101 Things to Do Outdoors
On a fine day with nothing to do, find an outdoor pursuit. Whether you ride a horse or take a stroll, the fresh air will boost your spirits
When the sun is out, the birds are singing, and there’s not a hint of bad weather, thoughts turn to the great outdoors. But even if there’s a chill in the air, there’s always a fun thing to do that’s beckoning you to leave your indoor cocoon. If it’s cold and damp, rug up, pull on a beanie and jump into some gumboots. If it’s hot and humid, don a sunhat, slap on sunscreen and slip into thongs. Then grab the sporting gear of your choice for a work-out or arm yourself with a walking stick, a camera and a map to follow a less energy-sapping activity like strolling. A perfect day should not go to waste!
For more action-packed adventures, take advantage of what’s on offer in your local environment. If you’re lucky enough to live by the sea, try surfing, if you live by a lake, go boating, if you live by a stream, try fishing. If your home is near a field, fly a kite, a forest, hike a trail, a community garden, tend to some plants. Wherever you live, there’s plenty to do. Here are 101 sure-fire ideas to encourage an outdoor life. All you need is get set, get ready and explore!
For more action-packed adventures, take advantage of what’s on offer in your local environment. If you’re lucky enough to live by the sea, try surfing, if you live by a lake, go boating, if you live by a stream, try fishing. If your home is near a field, fly a kite, a forest, hike a trail, a community garden, tend to some plants. Wherever you live, there’s plenty to do. Here are 101 sure-fire ideas to encourage an outdoor life. All you need is get set, get ready and explore!
9. Plant a vegetable garden
10. Paint or draw outside
11. Try to identify bird calls
12. Skip a stone
10. Paint or draw outside
11. Try to identify bird calls
12. Skip a stone
13. Grab a board and ride a wave
14. Explore a park
15. Play totem tennis
16. Set up a bird bath
17. Look for driftwood along the coast
18. Photograph outdoor scenes and animals
19. Make banksia men
14. Explore a park
15. Play totem tennis
16. Set up a bird bath
17. Look for driftwood along the coast
18. Photograph outdoor scenes and animals
19. Make banksia men
20. Keep your motor running
21. Draw designs on the footpath with chalk
22. Plant a native garden
23. Bury a time capsule
21. Draw designs on the footpath with chalk
22. Plant a native garden
23. Bury a time capsule
24. Go to the beach for a swim
25. Visit a waterfall
26. Catch and release Christmas beetles
27. Comb the beach for seashells
28. Photograph clouds
29. Watch ants
30. Hook up a ring-tail possum box for nesting
25. Visit a waterfall
26. Catch and release Christmas beetles
27. Comb the beach for seashells
28. Photograph clouds
29. Watch ants
30. Hook up a ring-tail possum box for nesting
31. Hit a hole-in-one
32. Smell flowers
33. Look for shapes in the clouds
34. Collect rocks for paperweights
35. Row a boat
36. Collect mulberries
37. Go skating or skiing
32. Smell flowers
33. Look for shapes in the clouds
34. Collect rocks for paperweights
35. Row a boat
36. Collect mulberries
37. Go skating or skiing
38. Catch a fish
39. Lie in the grass and look up through the leaves of a tree
40. Follow a trail
41. Learn to pan for gold
42. Make leaf prints
43. Coach a team
44. Listen to cicadas
45. Pitch a tent
39. Lie in the grass and look up through the leaves of a tree
40. Follow a trail
41. Learn to pan for gold
42. Make leaf prints
43. Coach a team
44. Listen to cicadas
45. Pitch a tent
46. Go water skiing
47. Play chess on the verandah
48. Learn how to tie different knots
49. Count the kinds of trees in your backyard
47. Play chess on the verandah
48. Learn how to tie different knots
49. Count the kinds of trees in your backyard
50. Rock climb the wall
51. Take a walk under the full moon
52. Chase and catch butterflies
53. Skateboard a bowl
54. Join a community garden group
55. Mulch around your plants
56. Make a tire swing
57. Identify stars in the night sky
51. Take a walk under the full moon
52. Chase and catch butterflies
53. Skateboard a bowl
54. Join a community garden group
55. Mulch around your plants
56. Make a tire swing
57. Identify stars in the night sky
58. Pick some flowers
59. Make a naturalist notebook
60. Photograph spider webs
61. Play a guitar and sing to the sky
62. Make a pebble garden
63. Look for birds’ nests
64. Count gum nuts
65. Look under rocks
66. Do tai chi
59. Make a naturalist notebook
60. Photograph spider webs
61. Play a guitar and sing to the sky
62. Make a pebble garden
63. Look for birds’ nests
64. Count gum nuts
65. Look under rocks
66. Do tai chi
67. Ride a bicycle
68. Make a daisy chain
69. Rake leaves
70. Roll down a hill
68. Make a daisy chain
69. Rake leaves
70. Roll down a hill
71. Splash about in gumboots after rain
72. Fly a kite
73. Cook a barbecue for friends
74. Feed a rosella or cockatoo
75. Blow bubbles for a baby
76. Collect hail stones after a storm
77. Look at tree bark with a magnifying glass
78. Match fallen leaves with trees
79. Watch the sunrise
72. Fly a kite
73. Cook a barbecue for friends
74. Feed a rosella or cockatoo
75. Blow bubbles for a baby
76. Collect hail stones after a storm
77. Look at tree bark with a magnifying glass
78. Match fallen leaves with trees
79. Watch the sunrise
80. Hike up a mountain
81. Go orienteering, follow a map
82. Take a coastal walk
83. Climb a tree
84. Laugh like a kookaburra
85. Collect twigs and make things with them
86. Volunteer to pick-up litter in bushland
87. Walk barefoot in the grass
81. Go orienteering, follow a map
82. Take a coastal walk
83. Climb a tree
84. Laugh like a kookaburra
85. Collect twigs and make things with them
86. Volunteer to pick-up litter in bushland
87. Walk barefoot in the grass
88. Take the dogs outside for a play
89. Make a bird feeder
90. Play French cricket
91. Collect feathers to make a dream catcher
92. Look for animal tracks
93. Build a sculpture
94. Make jewellery out of things you find
95. Build a fort
96. Plant a tree and measure its growth
89. Make a bird feeder
90. Play French cricket
91. Collect feathers to make a dream catcher
92. Look for animal tracks
93. Build a sculpture
94. Make jewellery out of things you find
95. Build a fort
96. Plant a tree and measure its growth
97. Set up a snoozing spot
98. Weed your garden
99. Have a picnic
100. Write a short story in a journal
101. Read a book on the lawn or under a tree
TELL US
What is your favourite way to while away the hours outdoors? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
MORE
101 Things to Do When Hibernating Indoors
Fun Activities to Do With Your Family This (and Every Other) Week
15 Things to Do on Lazy Sunday Afternoons at Home
98. Weed your garden
99. Have a picnic
100. Write a short story in a journal
101. Read a book on the lawn or under a tree
TELL US
What is your favourite way to while away the hours outdoors? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
MORE
101 Things to Do When Hibernating Indoors
Fun Activities to Do With Your Family This (and Every Other) Week
15 Things to Do on Lazy Sunday Afternoons at Home
2. Run through the sprinkler
3. Watch the weather
4. Look at the moon
5. Howl to dingoes at night
6. Sculpt a sand castle
7. Stand in the rain with your face up to the sky
8. Build a tree house