as you need! And enjoy – it’s got to be fun, right?

Preschool outdoor activities (for preschoolers in childcare)

Not only are these outdoor activities ideal for preschoolers aged 3-5 years old, there are so many that’ll work in a preschool setting. 

Given the lack of schools locally, a few days a week we do “school with Mommy” where I attempt some kind of learning activities with my two, with as many as 4 other little ones.  I’m not professionally trained in this capacity but I’m definitely getting in some experience. And loving it too!

There’s definitely scope to up the ante with several and turn them into preschool outdoor activities with a more specific learning element.  For example by adding in a counting or sorting element or even some number recognition.  I’ve noted some ideas throughout.

In addition, there are two sections with more focus on STEM and other preschool learning concepts:

• “Outdoor activities for preschoolers who love to build” – there’s lots of STEM in there
• “Outdoor preschool activities with a specific learning element” with more learning activities and ideas

WATER-BASED outdoor activities for preschoolers

Water provides an abundance of easy sensory activities and is lots of fun for little ones too.  Here are some water-based outdoor activities for preschoolers perfect for the summer.   Good for preschool, good for at home in the garden.

#1 Bubble snakes

Activity supply list: 0.5l plastic water bottle, sock, dishwashing liquid, water

They require a bit of puff from your preschooler but once they get the idea this is an outdoor activity that can keep them busy for quite some time.  It’s also fairly tiring – double win when they feel they need a bit of a rest after!

Quick how-to:

• make bubble mixture – 1 part water to 1 part dish liquid
• cut the end off an old plastic bottle and cover with a tight-fitting sock (clean the mouth-piece of the bottle – a clean sock would probably be preferable too)
• dip the sock end of the bottle into the bubble mixture

For a video tutorial, check this one here .

#2 Aqua limbo

Activity supply list: garden hose

Get the hosepipe out and challenge your little ones to limbo under the stream of water without getting wet. Of course, if your little ones are anything like my two, getting wet will only add to the fun; this is a perfect outdoor activity for preschoolers on a hot summer day.

#3 Water gun target practice

Activity supply list: toy water guns, empty cans, bottles or similar

Set up a row of cans or bottles and with a loaded water gun, your preschooler can have fun knocking them down. Simple, outdoor fun!

(I absolutely recommend these foam water guns over more sophisticated as your preschooler will easily be able to fill it themselves.)

#4 Water transfer with pipettes

Activity supply list: plastic containers, food coloring, pipettes

There are many fun ways for little ones to practice fine motor skills . This outdoor activity for preschoolers will help develop the pincer reflex, simply by transferring colored water (water with a few drops of food coloring) from a large container into upturned bottle lids.

It does take a bit of coordination just to use the pipette – Learning Resources has some large preschooler friendly pipettes which are slightly easier for younger kids or you could swap out the pipettes for 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon measuring scoops.

The beauty of pipettes is that they don’t hold very much water.  It’s an interesting experiment for a curious preschooler to see how many pipettes one bottle-lid will hold and how quickly he can fill them without spilling!

Plenty of opportunities to play with color mixing too – this is an outdoor activity for preschoolers with a ton of learning!

#5 Washing trucks, animals or another favorite toy

Activity supply list: water table or large tub, baby shampoo or dishwashing liquid

If you have a little boy that loves his trucks and diggers and is constantly in the sand and mud with them, then they probably need a clean…

But the toy of choice doesn’t even need to be dirty – that can be part of the game. Kids have got such a wonderful imagination at this age they probably won’t need much convincing that “Clover really needs a mane and tail wash, don’t you think?” – as was the case with my 3-year-old daughter above. 

She spent a good half an hour giving Clover the spa day from preschooler heaven!  Of course, for my 4 year old, this outdoor activity was all about getting his fleet of trucks clean.

#6 Scooping, transferring and sorting colored balls

Activity supply list: a few water holding devices, colored play balls, kitchen utensils, colored plastic bowls (optional)

The picture above is not the best since it only shows one tub of water (a cooler box – many ways to improvise if you don’t have a “water table”).  There were actually 3 – another cooler box and a water table.

Dump the plastic balls into one of the tubs of water, then grab a number of different kitchen utensils (ladle, tongs, sieve, jug, salad servers etc) to transfer them with and lastly some colored plastic bowls (optional).

Then let your preschooler enjoy this outdoor activity whichever way he or she chooses!

My son, who’s just 4, absolutely loves order and matching things together – so his mission was to sort the different balls into the different colored bowls…. While my daughter who was 2 at the time, just moved balls from one tub of water to the next, trying out all the different utensils.

#7 Chalk line erase

Activity supply list: chalk, paintbrush, water

Draw a pattern onto your outside paving or verandah with chalk and hand your preschooler a paintbrush and a pot of water to erase the chalk lines…

Easily adapted into a learning game if you draw shapes, letters or numbers and challenge your preschooler to erase the shape, letter or number you call out.

#8 Washing something!

Activity supply list: dishwashing liquid, water, sponge, spray bottle

Not toys this time – if you’ve got small kids then you’re bound to have something outside that actually really needs cleaning.  

Combine this with a preschooler in a phase of being helpful – only if helping is fun of course, but I’ll take it – and who loves using a spray bottle.  That’s pretty much every preschooler, right? You’ve got yourself a no-prep outdoor activity for preschoolers that everyone’s going to love! 

This activity really helps strengthen the finger muscles.  (I’d also recommed trying this simple twist-top board or this puffy paint spider web which works on similar skills.)

More impotantly, it can keep a whole host of 3-5 year old busy for a good half an hour.  I speak from experience!

It’s an ideal preschool outdoor activity too.

#9 Water balloon pinata

Activity supply list: water balloons, string

After the faff and fiddle of filling and tying water balloons, I no longer hand them straight to the kids, because they’re on the floor in seconds (the plastic waste for all of 1.5 seconds of fun does not sit well with me either…)

Instead, hang them up in a tree high up and let them throw things and poke sticks at them to break them.  Ok, so there is a bit more faff to tye them in the tree, but this does keep them entertained for quite a while.  The water normally manages to hit them straight in the face, adding to the fun!

#10 Sponge water bombs

Activity supply list: sponges, water

Again, this saves on the faff, fiddle and waste of water balloons.  Have a bucket of water and a bunch of sponges to throw at, to or with your preschooler.

#11 Frozen tiny toy excavation

Activity supply list: water, small plastic toys, plastic container, freezer space, scoops, salt, pipettes, toy hammers etc

This outdoor activity does require a bit of prep – collect some small toys (think Playmobil characters, plastic cars and animals, pompoms etc) and dump into a freezer-friendly container with lid.

We are all ice-cream lovers in our family and so have an abundance of 2 litre ice-cream cartons, so that was my container of choice.

You need to do the freezing part in stages, to ensure a good sprinkling of toys all the way through the ice.  So put a few toys in, fill the tub about 1/3 full with water and give it a few hours to freeze.  Then put more toys in, more water and so on until it’s full of ice and toys.

