Earth Day is on April 22nd, so what better time to get those kids outdoors on a nature walk? Earth Day activities don’t need to be complicated. In fact, sometimes it is the simplest of activities that can be the most meaningful to little ones.
Going on a nature walk is simple, full of fun and learning, and a great way to spend time outdoors as a family. And we have got LOTS of nature walk ideas for kids.
Sometimes we plan a specific activity for a nature walk, but more often than not, we simply go for a walk and activities and learning find us! When we do plan activities, we keep them simple and open-ended. The best tip I have for nature walking with kids is to allow lots of time. Lots of time to explore and discover.
So if you are ready to get those little ones out on a nature walk, but looking for a little inspiration, these ideas are for you.
Nature Walk Ideas for Kids
1. Leaf Sewing. This fun nature walk idea is very versatile. Perhaps you could use this idea to pick up garbage on an Earth Day nature walk?! All you need is a pipecleaner or two.
2. A Playdough Nature Walk. Bring some playdough along for some added learning about imprints and textures. This is a great way to use up that old playdough!
3. Exploring the 5 Senses. This was a fun nature walk series where we explored nature walk ideas for kids using all 5 of the senses! We even did some tasting – that was a great experience for everyone. This could stretch into an Earth-Week, with a new nature walk idea each day.
4. Develop Language. There are so many opportunities for language development when outside on a nature walk. Here is one of our most popular posts – 5 Natural Language Development Activities for Toddlers.
5. Winter Nature Walk. Still have snow? So do we … but there is still lots of fun to be had on a winter nature walk! Here is a whole post on winter nature walk ideas for kids.
6. Learn about Moss (or anything!). A neat nature walk idea for kids is to focus on one single thing. It is interesting to look at something in such detail!
7. ‘Just’ a Nature Walk. As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, most often we go out and simply explore and discover without a plan. I kept track of one of these walks – you are most welcome to read what we did!
So this Earth Day, in the spirit of keeping things simple and meaningful for my little ones, we will be outside. Exploring, discovering, and appreciating our natural world.
After all, children must gain an understanding and appreciation for the environment if they are ever going to fight to protect it.
Looking for other Earth Day activities?
A Simple Earth Day Craft for Kids
How to Make Nature Belts (SO EASY and AWESOME!)
Breathtaking Nature Crafts for Kids
I hope you find an Earth Day Activity just right for you and yours. Happy nature walks friends!
Lots of great ideas here, Sarah! Like you, we usually just head out the door with no particular purpose in mind, but sometimes it’s fun to focus on an activity as well!
Great ideas to make nature hikes educational and enjoyable!
Thank you Melissa! And thanks for joining in with your Earth Day post on Backyard chores!
Lots of good ideas. Nature walks and hiking are our favorite. Always looking ways to make them more fun for the kids.
Thank you Mae – and thanks for joining in on the Earth Day Activities!
Love all of these ideas! I don’t think I would have ever considered using playdough for a nature walk!
So many great ideas! Thanks for sharing. We like going on “noticing walks” where we try to pay close attention and see how many beautiful or new things we can notice – so fun, and the kids love it!
I think it’s great if we expose kids in taking care of the nature and let them explore the beauty of it through walking and hiking. It really is amazing to see these kids grow and love the wonders of nature especially in hiking.
Thanks for visiting Grace – Absolutely! Helping little ones grow to love and respect nature is definitely vital. Thank you for taking the time to comment,