5 Easy Ways to get outside and PLAY - Happy and Blessed Home (2024)

This post was sponsored by Nature Valley as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. Here I’m sharing 5 Easy Ways to get outside and PLAY with tips on how to help kids#BeGreatOutThere!

Summer is here and there is nothing more fun than enjoying the great outdoors with your kiddos. As a mom, it’s hard to believe that these two active little boys were once tiny babies that I could hold in my arms.

Now they are powerhouses of energy and keeping them active and engaged is an important part of growing up. I set out some snacks and water, and some fun things to play with; and we had a grand old time playing outside in the yard.

If you have active kids, you’ll love this post. Here I’m sharing5 Easy Ways to get outside and PLAY!

I wasn’t much of an athlete myself, outside of cheerleading, growing up. But I really want my boys to have confidence when it comes to outdoor play. Encouraging them each time they try to catch the ball or throw it, is as important to me as their ability to catch or throw. In fact, instilling a courage to “try” and not give up is just as important as learning the skill as far as I’m concernedas a parent.

5 Easy Ways to get outside and PLAY

1. Blow Bubbles – I’m lucky in that I have one son who loves to blow bubbles and another who loves to chase and pop the bubbles. You can pick up bubble “juice” at the store or make your own using dish soap, corn syrup, and water. My four-year old was squealing with glee as he popped the bubbles created by his six-year-old brother.
2. Play Catch – Hand-eye coordination is a crucial skill for almost every sport. By practicing “catch” I can not only have fun outside with the boys, I can help my kids develop hand-eye coordination skills. And we can all enjoy watching each other trying to catch the ball.
3. Play Keep-Away – My idea was to play catch, but my boys wanted to play “keep-away” by throwing the ball up into a tree where mommy could not reach it. Does it matter? Not really, I just loved getting the boys outside where we could practice throwing and catching the ball. And hearing my boys laugh with delight was worth every attempt to get the ball intothe tree.
4. Play tag. “Tag, you’re it!” To play this game, make a tree or an area “safe”. Players try to run to one side or the other without being tagged by the “it” player. Once tagged they become the new “it”.
5. Play “I spy.”Look across the yard and say “I spy…” and then describe an object you see. Give kids turns trying to guess what the object is and continue to give clues until someone guesses correctly. The player who guesses correctly gets to describe something they “spy”. My four-year-old is still learning how to play and will often give what he “spies” away without anyone having to guess. But that’s all a fun part of learning!

Join the#BeGreatOutThere Movement

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Our family loves the crunch of Nature Valley’s Oats ‘n Honey Granola Bars and the chewy sweet flavors of Nature Valley’s Dark Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix Bars. They’re perfect for a day of outdoor fun because you get to take the wholesome flavors and energy of these power packed bars wherever you go. You can find these tasty bars at your local grocery store or supermarket wherever snack bars are sold. Water bottles, chairs, bubbles and foam footballs can be found at Walmart or a similar retailer.

How do you enjoy the great outdoors?

Do you have any tips to share on easy ways to get outside and enjoy the sunshine? Leave your ideain the comments below for other HappyandBlessedHome.com readers. I’m always looking for new ideas andI love hearing from my readers.Thanks for being a fan!

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P.S. – I blog to encourage moms, offer free preschool tools, and share ideas for family fun.If you enjoy free recipes, printables, crafts and games for little ones, ideas for family fun and encouraging posts for moms, sign up and have Happy and Blessed Home delivered to your inbox. Simply enter your e-mail address here: