South Yorkshire was the stomping ground for most of my kids growing up years so we spent a lot of time exploring the area and looking for new and exciting kid friendly days out.

There’s so much history here and in amongst the industrial landscape there’s a surprising number of outdoor things to do and countryside attractions. It’s often an area that’s overlooked when searching for days out so let’s change that!

Family days out in South Yorkshire can range from museums to castle visits, woodland walks to animal parks. There’s a lot to see in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster!

This is not an exhaustive list of family friendly attractions in South Yorkshire (yet!) – if I’ve missed anything that you highly recommend do let me know in the comments or by contacting me.

I’ve also given weight to outdoor activities that encourage kids getting fresh air and active!

Prices correct as of February 2022. Covid has had an effect on some of the running of children’s attractions in South Yorkshire so I advise checking the attraction website before travelling.

Things to do in Sheffield with kids

You’ll be pleased to know that all these Sheffield family days out are actually free. I didn’t set out for it to be that way but Sheffield is pretty awesome for free things to do. If you can, consider donations where applicable, they really help the museums and attractions, especially lately.

Winter Gardens and Peace Gardens

If you’re in Sheffield city centre and wondering what to do with your kids and where to take them then I suggest heading to the Winter Gardens or the Peace Gardens that are right next to it. Where you go might depend on the weather!

The Winter Gardens are a covered garden with lots of tropical plants indoors. It’s a great place to find a bench and take a picnic if the weather isn’t being kind to you. There are a couple of shops inside and you’ll also be able to visit the Millenium Galleries too for some Sheffield metalwork history and paintings to look at.

The Peace Gardens are a large open space next to the Town Hall and if you happen upon it on a nice day then it’s a really good place to let kids have a run around and play in the fountains. Bring a spare change of clothes!

Open daily. Free Entrance.

Weston Park Museum

Situated near the Children’s Hospital is the Weston Park Museum. It’s a really good museum, free to enter and look around, and has a lot of exhibits from local history to natural history.

We spent lots of hours here over the years and always learn something new. It’s very child friendly and has lots of accessible exhibits and clothes to dress up in.

Outside you have the large Weston Park which is great to let the kids run around in, play games or just let off some steam too.

Closed Mondays. Free Entrance.

Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet

Explore what the making tools in Sheffield looked like in the 18th century. With a waterwheel, grinding tools, a dam and restored cottages to look round it’s a really interesting place. Anyone with kids learning about industrial revolution times will also enjoy it.

There are lots of hands on exhibitions and things to explore. A cafe is on site for tea and a light bite to eat.

Open on Saturdays and Sundays and in Sheffield School Holidays. Free entrance.

Graves Park and Animal Farm

Located in the South West of the city Graves Park Animal Farm is a piece of the countryside in the city. They have all sorts of animals to see and feed from pigs to chickens, sheep and even llamas!

Away from the animal farm, the park is also large and good for running around, nature walks, ball games and there’s a good playground for kids too. Watch for ducks and waterbirds at some of the lakes at the south of the park.

Animal Farm is open daily 10am – 3.30pm. Free admission. No dogs in the Animal Farm

Wyming Brook Nature Reserve

Heading out towards the Peak District is the wonderful Wyming Brook Nature Reserve. If you’re looking to get out in nature and away from the city this is the place to come.

It’s a great place for kids with streams, babbling waterfalls, lots of nature to spot and of course an abundance of fresh air. We used to come here a lot with our kids to practice photography – there’s a lot of different things to catch their eye.

Open daily. Free entrance and Parking

Ecclesall Woods

An ancient woodland in the city and one of the best places for a woodland walk with kids. Definitely try coming in the spring months when the bluebells are out.

The visitor centre sometimes runs family activities which is worth checking especially in summer holidays.

Open daily. Free entrance

Kelham Island Museum

Finally in Sheffield centre we have another museum, this time Kelham Island Museum. It’s centrally located and easy to get to by tram and public transport.

You can learn all about the industrial heritage of Sheffield and steel making here and how it transformed from a small industry to the one that shaped the city. There’s lots for inquisitive kids to learn about here.

Closed Saturdays and Mondays. Free admission

Things to do in Rotherham with kids

Magna Science Adventure Centre

Based in an old steel works between Rotherham and Sheffield, Magna is a really fun day out for kids and it combines science, adventure and hands on learning. We used to go here constantly and always had a great day out.

You can visit the water, air, earth and fire pavilions where there are lots of hands on activities.

Outdoors they also have a water park (open in Summer) and outdoor adventure playground.

Open weekends and School holidays. Entrance is £13.95 for adults and £11.95 for children. You can also choose to just visit the outdoors play parks.

Rother Valley Country Park

This was just on our doorstep for many years so we spent A LOT of time here. Your day out here can be as simple as you like and can just be a lovely nature walk around the lake or you could consider upping the stakes and trying out some watersports. They do water zorbing, pedal boats and rowing boats.

You can also hire bikes, explore the adventure play ground, go on a miniature train ride or just relax in the cafe.

Open daily. Free entrance however car park is charged.

Gullivers Valley

Gullivers Valley is a new attraction in the area with lots of dinosaur themed rides and areas. It’s already proving popular with families for a day out in Rotherham and since it’s just off the M1 it’s really easy to get to as well.

Kids under 90cm are free and you only pay for the adult tickets after that. There’s options to stay here too if you want to have a family weekend away.

Various opening times through the year.

Aston Springs Farm

Just across the road from the new Gullivers attraction in Kiveton Park is Aston Springs Farm. It’s a small attraction but a really nice one for kids who love to walk round and enjoy seeing animals.

They have goats, pigs, alpacas, sheep and lots more. You can buy food to feed them as you go around too.

Open daily 10am – 4.30pm. Entrance is £5.50 for adults and £4.50 for a child

Tropical Butterfly House

One of our favourite places to go with kids in Rotherham was always the tropical butterfly house. It’s more than just butterflies that you can see though.

In the main tropical area you have lots of butterflies but also some birds to see too. Outdoors you have otters, meerkats, lemurs as well as some regular farm animals. There are birds of prey and they sometimes do flying displays too.

They also do animal experience days and my daughter did a couple of these when she was younger – very much recommended!

Open daily from February half term (winter opening hours before then). Adults £13.75, Children £12.50, Under 2 free. Family tickets available.

Roche Abbey

A ruined abbey out in the countryside of Rotherham, Roche Abbey is a great family day out. You can explore the ruins, learn about life as a medieval monk with all the information boards or go for a walk in the surrounding foot paths (a good idea if coming in winter when the abbey itself is closed – you’ll still be able to see it).

I recommend packing a picnic and enjoying the stunning countryside!

Roche Abbey is an English Heritage site so entrance is free for members.

Open from Spring. Entrance is £5 for adults and £3 for children.

Clifton Park Museum

Finally in Rotherham we have Clifton Park which is a really large park in the centre of town. As well as the park itself which is great for a day out you also have the free water park, mini golf and the museum to keep kids happy.

There’s a big car park there so nice and easy to get to and close by to town if you want to look round shops on your day out too.

Open daily. Water park open in summer months. Free entrance.

Doncaster

Conisbrough Castle

Located in a village just outside Doncaster is the really impressive Conisbrough Castle. It’s a medieval ruined castle that is perfect for any kids obsessed by knights, princesses and similar tales.

As well as exploring the old castle walls and climbing the keep to get a view over South Yorkshire there’s also a visitors centre for learning a little bit more about the history and of course a chance to dress up!

They do lots of events in children’s holidays so definitely look out for those.

This is another English Heritage site so if you’re a member then you’ll get free entrance but it’s a fairly inexpensive day out if you don’t

Open weekends in winter and daily from Spring onwards. Entrance is £6.90 for adults and £4.10 for children.

Brodsworth Hall

The stunning gardens of Brodsworth Hall make a great day out with kids. There’s loads of space for them to explore outside in the formal gardens and find lots of special features. In summer they often have outdoor events on too.

You can also look around the historic house too and explore the Victorian style of the place. This is owned by English Heritage so members can visit for free.

Open daily in summer with reduced opening outside of those months. Entrance is £9.70 for adults and £5.90 for children
Dogs not allowed

Potteric Carr

Just off the M18 is Potteric Carr, a wonderful and large nature reserve that’s great for a day out with nature loving kids.

There’s a great circular walk around the reserve, plenty of bird hides to do some bird watching.

Younger kids might like their story trail which combines a worksheet trail with a special web page online to find the end of the story once home.

This is a Wildlife Trust site so if you are a member of that charity you’ll get free entrance.

Open daily from 9.30am – 5.30pm. Entrance £4.50 for adults and £3.00 for children. No dogs.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

This wildlife park in Doncaster has been growing a lot recently. I remember when it first opened with just half of the animals to see!

With lions, polar bears and tigers (oh my!) there are some really impressive animals to see here. It’s a full on day out with kids and you’ll spend a good few hours here. I loved watching the ranger talks too, especially the Lemur one.

As well as regular entry they do special experiences which would be great for animal mad kids and special events too.

Open Daily. Entrance £24 for adults and £22 for children (cheaper if you book online)

South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum

Finally in Doncaster we have a bit of a different museum but one that my son loved so has to be included! The South Yorkshire Aircraft museum is a family friendly attraction in Doncaster that has lots of things for kids to see, climb into and touch.

For any kids who love aircraft whether that’s planes or helicopters this is a must do day out. It’s a good rainy day activity with a mixture of indoor and outdoor exhibitions.

Open Tuesdays – Sundays and daily through school holidays. Entrance £6.50 for adults, £3 for children.

Barnsley

RSPB Old Moor

One of our absolute favourite places to go for a day out as a family was Old Moor RSPB reserve.

There’s a few different trails you can walk around to different areas of the reserve, plenty of bird hides and a large play park. Don’t miss the bird hide by the visitors centre where they have lots of garden birds – great if you want to get your kids birdwatching.

There’s also a really nice cafe for a bite to eat and a shop.

Open daily. Entrance is £5 for adults and £2.50 for children. RSPB members are free.

Elsecar Heritage Centre

Based in an old heritage village this is a unique shopping area that both kids and parents will love for a fun family day out. At Elsecar Heritage Centre you’ll find antiques and quirky shops in the courtyard as well as some interesting restored engine and ironworks.

There’s a park nearby and access to canal walks to to make the most of your day visiting here.

Keep an eye out for family friendly events. The heritage railway that also is located here is currently closed but hopefully might reopen in future.

Open daily. Free entrance

Cannon Hall Farm

This isn’t just any old farm for a day out, Cannon Hall Farm has really taken the ‘fun day out’ seriously and they provide a lot of fun activities for kids when they visit.

You’ll find a wide variety of animals from your domestic farm animals to more exotic species like meerkats, llamas and reptiles. They have lots of activities like seeing goats be milked and ferret racing too.

They have a big indoor playground as well as a large adventure playground outdoors too so it’s a great day if you’re concerned about the weather.

Open daily. Entrance prices vary due to season. Must be booked online.

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We camped a lot with our kids as teens although we did it more often in a camper van than a tent. Campsites were still a bit of a different holiday for them though so it took some time to get it right and have a great time.

Camping with teens can definitely be a winner of a holiday, especially if you’re looking to stay close to home and holiday in the UK.

Our tips for successful camping with teenagers

Decide on electric hook up

First thing to decide on when camping with kids, but especially teenagers, is whether you’ll have access to electric. You can get campsites where each pitch has electric hook up and even tents can take advantage of that by getting a special hook up lead.

Phones don’t need a huge amount of electric but if you use them constantly they will need charged for the next day. If you decide to forego electric then make sure that your kids are on board with that and have ideas for occupying themselves. Remember to take into account what your plans will be day to day and think about if there will be any rainy days.

You don’t need to specifically have electric hook up, a solar charging set up might be enough for some limited screen time but remember that adults often have things they want charged too!

Get them helping to set up camp

Teens often enjoy being a part of the set up and making the place a home for a week or two. Giving them an area that is there’s to be responsible for setting up might be a good way to encourage them – perhaps they can set up the kitchen area or the bedrooms once the tent is up.

Obviously you know your kids – if you think this won’t make them happy then don’t push it. Perhaps ask them if they want to help and if they say yes then you can get them to choose an area to be in charge of.

Separate bedroom areas

When you are camping with little kids you might appreciate you all being together so you can keep an eye on each other and be there when they need you. It’s probably the opposite when you’re camping with teenagers – they’ll want their own space and really won’t appreciate having to share a space with adults or even siblings.

If you can, when choosing a tent, try and get one with separate bedroom areas so that you can offer some privacy for your teens and a place for them to go and chill on their own when they need it.

Make a campfire

Making campfires are a great way to build teamwork into a family holiday and most teens are responsible enough to join in.

The skill in not only building a fire but starting it and keeping it going is one that’s not easy! A survival kit might be worth putting together for keen kids and teens who love the outdoors and bushcraft.

Remember not all campsites allow fires, you might be able to use a fire pit though – always a good idea to check beforehand.

Try some campfire food

Once your campfire is up and burning then get your teens to think about cooking some food on there. Toasting marshmallows is the classic one but perhaps they can find some recipes of their favourite foods that they can try cooking in a different way.

Encourage a nature journal

Older kids and teenagers might love the idea of taking along some art supplies and spending time watching nature and drawing or painting what they saw.

It’s a great way to slow down and develop a love for nature and it’s something that teens can then continue when they are home too if they like it.

Tell ghost stories

Teens love getting scared in the dark so ghost stories are the classic way to keep them entertained in the evening. Not a great idea for little kids who are sensitive, but once they are older you can definitely give it a go and get them involved in the telling too.

Encourage circus skills

Not all teens like to play camping games so if yours is like that, like mine were, then they might like to practice circus skills.

We used to try out juggling and spinning poi – they are unobtrusive so a good idea for busy campsites. They can keep them busy for ages and once they get good it’s a great confidence builder!

Take plenty of layers

Cold teens have a tendency to be grumpy so I always recommend plenty of layers especially as the evening draws in and the sun goes down. It can get cold pretty quickly and teens aren’t going to appreciate an early bedtime while on holiday.

While you’re sat outside the tent make sure that you have a hat and some gloves as well as a nice big comfy jumper for everyone. Thermals might also be a good idea or at least some different layers that can be worn.

Blankets are also good – I like fleece ones because they are nice and light and dry quickly if they happen to get damp.

Take plenty of snacks

Similar to the last point, I always found that when my teens were hungry that was when problems started, bickering ensued and I wanted to pack up and go home!

Making sure that you have plenty of snacks, probably way more than you think you’ll need, is the way to go. Crisps, biscuits and fruit are great to have on hand – anything that can be eaten quickly and easily is the best.

The post Camping with teenagers: 10 tips for bringing older kids on a camping holiday appeared first on Get Kids Outside!.

A note about buying camping equipment:

I mention it a lot in my camping guides but I’ll say it again – if you can, borrow camping gear for your first couple of trips. Not everyone loves camping and I see way too often people who have bought a whole kit, perhaps gone through a camping checklist like this one and just added things to their Amazon basket, and then hated it. They then have to sell it all.

Invest well in a good tent and good sleeping gear – the rest can generally be brought from home and upgraded once you know you love camping with your family.

Maybe look out for those people who hated it selling their kit!

What to bring camping with kids

My full checklist is below with a link to a printable PDF too. I’ll go through each category here and discuss what you need and don’t need and what you definitely don’t want to forget!

Tent

Perhaps the most obvious part but of course you need a tent of some description. I have written a post about choosing the best family tent but to summarise, go for a good brand, one that you can stand up in and one that has at least 2 more berth than you need. So for 4 of you look for 6 berth tents – this gives extra room, you don’t want to be too squished in!

Often big tents can come in separate bags – perhaps one for the outer and one for the inners, or one for the poles. As obvious as it sounds – make sure to bring each one! I recommend adding to your list so you can tick it off.

Mallet is one that is often forgotten. I recommend taking a couple so if your kids want to help with pegging out you can do it together!

Sleeping

Getting a good nights sleep, for all of you, while camping is essential but sometimes it can take a while to get your sleeping set up right.

First you need to have a good base to sleep on. Airbeds are common but they have the disadvantage of deflating. They also can become cold – the cold comes up through the ground and cools down the air inside that you’re laying on. You can combat this by putting a foam mat or insulated picnic blanket underneath.

Airbeds are my favourite option really – we have a very old red and blue flocked one (perhaps you know what I mean!) and even though it’s almost as old as me it’s never failed on us. Don’t forget a pump too. Ones that are powered by 12v sockets can be used via a car but remember if it’s muddy or rainy you’ll get the bed wet.

Camping beds are another option although I’ve never found them comfortable.

Self inflating mats are often touted as the best from many of my friends. They were great for kids, I didn’t like them so much but appreciated their small size and insulating properties.

Once you’ve figured out the base you’ll need a good sleeping bag. At least 3 season is a good idea. Even if you’re camping in summer you might want one that’s a little more warmer than a summer season one. Nights can get cold! In a pinch you can bring duvets from home – they are much more bulky so bear in mind space in your car.

Blankets are great to have – we always brought lots!

