Spring is here and before you know it so will be Summer weather. That means long days with energetic kids to entertain. Warm weather opens up all kinds of cool, fun, affordable (and educational) ways to utilize the "Great Outdoors" for making kids really happy. Here are three ideas that have kids learning life skills while also having a good time which will allow you to be a cool dad without breaking the bank to do it.
Take them geocaching
Geocaching is basically a cross between orienteering and treasure-hunting. Essentially, you use GPS to guide you to caches of “treasure”. You can choose a geocaching route just for fun. Most of the time, however, there’s an element of exploration. That could mean finding out more about the local area or learning more about a topic (or both).
The popularity of geocaching means that no matter where you live, you can probably find established geocaching routes somewhere nearby. If not, or if you want more, or if you just fancy something different, it’s easy to make your own. You can then integrate them with whatever your kids have been learning at school (or not, it’s up to you). Click here to start a search for a geocaching trail near you.
If you really want to push your kids, you could take away their phones and make them use just old-school paper maps and compasses. That could really help to develop their ability to navigate.
Go fishing
Fishing is one of the classic summer family activities. It’s also full of fun science and problem-solving strategy. For example, you could challenge your kids to tell you why you chose that particular spot for fishing. That could cover both safety and the types of fish you’re likely to find there (so ecology).
You could also teach them the science (and history) behind the equipment they’re using. For example, one popular setup for bass is the Texas rig. Today, all bass fishers know it. When it was invented, however, it was a stroke of genius. You can push them by having kids compare different types of equipment for example the Texas rig versus the Carolina rig.
Grow your own food and cook it
Even if you’re in a tiny apartment, you can still give your kids some kind of gardening experience. For example, you could have them grow herbs in a pot and sprouts on a window ledge. That’s a really cool way to teach them about the differences between growing in soil and hydroponics.
Then when you take your kids grocery shopping, make it a fun experience for them and you. Go when you have time to take things slowly and explain to your kids not just what you’re doing but why. For example, why are you choosing some items of fruit and vegetables but not others? Why are you buying some items fresh and others dried, canned and frozen?
Finish off the lesson in the kitchen by helping your kids to learn the science behind cooking. This is a whole lot of fun. It can also set them up for a lifetime of healthy eating and shrewd budgeting. Also, it’ll teach them how to help you out in the kitchen sometimes!
