Backyard STEAM activities leverage the outdoors for engaging, hands-on learning by incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math through projects like building a solar oven, designing and flying a kite, creating a rain gauge, or conducting a sink-or-float experiment
These activities use natural elements and simple materials to foster creativity, problem-solving, and physical activity, while also encouraging an appreciation for nature.
Science
Sink or Float:Test various household or natural items in a tub of water to see if they sink or float.
Nature Treasure Hunt:Create a list of specific natural objects or phenomena (like different types of leaves or insects) to find and observe during a walk.
Planting Seeds:Engage in the scientific process of planting seeds, providing water, and observing their growth over time.
Observing Pond Life:Use a magnifying glass to explore the small creatures and plants in a pond or large puddle.
Technology & Engineering
Build a Kite:Design and construct a kite to explore forces like lift and drag as you experiment with it in the wind.
DIY Rain Gauge:Craft a simple rain gauge using common household items to measure precipitation, fostering an understanding of weather.
Paper Helicopter:Make and test paper helicopters to see how design affects flight time and performance.
Solar Oven:Use cardboard boxes, foil, and plastic wrap to build a solar oven and cook simple treats using the sun's energy.
Art
Nature Collages & Rubbings:Collect leaves, flowers, and other natural items to create collages or make leaf rubbings to explore different textures and shapes.
Painting with Ice Cubes:Freeze water with food coloring in an ice cube tray and then use the ice cubes to paint, allowing for a unique artistic experience.
Math
DIY Sundial:Make a sundial to track time using the sun, learning about angles, shadows, and timekeeping.
Stone Stacking & Sorting:Gather different types of stones and sort them by size, color, or other characteristics.
Garden Mapping:Map out a garden area, incorporating geometry and spatial reasoning to plan the layout and design.
Super fun mud play that kids of all ages are sure to love!
Ready to explore STEAM activities and STEAM projects with your kids? Check out these cool project ideas for more STEAM learning fun at home and in the classroom:
Tie-Dye Investigation Station – Experience art and science as you create a fun tie-dye project with your little learners in this investigation station activity.
Sink or Float STEAM Investigation – Learn why some objects sink and others float with a STEAM investigation that will get your kids talking and thinking outside the box.
Baby Animals STEAM Investigation – Ever wondered how otters carry their babies around? Learn how otters balance their babies in the water with this cool STEAM activity.
Color Mixing STEAM Activity – Discover what happens when you mix colors with an exciting STEAM activity for preschoolers.
Dinosaur STEAM Ideas – Check out 5 different STEAM activities with your little learners this year!
Wheel STEAM for Kids – Make your own wheels with this exciting engineering STEAM activity.
Dinosaur Habitat STEAM for Kids – Explore prehistoric times and design your own dinosaur habitat with this unique STEAM investigation.
Floating Icebergs STEAM for Kids – The perfect way to learn about polar bears! Your little learners will have a blast with this iceberg sensory STEAM investigation.
Weather Science for Kids – Make it rain with this classic raincloud STEAM science experiment that includes a colorful twist!
Sand STEAM – Explore physical science, logic & reasoning, and technology with your preschoolers this summer.
Ocean Measurement STEAM – This Ocean Measurement STEAM is perfect for exploring liquid measurement as well as practicing fine motor skills with your preschoolers.
Ice STEAM – Learn about physical science and logic & reasoning with your preschoolers this summer using this fun and engaging STEAM activity.
Nature STEAM – Explore logic and reasoning, engineering, and fine motor skills with your preschoolers and kindergartners using this quick and easy Nature STEAM activity.
Ice Experiment – Practice fine motor skills while exploring states of matter with your preschoolers and kindergartners using this Squirt the Ice Experiment for Kids.
All of these STEAM projects are perfect for exploring science, technology, engineering, art, and math with preschoolers and other little kids.
These fascinating yet simple STEAM activities will get your little learners excited about exploring the world around them and thinking critically this year.
MORE ides for KIDS:
STEAM Activities for Kids
Ready to explore STEAM activities and STEAM projects with your kids? Check out these cool project ideas for more STEAM learning fun at home and in the classroom:
Tie-Dye Investigation Station – Experience art and science as you create a fun tie-dye project with your little learners in this investigation station activity.
