Looking for ways to improve your child’s health and success? Spend time outside!

Yes, it is as simple as spending time outside. Whether your child is an infant, toddler, preschooler, or school-age child, spending time outdoors has incredible benefits for young children. Research tells us that spending time outdoors contributes to cognitive and social-emotional development, improves sensory skills, increases attention spans, boosts happiness, improves sleep, decreases anxiety, builds confidence, improves short-term memory, and so much more. The benefits of spending time outdoors with your baby, toddler, preschooler, and school-age child have numerous long-term benefits.

We asked the talented day care teachers at New Horizon Academy to share their favorite tips for getting outdoors with your child and fun things to do together when you are outdoors.

1. Use the New Horizon Academy 4 No Prep Outdoor Activities resource to explore the outdoors with your child.
2. Blow bubbles and chase them. Use the New Horizon Academy Make Your Own Bubbles and Bubble Wands guide to combine the science of learning and making your own bubbles with the fun of creating and chasing your own bubbles.
3. Fly kites. There is something mesmerizing about launching a kite and watching it soar through the air. You can engage in fun scientific conversations about wind.
4. DIY Outdoor Bowling is a fun and effortless way to combine arts and crafts with outdoor activities. The New Horizon Academy DIY Outdoor Bowling Activity blog can serve as your guide as you create your very own Outdoor Bowling.
5. Harken games from your own childhood. Here are 4 classic outdoor games you and your child can play together.
6. Head outside with your little one and do yoga together. Use the New Horizon Academy 14 Animal Yoga Moves for Kids The yoga moves work for parents, too.
7. Grab your favorite books and read together outside. Turn it into a ‘book-nick’ by placing books and snacks into your picnic basket, then head outside and have a ‘book-nick.’ Read and enjoy snacks together.
8. Visit a local park and use the New Horizon Academy Colors in Nature Scavenger Hunt. It is a unique way to enjoy nature and get much needed outdoor time with your toddler, preschooler, or school-age child.
9. Birds are interesting animals to watch. Head outside with your little one to explore the wonder of birds. Use the New Horizon Academy Bird Watching Journal to sketch pictures of birds you see.
10. Venture outside with a blanket. Then lie on your back and find shapes in the clouds.
11. Have you heard of an alphabet walk? While walking together, look for objects that start with these beginning sounds. Use the New Horizon Academy Alphabet Walk to record what you observe.
12. Go on a leaf hunt. Use the New Horizon Academy Leaf Hunt to find leaves from a wide variety of trees. It is a fun way to move and learn about nature.
13. Explore the great outdoors as an animal tracker. Investigate your backyard, neighborhood, and local parks to find a variety of wild (and not-so-wild) animals as you search for paw, hoof, and other animal prints. The New Horizon Academy the Great Outdoors Animal Tracker is the perfect tool to guide your investigation.
14. You are never too young to start doing yoga. Grab a yoga mat, head outside with your infant, and try Baby Yoga. Use the New Horizon Academy Baby Yoga Cards and try some of the suggested yoga activities. You and your baby will enjoy it!
15. Go on a scavenger hunt. Explore your backyard, your neighborhood, or local park using the New Horizon Academy Scavenger Hunt.
16. Go for a bike ride. Biking is a wonderful way to get outdoors and exercise at the same time.
17. If your family enjoys playing games, head outside for backyard fun. Playing backyard games is a fantastic way to get outdoors and create great lifelong memories.
18. Have you every played Water Tag? It is Tag with a twist. Click this link for instructions on how to play.
19. Water Balloon Toss is a fantastic game on a balmy day. It is a terrific way to get outdoors and have fun together. Here are instructions on how to play. 
20. Set up a canvas and paint outdoors or use the New Horizon Academy Great Outdoors Nature Painting Activity to integrate art and science by painting with plants and flowers.

Head outside with your little one and watch the learning flourish!