Eating

A camp kitchen is another area that can take some time to refine. I like to bring what I can from home if possible. We always had a lot of plastic plates and beakers so those came camping rather than breakable options. I did still like a proper mug for tea rather than a travel mug. Pans came from home – I just brought small ones.

Eventually we transitioned to having a set of kitchen stuff just for camping which we kept in a box. It meant I always knew we had everything.

Stove options are also varied. If you’re just starting out you might like the single burners that have a canister. We liked these a lot and found they worked really well, we loved the small size and no worries about big gas bottles. Downside of them is the single hob limitation while cooking.

If you want a bigger set up you can get 2 burner hobs that connect to a larger gas bottle. This was our first kitchen set up that we had and it worked well once we figured out the gas bottle we needed! You’ll need the gas, a regulator, hose and of course the stove. Ensure that it all is compatible. You can also get petrol stoves – I never tried that myself but a friend had one and liked it.

You might like to think about what food you’ll have while camping and how you’ll store the food. Is there a shop onsite that you can buy from everyday or will you have to do supermarket shops? Tinned and packet food can be good because you don’t need to worry about storing them.

Cleaning up after eating is another thing to remember. My kids would often be in charge of washing up – it’s a good chore for them while camping! A washing up bowl is essential – a strong, basic one is better than a pop up one because it can be used to carry the pots too.

Home Comforts

This is your seating areas and thing you might want for chilling out round your tent.

First is some sort of camping chair. You can get inexpensive ones in many places, even supermarkets in the summer and kid sized ones are a good idea. Kids love to have their own chair!

A table is also good for putting hot drinks on or for keeping food off the ground while eating. Tables are also good for keeping food off the ground and away from bugs overnight.

A nice picnic blanket that can sit outside is also a good plan. For camping with babies it’s a place they can be laid down for a play and for kids it can be a toy area to keep everything nearby. Get one that is waterproof as the ground can be damp in mornings until the sun comes out.

You’ll also want to consider some toys, games and books that you could bring. Small is best!

Clothes

In the clothes section you’ll want to consider how many days you’re away for and the potential weather you’re going to face. This can obviously be amended just prior to leaving if the weather forecast is strongly suggesting a particular type of weather.

Waterproofs are always a good idea as are sun suits. It covers you for a variety of different days!

Kids might not need really warm clothes or a hat for the evenings if they are charging about and keeping themselves warm, but it’s a good idea to encourage them so their body temperature doesn’t drop too much. Once you’re cold it’s harder to get warm again. Adults sat around with a glass of wine or some tea will appreciate a warm jumper and hat!

When it comes to shoes try to take some that are easy to put on and off. Crocs, love em or hate em, were a favourite for ours as they were easily left at the door of the tent so as not to drag dirt inside. Wellies are great for the same reason.

Other family camping essentials

Ok, so what else do you need to take while camping with kids?

This section contains some nice to haves that you might not need straight away but might come in handy like a wind break. You can get ones that match tents or you could get one like you use on the beach. These are great to have a little enclosed area for kids to play near the tent or for some shelter while cooking outside.

Electric hook up can be a good idea, especially if you want to run an electric coolbox, have lights for the evening and charge phones and electrical devices. You could also go down the road of getting a solar charger for small items though.

Light is essential in some way. We always had a few different torches and a lantern for general light. Headtorches are good for if you need hands free, maybe for reading or late night tent fixing. Make sure you can charge them easily. Another idea is fairy lights. We like them around the door of the tent which makes finding your way back inside easy after a late night toilet stop.

Finally, if you have small kids you might want to bring a potty for emergencies or you could get a porta-potti if adults or bigger kids might want it. Young kids might also benefit from some pull up nappies if you’re concerned about wetting the bed – that’s not fun sorting out in a field!

Printable Family camping checklist

Here’s our full checklist for camping with kids in the UK. Get the printable version here.

• Tent
  • Tent
  • Poles
  • Groundsheet
  • Carpet or picnic blanket for indoors
  • Mallet
  • Pegs
  • Spare guy ropes
  • Sun shelter / beach tent
  • duct tape/camping repair kit
• Sleeping
  • Sleeping bags
  • Airbed, camp bed or self inflating mats
  • Pump for airbed
  • Blankets
  • Pillows
• Eating
  • Stove
  • Gas & regulator
  • Matches or Lighter
  • Water bottle – 5l from supermarket can work well
  • Pans
  • Stove Kettle
  • Plates
  • Bowls
  • Cutlery, cooking utensils & tub for storage
  • Chopping board
  • Can opener and corkscrew
  • Mugs
  • Flask
  • Plastic beakers / water bottles
  • Washing Up bowl
  • Tea Towels
  • Sponge
  • Washing up liquid
  • Anti Bac spray
  • Food idea for first night
  • Cool box
  • Ice blocks
  • Plastic lidded box for food
• Home Comforts
  • Camping chairs
  • Table
  • Picnic blanket
  • Books or kindle
  • Card games or portable board games
• Clothes
  • Daytime outfits
  • Pyjamas
  • Dressing gown
  • Cosy jumper for evenings
  • Sun suits
  • Swimming costume
  • Waterproofs
  • Underwear
  • Socks
  • Welly boots
  • Sandals
  • Sun hat / cap
  • Warm hat for evenings
  • Towels
• Other family camping essentials
  • Wind break
  • Electric Hook up
  • Solar charging device
  • Torch for each person
  • Headtorch
  • Lanterns
  • Batteries
  • Hot water bottles
  • Bucket
  • Spare plastic bags for rubbish or storage
  • Pegs
  • Outdoor toys
  • Toiletries
    • toothbrush and toothpaste
    • flannel
    • baby wipes or anti bac wipes
    • sun cream
    • Shower gel/shampoo/conditioner
    • hair brush
  • First aid kit
  • Insect repellant
  • Potty or portable toilet

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I’ve camped with my kids at all ages and it’s always a worthwhile time. Getting out in nature is just as important for parents as it is for babies and kids so don’t discount how it will be good for yourself.

These tips for camping with babies will hopefully help you make the leap and give camping with your little one a shot. You never know, camping with kids might become your norm and you’ll spend years to come making memories in a campsite!

A note about these camping tips – often they relate to you as well as your baby, so don’t forget about your own comfort too. It might make all the difference!

Take plenty of layers, nappies and wipes

Whatever you think you might need, add a few more.

When it comes to clothes it’s a good idea to have a few layers. Temperatures can vary wildly through the day in a tent and once the sun goes down it can be really chilly even in summer. Having options and being able to peel off layers is the best idea.

Take extra nappies and wipes that you think you might need. Honestly, it’s just better to have them!

Try not to be too hung up on dirt

As parents of newborns and babies we can also be hung up on making sure kids aren’t getting too grubby. On a camping trip that mindset is going to be hard so I want to encourage you to not get too hung up on it.

Crawling around in the grass and having interactions with the earth away from home is actually likely to be beneficial to your child’s immune system anyway. Constantly wiping and using anti bacterial sprays don’t help at all. Plus it’s another job for you on your holiday.

Obviously you want to get your baby clean at the end of the day and baby wipes or a flannel are great for that, but don’t let it bother you too much during the day

Take a suitable tent

I don’t like to encourage people to spend too much before they know they’ll like camping but in saying that, getting a good family tent is going to be paramount if you’re camping with a baby. (Borrow if you can!)

Think about how big the bedroom is – can you sleep yourself, a partner (if appropriate) and a baby? Will it fit your chosen bedding options? Do you have room to stand in the bedroom and hold your baby?

I advise to get a tent you can stand up in because it’s no fun having to stoop all holiday. Night times might see you pacing trying to settle a baby and you want to be able to do that. If you can do that in the bedroom too that’s good as you’ll not be fighting with zips to get your baby back in bed!

Also getting a tent that can be put up by one person is preferable. Even if you’re travelling with a partner you might not have both pairs of hands available all the time.

Practice putting the tent up

Being familiar with your tent is going to be invaluable when travelling with a baby. If you have one person who will look after your baby while you put your tent up that will help, but being familiar with it beforehand will make the process much easier.

If you’re travelling as a single parent with a baby or with other kids you’ll need to think about the logistics of how you’ll do it. I would often put my baby in a car seat while I was putting the tent up but that only worked while she was happy!

If camping in summer it might be an idea to get a small sun shelter that you can put up before you put the main tent up. That way one person can sit there with the baby while the other one puts the tent up and there’s no worry about the sun being too strong.

Your baby’s bed is important

Keeping babies and kids warm at night is essential for good sleeping while camping and it can also be one of the most worrying times. I remember being so cold at night while camping with my kids and just worrying that they were also cold.

You’ll want to make sure that your baby is warm but not too warm. Babies that kick off their covers will worry you so I recommend a baby sleeping bag.