Onto the excavating… Depending on how warm it is outdoors, will determine how quickly the ice will melt… So if it’s super hot, cold water and a pipette may be all your preschooler needs to free those toys.

Warm water, some kind of child-friendly hammer and some table salt can speed the melting up – see how you can throw in a little bit of science too!  A perfect outdoor activity for preschoolers on a hot summers day!

#12 Build a “water wall”

Activity supply list: plastic pipes, plastic bottles and other empty plastic containers, push pins, wooden fence to attach to

Simply pin all your plastic to the fence to make a water version of a giant marble run.  Ours did not work out so well but this one from Where Imagination Grows looks a lot more successful.

SENSORY & PROCESS ART outdoor activities for preschoolers 

The beauty of being outdoors is that you have a little more freedom when it comes to the materials you use.  You can be messy without the worry of ruining your house or classroom.  Or need to spend several hours cleaning up. 

So most of these activities for preschoolers are strictly for outdoors. Only if you have an art studio or clear garage would it be wise to try them inside!

Most also have a sensory element and/or artistic component.  However, typically the end result is not important, rather the activity is all about the process.  Hence this is termed process art.  

Hose pipes at the ready – your preschooler is going to love these fun outdoor activities!

If you are looking for some art projects where the end result is important (product-based art) then why not try one of these easy arts and crafts ideas , a Christmas ornament or another easy Christmas craft , or something made from toilet rolls .

#13 Full-sized portraits

Outdoor activity supply list: a large sheet of cardboard, bigger than your preschooler, sharpie, paints & paintbrushes

The trickiest part of this outdoor activity for preschoolers is finding a sheet of cardboard large enough.  If you’ve just bought a new TV, the box it was delivered in should do the trick.

First, have your preschooler lie down on the cardboard and draw around the with the sharpie.  Then simply prop the cardboard against a wall and it’s time for your preschooler to get painting their self-portrait.  It’s such a fun and revealing insight into your childs mind, to see how they paint themself!

Alternatively, they could paint their self-portrait with the cardboard on the floor.  Or you could mix it up, since painting at different angles and in different positions works different muscles.

#14 Make mud pies

Outdoor activity supply list: mud or sand and water, items from nature

We struggle to grow lawn in our garden – there are sandy bare patches everywhere.  Turn the sprinklers on and then there’s mud…. perfect for making mud pies!  Pat and shape them, decorate them with small stones and leaves.  Add sticks as candles and you have a mud pie birthday cake.

#15 Bubble foam cupcakes

Activity supply list: bubble bath, food coloring, water, electric whisk, muffin tins, pompoms, 

Bubble foam is a lovely sensory experience for toddlers and preschoolers and playing with it is such an engaging activity.  This time, for my two I wanted to change it up a little bit so they made bubble foam cupcakes!

I don’t know what it is about pretend baking – I can’t say I do much “real” baking (whatever my best intentions) – but there’s no end to the number of cupcake recipes my two have tried.  Playdough, dyed rice, sand, mud, pompoms….

So bubble foam cupcakes with a pompom cherry have now been added to this never-ending list.

To make the bubble foam, take:

• equal parts water + bubble bath
• whisk with the electric whisk (my preschoolers loved the making part two)

I used pink bubble bath, hence the pink cupcakes, but otherwise you can add a drop or two food coloring.

#16 Painting toys

Activity supply list: washable tempera paint, paintbrush, large plastic toy that’s not too special (it may not be quite the same after

If you have a little girl with a toy horse, paint it pink and turn it into a unicorn! My daughter, aged 3, loved this simple outdoor activity as did my 4 year old, who painted his plane red.  Then they can have fun washing the paint off (preschool outdoor activity number 5…)

I’m not sure the airplane will ever be the same but Clover, the toy horse, recovered very well!

#17 Spray paint artwork

Activity supply list: washable tempera paint, water, spray bottles, paper, painters tape 

This a fun process art that also works those finger muscles.

Simply fill some spray bottles with a few dollops of washable paint and top up with water.  Then tape some watercolor paper or even newspaper onto a wall of the house and hand over to your preschooler.  Just be sure to be clear that the paint is for the paper, not the entire house, otherwise clean-up may be rather lengthy…

Once the paint is finished and your budding artists have finished, remove the “masterpieces”, refill the bottles with water and get your preschooler to clean up the stray paint…

Some great pictures of the finished paintings in this post from Play Ground Park Bench .

#18 Giant small town process art

Activity supply list: see below

This outdoor activity is a real winner!  So much so, picture above is take two.

This is art come imaginary play on a grand scale – an outdoor activity for preschoolers that involves painting the truck wheels and then driving them on paper to make tracks.  I can’t even say I can take much credit, it was all down to my 4-year old and his amazing imagination.

Anyhow, you need:

• one heck of a large piece of paper – or lots of small ones, as I used above – with a decent weight (I used 60 gsm weight paper)
• some bits and bobs to make up your town or countryside – we had foil as a river and then some strips of cereal boxes as a bridge, because you can’t possibly have a river without building a bridge or two to cross it, right?!
• painters tape to stick paper to table, river and bridge to paper etc
• paint and painting implements to paint the roads, farm tracks, fields, car parks etc. By implements, anything will do really; brushes, rollers, sponges, hands even…. (The latter was my 3 year-olds “implement” of choice, hence the random handprints…)

This particular town and country work of art was so popular and provided a ton of play opportunity and stayed taped to the table for several days. If you’re looking for an outdoor activity that’ll keep your preschooler entertained again and again, this one’s an absolute must.

#19 Window painting

Activity supply list: washable tempera paint, paintbrushes, dry erase marker, a window  

Painting on a vertical surface works the wrist and forearm muscles – quite a different skill to painting on a horizontal surface.  If you don’t have an easel or even if you do and want to mix it up, window painting is a fun outdoor activity for preschoolers.

Another good one if you want to introduce some learning – draw some shapes, letter or number outlines on the inside of the window and let your preschooler paint on the outside.  You just need to be clever at drawing the mirror images of letters and numbers…(If you draw them on the outside, your preschooler will inadvertently wipe them off…)

#20 Paper mache castle

Activity supply list: large sheet of sturdy cardboard, lots of smallish empty boxes and cartons (cereal boxes, toothpaste boxes, other packaging, toilet rolls, tin cans, milk cartons etc), newspaper, flour, water, paint, paintbrushes

This would fit equally well on the list of outdoor activities for preschoolers into building… if your little one is into construction AND into stickiness AND painting this is sure to be a win.

You’ll probably have to lend a hand in the first stage but after that, there will be several hours of quiet, spread over two days, as your preschoolers will be very busy.  I mean, look at that concentration!

