There is no doubt that parents love their children and always try to make them happy without taking sufficient care of themselves.
After all the global events that have happened in the past few years, like COVID-19 and the current wave of inflation, it has become difficult to spend money on luxuries and have fun with our kids.
All parents should know that spending time doing outdoor activities for preschoolers is essential because this can contribute positively to the relationship between parents and their kids.
These activities can also help our kids develop physically if they practice them periodically.
So, in this blog post, we will discuss six fun outdoor activities for kids, their initial cost, and how each activity can benefit our kids.
Then, we will mention some other activities that do not cost money but are less fun for your kids, so make them your last choice.
Related article: 8 secrets to a happy childhood for your kids
Camping in the backyard or garden
This is one of the most important outside activities for preschoolers that parents can do. This activity can be done anywhere in public, but you should make sure to be in a safe place with your kids.
If you do not know anything about camping and you want to participate in this activity with your kids, then you can look up nearby scouting activities on the internet or join scouting groups on social media channels.
If your house is surrounded by a safe garden or has a backyard, then it is recommended to start with an easy spot before going on an adventure with your kids because they might find it difficult to camp and stay outside of the house for many hours.
Benefits of camping:
- This activity will teach your children about adventure and how to be courageous when facing new situations.
- It will help in bonding and growing your relationship with your kids because you will cooperate with each other while setting up a tent and will have many hours to have some interesting conversations with each other.
- Your kids will develop some skills like first aid, tying knots, and cooking simple meals.
- Kids will be able to develop problem-solving skills because they will face many challenges.
The costs:
Keep in mind that this is one of the outdoor activities for preschoolers that you should not spend a lot of money on because you are not a professional and you do it for fun, so let’s talk about our tools:
- You can use any backpack in your wardrobe to pack your things.
- You can build a simple tent by using old bedsheets and wooden tent poles, or you can buy a tent for as little as 60 dollars or rent a tent for a much lower price.
- If you plan to spend the night, then you can buy a lantern for 10 dollars and a sleeping pad for 10 or 12 dollars.
- You can go to a simple and moderate campground for 5 to 10 dollars per night to provide you with a bathroom because you have little kids.
- Food and water, depending on your budget.
So, this activity can cost you less than 100 dollars if you decide to rent the tools.
Picnic at the park
Going on a picnic with your kids is the most common activity that all parents can do. Picnics are simple, and they do not require much effort to pack a lot of things.
A picnic is a good choice for parents when they decide to relax their minds, and at the same time, they can make sure their kids are playing and having fun safely.
Parents can also plan some other fun outdoor activities for kids while picnicking, like:
- Playing hide and seek
- Flying kites
- Singing together
- Joining other families in the park so that kids can play with each other from both families.
Benefits of picnicking:
- Kids can develop social skills by interacting with other kids in the park.
- This activity allows parents and kids to bond as they talk to each other.
- Breathing fresh air while watching beautiful trees can help all the family members relax.
- Taking nice photos will be a good memory for the kids when they grow up.
- Flying kites in an open space like a garden is a good side activity.
The costs:
A picnic does not require a lot of money, as it only depends on bringing some food and water.
A moderately priced picnic for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids can cost about 50 dollars for food and water.
Try to fish
If your house has a nearby pond, then it is a good opportunity to take your kids there and buy a simple fishing rod or rent one from a friend or a fishing shop so that you can try to fish with your kids.
Before deciding to fish with your kids, let them watch documentary movies about it or some videos on the internet so that they can learn more about it.
Benefits of fishing:
This is one of the outdoor activities for kids that will help you teach your kids the following:
- patience
Waiting while doing nothing except watching the rod is a little boring for kids.
- Improve the overall physical strength.
This activity will strengthen your kids because they will cast the rod, stand, and reel the rod to catch the fish.
- Eating fish
If your kids do not eat or hate fish, then letting them try fishing and enjoying it will help you convince them to eat the fish they just fished.
- Getting vitamin D
Exposing your kids to sunlight is essential to getting some vitamin D.
- Getting some omega-3
Gaining omega-3 from eating fish can help our heart and brain stay functional and healthy.
The cost:
Fishing rods normally require 36 dollars.
Fishing bait can cost you about 5 to 10 dollars.
A fishing bucket can cost $8.
So, buying the minimum requirements for fishing gear can cost you less than 70 dollars.
Watching stars
If your kids are astonished by watching the sky and the shiny stars, then this activity is just right for them.
You can begin this activity with your kids when you buy some books about astronomy by letting them watch the sky on a clear night from the rooftop with normal sight or by using binoculars.
Benefits of watching the sky:
- Making your kids curious
Watching the stars in the sky can inspire your children to ask many questions, like how the stars were created or what they are made of. These questions contribute to their maturity.
- Pursuing a career in space
Landing on the moon in 1969 was an inspiring step for humans, and to this day, many kids dream about working for NASA when they become adults.
Cost of this activity:
You can begin this activity by only using your eyes on a clear night or by using a good binocular that may cost around 40 dollars.
If your kids are interested in stargazing, then consider buying a telescope, but that will be costly.
Shoot a short movie.
Who does not love movies?
This activity can be one of the indoor or outdoor activities for kids.
If your kids are excited to watch movies and you notice them imitating the moves or quoting the movie star, then it is a clear sign that your kids have a thing for acting.
Teaching your kids about the acting career and how movies are made and directed is a unique experience for them.
You can spend time with your kids writing a short movie with some fictional characters and making funny dialogue.
Then, some days later, as you finish the preparations, go to a park and shoot these movies using your smartphone.
Benefits of acting:
- Increasing imagination
As your kids join you in writing the script, they learn how to create situations out of nothing.
- Social skills
Kids might like their friends to take part in their small movie, and that results in good relationships.
Cost of shooting a short movie:
This activity will only require your smartphone if you already have one.
You will also need to buy some equipment for this activity, like a microphone for 15 dollars, a lighting system for 50 dollars, and some decorations as required.
So the overall cost will be less than 100 dollars.
Building a wooden object
If your kids are old enough and want to make something special with their skills, then try building something with wood.
Woodworking is a nice skill that kids should learn so they understand how different pieces of furniture are made.
You can start building a small birdhouse with the help of your kids by using simple tools like a mallet, chisel, hand saw, and plane.
Benefits of woodworking:
- Problem-solving skills
Kids will learn how to find solutions and solve problems they may face while using wood.
- Increasing engineering skills
Kids will be able to make shop drawings for their little projects.
Costs:
The cost of tools can be nearly 140 dollars on Amazon.
Read more about woodworking for kids.
Other fun outdoor activities for kids that do not cost money:
- Go for a regular walk.
- Let the kids play Capture the Flag with the neighbor’s kids.
- Collect bugs
- Play jumping rope.
- Throw water balloons at each other.
- Hide and seek is a fun classical game.
In conclusion
Now we have reached the end of our article by sharing the most cheap and fun outdoor activities for kids that parents can do with their kids.
Spending time with kids is funny and contributes to your relationship with them.
Now, it is your turn to share your opinion with us.