Think about where they’ll sleep as well. We would always use a baby travel cot as it gave them their own space – will you have enough room in your tent for one? Having something like this was great for naps too or if you needed to put your baby down while you cooked.

Cold comes in through the ground so insulation below the cot is a good idea – just a cheap camping or yoga mat might do.

Plan your meals/feeding times

Think ahead to how you’re going to cook with a baby. Camping trips often come along with camp food, but if you’ve a baby to contend with you might like to plan ahead what meals you’ll cook.

I like to go for ease all the time. I’d often bring a ready cooked meal for the first night so I knew it just needed reheating. Then for other nights I’d aim for something simple but nutritious. You could also eat out as well – lots of campsites have restaurants attached to them or nearby.

The idea is to plan ahead though so you’re not giving yourself an unenviable task of cooking a home made meal on a camp stove with a crying baby!

Make life easier with carton milk and food

If your baby is breastfed then you can just carry on as normal when camping and not worry too much. But if your baby is bottle fed or at a weaning stage then you’ll want to think ahead about your meal options.

You’ll not be able to make up bottles easily so I recommend getting some pre-made up formula which you can get in cartons and they’ll store without needing to be in the fridge. Even if you do have a cold storage area, space will be at a premium.

For meals the same applies. Take something that’s easily warmed and can be stored simply. Most unopened baby food can be stored easily and out of a fridge. Think about the package sizes and how much your baby eats to avoid waste. Any leftovers might be ok in a cool box if you have one.

Basically you want to make life as simple as possible for you.

Think about storage for nappies

Hopefully the campsite that you choose to stay in will have plenty of bins for you to be able to put soiled nappies in, but if you’re changing nappies at night time, or if the bins aren’t that close by, you might want to have a dedicated area to put them.

A plastic bag might be enough for you, it depends on how many you might have to change. A small bin with a lid might work better and will keep smells at bay.

If you’re taking washable nappies you’ll also want to factor in how you’ll store them. It’s doable, but requires some forethought! Many friends I knew would transition to disposable nappies just for camping trips.

Take a big picnic blanket you can lay out

Having a large space where your baby is safe to play on is a really good idea. If your baby is still not mobile then a smaller blanket will suffice but once they start moving you might want a larger space that they can roll over, crawl and shuffle to their hearts content!

A waterproof backing is essential for damp mornings before the sun has dried up the grass and of course those rain showers that often happen!

Bring some favourite, but washable, toys

Keeping your baby occupied while camping might depend on their age so my recommendation is to bring along what toys you have that are easily washable should they get dirty at the campsite.

Crinkly toys were always a favourite with mine. You might think about a baby gym to put on the mat.

Of course going for walks with your pram or pushchair is also a good way to keep babies occupied.

Try baby wearing

Carrying your baby in a sling or a baby carrier is one way to make sure that you don’t spend your entire camping holiday tied to your babies sleep routines.

It could be a good way to try it out as well and see if your child enjoys it. I’ll confess I was never great at it myself, but I have friends who swore by it and who could do almost anything with their baby attached to them.

It’s also a good option if you want to go on walks nearby that aren’t necessarily pushchair friendly.

Take sun protection

If the weather is due to be sunny you’ll want to remember plenty of sun protection for your child.

I used to always bring UV protection sun suits for my babies. I could rest easier knowing that they were mostly covered. The clothes would wash and dry easy too which was a bonus! Of course, sun cream is also a must.

You might also want to consider a UV sun shelter for babies – these are invaluable for campsites and playing because you can move them to fit in with the weather.

Check the weather before you go

It’s always advisable to keep an eye on weather forecasts before a camping trip whether that’s with a baby or not!

If the weather is looking bad you’ll need to weight up if it’s worth the trip – keeping babies occupied in the tent when they want to crawl and get out isn’t always fun!

Try it out in the garden or close to home

If you’ve made it this far with these tips and you’re still raring to give it a go then do a trial run in the garden. This is a great idea to make sure you’re happy with the bed set up and how you’ll put the tent up with a baby around.

Start small with weekend or overnight trip

When you’re ready to try out your first camping trip with your baby then I recommend a couple of nights somewhere close by. This will give you confidence knowing that you don’t have a large drive to get home if you forget something or if you’re not feeling comfortable for whatever reason.

I’d love to hear about your camping trips with your babies – let me know how you got on in the comments!

The post Camping with babies – tips to make it easy appeared first on Get Kids Outside!.

Having said that, there are some things that make nature walks more fun for kids and can help with any nature study that you do.

My tip: What I like to do is to have a dedicated ‘nature walk bag’ sat by the front door of our house with all the items I wanted to take inside. It was a rucksack that I only took on these walks. It made it so much easier than having to gather things up prior to leaving the house!

For those of you with a large family or with kids of different ages then perhaps a small individual backpack with each child’s nature walk goodies inside might work better – that way you could tailor the items inside to each child and their age. Kids often get excited to bring out their own nature bag too!

Another idea is to have some items stashed in the car – this is especially good if you tend to drive to nature reserves or walks nearby. A change of clothes and some wet weather gear is a good idea for in the car for sure.

If you’re struggling for ideas on what to bring on a nature walk then read on!

What to take on your nature walk with kids

Binoculars

For kids who love bird spotting or just to help see things in the distance, binoculars are a great idea.  Rather than use adult ones that tend to be too big I recommend kid friendly designs. Make sure to get some that aren’t toys – they should work, be clear for kids to see through and be able to focus with.

This set of binoculars from EUTOYZ is a very similar design to the ones we used. They are perfect for a smaller face, have a basic focus control wheel and are shock proof too.

You can also get a few different colours so if you’re buying for more than one child they can have their own – we all know how important that can be!

Buy these kids binoculars on Amazon UK here

Pocket microscope

These are one of my favourite nature toys that we had and it got loads of use on walks and also in the garden.

These are great for seeing details in leaves, on tree bark or for looking at bugs up close too!  They are really simple to hold for even young children – honestly, my kids adored our one of these!  

This is the one that we had but there are a few on the market now. They are small and sturdy enough to take in a bag too so no worries about breaking it.

Check out the pocket microscope on Amazon UK here

Magnifying glass

For seeing bigger items up close and great for younger kids who might not be able to use the pocket microscope as well as older kids.  Magnifying glasses are nice and easy to keep in a bag at all times too – I recommend some like these kid versions.  They are sturdy enough for the youngest kids yet are still clear to look through.

Older kids might like a jewellers loupe – they are small enough to keep on hand in a handbag for when you’re out and about too.

See these magnifying glasses on Amazon UK

Pop up bug house

This was another hit for us – you can get a few different kinds of bug houses but having one that folds flat can make a difference when you’re carrying a lot with you on a nature walk. This one can clip on to a bag or belt too which I like – makes it really accessible.

They are perfect if you want take a look at some bugs you found up close and you can see from all angles really well.

See this bug house on Amazon UK

On another related note you could also take some see through tubs for looking at bugs or for bringing back samples of things you found. Make sure to but air holes in the lid though.

Nature journal or notepad

Anything from just some drawing paper to a dedicated notebook just for nature journaling is good to take on a nature walk.

There are some really good guided books that kids can use to record what they find when out on a nature walk like this one which is good for younger kids.  Older kids and teens are probably better with just a plain book that they can make their own.

Be aware that a lot of journals being sold for the purposes of art don’t always have good paper for drawing on – they tend to be regular or even thin paper. If you want your kids to do lots of journalling I definitely recommend a good quality art notebook. We got some high quality ones from WHSmith a while ago now and I definitely appreciated being able to see and feel the paper in person.

Check out this nature journal book on Amazon UK here

Watercolour pencils

To save taking out our entire art cupboard I tend to stick bring just a set of watercolour pencils on our nature walks.  

If it’s a leisurely drawing day you can have fun adding water to your art with a water brush or if you don’t want to they can just as easily be used as colouring pencils. Suitable for all ages too.

We used to have a nice tin that would hold all the pencils and the lid could be used to add water to. If you’re going to bring these kinds of pencils don’t forget water and a container to put it in! The water brushes work well too.

See this watercolour pencil set on Amazon UK

Field guides

Try and get some identification guides for your local area or for what you might want to learn about. Trees, wildflowers and bird books are good ones to start with.

I find that children’s books are more than enough for most trips out as some adult and hobbyist field guides can get a little too involved.

See these kid field guides on Amazon here

First Aid kit

Just something small to have on hand if your kids get into scrapes. Some antiseptic wipes or cream, plasters and maybe a couple of sachets of kiddy paracetamol are a good idea.

Water bottle

The post What to bring on a nature walk – 10 kid friendly ideas appeared first on Get Kids Outside!.

Have I tempted you yet?

Perhaps the thought of camping with kids is making you wonder. Is it worth the hassle? Is it even fun? What kind of stuff do you need and will you have room in the car for it?