How-to as follows:

• position the various boxes, toilet rolls, tin cans etc into a fort structure, ontop ot the large sheet of cardboard
• stick down and together with painters tape
• make up your paper mache mixture (flour and water until it’s a rather revolting gloopy consistency)
• tear newspaper into strips
• “plaster” the castle by dipping newspaper strips into the flour gloop and sticking onto and all over the castle
• allow to dry – around 24 hours

#21 Frozen painting activity for outdoors

Outdoor activity supply list: paint, dish soap, water, ice cube trays, popsicle sticks

Here’s a fun process art activity best taken outdoors that preschoolers are going to love.  It’d be fun to include as a party activity for a summer birthday celebration for little ones.. Mix up paint, water and dish (1/4 paint, 1/4 dish soap and 1/2 water) and pour into ice cube trays. Stick a craft or popsicle stick in as a handle and freeze.  

Not only is this outdoor sensory activity nice and cool, ideal for summer, there are no paint tins to knock over or palettes to accidently lean over…. Bonus!

For the full tutorial, check out the post from Taming Little Monsters .

#22 Cardboard box painting

Activity supply list: cardboard box (larger the better with as little marketing print as possible), paint, paintbrushes

Never waste a cardboard box….you can play in them, smash them, decorate them, paint them.  My preschoolers love them too (!)

Switch out the paints for crayons and stickers and this makes a wonderful indoor activity too.

For more indoor activities, check out:  39 simple & sanity-saving activities for toddlers & preschoolers to do at home (minimal prep, minimal mess)

#23 Homemade sidewalk chalk paint

Activity supply list: cornstarch, water, food coloring, paintbrushes

I was so surprised, firstly, that this paint came out so well and, secondly, it kept a 3 year old, 4 year old, 5 year old, 8 year old and an 11 year old busy for so long!  (My two preschoolers, their friend on a playdate and my two neices.)

3 ingredients:

• food coloring

Simply mix the ingredients together to a fairly runny consistency and let your preschooler paint your verandah, paving stones, sidewalk etc… Since this paint is taste-safe, it’s ideal for young toddlers too who may prefer to paint with their fingers rather than use a brush.

This paint does dry very pale and pastley, so you need to go as deep with the color as possible when mixing.

For deeper, more vibrant chalk paint, check out this tutorial from Simple Fun For Kids which uses chalk sticks mixed with water.

Or if you’re short of time you could buy some baby-safe paint , like this washable tempera . 

#24 Paint an old piece of wood

Outdoor activity supply list: random old piece of wood, any type of paint if your preschooler had outgrown the stage of painting his hands, the table etc…

Another surprisingly engaging outdoor activity for preschoolers – my 3 and 4 year old still have their random pieces of painted wood proudly displayed in their rooms, for this reason it’s one up from painting a cardboard box, which never survives more than a day or two (thank goodness).

#25 Water balloon painting

Outdoor activity supply list: water balloons, paints, large sheet of paper

Here’s another outdoor activity for preschoolers that extends the life of those pesky water balloons. Here, they’re used as the vehicle to put paint to paper.  You’ll need to explain that to your kids before you get started, and they’re thrown them and broken them already!

Start by squirting blobs of paint onto the paper. Then your preschooler can use the balloons to move the paint around and create their masterpiece.

#26 Frozen sand sensory bin

Outdoor activity supply list: sand, water, small plastic toys, large plastic tub that’ll fit in freezer, spoons, bowls, cups

A fun sensory bin and activity that toddlers and preschoolers will love playing with outside, particularly when it’s hot. Start by filling the tub with the sand and burying the toys.  Then fill with water and freeze.

Once frozen, it’s time to play! Your preschoolers can pick away at the sand with the spoons, dig out the toys and experience the changing texture of the sand as it melts…

For some themed sensory bins and activities, why not check out these Christmas sensory activities or these fake-snow sensory bins .

Outdoor activities for preschoolers who love to build (STEM & ideal for preschool)

There has to be a whole section of outdoor activities for preschoolers who love to build and create things, particularly machines and vehicles of transport, because, well, my 4-year-old is into building, big time!

Some great learning in these ones too with plenty of STEM & STEAM concepts.  These ones are ideal outdoor preschool activities. 

For little ones that love cars, trucks, planes and trains, these fun transportation crafts for preschoolers  should be your next port of call.

#27 Build a giant-sized marble run

Activity supply list: cardboard tubes (inner tube from cling wrap, paper towel, baking paper etc, empty Pringles tubes, toilet rolls etc, wood glue or hot glue gun, wall/fence you can stick to

This proved a lot more taxing than I first thought – we lost a lot of marbles in the process but it was a fun project to do with my preschoolers who played with it for days…

#28 Paper serviette parachutes

Outdoor activity supply list: paper serviettes, string, painters tape, small toy

Tape string to each corner of a paper serviette, knot the string together and then tape to a toy – this is “Ken” from my daughters Playmobil camper van.

They are a little bit fragile, no surprise there, but fly really well!

#29 Paper airplanes

Activity supply list: paper, patience!

These do work well indoors, but to get them flying higher and further, heading outdoors is the way to go.

Here’s a video tutorial for an easy paper airplane if you’re a novice like me. That was about the only tutorial I could follow with an impatient 4 year old breathing down my neck! Trust me, don’t look at any other tutorials that say they’re “easy” unless you’re on your own or an origami expert!

#30 Tinfoil and egg box carton boats

Activity supply list: half dozen egg carton box, tin foil, wooden skewers, paper

Here’s another preschool outdoor activity with lots of fun and learning. 

After the classic “sink or float” experiment we made these boats simply by wrapping the bottom half of the egg box with aluminum foil.  Short wooden skewers became masts and rectangles of paper attached with tape, the sails. 

(Totally the wrong positioning for all those in the know about boats – my father would be most unimpressed!)

How strong are our boats? Let’s see how many stones we can load into them without letting any water in, which makes the egg carton very soft and eventually causes the boat to collapse…

How can we make them sail quickly? My two instantly went to blow the boat, rather than the sail…

#31 Build (and knock down) tin can towers

Outdoor activity supply list: tin cans

Empty cans if you don’t want squashed toes!  You can suggest building tall towers or build a triangular wall of cans and have fun throwing or kicking balls at them to knock them down.

#32 Giant ball run

Activity supply list: balls, old drain pipes + anything else balls can run along or through, chairs and stools as support structures

Of the whole list, this is probably THE absolute favorite outdoor activity for my preschooler.  We have made soooo many different versions (it does help that my husband is a builder so we always have things lying around at home perfect for the job!)

An outdoor play activity perfect for your budding engineer and a creative activity for children of so many different ages.  It’s definitely not limited to 3-5 year olds.

#33 Mud bricks

Activity supply list: ice cube trays, mud

Using an ice cube tray your preschooler can make mini “bricks” with some dampish mud.  Allow them to dry and “bake” in the sun and then build.

Some good pictures in this post from Play Teach Repeat .

#34 Build a fort

Activity supply list: garden or backyard with a little space, some good hidey holes in and amongst bushes, sticks and branches

I remember building forts in my grandparents garden with my brother when I was little, making tent-like structures with all sorts of random sticks, logs, dead leaves or leaf-covered fallen branches.  Our garden isn’t quite as ideal for fort building but we’ve had a good go – another fun outdoor activity for a preschooler who loves building!

