Family nature activities are an enticing way to get families out of the house and adventuring. It is even better when family members of all ages can enjoy the activities. These nature activities will build lasting memories and develop a great love for natures and the great outdoors.
Dam Building
Dam building is mark of a truely magical childhood and make for a great family nature activity. There is something so grounding that comes from hunting down the perfect rock and changing the course of a river of stream. We have just moved to a new state and are lucky to have a gorgeous creek not too far from us that is perfect for damn building.
Kids usually start out doing the dam building but before long it becomes a family affair, usually ending with the dads taking the project manager role, or at least that is how it happens in this house!
Dam building is the perfect family nature activity because there is a role for everyone. Even the littlest ones can help source rocks and boss people around from the sidelines. Adults and kids alike really enjoy building dams.
Wild Flower Bouquets
Wild flowers are my all time favourite flowers and I love having a big beautiful bouquet of them sitting in an old jar on the dining table. It has come to my knowledge that there are now places where you can pay a small fee to be able to go into a field and pick the flowers. We have one near us that grows the most gorgeous wild flowers. Are they still called wildflowers if they are purposely grown? A little further away there is a sunflower field where you can pick brilliant yellow sunflowers for 50c a stem.
If you don’t have wild flower “farms” near you then there are usually plenty of opportunities to find them out in nature. Just be aware of the rules in your area and use common sense and leave plenty for others to enjoy too.
Wildlife Spotting
Grab a pair of binoculars and set out on a nature walk with the family to spot some interesting wildlife. This is one of our family’s favourite nature activities to together. Before we moved we were blessed to live in an estate that backed on to a nature reserve that was teaming with wild kangaroo. This was such a unique and beautiful experience as at dusk when everyone was out walking the kangaroo would be jumping through the streets with us.
Furthermore we have enjoyed spotting different birdlife and animals on hikes around our local area as well as further afield. We had the unique opportunity to camp under trees teaming with koalas last year. The kids loved to go tree to tree counting how many they could find.
In order to know what to look for, research what animals are local to the area. There are usually plenty of organisations or websites that can give you great recommendations of where to go.
Sand Castle Building Competition
I am yet to meet a family that does not enjoy a bit of competition. This may, quite possibly be the best family nature activity there is. Depending on the size of your family group split into teams. You may choose to compete as boys vs girls, grandparents vs parents vs grandkids, families vs families, parents vs kids or just a good mix.
Once you have your teams pick a subject matter for the competition. The most memorable one we have done is cars. I never knew sand cars could be so elaborate! Now set a timer and get to work. The little ones are great at hauling water in from the beach and filling buckets with sand, middle kids are awesome at the following instructions and completing tasks and the teenagers have a great eye for detail. Watch out for that sabotaging uncle though!
In order to judge who the winner is you need an unbiased judge. In walk the strangers strolling down the beach minding their own business. Ask them for their opinions and take a tally. The first to reach 10 votes is the winner.
This is a great family nature activity for involving the whole family. It is a great team builder and creates some great memories. Don’t forget to take photos when you are finished!
Nature Scavenger Hunt
A nature scavenger hunt is great family nature activity. Much like the sand castle building competition you can break off into teams to compete against each other. However a nature scavenger hunt can be just as fun working together and scouring out the tricky finds.
A quick online search will provide you with a million printable scavenger hunts making the activity simple to organise. If you don’t want to bother with printing or searching out the best hunt you can order some great scavenger hunt cards on such this family scavenger hunt which is exclusive to Amazon. If you have smaller children however you might be more inclined to go with the popular Go Find It game. This is perfect for little ones to enjoy and participate in.
Glow Worm Hunting
I am not 100% sure if glow worms are actually a thing in other parts of the world but in New Zealand where I grew up and in Australia where we now live they are most definitely a pretty awesome experience. From my research it appears they may be called glowing beetles in other parts of the world. Nevertheless if you happen to be in this part of the world or you have insects that glow out of their bums your kids and family will love glow worm hunting.
Glow worms are unique creatures who tend to live in damp forests and caves. Once night falls they start to glow, out of their rear ends which is a fascinating fact. The will light up the cave or bush light Christmas lights. They can become startled by loud noises and shut off so it is important not to be too loud.
