Fostering Children’s Love for Nature – 30 Fun Outdoor Activities

Do you want to specifically promote children's connection to their natural environment? Then you've come to the right place! Children are curious by nature and prefer to discover the world with all their senses. But in times of digital media, parents' busy schedules and fewer and fewer natural play areas, the connection to nature is in danger of being lost.

Yet it is extremely important for their development, Time outside in the open air to spend. By running, wondering and exploring, children develop valuable characteristics such as creativity, empathy and mindfulness. But how do you get children excited about nature through play?

In this article, I'll introduce you to practical tips that you can use to strengthen children's connection to nature in a playful and sustainable way. You'll also find out briefly about the benefits of these educational aids. Let's go!

Benefits: Why Fostering a Connection to Nature in Childhood Is Important

In the early phase of her life Nature provides children with intellectual, physical and spiritual benefits. Among other things, exercise in the fresh air strengthens the Immune systemimproves the Motor skills and increases the Self-esteem.

Bb Running, climbing or balancing - When playing in the countryside, the Movement not too short. Activity is simply more fun outdoors!

At the same time, nature awakens the Spirit of discovery and invites you to explore and learn with curiosity. The Creativity is encouraged, as natural materials stimulate the imagination and enable free play.

In addition, children develop positive traits like a stronger Sense of responsibilityby learning about the value of plants and animals and training mindfulness for their environment. The respectful treatment of nature also promotes the emotional intelligence and strengthens the Empathy.

In today's digital world, it is also particularly valuable that time spent in the countryside can Promote concentration and at the same time the Sensory overload reduce stress. Time spent in the countryside makes children happier and, according to studies, even acts as a buffer against stressful life events.

Last but not least, it playfully expands the Knowledge about nature and sustainabilitywhen children experience ecological relationships at first hand. And if you learn to love nature as a child, you will most likely want to protect it in your adult life too 🙂

Tip: Why children need natureI explain in more detail in the linked article.

30 Tips: How to Foster Children’s Connection to Nature

Children prefer to discover the world through play - and nature offers endless opportunities to do so. Parents can awaken their curiosity by shared experiences in the countryside create, Space for independent discovery and the Integrating nature into everyday life.

Here are simple ideas and tips that parents, teachers or educators can use to spark children's interest in nature. Where appropriate, I have also added a suitable recommendation or also further articles added 🙂

Tipps #1-10: Effective Ways to Strengthen Kids’ Bond with Nature

1. Explore the forest, meadow and water: Let your child turn over stones, look for animal tracks and go on an outdoor treasure hunt. (e.g. with these discovery cards with clear search assignments*)
2. Planting a tree together: Children experience how a small seedling becomes a large tree - a connection that lasts for years. (alternatively e.g. Buy young trees here*)
3. Making DIY projects for animals: For example, build a bird house, an insect hotel or an insect house together. Sandarium for earth-nesting wild bees. (you can find dozens of tips in the Nature Garden Blog)
4. Walk barefoot: Feel the cool grass or the warm sand under your feet together - and walk through cold streams or rustling leaves. Nature feels different every time.
5. Create a raised bed and grow vegetables: Children learn responsibility and patience and experience the growth and joy of the harvest. (here is a Raised bed* & a Plant set*)
6. Experience a micro-adventure together: Spend a night in a tent, for example, organize a scavenger hunt with other kids or go on a wild herb hike. (see Microadventure ideas)
7. Crafting with natural materials: Collect leaves, cones, stones or shells and use them to conjure up creative works of art. (e.g. design flower wreaths or fill this solar preserving jar* with it)
8. Collect wild berries, mushrooms, herbs & co: Look for wild foods and prepare jams, teas or whole dishes together. (Here is a map of Germany)
9. Protecting nature in everyday life: Move forward together! For example, pick up litter on a walk or help snails and toads to the other side of the path or road.
10. Observing animals in nature: For example, identify animals with binoculars from a high seat or insects with a magnifying glass at close range. (Identification book tip: My big nature guide*)

