Activity Ideas

Daily Free Time Outdoors

Opportunity for daily (non-organized) free time/play outdoors.

Creative Arts

Encourage outdoor creative exploration, improvisation and expression, i.e. maze/shelter/sculpture-building, rock/sand-painting, imaginary games and play, nature journaling/sketching, outdoor theater, dance, music

Nature Journals

Journal about the local habitat and the species that live within by observing, tracking, drawing and writing impressions and reflections.

Nature Playgrounds

Provide and encourage nature exploration with nature natural systems learning activities in playground and school yard activities. Examples may include: stream tables, bird boxes, natural and found material play areas.

Restoration project

Provide opportunities for youth and students to enhance, restrore and create habitat through clean-ups, planting native plant scapes, adopting a watershed, etc.

Field trips and guided explorations in natural areas

Plan your extracurricular activities outdoors at a park, nature center, farm, creek or trail.

Unplug!

Promote a day, a week, orÉ of disconnect-time. No TV, computer games, etc.

Green Hour Programs

Encourage youth and families to spend at least one hour outside everyday

Family Nature Club

Start a family nature club with friends and neighbors.

Nature-Based After-School Programs

Provide environmental activities for a local after-school program or day camp. For example, these could be organized activities, student-led or supervised unstructured play.

Links to more Web Resources

• www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/
• www.keepaustinbeautiful.org/Adopt-a-Creek
• www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/resources/index.phtml
• https://www.arborday.org/shopping/sourcebook/classroom-planning.cfm
• www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There/Educators/Schoolyard-Habitats.aspx
• www.epa.gov/PEYA/
• www.campfireusa.org/
• www.childrenandnature.org/movement/natureclubs/
• texas4-h.tamu.edu/
• www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There/Why-Be-Out-There/What-is-a-Green-Hour.aspx