After a year of lockdowns, six in 10 families want to spend more quality time together outdoors this summer, since enjoying nature became more important than ever during the pandemic.
The poll shows that families want to make the most of getting outside but are sometimes lacking inspiration for how to turn the day into a fun adventure.
TV presenter and nature enthusiast, Helen Skelton, says, “I think over the last 18 months we have exhausted our ideas bank.”
67 percent of parents have struggled to come up with ideas to keep their child amused since the pandemic began.
Indeed, the top ten outdoor family activities that parents said they plan to do this summer are fairly standard:
Have a picnic, watch the sun set, go to theme parks, ride bikes, swim in the sea, visit nature reserves, go sightseeing, jump in the waves, pick fruit, and build sandcastles.
So, Skelton teamed up with the sunscreen brand Soltan, which commissioned the poll, to come up with some tips to help parents foster fun adventures this summer—from map making and obstacle courses to cloud-spotting and treasure hunts.
‘Glamping’ (glamorous camping in an RV), according to the survey, was a top activity that families have never done but would consider for the first time this year, but there are many ideas from Helen to keep children entertained for free.
Become a wildlife ranger: When out exploring, take a closer look at the nature around you. Before you head outside, make a list of the creatures you’d like to spot and see if you can find them all during your adventures.
Create a nature obstacle course: Use the landscape around you to create the ultimate obstacle course.
Nature bracelets: Before heading off on a hike, take a piece of masking tape and put it around your wrist, sticky side out. Once you’re out and about, find pieces of nature to stick onto the bracelet: twigs, grass, fallen petals.
Go on a rainbow hunt: Go for a walk with your family and find something from every color of the rainbow to create your very own wildlife museum. It could be a pink petal, some yellow straw or a green leaf.
Learn to find your way with a map: Find a paper map of the area and start off by working out where you are right now on the map. Choose an end point and plan your route there, making sure the map is facing in the right direction.
Cloud spotting: The aim of the game is to see what unusual or unexpected things you can see in the clouds. Do you see a snake, a star or a face?
Make natural art: When out and about, collect fallen leaves, petals and sticks and use them to make a picture when you get home.
Build a twig raft: If you come across a source of water like a river or a lake, build a raft using objects you find around you and see how long it floats for.
Build a wildlife hotel: Collect fallen branches you come across when you’re out exploring to build a wildlife den that small animals can use for protection and shelter.
We hope these ideas will give your creativity a jumpstart for your next family adventure.
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