Sink or Float STEAM Investigation – Learn why some objects sink and others float with a STEAM investigation that will get your kids talking and thinking outside the box.
Baby Animals STEAM Investigation – Ever wondered how otters carry their babies around? Learn how otters balance their babies in the water with this cool STEAM activity.
Color Mixing STEAM Activity – Discover what happens when you mix colors with an exciting STEAM activity for preschoolers.
Dinosaur STEAM Ideas – Check out 5 different STEAM activities with your little learners this year!
Wheel STEAM for Kids – Make your own wheels with this exciting engineering STEAM activity.
Dinosaur Habitat STEAM for Kids – Explore prehistoric times and design your own dinosaur habitat with this unique STEAM investigation.
Floating Icebergs STEAM for Kids – The perfect way to learn about polar bears! Your little learners will have a blast with this iceberg sensory STEAM investigation.
Weather Science for Kids – Make it rain with this classic raincloud STEAM science experiment that includes a colorful twist!
Sand STEAM – Explore physical science, logic & reasoning, and technology with your preschoolers this summer.
Ocean Measurement STEAM – This Ocean Measurement STEAM is perfect for exploring liquid measurement as well as practicing fine motor skills with your preschoolers.
Ice STEAM – Learn about physical science and logic & reasoning with your preschoolers this summer using this fun and engaging STEAM activity.
Nature STEAM – Explore logic and reasoning, engineering, and fine motor skills with your preschoolers and kindergartners using this quick and easy Nature STEAM activity.
Ice Experiment – Practice fine motor skills while exploring states of matter with your preschoolers and kindergartners using this Squirt the Ice Experiment for Kids.
All of these STEAM projects are perfect for exploring science, technology, engineering, art, and math with preschoolers and other little kids.
These fascinating yet simple STEAM activities will get your little learners excited about exploring the world around them and thinking critically this year.
Backyard Nature Fun
Exploring nature with kids doesn’t have to mean hitting the trail, heading to the mountains or going camping (though those are all fine ideas). Connecting with nature is as easy as heading out the back door.
I hope this blog will give you some ideas to make exploring nature in your backyard simple and fun. And don’t worry if your backyard is tiny or even nonexistent – the ideas I share can be enjoyed at a local park or any other natural area in your neighborhood.
Where should I start?
If you only have a few minutes to peek around, bookmark this page! Then check out the top five Backyard Nature Fun reader favorites:
Exploring nature doesn’t have to mean hitting the trail, heading to the mountains or going camping – though those are all fine ideas. Connecting with nature can be as simple as heading out the back door.
If you’re not quite sure how to get started with your kids, try one of these 50 ways to explore nature in your ownbackyard. Most require only a few minutes of time and a good dose of curiosity.
Each day features a simple, fun way to get outside exploring nature with kids. Activities are designed to be doable in 15 minutes or less in your own backyard, neighborhood or at a local park.
Here’s the complete list of “31 Days of Backyard Nature Fun” activities at a glance:
Welcome to the final day of 31 Days of Backyard Nature Fun, a month-long series offering simple ways to get outside exploring the natural world. To see activities from earlier this month, head here. We made it! Thirty-one days in a row, each featuring a different idea for backyard nature fun. Phew! If you’ve been playing along, I hope you’ve come to realize that helping … [Read more...]
Welcome to Day 18 of 31 Days of Backyard Nature Fun, a month-long series offering simple ways to get outside exploring the natural world. To see activities from earlier this month, head here.Got rocks? Yeah … us, too. It seems we can’t even make it around the block without someone filling pockets with the things. Truth be told, I love that the boys find something unique and … [Read more...]
Backyard Nature Fun activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. I couldn’t resist sharing just one more idea for some nature fun this Halloween … if you’re reading this after the festivities have passed, make a note to try this next year. Yeah, it’s that fun.When The Explorers and I saw a pet rock cemetery during our visit to the Wildlife … [Read more...]
Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. Am I the only feeling like summer is all about crafting? We’ve been craft crazy these past few weeks! One of the biggest hits so far has been our rock necklaces. (In fact, we received tons of compliments on our creations when we were in Yosemite!)Inspired by this idea I spotted in a recent … [Read more...]
Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. Rocks seem to be one of those items that manage to find their way into little pockets on nearly every nature walk we take. The big explorer is so enthralled by them that we even started a rock collection last fall.But it wasn’t until last week that we actually took a walk in nature … [Read more...]
Backyard Nature Fun activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. Long before The Little Explorer had his run-in with that rock in Yosemite, The Big Explorer and I were hard at work on a set of alphabet rocks for him for Christmas. He’s 3 ½ and all about rocks and letters, so what could be more perfect? Inspired by this tutorial, we … [Read more...]
We inherited a rock collection last year when my dad passed away. Almost immediately, I shared it with the big explorer (being mindful to save some pieces of the collection for the little explorer, of course), who lovingly turned over each and every item in the collection, finding beauty in the way only a little boy can. The collection earned a spot on the bookcase in his … [Read more...]
I’ve wanted to spotlight some of my favorite bloggers and websites since I first started here, but I never seemed to find the time. I’m hoping to do better in the future. Toward that goal, today I’m proud to announce that I’ve volunteered to be an official Nature Rocks Ambassador – and I’ve got the nifty badge to prove it! What’s a Nature Rocks Ambassador? My job as … [Read more...]
Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. THE IDEA: Paint some of the many rocks we’ve collected this summer.We came home from Yosemite with more pint-sized pieces of granite than I’d like to admit. Pair that with the fact that the little explorer picks up at least one such treasure from nature on each of our nightly walks and you … [Read more...]
Whether your kiddos are heading to day camp or hanging out at home, spring break is a great chance for some unstructured nature play, local exploring, even an outing to a nearby state or national park! Here are 50+ spring break nature activities for kids to help encourage some outdoor fun. And if travel is on the agenda, make a point to schedule in some time to connect with nature during your trip.
Backyard nature play Take advantage of spring break to let the kids have plenty of time for unstructured nature play every day. A few ideas for outdoor play spaces that encourage connecting with nature:
Local nature exploring Whether it’s in your own backyard, a local park or a nearby nature destination, find some time to let the kids do some exploring. Some timely activities:
Grander adventures Support your local parks! If you’ve got a day free – or even just a few hours – head to a regional, state or national park. While you’re there, you may be able to:
At the start of every season, we create an outdoor fun list. Together, we dream up some things we’d like to do, write those ideas down and then try to make them happen. Some of the ideas on our summer outdoor bucket list are simple, but others require more time – things like cherry picking or fishing. Of course, more than any other time of year, we also plan for lots of downtime to make room in our lives for enjoying summer’s simple pleasures.
Instead of sharing what’s on our family’s summer outdoor bucket list this year (you can see our 2010 and 2012 lists for past examples), I thought I’d share some ideas to help you make your own. These 50 ideas for your summer outdoor bucket list should keep the kids entertained and inspired all season long.
50 Ways to Connect with Nature This Winter (With or Without Snow)
In a perfect world, getting outside would be as easy as heading out your back door and following your kids’ lead. But for those days when you need a little more inspiration, here are a slew of ways to connect with nature this winter – with or without snow. And don’t forget that on the worst of days, there are plenty of ways you can connect with nature inside, too.
Here are 50 ideas for your fall bucket list. When it comes to seasons, fall seems to get the short end of the stick. After all, it arrives on the heels of our beloved summer, which never seems to last long enough.
But around here, fall is full of its own treasures. Pumpkin patches, apple cider, puddle jumping, trick-or-treating, nature crafts, cool-weather hikes, birthday celebrations, Thanksgiving, the countdown to Christmas and more.
For me, fall represents family traditions, so I look forward to it each year. One of our traditions is creating an outdoor bucket list. Some items on our list stay the same from year to year; others are entirely new. (You can see the lists we made back in 2010 and 2012 if you want.)
If you’d like to make your own fall outdoor bucket list, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few fun and festive ways your family can connect with nature this fall.