NATURE-INSPIRED outdoor activities for preschoolers

A few of these may be best avoided if you have a really smart garden since.  There’s a fair amount of foraging for plants and leaves – several are well suited to Fall and appear among this list of Fall activities .

Of course, I’ve long since given up on our garden, what with two preschoolers, two puppies and very little time!

If you have a decent back yard and play area at preschool or your childcare setting, most of these will work really well to engage several 3-5 year olds.  

#35 Make faces out of nature

Outdoor activity supply list: area fit for foraging, something to collect things in

Ok, so this outdoor activity started out as an attempt to make a face out of bits and pieces collected from the garden. The above didn’t look much like a face to me, but then my 4 year old told me he’d made a tree instead. It makes a much better tree! And who am I to argue if he’s happy?

This one would make a fu

#36 Paint with nature

Outdoor activity supply list: toddler-friendly scissors, a garden you don’t mind being trimmed!

Use leaves, petals and sticks as paintbrushes.  A simple outdoor activity for preschoolers that’ll encourage experimentation and creativity and may even produce a little piece of art. 

#37 Make a nature collage

Activity supply list: contact adhesive, painters tape, bits and bobs from the garden

Makes a cute keepsake or gift for a loved one too.

With the painters tape, secure the contact adhesive to the table, sticky side up.  Then have your preschooler decorate it with bits and bobs from the garden.  My two decided theirs were birds nests, so i cut out a paper bird for them to stick on too.  Then cover the top with another sheet of contact paper.

Not only is this a fun outdoor activity, but a rather lovely craft for the Fall season .

#38 Make a simple bird feeder and watch the birds

Outdoor activity supply list: pine cone or empty toilet roll, peanut butter, bird seed

You can make a bird feeder by covering a pine cone or empty toilet roll in peanut butter and rolling it in bird seed. Then hang it in the garden and wait and see who comes along.  Here’s a more detailed tutorial from Two Pink Peonies .

If you have a bird book to hand you can try to identify them in the book.  A good outdoor activity for preschoolers with a considerable element of learning as they compare and contrast the different colors and markings of different birds.

You may also be able to show them that males and females of the same species can look very different.  Small details that can fascinate a nature-loving preschooler.

#39 Leaf matching scavenger hunt

Activity supply list: different leaves from the garden

This one is a great outdoor activity for getting some wiggles out while practicing observation and matching, double win!

Forage for a few different leaves in the garden, out of sight of the little ones if possible. Collect 5 or 6 types of leaf, 2 of each if you’re doing this for 2 kids, 3 of each for 3 kids etc.

Give each preschooler the first leaf type and send them off looking for a leaf to match.  I was amazed how many plants have quite subtle different leaves (I’m not much of a gardener). 

Talking about how the leaf your child found is the same or different to the one you gave them is great communication practice.

#40 Make plant soup

Activity supply list: bowls, pots, pans and other old kitchen implements to “cook” with, preschooler scissors, a garden you’re not too precious about!

First, collect your ingredients – this is best done under supervision unless your preschooler is very trustworthy with scissors and/or there are some plants that are a definite no-no for trimming.

So scissors and bowl (our rule is scissors in the bowl when walking from plant to plant) and allow your preschooler to snip different leaves to cook with.  You can also gather a few flowers and seed pods or other things that interests.

Take back to your “kitchen” – like for our mud kitchen activity, we use a small white plastic table and old pots, pans and implements.

Cook and enjoy being served up delicious plant soup.  Loads of fun for everyone!

#41 Playdough nature printing

Activity supply list: playdough, things from the garden (flowers, dried leaves, seeds, sticks, small stones)

If your preschooler loves playdough (which don’t?) then this is yet another outdoor activity they’re going to enjoy.  Forage around the garden for some interesting objects – seed pods, pebbles, sticks etc.  Then let your preschooler experiment with the shapes and textures they print onto playdough.

You could also try this with salt dough and create some nature-inspired ornaments for Christmas .  

#42 Make a nature bracelet

Activity supply list: duck tape, preschooler friendly scissors and more items from your not-too-precious garden

Firstly, more snipping and gathering of leaves and petals from the garden.

Then, cut a short strip of tape and fasten it around your preschoolers’ wrist, sticky side out.  Then, like those nature collages, your little one can make their bracelets with the petals and other things they’ve foraged.

Simple and so cute!

#43 Make a maze out of sticks and rocks

Outdoor activity supply list: rocks, pebbles and sticks

We’ve yet to try this one, but my 4-year-old loved making a maze inside on the carpet out of craft sticks.  It took up a significant proportion of the lounge and no one was allowed to pack it away for days… (You’ll see it in the toddler indoor activity post ) So I know this outdoor version of the activity will be a winner for any maze-building preschooler.

Start by collecting rocks and sticks, then arrange them to create a maze with an entrance and plenty of dead ends.  

#44 Mowing the lawn

Activity supply list: preschooler-friendly scissors

More scissor skill practice and a good few minutes of peace… A simple and very effective outdoor activity for preschoolers that love to snip, snip, snip… 

#45 Hunt for bugs

Activity supply list: bug viewer or large magnifying glass

All kids are fascinated by creepy crawlies! So this is a great outdoor activity for preschoolers allowing them to explore all sorts of creatures up close and personal. 

They may be a bit reluctant to touch them and pick them up, this is where you can lend a hand.

All the other extreme: they’re rough and want to squash and flatten them.  Get in there quick and try to save the bug!  Once they’ve got the hang of it, this is one your preschooler should be pretty happy to do independently…

Outdoor play activities for preschoolers that love to PRETEND

Pretend play is such a valuable way young children develop social skills, practice everyday tasks they see others accomplish as well as work through emotions.  There’s no end to the number of pretend play scenarios you can think of.

You’ll likely see your preschooler coming up with their own pretend play games without any prompting.  But here are some outdoor play activities for preschoolers that definitely need a bigger space, would make too much mess inside or just work better outside.

#46 Make fairy houses

Outdoor activity supply list: leaves, acorns, seeds, small sticks and pebbles, pine cones, moss and anything from the garden 

The idea that fairies live outside in little houses made from natural items and move around as and when they please is really quite fascinating for little ones.  Your preschoolers are sure to love making miniature houses for any visiting fairies .  This is even more so the case when their teeth start to fall out!

Making fairy houses makes for a fun outdoor activity and can keep a preschooler or two busy for an age.  They can make pretend fairies too or put their favorite toy characters in.  But remember, leave the house empty at night for a real fairy to enjoy! 

#47 Setting up camp

Activity supply list: the garden/backyard, your preschoolers’ wonderful imagination

During lockdown our Saturday night family fun was camping in the garden, setting up camp, cooking on the fire, warm bucket bath for the kids and then all sleeping in our 2 man tent (well not quite “all” of us – I normally crept back into the house at the earliest opportunity…)

Now out of lockdown, this has come to an end, but the kids love re-living every part of the camping experience.  A pile of stones becomes the fire, a stick to stir the pots, imaginary plates and food, an imaginery tent… You get the picture?!

