10 Fun Outdoor Flower Activities to Enjoy with the Family

Spread the love

By Jill Brooke

Sarah Kowitz is not only a master gardener, but a creative one. Resourceful and knowledgable, she owns Fairlight Hall in Hastings, England, one of the country’s most extraordinary gardens. To her, the garden is a source of adventure and opportunity. Here are 10 great activities to do outdoors with your kids.

1. Count and Identify Trees

This can be down in your own backyard, from a window on a balcony or while walking in a local park. First, count all the trees in a particular area and identify them. Then play a game trying to figure out the species of each one. Ask how many years the tree may have been there? What history the trees quietly witnessed? There are many identification guides on the internet. One we like is PlantSnapp and Plantifier. We also like Flower Checker.

2. Do a Grass Survey

Ask the kids to identify how many species of plants you have in your lawn. Mark an area for each kid perhaps. Then have them write or say what plants they see. For example, in spring, daisies, crocus, clover, dandelions and daffodils may be blooming. In the fall, ask them to see what flowers are still in bloom. Perhaps ask what color leaves they see on their backyard trees.

Then challenge everyone to find out a fun fact about each of the flowers or trees.

3. Go for a Treasure Hunt

Choose favorite toys, packets of seeds, maybe packages of snacks or well-placed envelopes with bon mots inside. Hide it around the garden for kids to find. You are really trying to get them to notice their environment and see the beauty around them. How many leaves fall from the trees can be a question. Ask them to notice the different shapes and colors around them. Kowitz’ gardener John Myers often creates treasure hunts for visitors and came up with this idea.

Create a map with clues. Let them find a letter that leads to the next hiding place.

For example, he says, one letter could say –

“In the green grass of our lawn,

You can find something brown.

So go off like a leprechaun and find your inner clown.

The tree with the next clue has a flower growing nearby

Now it’s up to you to try and identify –

Have fun – Mom”

4. Look for Animals that Live With Us

Look for bugs in the garden. Find all the secluded places they may live along with your family. Look under pots, leaves or by trees. Write down all the names of the bugs and then go on the internet to identify them. Maybe think of growing a bee-friendly garden or seek flowers that attract butterflies.

Here’s another great idea from John. Assemble sticks in a pile in the corner of the garden. This will become a wonderful home for all the wonderful local bug residents and may even help you with your bug count.

5. Have a Picnic

Okay, so you can’t go to a restaurant. And you may be sick of being at home. Go for a picnic. All you need is a blanket. Have the kids help make the meal for this adventure. Pretend you are on a fantasy island. What would you eat? What do they want to eat? Make everything fun.

6. Take Time to Watch Birds

We never have the time for much because we are always in a rush. However, bird watching can be a fun activity. It’s a hobby that requires patience and time. Set a timer. Depending on the age of children, consider half-hour or hour. And then lie on the blanket – or if not on a picnic while walking – and notice the birds. Listen to the birds. And then again try to identify the birds you see. Take a picture. Maybe you will find some nests. Or see birds in the sky. Any natural setting will likely have birds to look at in new ways. Our family has a bird feeder and it’s the most treasured activity in our garden. It fascinates both kids and adults. It is also a teaching moment on how birds and flowers interact.

7. Teach Kids How to Garden

Pick a place in your lawn and turn over the soil several times. From the Internet, buy some wildflower seeds. Or plant some bulbs for next season so they learn patience. Earmark a special part of the garden for each child so they can compare what grows and what doesn’t.

This can also be done with pots with vegetables and flowers. Kids can water the plants and see them grow both indoors and outdoors.

We have written often about the joys of teaching your kids how to garden. It becomes not only a multi-generational activity but a beloved hobby that connects you always.

8. Mystery Pond

Mom may not love this but it could be interesting. Get any large bowl you have – and put it outside. John says it could become a surprising resting place for frogs and toads. It will also double as a water source for birds. That means you will have more to identify.

9. Look at the Stars

Life is beautiful. Wherever you are, people see the same stars in the sky. Enjoy the miracle of life. Start looking for star constellations. Make it a fun game. Try to identify constellations like the Milky Way. Also, this may be a fun time to start naming the planets and think of the larger world and universe.

Even better, consider planting a night garden with white flowers that sparkle at night along with the stars.

10. Plan for the Future

You want to teach your kids to look forward to the future. Have them enjoy looking at flower catalogues whether from Brecks or other companies. Have them learn your garden zone and choose flowers they would like to plant. Make a project looking at the seeds available that you can order as well as bulbs. This can also be an in-house project as well. Especially with herbs.

The health benefits of connecting to nature are many – and it’s never too late to incorporate into family life.

Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD and a contributor to Florists Review magazine. She also won the 2023 AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers.) Merit Award for showing how flowers impact history, news and culture

Photo Credit: Pixabay, Fairlight Hall