During August, the UK’s 10.6 million school pupils are out of school for the summer holidays, and with that comes many parents searching for ways to keep them entertained.
With a recent report by the Youth Sports Trust showing that children are spending more time playing video games than exercising or being outdoors; with only 40% of children aged 11-16 reporting to have enjoyed time outdoors in green space during the average week, the world’s most trusted outdoor app, AllTrails, have recommended 10 ways to engage kids outside, at low to no cost, and shared how each fun-filled activity can help children’s development.
The advice comes from Gareth Mills, UK country manager at AllTrails and Dr. Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller Hackenmiller, chief medical advisor at AllTrails — both of whom are parents.
Dr. Hackenmiller’s recommended activities are:
- Go for a picnic – Make a mealtime the activity. It could always be added on to any of these other activities too, such as to celebrate the successful completion of the den Gareth suggested. Picnics encourage family bonding and social skills. They can also promote healthy eating habits in a relaxed environment. A lightweight, waterproof blanket could prove a very useful addition to your kit this summer.
- Skip some stones – Whether it’s on the beach or on a river, skipping stones has been fun for generations. It also develops hand-eye coordination, patience, and understanding of physics principles like trajectory and force.
- Climb a mountain (or hill) – Depending on the age of the kids, this could be a local hill, or one of the more accessible mountain peaks. Nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment when you have put some effort to get yourself uphill and finally reach the summit. The AllTrails app has filters to help: you can select a distance range, choose the difficulty of the route, the elevation gain, or you can simply select ‘kid-friendly’ trails! The community reviews and photos are always worth checking before you go, and plan what you need for the route given the weather and path conditions.
- Create a photo-only scavenger hunt – There are so many plants, insects, fungi, and sights to discover when outdoors. Create a list with things that can be found in the area, such as an acorn, a beetle, a twig, a flower, or a pinecone. Instruct the kids to take photos of each or draw them as they find them. That way, they’re not disrupting the ecosystem. Once AllTrails’ nature identification feature Outdoor Lens becomes available later this summer, you can increase the challenge level by introducing specific species of plants and insects.
- Outdoor arts and crafts – Unleash creativity under the open sky with a vibrant outdoor art station where kids can paint, draw, and craft using nature as their inspiration. Set up with washable paints, chalk, brushes, and natural materials like leaves and rocks, this colourful corner invites children to explore their artistic side while soaking up the sunshine. Ideal for back gardens or parks, an art station promotes sensory play, self-expression, and a deeper connection with the environment. With every brushstroke and splash of colour, young artists turn the outdoors into their very own gallery.
Gareth Mills’ recommended activities are:
- Build a den – Finding time to set up a ‘base’ outside can allow kids to explore and interact with natural elements. By keeping the activity to a designated play area such as the Calke Abbey in Derbyshire, you can teach the kids the importance of limiting their impact to undisturbed nature when outdoors. The process promotes creativity and problem-solving while introducing children to the idea of leaving no trace behind when playing in nature.
- Play in the mud – Rather than avoiding mud, mud can be part of the fun. Playing in mud doesn’t just make for great memories – research suggests it can benefit children’s immune systems by exposing them to a wider variety of microbes. It also encourages sensory play, creativity, and connection to nature.
- Interactive story walk – Bring stories to life with an interactive story walk, an outdoor experience that combines reading, exploration, and adventure. With AllTrails Peak, families can create a custom route to complement the setting of a children’s book, turning each stop into a new chapter of discovery. Whether in a local park or back garden, this engaging activity can promote movement and imagination. Add interactive prompts or themed crafts to make it an even more multisensory journey.
- DIY obstacle course – Turn your back garden into an adventure zone with a DIY outdoor obstacle course designed just for kids! Using simple household items like pool noodles, plant pots, cones, hula hoops, and jump ropes, parents can create a dynamic course that encourages movement, creativity, and hours of active fun. Perfect for kids of all ages, this customisable setup promotes physical fitness and problem-solving skills while offering an exciting screen-free activity. Whether it’s crawling through tunnels, hopping between hoops, or balancing along a rope, each challenge adds a burst of energy to outdoor play that makes your own back garden into the ultimate summer playground.
- Back garden camping – Later in August, the evenings will begin to get darker a little earlier, but it’s still warm enough to spend a night under the stars. If there’s a clear night, you can set up camp, toast marshmallows and gaze up at the stars. It fosters a sense of wonder and curiosity about the outdoors and the universe. Learning the location of the North Star in the night sky could prove useful one day!
Dr. Hackenmiller, chief medical advisor at AllTrails adds: “Regular and consistent exposure to nature is so important for children’s wellbeing. Even short daily or weekly visits to natural settings can be beneficial, with a common recommendation of at least two hours per week.”
“For children in particular, playful activities outside not only boost physical health but also promote emotional balance, creativity, and cognitive development.”
Gareth Mills, UK country manager at AllTrails comments: “I have kids of my own, and I know it can be hard to get them excited about spending time outdoors sometimes. But I have seen the benefits first hand; there is nothing quite like seeing your child explore and become curious about the world around them.
You don’t have to go far to create a memorable outdoor activity for your children. The UK has so much to offer; beautiful landscapes, woodlands, lakes, mountains, unique wildlife, the list goes on!
As a parent, I’ve seen firsthand how the simplest outdoor activities can ignite a child’s imagination and foster invaluable life skills. At AllTrails, our mission is to help get people outside safely and responsibly. We believe the outdoors should be accessible for all, so we hope these tips can help families during the busy summer holidays.”