XavierMedia.org

It is such a shame that kids these days are spending so much less time outdoors, enjoying nature. Cell phones, social media, video games…these technological revolutions and staples of 21st century life are eroding away at many of the important experiences and lessons that nature provides to people, children in particular.

Ask anyone older than 25 about their childhood, and what they loved best. I am willing to bet the vast majority will happily reminisce about climbing trees, playing hide-and-seek, catching fireflies, or some other fun outdoor activity. Video games and TV shows would not be on that list very frequently.

Today’s children are spending an abundance of time on the couch, exercising the remote controller. Help kids grow up with a respect and love of nature and the great outdoors. Here are some awesome things you can do as a family together to have fun outside.

1) Scouts

If your child is younger, gives Scouts a try. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are a phenomenal way for you and your child to experience and learn about nature and have fun. I participated in Boy Scouts until I was about 13 and absolutely loved it. My dad was the scout master for our Cub Scouts group. It was awesome, spending time with my dad, camping, shooting arrows, exploring, and meeting loads of new people and future life friends.

2) Hiking

Everyone loves hiking. It is simple, cheap, and fun. I have great memories of hiking with my family in the mountains and woods of New York State as a child. Those were good times. Hiking is perfect for a leisurely, family friendly activity that will allow you to explore beautiful scenic areas. I recommend scouting out a location beforehand online and having a map so you do not get lost. Remember to pack a camera for great pictures and a picnic lunch for the noon time munch.

3) Lawn Sports

Not much an adventurous, outdoorsy person? No problem, give lawn games a shot. Instead of playing video games, why not have some fun right in your yard. Croquet, badminton, horseshoes, cornhole…the list goes on and on. I personally love bocce ball and horseshoes. If you have younger kids, you should stick with the easier games such as croquet or cornhole, but either way you can kill a few hours as a family in competitive fun.

4) Remote Control Toys

You probably would not expect to find an electronic toy on the list of outdoor fun, but you would be wrong. RC vehicles are great outdoor fun. Growing up my dad and I would race RC Cars in the yard in a desperate struggle for victory. We still love spending sunny afternoons together cruising RC Boats(I got him one for Christmas) on the pond. Flying planes is also a fun way to check out new parks, but I am a pretty terrible pilot.

5) Water Wars

If you have never nailed your parent with a water balloon or blasted your sister with a super soaker squirt gun you are really missing out. One way my family often spontaneously spends quality time is all out water wars. Grab the buckets and squirt guns and prepare for battle. Why play Call of Duty when you can do Call of Duty in your front yard. Just make sure to always watch your back and trust no one.

I hoped you enjoyed some of the mixture of fun family activities I enjoyed as a kid and that your family adopts some of these for yourselves. If none of the suggestions perked your interests, there are many other alternatives you could choose from. The most important part is to spend time together and build awesome memories.

Also, just a little about me. My name is Matt Ward and I am a 22 year old guy. I love sports, exercise, the outdoors, movies, reading and run my own RC Boats and history site. If you want to contact me or have an questions just shoot me an email.

About the author
Andreas co-founded Xavier Media® in 1996 and has since been involved in all kinds of development, marketing and making money online.