I had all these thoughts too, don’t worry, you’re not alone! I’ve tried to cover a lot of topics lightly in this post about family camping but have also linked to more in depth articles where appropriate. Do let me know in the comments if you have any questions about camping with children and I’ll try and help!

Is camping with kids hard?

Camping can often be easier than other kinds of holidays with kids because they have the great outdoors safely by their tent. They can play games, go nature hunting, run around for hours and get so much fresh air they fall asleep straight away.

That’s the version we all love to imagine and if I’m honest it can be true, but of course it’s not a sure fire thing and will depend on your child.

I am often asked is whether it’s hard to take kids camping – I always think yes and no. It’s different to life at home which can require some different skills for both the kids and the parents. It’s definitely easier to keep kids occupied than you might find when staying in cottages or a hotel and there’s no TV and very little electric to power up screens.

Rainy days when camping can be tricky though. Always good to be prepared with ideas or some days out to attractions.

How do I have fun camping with kids?

Is camping fun for family? Absolutely!

Here are some ways to have fun camping with kids:

• play outdoor games like football, rounders, frisbee together
• go on a bug hunt and see what critters you can find
• watch out for bats as the night falls
• bring card games and books for rainy days
• take bikes and scooters

Posts you might like:

Fun camping games for kids

Hacks and tips for camping as a family

I have a lot of tips for camping with little ones from being small to being teens. I loved coming up with ideas that were cheap and fun!

Posts you might like:

Tips for camping with kids and toddlers
How to get kids to sleep when camping
Tips for camping with babies
Tips for camping with teenagers

What do you need for camping with children

Getting together the kit you need for camping can be overwhelming. There’s always something else that needs bought or seems to be an ‘essential’. Here are the basics you’ll need for a good trip away:

• Shelter – a tent of some description but could be a trailer tent, caravan or camper. I always recommend having standing room if you can.
• Sleeping gear – something to sleep on (airbed, camping bed or mat), bedding (sleeping bags or duvets from home)
• Something to sit on – folding chairs for everyone. Maybe not essential but you’ll thank me for it! A picnic rug.
• Kitchen gear – a stove to cook on, pots, pans, cups and plates (I just take from home). Don’t forget gas and matches.
• Light – torches and lanterns for evening time. Solar powered fairy lights can act like a nightlight too and look pretty!

Everything else is extra and can be added to your kit as and when. Having too much can be stressful too especially when packing.

I always recommend borrowing gear if you can. Perhaps you know a friend who might allow you to loan some things while you see if you need it and enjoy it?

A good checklist for camping is recommended – check it over after each trip. Did you forget anything? Anything that would have made life easier? Did you bring things you never used?

Posts you might like:

Family camping checklist

Best family tents for all budgets

Is camping expensive for families?

Camping used to be the cheap way to take your kids on holiday. With rising campsite costs and a long list of camping essentials it can definitely feel like it’s an expensive holiday for families.

It’s still possible to find campsites that are basic and back to nature and you can keep costs down by borrowing gear as I mentioned above.

Some more tips for keeping camping budget friendly:

• find sites that charge per pitch rather than per person. Be aware that if you have a large tent some might charge more for that too!
• Hook up adds to the costs so if you don’t need electric you can save there
• Don’t discount large holiday parks – they can be similar to other sites and have the benefit of things like entertainment and pools (our best and cheapest breaks used to be at the Park Resorts holiday parks)

Where are the best family campsites?

Best for me might not be best for you and your family. So have a think about what would make the perfect family camping trip for you.

• Is it a peaceful space with fields around you?
• Is it somewhere with good showers?
• Will it have phone signal and wifi? Some kids might not forgive you for not having signal!
• Is it nearby to the beach, or forests, or a theme park?
• How busy does it get – how many pitches does it have?
• Does it have a swimming pool, a kids club or a play park?
• Does it have space for kids to play ball games and run around (some campsites can be very regimented and not always child friendly!)

Camping with babies, toddlers, older kids and teens (or a mixture of them all) will all require different things.

The post Camping with kids – our ultimate guide to fuss free holidays appeared first on Get Kids Outside!.

As a mum on a tight budget, going for walks with my kids was often our go to activity. I couldn’t afford clubs and activities when my kids were little so nature provided for us. From toddlers all the way up till the teen years going for a walk was my default thing to do!

If you’re looking to get your kids outside more then I hope you’ll find this page helpful. I’ve linked to some more in depth posts that I have on my site too where applicable. Walking with kids is so much fun, I hope you find inspiration to make it a part of your normal lives too.

Is it healthy to walk with kids

Walking is a great activity for everyone, including kids, to get muscles moving and encourage blood to be pumped round the body. It’s low impact and can be as strenuous or easy as you want it to be.

Fresh air has a great benefit to kids too, especially in a world where they can be cooped up for hours on end.

Getting kids active doesn’t have to be tricky – striving to go for walks a couple of times a week is a great start.

Since there’s no real equipment needed to walk with kids it’s easy to get started and accessible to almost everyone no matter their situation.

Some love to track their activity with a kids fitness tracker and if your child is motivated by beating themselves, others or by taking part in the activities they link to, then it’s a great way to get kids to be more healthier.

How to make walking with kids more fun

Not every child will walk for an hour (or less!) willingly. Some kids get bored, struggle to find things to keep them occupied and just need a little extra help to make the walk fun and engaging. Some jump at the idea of a nature walk and others will just groan.

If you’re finding that your kids aren’t enthusiastic about your walks, don’t want to go out and would rather stay inside you might need to do some encouraging to get them excited.

Depending on the age of your child there are a few things that I like to try:

• play games such as I-spy
• go on a scavenger hunt
• see who can walk in a silly way
• look out for nature
• take a picnic
• Geocaching or even Pokemon Go might encourage tech savvy kids!

If you need some more ideas here are 28 fun things to do on a walk with kids

How do you walk with 3 kids or more

Walking with more than one child can be challenging, especially if they are of different ages and enjoy different things.

Here are some ideas to keep the peace when walking with 3 kids or more:

• Play ‘the floor is lava’ – honestly all ages love this game and it’s great while out and about
• Encourage older kids to start a story and get everyone to add to it and make it funny
• races between the kids are always a good idea when you’re on a safe pathway
• have a competition to see who can find the first orange leaf, bird or puddle!

Sometimes it’s about managing the issues and having coping strategies ready. So go out with a pushchair if your toddler can take a long time to walk and it frustrates the older ones. If you have a bad day, think about if there’s a way to make it better for next time.

Bring snacks. Snacks always make walks better!

How to get toddlers to walk outside

My biggest tip for those with toddlers is to go at their own pace and really embrace the patient side of you – you’ll need it! Allowing your toddlers to dictate what they want to see, look at and touch is a great way to get them started with walking outside and also loving the outdoors.

When toddlers don’t want to walk anymore, that’s when the problems can start. You might need a small arsenal of ideas for keeping them going or to make it a more pleasant walk. No-one enjoys the tantrums!

Here are some tips for when toddlers don’t want to walk any more.

One gadget that I found was invaluable when my little one was walking more, especially when I had a baby in the pushchair and couldn’t let him sit down, was a buggy board. It basically attaches to your pushchair and is a platform they can ride on behind. It can also work well if you are trying to transition away from using a pushchair just to give kids another option that isn’t being sat down.

What to bring on a walk with children

I may have mentioned it before, SNACKS!

Ok, let’s elaborate a bit on that. What I love about walking with kids is that it doesn’t need anything particular. You can just up and decide to go for a walk with no prior thought. But, there are some things that can make a walk with children more fun:

• Snacks and water – healthy snacks such as some raisin boxes, fruit and nuts are a good idea.
• binoculars or magnifying glasses
• drawing supplies
• a scavenger hunt game – here’s a ready made one that’s inexpensive and good to keep in a bag
• a first aid kit – at least some plasters and some antibacterial wipes are a good idea
• hand sanitiser or wipes

You might like my post about what to bring on a nature walk

One other thing to note is to try and be prepared for the weather. We know in the UK that we can get extremes in one day so suncream is another good option. Good waterproofs for kids will also help you to feel better when your kids make a beeline for the puddles!

Finding child friendly walks

Not all walks are great for kids. If you’ve been going walking for years and your kids are older you can probably tackle many hikes and walks near you but for those with toddlers, pushchairs and younger kids you might want to consider walks that are particularly family friendly.

