It’s no secret that kids benefit from playing outdoors, and the Wisconsin summer is a beautiful time to get outside. Here are 10 engaging activities to take the fun to nature.

Activities With Water

  • Practice baseball with water balloons  – Test your child’s hand-eye coordination with an explosive result by tossing the water balloon to be hit with a wiffle ball bat. Play catch with the balloons and take a step back each time the balloon is caught.

Activities With STEM

  • Go on a science scavenger hunt – Keep STEM at the forefront of young minds in summer by embarking on a scavenger hunt through nature. Search for outdoor critters, animal tracks, and different types of leaves. Download your own checklist for free, or create your own list custom to your backyard!
  • Stack stones – Rock balancing uses basic engineering skills to teach kids how to stack rocks of different sizes and shapes. Children will learn how to build strong foundations, and challenge themselves to see how high the stones can stack. To add a cultural lesson, teach children the history of stone cairns to build landmarks, memorials, and more.
  • Build a toy raft – Use sticks and other backyard supplies to build a raft that floats. This science experiment will encourage your child to question how best to complete the project, testing weight, sails, speeds, and more.
  • Create a solar still – A solar still can purify water by using the sun to evaporate the water before being cooled and collected. This STEAM activity takes full advantage of the sun to serve as a hands-on science experiment about the lifecycle of water.

Activities In Wisconsin

  • Hunt for trolls in Mount Horeb – Mount Horeb is a small town known for its Norwegian trolls. Filled with petting zoos, parks, shopping, and festivals the small town charm is sure to please the whole family.
  • Stroll through the gardens in Janesville – Enjoy a stroll through the gardens with a story at Rotary Botanical Gardens. This event is perfect for younger children and their caregivers, but that’s not al. All ages will love the Giant Aquarium on display through October or the Pixie Spy Packs, which include scavenger hunts, I Spy games, and more.
  • Hike Parfrey’s Glen – Use your natural science skills to hike Wisconsin’s first State Natural Area, found in Merrimac. With its high walls and waterfall, the wooded trail is a summer hot spot and perfect for showing children the natural beauty of Wisconsin.

Follow 4-C on social media for more tips on getting children excited to go outdoors and learn.