My kiddos and I are pretty outdoorsy. We really like spending time in parks and outdoor play areas. We also really like being visiting with grandparents and friends.
Staying home due to COVID-19 has definitely had its challenges, but one way we’ve connected with others and gotten our outdoor fix was by doing a virtual group outdoor scavenger hunt with grandparents!
It was super fun and easy and I’ll have to give my mother-in-law lots of credit for getting our checklist organized. All you need is your favorite video conferencing app (we used Facebook messenger from our phones), your printable checklist, and your bikes/wagon/scooters/etc.
>> Click here for the scavenger hunt printout we used! <<
We’re very lucky to live near a large creek with all kinds of pond animals and grassy areas, so that’s where we headed. The idea is that you hop on video chat and as you walk (or bike ride), you keep your eyes open for the items on your checklist.
You’ll want to bring a marker to check them off as you go.
For extra fun, there are added physical activities you can incorporate to help the kids get their energy out. For example, “Spin around twice when you see a stop sign!” Our boys loved pointing out all the dogs being walked and ducks in the water.
We didn’t make it competitive. We chose to just walk and chat and spot each object at random, but it could easily be turned into a race of who can complete their checklist first!
There are lots of ways to expand on this activity.
You can bring lunch and make it a picnic if you choose to go to a larger park with nature trails or you could bring a frisbee or soccer ball along and spend time after your walk playing as a family. Just be sure that the area you choose has wide-open spaces and isn’t crowded.
Getting outside and staying active is a great way to stay healthy and Facetime is so useful for helping families to stay connected but it’s counterproductive if we’re mingling with large groups and ignoring the social distancing guidelines.
What other virtual group activities have you done since quarantine started? How have you managed to stay connected to family members that don’t live with you during this time?