When looking for walks that are suitable for kids I always check out the following:

• National Trust sites – they often have trails that are pushchair and pram friendly.
• Circular walks – anywhere that is a short and circular route is a good plan
• Canal walks – These often have pathways that make walking easy. Obviously take care if you have kids who might be unpredictable near water.
• Woodland walks – being away from roads can make these a great choice for adventurous and boisterous kids. If they are circular walks then even better!
• Nature reserves – often these are circular and they can sometimes be paved for accessibility taking you to bird hides etc
• Country Parks
• Lakes

The post Walking With Kids: Easily get your kids more active appeared first on Get Kids Outside!.

I’ve been there, my kids never used to enjoy just going for a walk and so it became a chore. Something we ought to do but we didn’t look forward to. It took some effort to find things that were fun for my kids to do on their walk but once we did it made it continually got better.

Of course you don’t have to do every single one of these ideas on your walks to make them fun and exciting. Choose a few to have in mind for when you’re out and about and see how you go.

Scavenger hunt

The classic idea to make walks fun is to have a scavenger hunt. There are so many options for this depending on where you’re walking from a simple one where you find something to match each colour of the rainbow to more tricky ones.

The Go Find it game is a good one to have in your bag for walks and you can make a scavenger hunt on the fly.

Take photos from different perspectives

Encouraging your kids to take photos of what they are interested in on their walk is a great way to keep them occupied and give them some focus for their walk. Another way to add on to that challenge is to encourage them to take photos from a weird or different perspective. So, perhaps a shot of a tree from on the ground and looking up. Maybe of a bug from a bugs eye view. Or of a plant super close.

Make a film

Another option for kids to do is to get them to film each other or themselves as if they were doing a tv show. Let them tell you on camera about the interesting things they’re seeing on their walk. This is always a fun one to look back on a few years later too!

Play I spy

Another classic. I don’t need to tell you how to play do I?

I spy is a great way to keep kids happy, interacting with the environment and also helps a little with language development and spelling too. A great all rounder! While on a walk it can keep things fun especially if you have competitive children!

Do some nature journalling

Arty children might enjoy taking a moment on their walk to create some pictures of what they see. Having a notebook and some pencils in your bag is always a good idea as you never know what you might see!

To encourage your child to go on the walk, give them some ownership of the nature journal task and ask them to think about what they might like to draw in advance. You could then keep a lookout when walking to see if you can find the perfect subject for them.

Take a picnic

Having a break along the way in your walk, or even just a snack to share on shorter ones can help kids stay positive and have fun on their walk.

You can then use this time to rest and let them play in nature and use their imaginations or you could do drawing, play more games or any of the other ideas on this list.

Make a journey stick

This is an ancient tradition that comes from Native American and Aboriginal tribes and one that kids might love too. Get a stick at the beginning of your walk and attach things that you find on your walk to it. When you return your stick can help to retell the journey that you went on.

See who can do the funniest walk

Kids find joy in the silliest things so let’s incorporate that into our quest to make walking fun. Have a challenge and see who can make up the funniest way to walk. Make sure that you join in too – kids love seeing adults do goofy things!

Just listen

Who can hear the tiniest thing? Maybe a distant car or a bird singing in a tree? Perhaps you can hear leaves rustling from an animal or maybe the wind is making the trees noisy.

What can be heard when you take the time to just listen? Any surprises?

Find puddles to splash in

It’s amazing to watch kids be so engrossed in splashing and walking through puddles. If you’re walking after or during rain then this one is a great idea. Make sure they either have good waterproofs or a change of clothes in the car! Your challenge as an adult is to just let them splash…

Do some rubbings

By having some crayons and paper to hand you’ll always be able to do some rubbings of tree bark or even leaves. Or maybe you’re on a walk through a park and you see some man made items such as a climbing frame with an interesting texture.

Rubbings are easy for all ages to do and you can get some really interesting art from them.

Look up close

Grab a magnifying glass and use it to look at things up close on your walk. Let your kids choose what to look at, it won’t be what you choose I’m sure! You can combine this with nature journalling and recording what they see or just let them explore with it.

Geocaching

Similar to a treasure hunt but a little more technical is geocaching. If you’re on a walk you can see if there are any caches around and follow the clues to find it. Some are more tricky than others but my kids always loved trying to find treasure!

Search for bugs

Keep an eye out for bugs on your nature walk. Encourage your kids to take a look under logs and see if they can spot anything before quietly putting it back. You don’t have to touch them of course, but look and see how many you can find and what kinds are around you.

Beat your step count

If you have a kids activity tracker (or access to an adult one or a mobile device that can track steps) then try and guess the amount of steps you think you’ll do on your walk and see if you’re anywhere near your guess. Or if you’ve done the walk before you could aim to beat your steps count.

Obstacle course

For active kids just walking isn’t enough. They need to climb jump and run. So why not incorporate this into your walk and get them to do anything but walk. Balance on logs, walk along a line, jump over obstacles and climb rocks.

Go on a litter pick

For any kids who want to protect the environment this is a good idea and it can help a walk have a purpose for some. Picking up some litter from an area on your walk can give a sense of achievement too.

Of course take precautions, use a litter picker if you can and have some gloves and hand sanitiser too.

Get a map out

If you have a map of the area you’re walking around, whether that’s an Ordnance Survey Map or just one you’ve picked up from an attraction, kids love to be in charge and help to navigate on walks.

Map skills are really important so it’s great from that perspective too and learning about what each symbols mean and correlating what is seen on a map to real life is actually kinda fun too!

Bring a favourite teddy and document their trip

Don’t forget teddy! If your child has a favourite toy at home whether it’s a toy car, a favourite doll or a lego mini figure why not encourage them to bring it along so they can enjoy the fun walk too!

Another idea might be to take photos of the toy on the walk doing all the fun things!

Create some art

For something a little different, especially if you’re taking a small break, why not gather up some nature and make some art. Perhaps it’s some fallen leaves of different colours, sticks, moss, grass or flowers. What kind of art can you all make? Maybe make something together or do it individually.

The floor is lava

This is a game my kids would play endlessly at home and then they started to take it out on their walks too. Especially moorland walks we did in the Peak District where they’d lead from stone to stone and pretend the grassy bits were lava.

You could also do this by not stepping on cracks or never stepping on the path.

Look for images all around you

Look for clouds that look like dogs, trees with eyes that look like a face or patterns in the mud. The more you look the more you’ll see faces and images everywhere.

Find footprints or make your own

Muddy days can bring perfect conditions to see if you can find footprints of animals or birds in the area. Maybe you can see evidence of dogs having gone for a walk?

If you can’t find others footprints then maybe try and make your own. Either walk through mud and see what prints you leave behind or walk through a puddle on to a dry path.

Have a competition to find things

Another one that is good for competitive kids. I feel like this is similar to car games I had as a child myself. I’d choose a colour of car and my brother would choose another.

You could do this on a walk with anything. Maybe you could choose dogs to look out for or birds. Or different things of different colours or shapes. Probably don’t let your child choose green though eh?

Tell silly stories

Start to tell a story and then get each person on the walk to add to it. A good idea is to stop your section before someone is about to do something and let the next person end what you started. It can be hilarious especially if you’re all in a fun mood!

What can you smell?

Similar to the listening idea this one is about another of our senses – smell. It’s a difficult one to hone, but might be fun for some kids to give it a try. Keep your nose open as you walk and every time you smell something try and describe it and see where the smell comes from.

Birdwatching

Keeping an eye on any birds you see on your walk is a good way to encourage a love of nature. Birds are naturally attractive to kids (an adults) and we just love to watch them, identify them and enjoy them.

They don’t have to be fancy birds, just regular bird species that you get to recognise is great. Maybe once you get to know what a bird looks like you can learn it’s call and see if you can hear that too.

Getting some binoculars is good for any kids that develop an interest in birdwatching – small ones that can fit in a bag are great for kids.

Let the kids choose the way

If you’re confident you won’t get too lost outside on your walk then a good way to make your walk more interesting is to let the kids choose which way to go.

Either let them go which way looks interesting or encourage them to plan the walk beforehand so you can have the best walk.

The post 28 exciting & fun things to do on a walk with kids appeared first on Get Kids Outside!.

Fitness trackers have been so helpful for getting people active, getting their steps in and meeting their goals. So it’s logical to think about getting a kids fitness tracker to help get your child or teen active too right?

Getting kids active can be either something that is increasingly hard or something that you don’t need to worry about at all. If you have a child that’s bouncing around day after day then you might not feel the need to help encourage them to be more active – although if they are asking for a fitness tracker this might be how you’ve ended up here.

On the other hand, if you have kids that prefer watching the tv and playing computer games to going out for a walk then you might be tearing your hair out trying to get them active.

I know that for me it was often on my mind, especially on a particularly screen heavy day, so I’d definitely be looking to get them moving more. And if it helps them sleep better at night I was all for it!