Tipps #11-20: Effective Ways to Strengthen Kids’ Bond with Nature

11. Choose nature education facilities: If possible, give preference to schools, daycare centers or kindergartens with a focus on nature education. (e.g. with an educational program such as AckerRacker)
12. Reading nature books together: Carve out some reading time together. For example, read picture books or "The naturalist's book - to join in and fill out". (is available here*)
13. Experimenting with water: For example, build boats out of bark, let flat stones flit across the water, follow rainwater streams or go on a canoe trip - this promotes an understanding of nature.
14. Consciously perceive the sounds of nature: Listen to the rustling of leaves, recognize bird calls or hear the buzzing of insects. (see Soothing nature sounds)
15. Climbing in the treetops: Climbing teaches children balance, courage and how to enjoy the world from above. Of course, caution is required - but every child should be allowed to experience nature.
16. Go on excursions to nature reserves: Explore forests (Tip: Forest bathing), moors, mountains, city parks or lakes. Your child will get to know special animals and plants that are rare in everyday life.
17. Experience the weather up close: The best way for children to develop their love of nature is through play. For example, jumping in puddles in wellies, making snow angels, collecting icicles or flying kites.
18. Create a wild corner in the garden: Bring nature into the garden! Create a beetle cellar, builds a sandarium, constructs a deadwood hedge and scatters these native wildflower seeds*.
19. Set up the weather station: With a rain gauge, thermometer and wind wheel, children can experience how the weather changes from day to day. This makes it much easier for them to understand natural processes.
20. Introduce common nature rituals: Phenomena get children excited about nature. For example, regularly observe sunsets or photographically record the changing seasons of a place.

Tip: Spending time together with the children in nature automatically strengthens your sense of connection with nature. But how we adults to strengthen our connection to nature even more specifically or even win them back, I explain in more detail in the linked article.

Tipps #21-30: Effective Ways to Strengthen Kids’ Bond with Nature

21. Using nature as a playground: For example, let your children build a hut out of branches, make a seesaw out of a tree trunk, throw leaves in the air or create exciting nature trails.
22. Watching nature documentaries together: Children's closeness to nature can also be encouraged from the couch. These animal films and nature documentaries from ARD serve for example the Environmental Education.
23. Asking the right questions: With questions such as "Why do trees lose their leaves in the fall?" or "What happens to rainwater?" you encourage children to think about nature.
24. Keep a nature diary: Your child can write down all their discoveries, draw them or record them creatively with found objects. (Recommendation: My nature adventure diary*)
25. Being outside at night: Watch the starry sky with your child, discover fireflies together and simply spend the night outside. (e.g. in a tent or under the open sky in the garden)
26. Admire the sky playfully: For example, let your kids guess cloud shapes and discover constellations. These are playful moments that also encourage imagination and a connection with nature.
27. Go to the Natural History Museum: A visit to the Natural History Museum gets children excited about animals, plants and the history of the earth. A Animal-friendly alternative to zoos and similar facilities.
28. Create a wild shrub hedge: It provides shelter and food for birds, insects and other garden animals - and is a great nature project for children to follow. (see Insect shrubs)
29. Visit nature clubs: Scout groups, vacation camps, wilderness schools and forest kindergartens offer children the opportunity to experience and playfully explore nature together with their peers.
30. Helping out on farms of mercy: Life farms rescue animals from Factory Farming and look after them. Just ask if you can help. This combines education, compassion, responsibility and closeness to nature.

Recommended Books and Studies on Children’s Connection to Nature

Now you have lots of tips at your fingertips for encouraging children to connect with nature. At this point, I would like to share my Sources for the knowledge contained in this article.

If you would like to delve deeper into the topic of children's connection to nature, I can recommend the following books and scientific studies:

• Ulrich Gebhard: Child and nature - The importance of nature for psychological developmentSpringer VS, 5th edition, Wiesbaden 2020 (You can get the book here*)
• Andreas Raith and Armin Lude: Starting capital nature - How experiencing nature promotes child developmentoekom verlag, Munich 2014 (You can get the book here*)
• Anke Wolfram: Handbook of nature education (you can get the book here*)
• Ben Hoare: Wonderful world of nature - a nature picture book for the whole familyDorling Kindersley Verlag, Munich 2020 (You can get the book here*)
• Richard Louv: Last Child in the Woods - Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit DisorderAtlantic Books, Algonquin 2005 (You can get the book here*)
• Time in nature benefits children with mental health difficultiesMcGill University, Montreal, November 15, 2024 (to the study)
• Fyfe-Johnson AL, Hazlehurst MF, Perrins SP; Et al: Nature and Children's Health: A Systematic Review. Pediatrics. 2021 Oct;148(4):e2020049155. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-049155. Epub 2021 Sep 29. PMID: 34588297. (żur study)

Fostering a Love for Nature in Children Made Easy!

Whether book, barefoot path, handicraft unit or tree plants - It's often the little thingsthat will be remembered and make it easier for children to access nature.

With a little creativity, patience and enthusiasm you can sharpen their eye for the beauty of their environment - and ensure that mindfulness, respect and a sense of responsibility grow naturally with them.

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."

Albert Einstein (more under Nature quotes)

I hope that this article has given you some inspiring ideas for getting children interested in nature. Do you have any questions, suggestions or other great tips for bringing children closer to nature? Then I look forward to your comment.

Links: Environmental protection at school, What we can learn from children... + Environmental education...

Stay close to nature,

PS: We too Adults can learn many things from children. In the linked article, you will now find out which characteristics of children would be good for us adults.