The amount of time that kids spend outdoors these days is alarmingly low. Conversely, kids are spending more time than ever on screens. This is concerning as children and nature can have a special relationship. A variety of different research points toward the idea that children grow up healthier (both physically and mentally) and overall more resilient when they spend time in the “Great Outdoors.”
Honestly, there’s no better place to do just that than here in beautiful Bozeman and Big Sky, MT.
At Blanchford Landscape Group, one of our passions is to find ways to get kids outside. We believe that with the right outdoor living spaces, families find themselves spending more time outdoors and that’s beneficial for everyone.
With it being a personal mission to help bring children and nature together, I (Andy Blanchford, company owner), have lots of ideas about inspiring outdoor play.
Here are some of the best outdoor activities for kids.
1. Build a Natural Playground
Kids love natural play elements because there is no “correct way” to use them. Manufactured playground elements were designed by adults with a right and a wrong way to use them. For example, “don’t climb up the slide! Climb up the ladder!”
But kids love playtime because they can be free. When there begins to be a lot of rules associated with it, it can take away some of that fun. But a natural playground can foster truly innovative play.
Oftentimes, a natural playground can also easily be modified to become attractive landscape elements after the kids are grown. Let’s look at some ideas for creating a natural playground.
Add a Boulder Retaining Wall
When you add a wall of boulders, kids can climb and jump, while it’s simultaneously serving an important retention function on your property.
If you have a kid that really loves to climb, you might even consider adding a wood or concrete wall with foot holds. They can learn to mountain climb from their own backyard!
Make Topography Their Playground
Kids love rolling down a hill or playing “king of the mountain.” Hills are great for sledding in the winter, too. You could also build an inground slide into the hill and add boulders to climb up. This can transform an ordinary hill into an amazing play space.
Incorporate Caves or Tunnels
Kids love to hide and to explore! Adding a cave or a tunnel to a natural playground is a great way to inspire creative play.
2. Build a Treehouse or a Fort
While your dream outdoor living area might be a patio with a fire feature, your son or daughter’s dream outdoor area is probably a treehouse or a fort. Just like your outdoor living area inspires you to spend more time, so will theirs!
Of course, not all properties have an ideal tree for building a treehouse, which is why a fort is also a great choice. We’ve seen these built as little houses on stilts or even right on the ground. Maybe you don’t want to build a permanent structure. You can let the kids set up a backyard tent or even take a DIY approach with some blankets and sticks. Let the kids take the lead and be creative in building their own little hang-out. 
The idea is to give kids their own space. Think of it as the kids’ “clubhouse.” When you give them a special place to go, you’ll find them spending more time there. That means less screens and more time in nature.
3. Just Add Water—and Fire!
Water and fire features are often thought of as being enhancements for the grownups to enjoy. But the truth is, kids love these add-ons, too.
Kids love to play in water. Add a waterfall or a pond to your space and incorporate a sand area where they can play. Consider adding fish and water plants. They’ll be able to learn about nature. Kids also love caring for and feeding the fish.
You can also add a fire pit for the whole family to enjoy. Teach kids about safety around a fire (an important lifelong lesson). If you have older children, teach them how to start a fire. Spend time as a family around the fire pit roasting marshmallows and stargazing! You’ll stay warm even as the nights get cold.
4. Invite the Kids to Enjoy the Patio with You
Again, hardscape areas are often thought of as space for the adults. But let your kids enjoy these spaces, too. Let them use sidewalk chalk to decorate the patio or play hopscotch. Allow them the chance to have fun on the patio and they’ll want to spend time there.
When you add hardscaping, you’ll likely also find yourself having more functionality with your outdoor space. Now you can enjoy your family meals outside. Or, grab a board game and play it on the patio!
Do what it takes to get kids outside and off their screens!
5. Do Nature Scavenger Hunts
Get the whole family outside and participate in a nature scavenger hunt. Set up your own clues and plant prizes along the way. Have the kids use maps and learn to start navigating and orienteering on their own.