You might be wondering if maybe a fitness tracker might be a good idea and something to consider for a bit of gentle encouragement to get them more active

Whether you’re concerned about your child’s potential for becoming overweight or just simply wanting to instil some good habits around being active a Fitbit watch or fitness tracker is a good tool and it’s worth checking out specific child friendly versions.

The best kids fitness tracker – my top picks

Young kids > FitBit Ace 3 or Garmin Vivofit Jr 3 – they both keep kids well away from any adult topics such as calories burnt and are fun too!

Older kids & young teens > Fitbit Ace – looks just like a grown up tracker

Budget > BiggerFive – it’s a cheap kids fitness tracker that many of my readers decide to use for their kids and love.

What to look for in a kids activity tracker

Fitness trackers for kids should always be something that is fun and that doesn’t penalise kids.  We want them to be encouraged to move around rather than feel like it’s a chore and that’s a tough thing to get right.

When looking for the best fitness tracker for children you probably also want to have something that is inexpensive, simple to use and comfortable on your child’s wrist if it’s a watch design.  You also need to think about what you want it to track – tracking calories might not be appropriate but a step tracker watch could be just what you’re after.

When I’ve been looking at the best kids fitness trackers that are for sale right now in 2022 I’ve found it tricky to get some that aren’t too expensive and that actually work!  There are plenty for adults but getting something that is good for kids?  A bit harder!

Note about buying kids fitness trackers:

Many sellers, especially on Amazon and eBay, state that their trackers are for kids when in reality they are generic trackers with ‘kid’ or ‘child’s’ in the title. They are simply trying to get their product to turn up when searching.

This can mean that the tracker will be too big but mainly they might have emphasis on calories and heart rate that kids simply don’t need at their age.

Take your time and think about what you do and don’t want in a tracker for your children – my guide will help with genuinely child orientated trackers

I’m super pleased that over the years, as I’ve updated this article (I started it probably back in 2017!) , that more companies are coming out with kid orientated watches.  It’s important to me that we encourage activity but stay away from talking about burning calories while tracking – there’s much more time for that when we’re adults!

So, what is the best fitness tracker for kids?

Your kids age will dictate what the best product is – younger kids won’t have the wrist size for some of the more adult-orientated watch fitness trackers that are available so they’ll need something designed just for them.

Older kids will probably not feel the need to have the game orientated watches that dominate the young kids fitness trackers.

If you’re looking for fitness trackers for older kids and teens scroll down for my top picks there.

Best fitness tracker for young kids

The following activity trackers are good for kids up to about the age of 9 and young tweens.  Scroll down if you’re looking for more ones suitable for 10 years old and up

Fitbit Ace 3

New in 2021 is this kids Fitbit.  I’m a big fan of this company having used them lots over the years and I’m thrilled to see they are opening up the doors to more Fitbits for kids.

The Fitbit Ace 3 is their third iteration of a fitness tracker for a younger child and it’s a really good product.  It’s aimed at age 6 and upwards but I think it’s could last a long time – the design of it isn’t too childish or too chunky on your child’s wrist and so definitely feels like kids will want to wear it for a few years at least.

The one in the image above is a Minions Special Edition – always a winner to have a branded character in there, but they do have some plain ones like this one which is perfect if you’re worried about it looking too childish in future.

One concern that always comes up about child versions of Fitbits is whether kids can have an account.  Fitbit have addressed this in recent years and you can set up a family account with a child view of this tracker so they can see how they are doing.

Pros

• 5 day battery life
• waterproof
• can earn virtual badges
• tracks steps, active minutes and sleep
• different colours and replacement bands available
• good quality

Cons

• at the higher price point due to the brand name

This is definitely my choice for the best fitbit for kids if you want to stick with that brand.

Check out the latest price on Amazon here

Garmin Vivofit Jr 3

This is a good option if you want a smartwatch from a good brand name that deals with these kinds of children’s fitness trackers.  The Garmin Vivofit Jr is marketed for ages 4-9 but it’s definitely not one that looks too babyish and so I think could last for a long time.  It has some great designs available and a tonne of different colours that are suitable for a wide range of boys and girls tastes.

What is unique about this fitness band is that it has a parent controlled app – they can motivate the kids to do more activity through this!

Pros

• lots of features that are controlled by the parent app
• doesn’t need to be charged – it’s battery powered
• can incorporate chores and other tasks as well as active time
• tracks steps, sleep and active time
• 2 year warranty

Cons

• On the more expensive side compared to some

Alongside the Fitbit, the Garmin is one of my favourite child pedometers for this age range especially with the fun yet not too childish designs.

Check out the latest price on Amazon here

Garmin Vivofit Jr 2

Garmin has also got the slightly older range still available (which means it’s a little cheaper too) and what’s fun is that they brought out some themed activity trackers from Star Wars, Marvel (including Spiderman above) and also Minnie Mouse – definitely worth looking at especially if you have kids who are crazy about these characters!  

As well as being quite unique and having some fun straps, they have new games that are attached to the app too.

You can see more about this other range of trackers here

Biggerfive Fitness Tracker watch for kids

If budget is important to you and the big brand names are too expensive then this option might be worth looking at as it comes in at under £30.

I’ll be honest and say that I’m disappointed that this one shows calories burned, especially since it’s such a child friendly design – be aware that it is a feature – the reason I’ve included it here is that it’s a good budget option if you wanted something around the £20 mark and has lots of positive reviews from parents.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• heart rate and sleep tracker
• lots of activity modes
• usb charged
• comes in 4 colours

Cons:

• tracks calories – ugh.

Check the latest price of the Biggerfive Fitness Tracker here

Little Tikes Tobi Robot Smartwatch

This one is a little bit different and new to the market in 2022. The Little Tikes brand is always a favourite and they’ve come up with this game inspired smartwatch for younger kids.

It can help telling the time and has a digital and analogue face you can use. Loads of fun with games to play, a camera function to take photos with and a built in pedometer to keep track of steps.

Pros

• Lots of functions
• Much more than just a fitness tracker
• really good for young kids or perhaps even older toddlers – they say for ages 4+

Cons

• It’s a bit on the chunky side
• It’s quite childish so might not have a long lifespan

Check out this one on Amazon here

Vtech Kidizoom DX2 Smart Watch

Now, this item isn’t specifically a fitness tracker, it’s a smartwatch, but it does include a child’s pedometer and motion sensor so you can certainly use it to encourage and keep track of your child’s fitness and activity levels.

It’s a child version of a smartwatch, but obviously at a lower price and with child-friendly games on as well.  It comes in  3 different colours – blue, green and pink and is suitable from the age of 4 upwards.

Pros:

• Multi-use toy with lots of smart apps and a camera
• the pedometer keeps track of steps and activity
• Action challenge activities
• good choice for 4-6 year olds

Cons:

• should be splashproof but some have had issues with this

Check the latest price of this kids smartwatch here

Best activity tracker for teenagers and older kids

Once your kids get a little older you’ll probably be looking for a tracker that’s a bit more grown-up looking and so it’s natural to be looking at what is available for adults.  Here are some good options for kids in the 8+ age range.

FitBit Ace

If you want a more adult looking tracker for your child, want to stay with the FitBit brand but feel the Ace 3 I mentioned above might be too childish then take a look at the FitBit Ace which was released just recently and is aimed at ages 8 and upwards.  

It seems like a nice go between of having a grown up looking tracker but without the focus on calories burned and it certainly looks just like some of the more adult trackers around at the moment.  

If staying away from calories burnt is an issue for you then do check it out.

Pros:

• Looks just like an adult tracker
• tracks steps, active minutes and sleep
• showerproof
• parents can set up an account to keep tabs on it
• FitBit is a great brand I have had personal experience with

Cons:

• Some may feel like it’s expensive for what you get
• getting a little out of date now – perhaps Fitbit will bring a new version out soon.

Check out the latest price of the Fitbit Ace here

Fitbit Inspire 2

My choice of the best Fitbit for teens is going to be the Fitbit Inspire 2.  This is for a couple of reasons:

• it’s not too expensive compared to others in the fitbit range
• it tracks more than just steps – calories and activity should you want that
• it displays the time just like a watch
• it’s not huge – so won’t feel out of place on a small wrist
• the app keeps track of everything – you could put it on your phone or your kids.
• teens do appreciate good brands!

There are a few cons to a real FitBit of course

• the cost might be too much for a child item – there is the worry that it will get lost or broken
• You may not like any emphasis on calories burnt for kids or even teens

Personally I do also really like Fitbit because they have an excellent customer service – one of our Fitbits stopped working and they replaced it with no questions asked (we just had to show we had a receipt for it), so although there are lots of cheaper versions out there I think getting a good brand is worth it.  If you want to invest in a good tracker that will grow with your teen this is the one.

