33 No-Prep Outdoor Activities For 5-10-Year-Olds

Playing outdoors is not only fun and helps burn off energy, but it also improves a child’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Looking for great ideas and easy activities for kids? Whether it’s in your garden or the local park, keep the kids busy (and happy) with these 33 no-prep outdoor activities kids will adore. From bug spotting to circus skills, get inspired by one of our fun ideas for kids' activities, which require no, or very little prep.

Cycling is a great family activity and the ideal way to spend your daily exercise. Whether it’s through the countryside or around your local town, it’s one of the best ways to explore.

If you haven’t already noticed, people everywhere are creating rainbows as a way to spread hope and positivity. On your next daily walk, see how many rainbows you can spot and each day see if you can spot more.

Why not make lunch extra special by throwing down a blanket down in your garden and having a picnic with the family. Play some outdoor games and read some books and magazines.  

If learning activities are your idea of fun, grab a magnifying glass and go on a bug hunt in your garden. See how many creepy crawlies you can spot!

Growing vegetables is a fantastic way to get your kids to eat at least one of their five a day. Getting started is simple: transplant already-thriving seedlings into pots filled with a bit of potting soil. Keep your veggies in these containers as they grow.  

Time to branch out from your garden? Take a scenic stroll. It is the ideal way kids they can get their energy out and explore Mother Nature. It's your chance to teach them about plants and flowers too.

Obstacle courses and relay races don’t need any prep. Just grab what you have on hand - hula hoops, jump ropes, and Frisbees work just as well. Set your kids a series of mini-challenges that can be tailored to your kids' abilities. Or why not host your own Olympic games.

Can you turn a chore into some family fun? Get out the buckets, rags, and bubbles, and let them have fun with it.  

Science is fun but messy business. So, take it outdoors. Try this classic Watermelon Volcano. Expect a dramatic eruption!

Who doesn't love camping? Now the weather is improving it’s the ideal time to set up camp outside.

Kids will love colouring their clothes! It is a great way to have some fun this Spring, and by moving it outside, no one has to worry about the mess it comes with.

Have your very own scavenger hunt in your garden where your kids have to find a whole list of natural items. Get them to spot different animals, trees, leaves, and plants. Here's a handy download to help you get scavenging.

If your kids adore painting, this is an activity that they will love. Creative kids will enjoy searching for suitable rocks that they can paint. There are lots of tutorials for painting rocks for kids online.

The simplest activities can often leave the most lasting memories for kids. Do you remember how to skip a stone, make a daisy chain or blow a grass whistle?

Go for a moonwalk with your mini astrologers and trace the constellations of stars. Your daily walk doesn’t have to be at the same time every day.

Who doesn’t love keeping a diary? Have your kids keep track of what they see when outdoors in a nature notebook.

Pick some leaves and a few flowers. Give kids a plastic container, a wooden spoon, some water and licence to dig in the dirt. Now let them loose on making their magic potions in the garden.

Recycle your old plastic bottles and use them to make a bowling alley outdoors. Put a bit of water in each one to make sure that they stand up. Use a tennis ball to roll along the floor to knock them over. This is an easy and fun home version of bowling.

Get your brood up for the sunrise and see the moment the sun lights up the sky. You will also hear the birds singing their dawn chorus. Look at the weather forecast the night before.

Bird spotting is great fun and so easy! Just get your binoculars, make a checklist and do some bird spotting. Here’s a checklist to get you started.

Make your way to the garden and learn a routine as a family. Here is an online tutorial of Uptown Funk.

Set up race in the garden – not only is it a great way to keep your body healthy but kids will love a challenge.

Everyone has a few magic tricks up their sleeve! Or you and your kids can learn some from a how-to video YouTube and show the whole family in the garden.

Kids will enjoy disappearing off into a fantasy world to read a book. Audible has some amazing options too.

Everyone loves making a flower crown. It’s a great way to be creative and is amazing for fine motor skills. As well as a daisy chain, you can also use leaves and twigs. Find out how to make a pretty floral crown here.  

Why not learn an impressive circus skill like juggling outdoors! Not only will it improve hand-eye coordination but it will impress the whole family. Here are 5 easy circus skills you can learn.

Mini gymnasts will love getting outdoors to hone and practise their skill. Here is how to do an easy cartwheel for kids and beginners.

Collect leaves, flowers and petals from your daily walk or garden in a bucket. Once you are home, either use a flower press or put them between a heavy book.

Whether it's playing a classic board game or having a pillow fight, bring it outside where you can soak up some vitamin D.

This is the perfect time to learn a new skill or improve an existing one and tennis is a game you can start to learn to play at any age. All you will need are some tennis rackets and balls. Here are some top tips.

If it’s too hot to go for a long walk, it’s the ideal time to have an all-out family water fight. Turn it into a competition and fill balloons with water and play a game of dodgeball.

Give your kids some paper and ask them to find things in the garden to paint with. No need for paintbrushes!

Get outdoors and work together to build a tiny nature house. Use whatever you can find in the garden – leaves, twigs and acorn tops.