#48 Coffee shop fun

Activity supply list:old teapot or coffeepot, old whisk, dishwashing liquid, ladle/spoon, sand/mud from the garden, water

Similar to mud kitchen, but this outdoor activity where your preschooler gets to play at being a coffee shop barista!  Mud/sand and water is the coffee, then they whisk up the frothy milk (water and dish liquid) and serve up their lucky clients a delicious coffee.

#49 Go on a bear hunt

Activity supply list: the garden/backyard, toys to hide, homemade binoculars (optional)

Or a dinosaur hunt or toy car hunt…. hide whatever type of toy you have a few of (plastic dinosaurs or stuffed teddies in our case) and get your preschooler to hunt for them around the garden. 

If you’re kids are a fan of “We’re going on a bear hunt” then they’re sure to love re-enacting the story.  A perfect preschool outdoor activity.

#50 Dinosaur world with volcanoes

Activity supply list: sand, plastic dinosaurs or other toy animals, tea light holder or similar, bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar

This is the classic bicarbonate of soda and vinegar experiment with a little twist – pretending it’s a volcano in dinosaur world…

Setting up the dinosaur world totally adds to the fun of this only-to-be-done outdoors, activity; damp sand to make a muddy mountain, leaves, grass and plant trimmings as vegetation and finally the dinosaurs and some random over-sized insects.

For the volcano, place your tea light holder in the top of the sand mound.  Then heap a generous scoop of bicarb inside and pour vinegar on top – you do need to be generous on both to get a decent-sized eruption where the lava makes it all the way down the side of the mountain, as in the picture above.

For more fun ideas for dino-lovers, try this list of fun dinosaur activities for preschoolers . 

#51 Have a teddy’s bear picnic

Activity supply list: teddies and soft toys, pretend cups and sauces and toy good, blanket

You can have a teddy’s bear picnic indoors, but it’s so much fun to turn this into an outdoor activity for your preschoolers and let them set everything up in the garden.  They can spend a lot of time packing all the supplies needed, transporting them all and then setting the picnic up. 

A classic game that never tires.

Outdoor MOVEMENT activities for preschoolers 

Not only do preschoolers have bucket loads of energy they need to burn, but they need change to develop their gross motor skills.  Hence these movement activities ideal for outside.

Lots need very little explanation.  This list of outdoor games and physical activities to get your preschooler moving is fairly short and sweet…

For a giant list of movement games for inside, check out these indoor gross motor activities . You can never have enough ideas to get the endless wiggles out!

#52 Paper plate ring toss

Outdoor activity supply list: paper plates , tin cans

Grab out those empty tin cans and arrange them outside on the floor in a triangle shape (like you’d set up bowling pins). Alternatively, you could use paper cups but a breeze could knock them down.

Next, you’ll need to cut out the middle of some paper plates, to turn them into hoops.  Then it’s a case of throwing the paper plate ring onto a tin can.  It’s such a fun outdoor activity for preschoolers.

You could easily extend this activity and add in a different learning element.  For example by placing a fridge magnet letter in each. Throw the hoop on the can and sounds the letter inside. 

#53 Junior version of “Egg and spoon”

Activity supply list: water ballons, salad server

Another one which uses water balloons but preserves them for quite a long time… great to set up as a relay up and down the garden if you have a few kids to entertain.  This is an ideal outdoor activity for preschool.

#54 Water cup racing

Activity supply list: plastic cups, water, plastic bowl/bucket/container

Run with a cup of water to a bucket without spilling it, pour in the bucket and run back again refill and so on…

You can see how much my 3-year-old loved this one; she’s definitely got a competitive streek.

#55 Sack race

Activity supply list: old pillowcases

Don’t save the sack race for birthday party games . It’s a classic outdoor activity for preschoolers that will never lose its appeal!  

#56 Visual treasure hunt 

Activity supply list: camera or smartphone, toys

Take photos of different areas of the garden or the outdoor area your utilizing.  Then place a toy at each location.  Then the challenge for your preschooler is to figure out where the photo was taken and retrieve the toy. 

This outdoor activity is easy to adapt for preschoolers of different ages.  For older kids, you can make it trickier by zooming in more and taking pictures that are harder to decipher. For little ones, you can be a lot more obvious!

This would be good to do at home but would also make a good outdoor preschool activity. 

#57 Balance beam & obstacle course

Activity supply list: plank of wood, something sturdy to lean it on (we used a car ramp in the picture above), alternatively your balance beam doesn’t even need to leave the ground, just lay the plank on the ground

We combined our balance beam activity with color sorting balls – doubling the concentration needed to balance on the beam while holding the ball.

As for more lengthy obstacle courses, it’s all about getting creative:

• hop from one stepping stone to the next (alternatively use hula hoops lying on the ground)
• use pool noodles to jump over or limbo under
• peg a cargo net to the ground to crawl under
• turn a large cardboard box into a tunnel by cutting holes in each side

Plenty more ideas in this post from Happy Toddler Playtime .

#58 Wheelbarrow races

Preschoolers are not too little to try wheelbarrow races – expect about 2 or 3 steps in the beginning but once their arms get used to it and grow a little strength, expect lots of giggles and some tired preschoolers!

#59 Hide and seek

You can have fun with this one indoors from the toddler years.  It’s one of many fun and simple activites for 18 month olds that the twis have started to enjoy. 

But the appeal of this old classic lasts way beyond the preschooler years so why not take it outside. It never fails to keep kids of all sizes and ages occupied.

#60 Blow bubbles

Activity supply list: bubble solution and wand

I keep wondering when my two will grow out of this fascination for bubbles!  Not anytime soon it would seem…

#61 Tin can stilts

Activity supply list: empty tin cans, string, drill, paper, crayons, tape and stickers to decorate (optional)

Another classic that my 3 and 4-year-old just about managed but I had to help them a lot to get going – this was a lot harder for them than I thought it would be.  Definitely, one to try again in a few months time.

#62 Race around the house

Activity supply list: access all the way around the house, preschoolers with too much energy!

This one never fails to amuse – it’s a regular outdoor activity when I’m hosting playdates at ours.  “Let’s go – I’m going to catch you, quick around the house… 10 times” that’s all it takes.  Keeps me fit too.

#63 Learn some gymnastics

Activity supply list: internet & TV to research and a large outdoor space to practice

I’m not a gymnastics expert, but this video from Coach Meggin has some basic moves that even I could manage and my kids love it!

#64 Bean bag balance race

Activity supply list: bean bags

The simple act of balancing a bean bag on your head is pretty challenging. Even more so for a 3-5 year old! Great for posture and balance. If you’re doing this outdoor activity with preschoolers in childcare, then this is easily turned into a relay race.  Race up and back and pass the bean bag to the next team member.

Simplify this one for younger preschoolers or if you want to make it more energetic and have them run carrying the bean bag.  Pass it to the next team member or throw it into a bucket.  Oh, the versatility of a simple beanbag! A definite must for entertaining and keeping toddlers and preschoolers moving.

#65 Chalk obstacle course

Outdoor activity supply list: chalk, large verandah or similar

Rather than lugging chairs, poles and other things outside to make an obstacle course, draw one on the ground in chalk.  You can make different shapes mean different movements are required. 

Here are some ideas:

• Draw a line of squares – your preschooler must hop on their right leg from each one to the next
• Draw a line of circles – your preschooler must hop on their left leg from each one to the next
• For numbers – clap your hands as many times as the number (when you get to a 1, clap once etc)

A great outdoor activity for preschoolers in childcare as there’s plenty of opportunity to practice shape and number recognition, whilst getting those wiggles out!

Outdoor preschool activities with a specific LEARNING element 

To reiterate, kids love to play and it’s through playing that they learn. So all these outdoor play activities for preschoolers will invite so much learning.  But here are some with a specific learning element or focus. 

These are educational activities for outdoors that are perfect for 3-5 year olds in childcare as well as those at home.

#66 Nature sorting and graphing

Outdoor activity supply list: garden/outside for foraging, small wheelbarrow, sack or large bag

Sorting is an important pre-maths skill.  Start by foraging for various items from outside, like leaves, seeds, sticks, stones, feathers etc and then sorting them into groups.  

Then you can choose something to create a visual graph. You could do lots of different leaves or pebbles of different sizes. Group them into different types and then line them up to create a visual bar chart.  

#67 Listening walk

Outdoor activity supply list: a listening preschooler (ha ha, I hear you say…)

So far there’s been so much emphasis on keeping hands and bodies busy.  Now it’s time to use those ears! 

This is fun to turn into a listening walk scavenger hunt activity.

• Start by discussing all the sounds you might hear
• Write a list
• Go outside, listen and see how many you can tick off
• Try this activity another day at a different time and listen for different sounds

Plenty to discuss and a great outdoor activity for preschoolers in a childcare setting.

#68 Beginning sound nature hunt

Outdoor activity supply list: garden or backyard

Whether you do preschool activities at home or in a childcare setting, there’s normally a letter of the week.  This emphasizes letter recognition and the sounds that letter makes.  A good way to do this is to hunt for items with that beginning sound.

This is a great outdoor activity for preschoolers.  

What can you find outside that has the sounds “b” at the beginning. And so on.

#69 Colors in nature tic-tac-toe

Outdoor activity supply list: paint chips in various colors, scissors, tape

This is another scavenger hunt around the garden, backyard or park. This time it’s all about hunting for colors that match the paint chips . Cut holes in each color to create a little window to view flowers, leaves and other items outside.  When your preschooler has got a match they can tick it off. Find 3 in a row to complete the tic-tac-toe.

For more details check out the tutorial from Homan At Home .

#70 Make a windsock

Outdoor activity supply list: construction paper or card, stapler and crepe paper 

With a roll of construction paper and some crepe paper streamers you can make a very simple windsock. Hang it outside and you can start to explain to your child simple weather concepts.  A fun craft come outdoor activity to do at preschool or home.

Sadly I’m unable to find our windsock pictures but  I Heart Crafty Things has some good ones.

#71 Plant runner beans and measure them as they grow

Outdoor activity supply list: runner bean seeds, cotton wall, clear container (we used the bottom of a 5L water bottle cut off)

Runner beans are quick to grow and not too fussy about conditions (aka if you’re not green fingered this should still work!)  So this little gardening project makes an ideal outdoor activity for preschoolers.

Start by lining a clear plastic container with cotton wool soaked in water.  Scatter the beans over the top and wait for them to germinate and sprout little shoots.  This is why it’s better to use a clean container so you can see underneath and through the sides to watch for the shoots.

Once they’ve sprouted, remove the seeds and replace the cotton wool with compost, then replace the seeds. Then it’s time to nurture the bean plants and watch them grow!

To up the learning, start a simple chart to record the growth every day.  My 4 year old loved this outdoor activity as did the other little ones! The recording and measuring are right up his street. 

This is an ideal outdoor activity for preschool or for preschoolers in a childcare setting.  We did this in “school with Mommy”.

#72 Make letter shapes with things from nature

Activity supply list: garden/outside for foraging

Another good outdoor activity for letter of the week at preschool. Simply gather items from outside and make the shape of the letter of focus.

#73 Nature discovery or mystery bags

Activity supply list: garden/outside for foraging for items from nature & old pillow case

Blindfolded discovery and mystery bags are tons of fun. They encourage and help develop communication skills and vocab.

They’re especially good with a group of kids, making this an ideal preschool outdoor activity.  They’re also fun to do at home with one or two kids. 

Blindfold your preschooler, then pass them something from outdoors to explore with their hands. Alternatively, you can fill an old pillow case with things and have your preschooler feel in the bag without looking.

First, can they guess what it is they’re touching?  Why do they think it’s that particular thing? Can they describe it? What do they know about it?  This can create great hilarity from little friends and siblings when they’re totally wrong!

Then pull the object out of the sack or remove their blindfold and talk about it.

#74 ABC letter hunt

Activity supply list: foam or fridge magnet letters

Hide the letters outside and then the activity is to find each one and sound it out when found. A fun and simple outdoor activity to practice letters and sounds and also gets preschoolers moving.

#75 Sink or float

Activity supply list: large water table or paddling pool, items from garden/outdoors

Here’s a classic preschooler learning activity that can be done successfully inside, but if you take it outside, you can be more adventurous with the size of the items tested.  Which will sink – that huge log or that small stone?  A fascinating experiment for budding scientists.

Just be sure not to leave the water unattended so there’s no risk of drowning.

#76 Dirt inspection

Activity supply list: magnifying glass, handfuls of dirt

Simply grab a handful of dirt and examine it under the magnifying glass. What can you see? Where did it come from? How was it made?  A fun activity, with plenty to explore and discuss.

So many outdoor activities for preschoolers to choose from!

I hope that’s given you a good few outdoor activity ideas for your preschooler.  Whether they’re for outside in your backyard or garden at home or for at preschool or a childcare setting, there should be plenty to keep you busy outdoors this summer.

Got any to add? I’d love to hear from you. Please comment below.

__________________________________

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60 Wet and Wild Outdoor Science Experiments and Activities

The whole world is one big science classroom.

The only thing more fun than hands-on science is taking it outside! These outdoor science activities are perfect for taking advantage of sunny days. Fly kites, dissect flowers, experiment with sound and water, and so much more! There is something on our list for everyone from adults all the way down to toddlers. You’ll only need simple supplies for most of these, so any teacher or family can head out to learn about chemistry, biology, physics, and more.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Gaze at the clouds

Look up and take some time to admire the clouds. Craft this cute “cloud viewer” and find a cloud in the sky. Then, identify what type it is, and learn more about how clouds form.

