Keep an outdoor tote filled with bubbles, chalk, a jump rope, a small towel for wiping off wet play equipment, sunglasses, sunscreen, kid gardening gloves, hand wipes, mini sanitizer, a small spray bottle filled with water, a small shovel.

Draw a treasure map and have an outdoor treasure hunt with items that you hide in the backyard.

Go playground hopping and “rate” each one.

Paint a fence with clean paintbrush and water.

Have a paper plane making and throwing contest.

Use a spray bottle to slowly water plants.

Go on a bug hunt.

Go on a flower hunt.

Jump rope to classic chants.

Go for a walk and make a map of your neighborhood.

Go Geo Caching.

Throw a football.

Throw a baseball.

Shoot hoops above the garage door.

Play backboard tennis against the garage door.

Play croquet in the backyard.

Create your own miniature golf course from cardboard boxes and play in the driveway.

Play badminton in the backyard.

Play Frisbee in the backyard. Soft discs (many are marketed for dogs), are great for younger children…or really anyone who dislikes having sore hands at the end of a game and risking a bruised nose.

Create flower boxes.

Make paper boats.

Make a mud kitchen.

Snow in the backyard? Grab those beach toys and build a snow castle.

Heading into the Great Outdoors with little ones? Bring along this scavenger hunt on a clipboard to help keep them from complaining that they’re bored.

You can also take a piece of cardboard and draw a vase on it in marker. Poke holes with a sharp pencil. Children can carry this with them on a walk to collect wildflowers, keeping them entertained as adults enjoy their walk.

Or, try writing a checklist right onto a paper bag for your child to fill on the walk.

Paint a few rocks, then find a place in your neighborhood to get a “rock snake” started. Encourage neighbors to each add their own rock to the snake.

Write inspirational chalk messages on the sidewalk in your neighborhood, or in a local park.

Draw a hopscotch course in chalk in your driveway. Throw a small stone or penny onto the first square, hopping on one foot per square till you reach the end, then turning around and picking up the object on the way back, without losing your balance. Hand the object to the next player and continue until everyone has played. On the next round, toss the object onto the second square. Continue until everyone has attempted all ten squares.

Want to change things up a bit? You can change the shape of the hopscotch course so that it is a big spiral, a triangle divided into smaller triangles, a long curvy road, has disconnected squares, or has squares of very different sizes.