Fun nature activities that children will love. Recreational games.
We’re introducing perfect play activities and recreation games that let children connect with nature.
There’s a wide variety: hands-on activities like insect collecting and fishing, crafts using acorns and pinecones, and “nature games” that let kids experience the natural world.
Playing in nature with all five senses also helps nurture children’s emotional development.
Clothes dirtied by grass, flowers, and soil can be tough to wash, but how about putting them in clothes that can get messy and letting them play to their heart’s content from spring through autumn?
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Fun nature activities that kids will love: Recreation games (11–20)
Let’s draw with colors from nature!
Nature “Color Play”: Drawing with colors gifted by nature.
Use fallen leaves, flowers, stems, and roots to make art.
Flowers can give you yellows, pinks, purples, and reds; leaves offer greens; and many berries are also colorful and beautiful.
Some colors will transfer well onto paper, while others may not.
Try using unusually shaped leaves and get creative with different techniques to make your pictures.
Make it a rule to use only what has fallen, and be careful never to take anything from someone’s garden.
Parachute of the four o’clock flower
Let’s make a parachute with marvel-of-Peru (four o’clock) flowers.
First, prepare a flower with the green calyx still attached.
Next, being very careful not to cut the pistil, gently pull out the calyx.
If you manage to have just a single pistil remain attached to the calyx, you’ve succeeded.
If it seems fragile, reinforce it with cellophane tape.
Then climb to a high spot and drop the flower—it will float down through the air like a fluffy little parachute.
river fishing
Let’s try river fishing at the neighborhood river.
Use worms for bait—dig up some nearby soil to catch them.
Prepare a bucket and a rod, tie the line straight to a hook, and attach the bait.
Then just cast and wait for a fish to bite.
You might catch something unexpected.
You don’t need any difficult knowledge or reel operation, so as long as the rig is set up, even small children can do it easily.
However, since there’s a hook, please make sure a guardian is present to watch over them.
fallen leaves pool
A “fallen-leaf pool” is made by setting up a home pool and filling it not with water but with fallen leaves.
Then, just like with a regular pool, play in the leaves.
It’s a very simple activity with little risk, and children can probably play on their own.
However, if any child is uncomfortable with insects, it may be better to have a guardian present just in case.
There are no fixed rules or specific ways to play, so it can be fun to use your imagination freely and try various creative ideas.
Acorn spinning top making
An introduction to a handmade spinning top made from acorns.
It’s a simple toy—just stick a toothpick into an acorn—but making it together with your child will delight them.
Another appeal is that you can easily make it with tools you already have at home.
The way it spins changes depending on the type and size of the acorn, so it might be fun to collect different acorns and try them out.
Making butterflies with ginkgo leaves
Let’s enjoy nature! Make a butterfly with ginkgo leaves.
First, pick up a ginkgo leaf and fold it in half down the middle.
Fold the stem back to make it firm—this becomes the butterfly’s body.
Split the stem into two to make the antennae.
Carefully cut the leaf down the center without tearing it to form the wings, and your butterfly is complete.
You can also try a fun pulling match: take two ginkgo stems, fold them back, twist them together, then pull at the same time—whoever’s stem breaks loses.
Give it a try!
drainage
When it comes to classic riverside fun, stone skipping takes the crown.
Pick a thin, flat stone, snap your wrist to add spin with your fingers, and throw it toward the water as level as possible.
If you do it right, the stone will skip and glide across the surface.
It’s a timeless river activity that everyone’s tried at some point.
Once you get the hang of it, you can make it travel a long distance.
Check out videos of skilled skippers to learn their form and tips, and give it a try yourself.
Frottage using flowers and plants
Tried frottage using plants and flowers.
Frottage is a technique where you place leaves and blossoms under a sheet of paper and rub over it with a pencil, bringing out the patterns of the plants.
Some shapes show up easily while others don’t, and the result also depends on the hardness of the colored pencil core—making it a surprisingly deep form of expression.
With just paper and pencils, and using only natural materials otherwise, anyone can do it, so it’s a recommended nature activity that people of all ages—from small children to adults—can enjoy together.
Morning glory color water play
A recommended nature activity for kids is making color water from morning glories.
Pick morning glories of various colors and squeeze them to make colored water.
If you collect lots—blue, purple, red, white, pink—you can create beautiful hues.
It’s fun to use the colored water as paint to draw pictures, or to apply it to folded paper to make mysterious, symmetrical patterns like tie-dye.
There are many ways to play depending on your creativity.
Since only natural materials are used, it’s safe for children and highly recommended.
Making acorn and balancing toys (Yajirobe)
Making a balancing toy with acorns.
First, pick up ones that are nicely shaped and free of cracks or splits.
Next, boil the acorns so any insects inside won’t come out later.
If any acorns float at this stage, it means insects have already eaten the insides, so leave those out.
Once the water comes to a boil, continue boiling for about 20 minutes.
Use an awl or similar tool to make a hole in the acorn.
Please have a guardian perform this step.
Insert a bamboo skewer into the hole and glue it in place, then adjust the balance to complete your balancing toy.