Learn more: Cloud Viewer—Little Bins for Little Hands

2. Fly a kite

You can learn a lot about physics when you make and fly your own kite. Experiment with different designs to see whose kite flies the highest or the longest.

Learn more: Inner Child Fun

3. Wrap a watermelon in rubber bands …

You’ve probably seen videos of this making the rounds online, so why not try it out yourself? This is one of those outdoor science activities that’s easy to do, but make sure you wear safety equipment like goggles.

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

4. Assemble a nest

Birds build intricate nests, and they make it look easy. Can you do the same? Gather some materials outdoors, and try to make your own nest.

Learn more: Views From a Step Stool

5. Explore 1 square foot

There’s an amazing amount of life in every square foot of nature. Grab your magnifying glasses or microscope, and take a closer look at the ground you walk on every day.

Learn more: One Square Foot—Little Bins for Little Hands

6. Explode a DIY seed pod

Find out how some plants spread their seeds far and wide with this cool balloon experiment. Fill it with seeds and air, then pop it outside on a breezy day and watch the seeds fly!

Learn more: Around the Kampfire

7. Send a soda geyser sky-high

This is one of those outdoor science activities that simply can’t be done anywhere other than outdoors. Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Baking Soda Volcano (Free Guide + Printable Student Recording Sheet)

8. Compost food scraps in a bottle

Food waste is a big problem, contributing to much of the material that winds up in landfills. Teach kids how to compost with kitchen scraps in a plastic bottle, and use the compost to feed your plants.

Learn more: Busy Mommy Media

9. Grow a carbon sugar snake

If you’re looking for outdoor science activities that are sure to excite your students, try this eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration. You only need simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand, but the element of fire makes this experiment best done outdoors.

Learn more: KiwiCo

10. See the greenhouse effect in action

Climate change can be a contentious topic, so start by teaching kids about the greenhouse effect, which is easy to see and understand using this simple experiment. Then, urge them to explore data collected by scientists so they can learn to make informed decisions about topics like global warming.

Learn more:  Teaching Science With Lynda

11. Construct a dirt battery

This outdoor science project is similar to building a battery from a lemon, but you also get to dig in the dirt! Kids learn about electric currents and conductivity.

Learn more: Dirt Battery—Teach Beside Me

12. Test the power of sunscreen

We slather kids in sunscreen when they’re playing outside, but do they understand why? Try this fun little experiment, which demonstrates how sunscreen protects from the sun’s harmful rays.

Learn more: STEM Sunscreen Experiment—JDaniel4’s Mom

13. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. The link below has complete instructions.

Learn more: Desert Chica

14. Forecast the weather with pine cones

Fun fact: Pine cones open and close according to the weather in order to protect or disperse the seeds inside. Use that fact to your advantage and create a pine cone weather station in your backyard.

Learn more: Pine Cones—Science Sparks

15. Construct a LEGO waterwheel course

Are you looking for outdoor science activities for kids who love to build with LEGO? Explore the power of water with a cool homemade LEGO water course that includes a dam and a water wheel. This engineering project is fun to play with when you’re done.

Learn more: LEGO Course—Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

16. Blast off with bottle rockets

A simple adapter kit lets you turn an empty plastic bottle into a soaring rocket. Kids learn about pressure and Newton’s third law of motion with this perennially popular outdoor science project.

Learn more: Bottle Rockets—Science Sparks

17. Put together a simple microscope

This DIY microscope isn’t very powerful, but it does magnify small objects so you can see details. It’s also really simple to make. (Looking for a stronger microscope you can take on the go? Try this portable model that hooks up to your cell phone. )

Learn more: Mini Microscope—Childhood 101

18. Create nature discovery bottles

Stroll through the great outdoors and have kids collect interesting natural objects. Use recycled soda or water bottles to display their specimens.

Learn more: Discovery Bottles—Little Bins for Little Hands

19. Make sun prints

You’ll need to buy special paper for this outdoor science project, but it’s easy to find. Kids will love creating their own patterns and experimenting to find which objects work best.

Learn more: PBS for Parents

20. Assemble an anemometer

Scientists use anemometers to measure wind speed. Build this DIY version and do some weather science with your class.

Learn more: Pi’ikea Street

21. Find the best soap bubble solution

It’s easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids experiment to find the best proportion of ingredients to blow the longest-lasting bubbles with this fun outdoor science activity.

Learn more: Science Buddies—Bubble-ology

22. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Bubbles are part of many fun outdoor science activities. Once you’ve blown the longest-lasting bubbles, move on to creating the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Bubbles—Scholastic

23. Launch Ping-Pong balls with a catapult

Young kids will simply adore building this basic catapult and watching Ping-Pong balls soar! Older kids can experiment by changing the position of the fulcrum, the length of the board, and the objects being flung.

Learn more: Catapult—Buggy and Buddy

24. Brew some elephant toothpaste

Speaking of foamy messes, elephant toothpaste (OK, it’s not really used by elephants) creates a huge exothermic reaction that will blow kids away.

Learn more: Science Bob

25. Play a game of Nature Bingo

Give your nature walk more direction by giving students specific items to seek out. You can make your own boards, or hit the link below for free printables for every season.

Learn more: Massachusetts Audubon Society

26. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected on windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.

Learn more: How To Make a Parachute — Inspiration Laboratories

27. Start a nature journal

Nature journals are a great way to partner writing and outdoor science while building kids’ observational skills. You can use any sturdy notebook or check out the link below for free printable journal pages and a fun DIY carry-along journal project.

Learn more: Nature Journal—Edventures With Kids

28. Make and plant DIY seed bombs

Use recycled materials to create “seed bombs.” Then plant them in the schoolyard or send kids home to use them in their own gardens. Students learn about ecology, recycling, and plant life cycles.

29. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids  love to pick up rocks, and there are plenty of great science experiments you can do with them. In this one, you pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone!

Learn more: Limestone Rocks—Edventures With Kids

30. Contribute to citizen science

Use a cell phone to snap pictures of everything you find on a nature walk, then report those sightings to Project Noah. This citizen science project is dedicated to documenting every living thing on Earth! ( Teachers, get ideas for using Project Noah in your classroom here. )

Learn more: Project Noah

31. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.

Learn more: NurtureStore

32. Learn about plant transpiration

This simple project demonstrates how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration. The supplies and method are simple enough for anyone to try it.

Learn more: Transpiration—Teach Beside Me

33. Swing a glass of water to learn about centripetal force

When you do this experiment right, you won’t make a mess at all. But while kids are still getting the hang of swinging glasses of water around their heads, you’ll probably want to make this an outdoor science activity.

Learn more: Sick Science!

34. Learn to identify trees

Give trees a closer look and learn to identify them by their leaves and seeds. These jars preserve the leaves and seeds for future study too.

Learn more: Identify Trees—Edventures With Kids

35. Go on a nature scavenger hunt

Take kids outdoors to use their five senses with this free printable scavenger hunt activity. They’ll hone their observation skills and learn so much about the world around them.

Learn more: Nature Scavenger Hunt—Childhood 101

36. Help monarch butterflies

You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their populations alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful insects by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link.

Learn more: Monarch Watch

37. Count tree rings to explore dendrochronology

Your students might know you can count tree rings to find out how old the tree is, but do they know why that’s true? Students will undoubtedly get a kick out of exploring dendrochronology.

Learn more: Tree Rings—Edventures With Kids

38. Seek out signs of birds

Have you ever noticed that birds can be difficult to spot, even though signs of them are all around? This free printable scavenger hunt helps you find evidence that birds live nearby. Just look for nests and food sources and listen for their sounds.

Learn more: Inspiration Labs

39. Attract birds with a DIY bird feeder

Bring all the birds to the yard with this easy recycled bird feeder project. Kids can learn to identify common backyard birds in your area. Visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s educators’ resource page for more ideas.

40. Identify birds with an app

Some birds are easy to identify, but others stump even longtime bird-watchers. If you’re looking for outdoor science activities for kids who love feathered friends, check out the free Merlin Bird ID app. Snap a pic, answer a few questions, and the app will provide you some probable identifications, just like that.

Learn more: Merlin Bird ID

41. Become a human sundial

Choose a sunny day and grab some sidewalk chalk—your students are about to become sundials! They’ll practice measuring skills and learn about the movement of the sun across the sky.

Learn more: Rhythms of Play

42. Harness the power of the wind

Wind turbines have become common sights in some parts of the country as we explore alternative energy sources. Build your own to learn how they work with this outdoor science experiment.

Learn more: Build a Wind Turbine—Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

43. Explode plastic baggies (and make a big mess)

Vinegar and baking soda experiments are always a big hit with kids, and this one is no exception. They’ll love seeing the bags pop from the chemical reaction, and you’ll be glad the mess is outside.

Learn more: Kids Activities

44. Estimate the height of a tree

Kids work in pairs to estimate the height of a tree in this project that puts the M in STEM. Get a free printable at the link below to walk you through the process.

Learn more: From ABCs to ACTs

45. Build a light box

Kids can entertain themselves for hours with a big empty cardboard box. Channel that energy by turning a box into a place to learn about light refraction and reflection, using colored water in plastic bottles.

Learn more: True Aim Education

46. Float a baking-soda-powered boat

Here’s another experiment using the classic baking powder and vinegar reaction. This one uses it to power these cute little DIY boats! A kiddie pool is the perfect spot for this outdoor science project.

Learn more:  The OT Toolbox

47. Conduct an egg drop

Here’s another classic outdoor science project you won’t want to move inside—the egg drop. Challenge kids to engineer a container that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).

Learn more: Egg Drop—Buggy and Buddy

48. Slide into friction science

Head out to the playground, gather up a variety of objects, and hold races to see which ones make it down the slide first. This is a fun introduction to friction and inclined planes.

Learn more: Friction Science—Buggy and Buddy

49. See water pollution in action

Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water treatment plant to expand the lesson.

Learn more: Water Pollution—JDaniel4’s Mom

50. Test your local water quality

Once you’ve “cleaned up” your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is. Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what’s in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Water-testing kits are readily available online— try this set available on Amazon .

Learn more: The Homeschool Scientist

51. Set up a musical science pool

This project is equally fun as a sensory experience and as a science experiment. Fill a kiddie pool with water, then place inside metal mixing bowls of different sizes. Finally, let kids experiment with different combos of waters, bowls, and drumsticks (i.e., wooden spoons).

Learn more: And Next Comes

52. Paint a shadow with homemade chalk paint

Head outside and have kids trace the outlines of their shadows. Then mix up some homemade chalk paint and let kids get creative painting their shadows.

53. Get in some unstructured outdoor time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdtVGoX4aCU

While this video isn’t a specific experiment, it advocates for kids getting outside and having a chance to explore. Kids can gather things that catch their eye and then sort leaves, flowers, shells, etc., by pattern, shape, or anything else they wish.

54. Create a rainbow

Is there anything prettier than a rainbow? Your students will undoubtedly love seeing that they can make one themselves!

55. Make a homemade zip line

This experiment could be done inside too, but we think it would work even better with more space outdoors. Give kids a wide variety of materials so they can work diligently to build something to transport a plastic Easter egg safely across the zip line.

Learn more: The Secret Life of Homeschoolers

56. Dissect a flower

Your students will be so fascinated to learn just how much is hidden under the exterior of their favorite flower. Have some magnifying glasses on hand so your students can get a closer look at all the different parts of the flower and even the pollen.

Learn more: Elemental Science

57. Make and melt frozen oobleck

You’ll need cornstarch, water, a bowl, a spoon, and ice cube trays to make this oh-so fun sensory science experiment. If you really want to get wild, include some food coloring and glitter since kids will enjoy personalizing their oobleck. Once the oobleck is frozen, bring it outside and let it melt. As it melts, have students study the consistency changes.

Learn more: Inspiration Laboratories

58. Create lightning in a bottle

This experiment is best suited for older kids or perhaps as more of a demonstration for younger kids. This is a great lesson on static electricity and it will certainly leave your students stunned!

59. Create tree bark rubbings

As far as outdoor science activities go, this one is so simple yet such a fun way for the tiniest learners to discover nature and trees in particular. Grab some tape, peeled crayons, and paper, then head outdoors!

60. Float beach balls in the air

Want to amaze your students while also teaching about Bernoulli’s principle? The basic idea is that fast-moving fluids have lower pressure than slow-moving fluids. Balance a beach ball in just the right spot above the leaf blower, where the forces of gravity and air pressure are equal. This will result in a floating ball!

Learn more: Fizzics Education

Outdoor science activities don’t have to be limited to spring or summer! Bookmark the Coolest Winter Science Experiments and Activities .

Plus, get all the latest teacher tips and tricks, straight to your inbox, when you sign up for our newsletters .

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Omsk Museum of Education

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PhD in Physical Education and Sport (PhD) Omsk State Technical University Omsk

Program details, minimum cost of living, requirements.

About Omsk State Technical University:

Omsk State Technical University (OmSTU) is a technological university that trains engineers, economists, and classical scientists. The university has always attached great importance to the quality and innovation of teaching and research and has established fruitful relationships with industry and commerce through experimental research and the exchange of technology.

About Russia:

One of the world’s fastest growing economies, Russia is keen to attract more international students. The Ministry of Education and Science is investing in the higher education system, and increasing support for students. Russia is quickly becoming a desirable destination for students from around the world.

About the city:

Omsk has been dubbed the third capital of the Russian state, and it stands as one of the largest cities in the country. Omsk is the administrative focus of the Omsk region, and it is situated at the convergence of the Irtysh and the Om Rivers of Southwest Siberia. This city has a land area of 572.9 km sq. and population of about 1.1 million residents, making the multi-million city the second most populous city in Siberia and the eighth-largest in Russia.