Outdoor Activities
DISCOVER A NEW HIKING TRAIL
Nature is the best therapy and being outdoors is a great way to get some fresh air and explore new places. DOC and local city guides are great sources to find trails throughout NZ. If you do venture on a trail, please be mindful of others and don’t crowd the trailheads. We also recommend checking current guidelines before making your plans as some parks and trails are temporarily closed
PLANT A GARDEN
Starting a garden is a great way to bond with your little ones. Growing your own food helps you eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and these vegetables tend to have more nutrients than store-bought produce that is typically picked early. Container gardens are a great option for those living in apartments or want to start their garden indoors. Vegetables like lettuce, strawberries, and spinach do very well in container gardens.
CREATE A SPACE FOR POLLINATORS
Aside from a vegetable garden, creating a place in your yard for pollinators is beneficial for you and your veggies. Without pollinators, a lot of our favorite foods – and many of the herbs we use in our products – would cease to exist. Pollinators like bees, beetles, birds, and Monarch butterflies love plants such as Echinacea, Swamp Milkweed, Lavender, Zinnias, Sunflowers, and Daisies.
DESIGN A NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT
Make a Nature scavenger hunt by creating a list of a plants and flowers growing in your backyard and challenge your children to take photos or gather samples from all of the plants on the list. This is a great way to encourage your children to play outdoors, while also educating them (and possibly yourself) about the plants growing all around.
REDISCOVER CLOUDSPOTTING
Embrace your inner child and rediscover the fun of lying back in the grass, watching the clouds glide by in the sky, and identifying what shapes the clouds look like. This is a relaxing solo activity, but it can also be a fun game with your littles ones to spot clouds together and compare what you see in the sky.
CONDUCT AN OUTSIDE ART CLASS
It’s hard to beat the great outdoors for an artistic muse. Bring a pencil and paper, or paint and canvas if you have it, and become inspired by the Nature around you. It’s also a fun way to get children outside and away from their screens.
HAVE A PICNIC
When it’s warm outside, it’s a great time to plan a backyard picnic. Picnics allow you to eat, play, and spend quality time together as a family. Make your picnic even more special with homemade lemonade or elderberry cordial.
ENJOY AN OUTDOOR MOVIE
If you have a mini projector and a white sheet, then you are all set. Hang the sheet on a sturdy area, and set up pillows and blankets around the yard. You can also simply download a movie and watch it on your laptop or iPad. Add popcorn and a sweet treat and you’ve got an instant family movie night on the lawn.
SET UP A RELAY RACE
Get the whole family moving outside. Divide into teams and the first team to complete the race wins. Challenges during the race could include a lap around the yard, kicking a ball through a desired goal, or having a team member grab items from a bucket and the second team member returning the items. Encourage each family member to design a portion of the race.
TAKE A MOON BATH
Now that you have exhausted yourself with all of these new outdoor activities, enjoy a moon bath. This Ayurvedic tradition is believed to help promote relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety levels, and even help regulate a woman’s cycle.
EMBRACE YOUR CREATIVE SIDE
Being creative and trying new forms of activity can keep you motivated, improve your outlook on life, prevent boredom, and most importantly, add some fun. Embrace this extra time at home and challenge yourself to try something new each and every week.