Adams Media - Kids Backyard Activities & Games: 25 Fun and Safe Kids Activities

Who said staying home means staying indoors? When days get longer (in more ways than one!), head outside with the whole family for some energy-releasing, family-friendly fun.

From Water Painting to Picnic Ants to Flour Bombs and making your own binoculars, everyone will feel like a kid againand no one will feel bored! So change into your play clothes, grab your sense of adventure, and head outside. While the activities and games in this ebook are made for kids, theres no age limit on fun!

This is a magical science experiment to conduct with in the backyard. Children can see clearly how plants drink.

Activity Materials

• 1 stalk of celery or 1 head Queen Annes lace
• 1 clear cup or glass of water
• Food coloring
• Scissors

1. Fill a clear glass with water. Add enough food coloring to distinctly color the water.
2. Cut off one end of the celery stalk or flower stem and place it in the glass. Make sure the cut end is under the water. See how long it takes for the celery to take on the color of the water.

You will be surprised how easy it is to get a nice result from pressing flowers. Use flowers from your garden or flowering bush if you have them, or find some interestingly shaped leaves if you dont.

Activity Materials

• Flowers or leaves
• Waxed paper or newspaper
• Wooden blocks or a large hardcover book

Arrange the blossoms between layers of newspaper or waxed paper. Press them under the wooden blocks or between the pages of the large book.

This is a great rainy-day activity that will show kids how water reacts with other materials. Encourage children to experiment with mixing colors.

Activity Materials

• Food coloring
• Paper plates

1. Let kids create a colorful design by putting drops of food coloring onto paper plates.
2. Take their creation out in the rain to observe how the colors run when the rain falls on them. Be sure to stop before all the color is washed away or the plate becomes too soggy.
3. Return indoors and let the altered picture dry.

This variation on the classic is designed for young children. It lets all players feel successful. Make sure to leave plenty of room to chase down errant bean bags!

Activity Materials

• 1 hula hoop or large ring
• Bean bags or soft balls

1. Place the hula hoop on the ground in a flat area.
2. Designate a place for each player to stand. Younger children should be closer to the hula hoop than older ones.
3. Show the children how to toss the beanbag, and encourage them to get it inside the hula hoop. If they are having a lot of difficulty, you can move them closer to the ring.

Both adults and children will love these simple and colorful creations! You can use colored tissue paper instead of dying the coffee filters. Let the kids place these butterflies outside around your yard.

Activity Materials

• Disposable coffee filters
• Food coloring
• Wooden clothespins
• White craft glue
• Markers
• Pipe cleaner, cut into 2-inch segments

1. Open a coffee filter, and have children squeeze different colored drops of food coloring onto it. The colors will blend together in a beautiful design.
2. Fold the colored filter into a fan shape and help your child insert it into the clothespin. Leave an equal amount of the filter on each side of the pin. Fluff out the coffee filter so that it looks like wings.
3. Tell the kids to glue on the pipe cleaners to make antennae and use markers to make eyes on the head of the clothespin.

This is a very gratifying activity because kids can see the sprouting process up close. A backyard deck or patio is a great spot to undertake this experiment.

Activity Materials

• Zip-top plastic bag
• Paper towels
• Bean seeds

Moisten the paper towel with very clean hands and slide it into the plastic bag. Add seeds and seal. Keep the towel damp and place the bag in a sunny spot.

This classic activity is still one of the best ways to spend an afternoon. What a great way to enjoy some quiet and quality time with your kids!

Activity Materials

• None required

Find a nice clear area where you and your children can lie down and watch the clouds. Be sure to encourage them to use their imagination. Do they see animals, people, different shapes?

This game can be played indoors or outdoors and will help children become more observant. You may wish to provide them with an old sheet and some fabric paints and let them decorate their own picnic blanket.

Activity Materials

• 1 picnic blanket or sheet
• Assorted picnic items, such as thermos, paper plates, and napkins

1. Spread out the picnic blanket and arrange the picnic prop items in the center.
2. Have all the children close their eyes. Play the part of the pesky ant: Remove one item and hide it behind your back. (You may also choose one of the children to serve as the ant.)
3. Ask the children to open their eyes and guess which item was removed.

What a great way to cool off on a warm day! Like all water activities, adult supervision is needed at all times.

Activity Materials

• Garden hose

1. Take and keep control of the hose. Be sure not to spray any child who does not want to get wet, and try to avoid squirting anyone above the shoulders.
2. Try a game of water limbo. Hold the hose so that the water sprays straight across, and challenge the kids to duck under the spray without getting wet. Lower the water stream after everyone has had a turn.
3. Hold the hose so water sprays in a long stream across the ground, and encourage players to jump over. To increase the challenge, wiggle the hose.

Not only will your kids enjoy making this project, but the finished bird feeder will attract birds for them to watch and enjoy!

Activity Materials

• 1 large pinecone
• 12-inch length of yarn or twine
• 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 1 cup birdseed
• Shallow bowl or pie tin

1. Attach the yarn to the pinecone. Make a loop at the loose end for hanging the bird feeder.
2. Help your child spread the peanut butter on the pinecone.
3. Pour the birdseed into the bowl. Show your child how to roll the coated pinecone in the seeds to coat it.
4. Take your bird feeder outside, and hang it where your child will be able to watch the visiting birds.

This activity seems to work like magic. This is a fun way to explore the suns power as well as shadows and shapes.

Activity Materials

• A variety of objects with different shapes
• Dark-colored construction paper

1. Ask kids to help you find objects to use to make silhouettes. Flat objects work best. Some good examples include keys, erasers, forks, and shoelaces.