Summer time means holidays for many children all over the world. Long days, warm evenings, fun with family and friends, the taste of ice cream in your mouth and freedom in the air.
In our eyes, the best way to spend your free time is to venture outdoors. Kids have an instinctive fascination with nature. They learn so much by just roaming around and exploring. However, games and other activities can turn a trip to the countryside into a great adventure. Discover our favourite outdoor games for exploring nature during the holiday season. Enjoy!
1
TREASURE HUNT
In this game, the fun begins at home by getting together to draw up a list of what treasure has to be found. The more unusual the better, as this inspires more creativity among the treasure hunters. Find something yellow or a spotted stone. Younger children particularly love this game and it teaches them to be more observant. And for an even closer look, let them use a bug magnifier or inverted binoculars.
2
ON YOUR DOORSTEP
Your yard, a tree, or the park across the road all offer great opportunities to explore. Erect a birdhouse with the children and wait to see what happens next. Who’s going to move in? What do the birds look like, how do they behave, can we draw them? Then it’s time to identify the new residents using books or free apps like Merlin Bird ID.
3
NATURE SAYS THANK YOU
This is an easy “game” that should be a matter of course. While you’re out and about, pick up any litter that you see, take it home, and dispose of it properly. It’s even more fun when you do it in a group as part of an organized campaign.
4
EYES CLOSED, EARS OPEN
Find inner peace: close your eyes and just listen. Which bird sound is coming from where? How many cicadas can you hear? This game works two ways – in silence or telling others about what you can hear. Then try to spot the birds you have heard, preferably using binoculars.
5
TREE MEMORY
A game to sharpen your senses. Blindfold one of the players and lead them to a tree. Let them touch it all over – how does it feel, smell, taste? Then they open their eyes and have to guess which tree it was – and why they think they recognize it.
6
A NIGHT IN THE FOREST
Go into the woods at dusk or at night and you’ll find there is even more to discover than in the day. A nighttime walk in the woods reveals its amazing secrets.