You can also do simple scavenger hunts by simply sending kids with a list of items to find in nature. How many different leaves, bugs, birds, rocks, and flowers can they collect or take a photo of? My kids and I made a whole scrapbook of pressed leaves one Fall. When you spend time outside, you create special memories.
6. Combine Children and Nature WITH Technology
If you have tech-savvy kids who really love their technology, you can combine children and nature with technology by geocaching. Send them out the door with a phone and an assignment to find a few caches in the area. They learn wayfinding and gain some independence and confidence.
You can find other ways to integrate technology with outdoor activities, as well. For example, go outside on a clear night and use an anatomy app to identify the stars and planets. Use plant ID apps and bird apps to identify what you’re seeing in nature.
Technology is obviously part of our everyday lives. It’s a win when we can find ways to use it to enhance outdoor experiences (not detract from them). After all, the last thing that we want is to be out enjoying nature while our kids are on their cell phones playing a video game or texting. Find ways to engage them with nature.
7. Let Them Get Dirty (and Don’t Make it Too Safe!)
For kids, part of the fun of being outside is getting dirty! We all have washing machines. Let the kids play in the mud or get their shoes wet. If they’re outside and having fun, it’s worth it!
On that same token, although not all parents necessarily want to hear this, I believe that we shouldn’t sterilize play experiences by making them so “safe.”
Scrapes, bumps, and bruises are all part of life. A kid who has never had a scrape because everything has been made so safe may not be so resilient as they grow up. Ultimately, we want kids to be confident and independent and allowing them to get hurt, and to learn in the process, is important.
8. If You Want to Get Kids Outside, Don’t Let the Weather Stop You
We have many different kinds of weather here in Montana and none of it is “good,” or “bad.” It’s just part of life and nature—and all of it is interesting!
It’s okay to get wet, cold, hot, or dirty. You can have a plan to get warm, cool, dry, or clean. When we teach kids that they can’t go outside because of the weather, we limit them and give them another reason to be inside.
9. Enroll in Outdoor Camps or Programs
Lots of programs and camps already exist that will help get your kids spending more time outdoors. Explore Scouting programs to find more outdoor-oriented people. Look for outdoor events that the whole family can attend on weekends. There are often lots of pre-planned opportunities to take advantage of.
Also, consider signing up for outdoor activities with family and friends. Kids enjoy being outdoors even more when they’re with a pal!
10. Model an Outdoor Lifestyle
If you tell your child to go spend more time outside while sitting inside all day, you can be sure they won’t want to do it.
If you really want to get kids inspired to spend time outside, YOU need to spend time outside.
You might also consider rewarding them for outdoor accomplishments. We give our kids a few gummy bears for every kilometer on longer hikes that we do as a family. 
If this is something that you’re serious about committing to, I would recommend the book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. He talks about “Nature Deficit Disorder” and how getting outside is so important to a child’s healthy development.
I would also personally recommend the Children and Nature Network for additional resources. They have a great website that will inspire you to get the kids outside.
Outdoor Living is a Breath of Fresh Air For the Whole Family
At Blanchford Landscape Group, we believe that outdoor living is a breath of fresh air. Spending time outside truly is good for you and will help you relax and reduce stress.
And if it’s good for you, you can be sure it’s good for your kids, too!
We know that every property is unique and every homeowner has their own wants and needs. That’s why we love working with people and finding ways that we can help create spaces that allow them to spend more time outside. There’s no question that quality of life is enhanced when we spend more time outdoors and we love that we get to be a part of those efforts.
As you think about getting your family outdoors, we’d love to be involved in any ideas that you have.
As you can likely tell, we’re passionate about creating outdoor spaces where our clients can make lifelong memories. It’s truly the reason we got into this industry in the first place. You inspire us to create beautiful and functional spaces that bring children and nature together.
Are you ready to get the process of designing your outdoor living area started at your Bozeman or Big Sky, MT home? Let’s connect and talk about your project. Then, we can meet and begin talking about your ideas! We can’t wait for you to be able to enjoy your amazing space.
