New Outdoor Adventures

No grownups needed.

By Sophie Abt    

Artwork by Annie Kennedy

Do you know what to do when your parents say, “Go play outside?” Or are you bored with all the games you’ve played? If so, here are some new ideas for things to do in your backyard, at a park or even on a rainy sidewalk.

Make fantasy come to life

Bring indoor interests outside. Eric Stone, founder and executive director of The Rewilding School, says kids can take what already excites them and act it out outside with friends. “You don’t have to invent something completely new,” Stone says. If you love games like Minecraft or Roblox, you can build “missions” in real life, create survival challenges, or turn your yard into a role-play world where you and your friends design the rules as you go.

Use your imagination

Cardboard boxes, fabric, string, tarps and wood can become almost anything when you start building. Tricia Hanley, director of the Child Development Institute and Child Development Graduate Program at Sarah Lawrence College, says you can use these materials to create open-ended projects. She says the idea is not to keep things perfect—keep changing it. “You’re able to create anything you want entirely on your own,” Stone says.

Or try building 3D outdoor art installations with nature. For example, challenge yourself to create flowers using only leaves, sticks, rocks and fabric. You can even turn your space into a rotating outdoor gallery where everything you make is based on what you see outside that day.

Rainy days can still be fun

Rain doesn’t have to stop you from going outside. It just changes what you can do. “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing,” says Hanley.

Stone agrees. “Puddle stomping is one of the best activities in the world,” he says. “You get wet, then warm up afterward with hot chocolate.” He says rain can also be a chance to explore how water moves. Build a small stream in your driveway, redirect water using a tarp or collect rain in different spots to compare how it falls.

Hanley notes that cloudy days are also a chance to go outside when it’s not too hot and notice how familiar places change. “It’s really an amazing thing to visit the same space through all different types of weather and seasons,” she says.

Break the rules and make new ones

Our experts believe some of the best outdoor play happens when you create your own rules. Stone says group play works best when ideas build on each other over time, almost like improv. He’s seen kids spend months acting as pirates with different plotlines and stories. Don’t be afraid to let your game evolve, change and grow each time you play.

Hanley recommends classic games like capture the flag, kickball and kick the can, but she says kids can make outdoor play even more fun by changing the rules, adding new challenges or inventing their own versions of games they already love.

Turn movement into adventure

Climbing trees, crawling under logs and moving through outdoor spaces can become part of a bigger mission when you turn it into a story. Stone points out that these kinds of activities help with coordination, and they are more engaging when you imagine you are exploring or completing challenges.

It’s okay to get messy

If bugs or dirt make you nervous, don’t give up on outdoor fun. Hanley says getting muddy and exploring nature are actually good for you, and the more time you spend outside, the more comfortable you’ll feel. Bugs are usually more afraid of you than you are of them, so don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and see what you discover.

You can also try planting, gardening or playing with a bucket of water. Whether it’s pretend play, art or just exploring, outdoor activities are a chance to get creative and have fun while, yes, getting a little messy.

Do what you enjoy

Both experts say spending time outside starts with what interests you—but it can also be a chance to challenge yourself to try something new. If you like reading, take your book outside and read aloud to the critters in your yard. Love building? Create a fort or nature obstacle course.

Whether it’s flying a kite, exploring a trail or inventing a new game, playing outdoors can help you be calmer and happier. There’s always a new adventure waiting just outside your door.

This article was edited by Julie Schwietert Collazo and fact-checked by Rinn Kress. The artist used Adobe Creative Suite.

This article was published in the July/August 2026 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.