Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard.
When was the last time you ran down a hill at top speed – with no fear of falling, no inhibitions, no thoughts other than reaching the bottom of said hill? Yeah, I can’t remember, either.
But my kids do it all the time. Just this week, the little explorer found ever-the-slightest grade on a grassy hill at the park and ran up and down it more times than I can count.
Running brings him such delight – running in nature most of all. Green hills. Brown hills. Leaves scattered on the ground beneath his feet. Wet grass. Mud. All of it brings shrieks of joy and a seemingly endless supply of energy.
Extra fun is had if a friend (or family member) joins in on the action.
As spring gears up for its triumphant return, keep this in mind: There’s a hill out there with your name on it. And a child who’d love to race you to the top and back.
Take-Home Tips
- Don’t worry about minor spills. They’re inevitable. This is where your kiddos earn their grass stains (or mud stains), so resist the urge to prevent them.
- Join the fun. Forget whatever excuses you might have and go for it. A penny says your troubles vanish the moment you start running downhill.
More Ideas for Spring Outdoor Fun
- Have fun with body painting.
- Paint flowerpots.
- Download the Nature Rocks Spring Activity Guide.
- Or try one of these 50 ways to explore nature in your own backyard.
That sounds like fun! 🙂
My son Tyler loves running up and sliding down hills, he gets his jeans filthy with ground in mud and grass stains, but he sure does have fun getting dirty!
@Jamie: Wow – a hill in your back yard? I can't imagine the fun we'd have! Thanks so much for featuring this post in your fantastic round up!
Thanks for the reminder of the simple things that can be so much fun! Our backyard is a hill. The entire thing. The hill is calling us :)<br /><br />I'm going to feature this in a huge round up of ways to get kids moving on Friday — Come by check out all the other features on Friday — I'm pretty excited about this round up of energy busters!<br /><br />Jamie @ <a href="http://
@Laura: Always fun to meet a fellow outdoor mom! :)<br /><br />@Curly Birds: Thanks for stopping by! Can't wait to let my boys paint all over themselves, too. Maybe with pudding?!
My girls love to run/roll/slide down hills – thanks to you, next time I will remember to join them.<br /><br />Thank you for mentioning our painting fun.
Fabulous! Love the outdoor JOY. 🙂 I'm totally in there, doing it with my kids. Love the links too. Thanks for visiting my blog!
@Cat: Couldn't agree more!<br /><br />@Abbie: There must be something to the second child thing – the little explorer is fearless, too. He makes a good companion to his much more thoughtful older brother.
So fun! Sam is still little enough that hills are scary things. She is hesitant to run and just let go. I try to demonstrate and hope that she will relax. Maybe sometime this summer if her little sister (who is fearless and ruthless) is doing it she will be able to. <br />Great Fun Friday!
I definitely think this is one of those activities that lets adults recapture a bit of being a child if they join in!