There are usually lots of places to go and visit the glow worms that don’t cost any money. Some of the best we have seen have been in Otways National Park in Victoria Australia as well as some brilliant ones in the Bay of Plenty area of New Zealand.
Even if you don’t have glow worms near you it is always a bit of an adventure to go on a night time walk with flashlights.
Backyard Campout
If you can’t get away for a proper camping experience a good old backyard campout is always a fun family nature activity. It is also a good introduction to camping with kids. If you are going to do a backyard camp out you need to be commited to the experience.
Come prepared with true camping food, hot dogs or hobo dinners of course. This is a great time to let your kids explore their wild side. They can help start the fire, and cook the dinner along with helping to set up the tent so it is just right. You can be assured that come morning it will look like a tornado has swept through but that is all a part of the fun.
You can’t have a backyard camp out without s’mores. Make sure there is a copious and never ending supply of marshmallows and chocolate and bring wipes for those sticky fingers. I recently saw a brilliant hack of using small tiny teddy packets, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows for making s’mores in a bag. We are yet to try it but it is definitely on the to do list.
Rockpool Discovery
Rock pools are fun for kids of all ages and many adults also enjoy combing through the rock pools in search of fascinating rocks and creatures. I feel like rock pools are a great option for most of the year especially during the shoulder seasons where it isn’t quite warm enough to swim but the days are beautiful and sunny.
If you are fortunate enough to live near a beach be sure to search out some rock pools near you. Our kids always search for starfish and little shellfish. They are so incredibly fascinating to watch.
Many city councils or local environmental groups often provide classes or free tours at rock pools. These classes have been so valuable to our family. As a result we have learnt many new facts about the local marine species, along with a greater appreciation for our marine life.
Star and Cloud Gazing
I loved laying out on a blanket in the backyard with my mum making shapes out of the clouds. It is a memory that I will always treasure. If the weather is nice pack a picnic and take it to a local park or even your own back yard. Once you have finished eating lay back and discover all the fascinating shapes and creatures you can find in the clouds.
Star gazing can be just as meaningful. It helps if you have a book of constellations that you can search out. A really simple constellation book for kids is this one by Kelly Johnson. It has simple illustrations and easy follow guides to discovering basic constellations. This is a fun activity for the whole family, everyone will enjoy trying to spot all the right stars.
If you want to take it a step further consider investing in beginners telescope. There are some exceptional telescopes these days that allow you to capture the images right onto your phone. Gskyer is a great brand for starting out and offers many great features. We recommend looking into the Gysker 700mm telescope. It is a great entry level telescope with all the features you want and need for starting out. It is also at a great price point which means value for money.
Design, Make and Fly a Kite
Kite flying is the perfect family nature activity on a crisp windy day. There are 100’s of great tutorials on youtube on how to make your own kites. This would be an exceptionally fun activity to do particularly with older children. Once your kite are finished head down to your local park to try them out. You can keep your kite simple or adorn it will all sort of colours and attachments.
If kit building isn’t your thing then just buy a kite from the local store or online. We have a ferocious dinosaur kite which my husband purchased for our three year old. I think they both enjoy it as much as each other.
This fabulous rainbow kite would be a perfect pick as it designed to pick up even the smallest bit if wind. I know we have all been seen running around like lunatics trying to get the kite to fly with no wind. Hopefully this clever design feature will save some embarrassment!
Campfire With S’mores
If you don’t manage to do a full backyard campout then you definitely have to attempt the backyard s’mores. It doesn’t even have to be in the back yard. Take your camp fire to the river, lake or beach if you like. Be sure to check fire regulations before you go though.
Did you know you can’t buy graham crackers in Australia? We don’t even have anything similar but instead we use chocolate digestive biscuits. Sounds appetising right? They are great though, half the biscuit is already dipped in chocolate so you can skip the chocolate part.
We invested in some long metal skewers to take the hassle out of having to find sticks all the time or having to resort to taping wooden skewers together.
Invent a New Game
Once you have older kids this could be an awesome way to get out of the house and enjoying the great outdoors. Imagine in 40 years time and you are sitting on the porch in your rocking chair watching all your progeny playing a game you made up with your kids one Saturday afternoon.
Our family has a game called Cooncan that has been passed down through six generations now. It is a pretty neat bit of history.