Check out the Fitbit Inspire 2 here

Garmin Vivosmart 4

This is another adult fitness tracker, this time from Garmin. This would be suitable for older teens since it’s tracking more adult things. Some of the Garmin trackers are on the expensive side, this one is one of the cheaper one’s available.

I like their stress tracking options and for teens that are under a lot of pressure that might be something that will appeal to help out there. It has all the rest of the adult options around – step tracking, calories, heart rate etc.

Pros

• has activity timers as well as tracking steps
• stress tracking
• breathing and relaxation timer
• connects to smartphones and receives notifications

Cons

• Since it’s an adult one, might not be suitable for younger teens
• not much choice of colours

Check out the lates price of the Garmin Vivosmart 4 here

Biggerfive kids fitness tracker

Recently new is this tracker from Biggerfive which is really popular.  This is a much more sophisticated and less child like looking tracker than the one listed above from the same manufacturer.

This is a good option if you don’t want the expense of a Fitbit for your kids which still looks grown up and good quality.  They state it’s designed for kids but comes with lots of tracking options (some of which might not be suitable depending on what you want).

The sports wristband will track your steps, your walking distance, calories, sleep quality and will also do things like notify you of incoming messages if you attach it to your phone.  It’s a really good entry smartwatch and will connect to both android and iOS smartphones with its app so you can use it to see incoming calls and messages too.

I really like this one because it does all you’d want a more sophisticated tracker to do but at a much-reduced price – one of the cheapest of the trackers for the older kids.  It will help your kids feel all grown up yet will be cheap enough to have you not worry about getting it broken.

Pros

• inexpensive
• looks good quality
• tracks a variety of different things
• comes in 5 colours – green (above), blue, pink, purple or black

Cons

• although they say it’s designed for kids it’s likely just an adult tracker
• some find the strap too big
• tracks calories burned

Check out the Biggerfive fitness watch here

The post Best fitness tracker for kids 2023: our ultimate guide appeared first on Get Kids Outside!.

It’s something teen friendly but these trick scooters are equally good for younger kids too!  In this article I’m looking at what is the best stunt scooter on a budget in 2022 so if you’re looking for a gift for a teenager or an older child this scooter buying guide might be just the thing!

Updated January 2022 – I’ve completely updated this guide to reflect the products available now – they can change regularly as new brands come on the market.  I intend to update these guides regularly so you know it’s up to date information .

What’s the difference between a stunt scooter and a normal scooter?

So your child is asking for a stunt scooter and you have no idea what that is.  Unfortunately it’s not exactly the same as a normal scooter so you’ll want to get it right by not buying a regular scooter instead – how do you know the difference between them all?

So, what is a stunt scooter?

A stunt scooter is for doing tricks and stunts, as the name helpfully suggests! (They are also known as trick scooters too)  An ordinary or ‘normal’ scooter is designed to just move you (or your child) around in a fun way, but it isn’t designed to do much more.  Yes you could try doing stunts on a normal scooter, but it’s not built to do that and you could find that they’ll break or fold up when doing the trick so it’s also not a particularly safe or ideal thing to encourage!

If you think your child is going to want to do stunts on their scooter then do get them the right type.

• A stunt or trick scooter generally won’t have adjustable handlebars – you don’t want them changing height by accident when you’re doing a trick.  Likewise, they won’t fold up like normal scooters.
• Stunt scooters are also slightly heavier, often built out of more sturdy materials like steel rather than aluminium.  This is for durability as the scooter is designed to take some serious playing on.
• Sometimes the wheels are smaller too and made of alloy so much stronger.
• Durability and strength are the key words really – they are designed to take a lot of beating so should be up to doing all sorts of tricks and jumps.

It should be said that stunt scooters are for older children in general – if you’re looking for a scooter suitable for much younger children see our guide here.

Our stunt scooter reviews

I wanted to look at some really good stunt scooters but also keep them at a decent budget price.  For me that meant under around £100 for this review and mostly they are in that bracket – some are even way below £50, obviously prices do change so check the links to Amazon for the latest price.

Cheap but good scooters aren’t really that hard to find nowadays and cheap doesn’t always mean bad quality, there are some really good value options presented here in a wide range of prices so you can find something affordable.

You can get some brands that are more than this budget amount but you’re starting to get in to the serious pro stunt scooter territory!  As a starter or beginner stunt scooter, and to see if your kids like it, these ones should definitely do well and they could definitely upgrade to a better trick scooter once they are ready and past the novice stage.

The more well known and best stunt scooter brands are Fox Pro, Madd Gear, Sacrifice, some of which are represented below in my reviews.

One thing to consider with buying the best scooters for stunts is being able to get spare parts.  There’s nothing worse than it breaking and being worthless so it is a good idea with these scooters to go for good brand names as they often have spare parts available.

Albott Sports Pro Push Stunt Scooter

This mid range scooter from Albott is suitable from the ages of 8+ and comes in the gold shown above.  This is a new and updated version of a previous scooter that I recommended that was really popular and we had personal experience with.   It seems this one is following in the footsteps.

It would be a good choice if you are looking for a cheap pro scooter that will also last while your child grows.  This model is suitable up to adults.   It has some great reviews on Amazon as you can see by clicking below.

• for ages 7+
• weight limit – 100kg
• scooter height – approx 82 cm
• weight – 3.1kg

Cipher Stunt Scooter by TwoBareFeet

This one by Two Bare Feet is a really popular scooter and one of the best sellers in 2019 – not surprising since it’s also one of the cheapest.  The best thing is that it comes in at a really budget price which makes it an excellent entry level pro scooter.  You get a really good and well made scooter for a really good price and that’s why it’s the first one in this list – my top choice.

There are a few different colours available – black as shown, pink and a black/pink combo so not loads of options but mostly it’s a really great and well built bit of kit.  For the price you’re getting a good model, with high quality parts that’s also not too expensive should your child decide it’s not for them.  Highly recommend this one!

• strong build quality
• variety of colours
• lightweight – 3.5 kg
• Height – 830 mm
• Max Rider Weight: 90kg
• Suitable for age 5+

MGP Kick Extreme V5 by Madd Gear

Updated for 2021 – the model I used to recommend by this brand is harder to come by now but it was so popular I’ve added in this newer model by Madd Gear.  This one’s slightly over the top end of my price range I was trying to sticking to but is a really good brand and so if your kids are serious about getting in to using stunt scooters it could be one they are asking for.

It comes in a couple of different colours too as well as the silver and black shown above.  It’s suitable for not only older kids but also teenagers/young adults too so if you’re worried about size being an issue it shouldn’t be.

• well known brand
• for ages 8+
• weight limit – 100kg
• scooter height – approx 82.6cm
• weight – 3.22kg

Riprail Assault Stunt Scooter

Another good brand stunt scooter and again at middle price range, this scooter from Riprail is a good choice for an affordable option being one of the cheapest options on this page.

The Assualt model of their brand is their entry level scooter and one that is suitable for kids and beginners to the world of trick and stunt scootering!   It’s a lightweight option although some reviews seem to think that it wouldn’t last through to the teen years.  Perhaps this will depend on your child but Riprail do have further models in their arsenal if the brand is for you and you need to go up a level.

• for ages 7+
• scooter height – approx 82cm
• weight – 2.95kg

Land Surfer Stunt Scooter

Again at the lower end of the budget is this scooter from Land Surfer.   It would make an excellent first stunt scooter and it comes with many good reviews.

I love that it comes in so many different colours and designs which again if you want different ones for different kids this means you’ll know which one belongs to which child without needing to worry about getting different kinds of scooters!

Some people have found this one a little tricky to assemble and the cheaper price may be reflecting this.

• inexpensive stunt scooter
• for ages 8+
• weight limit – 100kg
• scooter height – approx 80 cm
• weight – 3.2kg

The best stunt scooter accessories

You’ll not need need a huge amount of accessories for a stunt scooter but the following safety equipment and a ramp would be a great addition to a scooter gift for children.

A safety helmet and knee pads are essential items in my opinion, even though some kids might hate wearing them.  The trick is to make sure you’re getting something that doesn’t look out of place and I especially like this helmet by SFR which comes in a few different colours, should you want them, or just a nice classic black like above.  The sizing is wide too so it’s a good choice no matter what age your child is.  See more of the range on Amazon by clicking here.

This knee pad set is on Amazon UK here

Going on to more fun options!  Ramps and rails are really good to have in your garden to encourage more play outside and the practising of tricks in a safe spot.  Being away from others at the skatepark will be good for those kids with self confidence issues or just those kids who would love to play outdoors all day perfecting their tricks.

This ramp is really inexpensive and would be a great addition to any scooter that you might buy for your kids and if you want to really get something special for them to try some tricks out on how about a stunt rail like this one.

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