Outdoor Activities for Active Kids: Making the Most of Child Health Day

Enjoy the many great ways to get your kids active this Child Health Day!

National Child Health Day was observed on the first Tuesday of October every year to raise awareness of the importance of an active lifestyle and support the fundamental need to encourage children's physical, mental, social, and intellectual well-being. To celebrate Child Health Day, encourage the children in your life to get active and unplug from the media! Below is a list of suggested outdoor activities for children to get involved in today and throughout the year.

Unplug with a Hike

Georgia is home to many natural adventures and fun hiking trails! If you are local or near Athens, visit the FireFly Trail or the Sandy Creek Nature Center. After all, nature provides a natural playground for children. Not only will exploring different trails encourage physical activity, such as running, climbing, and hiking, which helps build strong muscles and bones, but nature can have a calming effect on the mind and reduce stress in children. It provides a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life!

Sports

As we enter the fall season, it is not only the perfect weather for a friendly soccer game but also the start of many sports seasons: soccer, football, and cross-country, to name a few! Sports are a great way to build camaraderie and community and improve physical health by allowing kids to work on their coordination and agility.

Outdoor Arts and Crafts

Setting up outdoor craft activities is a great way to encourage creativity while getting your kiddos some fresh air. Chalk in an inexpensive art tool perfect for letting your child explore their imagination outside. From creating fun games like hopscotch to a whole art gallery on the sidewalk, it is the ideal tool to get your kids to explore and enjoy the outside world. Also, you can set up an outdoor art station with materials like watercolors, colored pencils, or clay!

Other Nature Explorations

Although hiking is a great way to explore nature, many other ways exist to feel immersed in the outside world. After a long day, stargazing is a great way to have your kids relax and unwind without television. Additionally, try bird watching or rock collecting to get your kids outside!

Plan a Picnic

Pack a meal and bring a blanket to the park! Picnics are a simple and easy way to get your kids outside. Enjoying something to eat while getting some sun is a simple way to encourage your children to have fun out. Picnics combine the outdoors with an opportunity for some quality family time.

Enjoy the many great ways to get your kids active this Child Health Day! Play in the rain, fly a kite, and enjoy the outdoors this year.