One of my favourite ways to get the kids outside is to go on a scavenger hunt. We write a little list of things we might find, either in the woods or the beach, or even just around the neighbourhood, and voilà, the kids are entertained and we all get some fresh air. 

I like to include a few things specific to where we are going (if I've been there before) and some more general things, like a colour, so we can guarantee we will find them, and it also means the hunt can carry on for the whole walk as they can always find more things of that colour. If you know where you are going, try and include things you'll find early in the walk to get the children engaged and excited, and try and include some things they'll only see at the end, to keep them occupied throughout your outing.

We found a bridge, so naturally we played pooh sticks. An essential part of any childhood. 

Now our middle child Noah (aged 5) never wants to go anywhere. And this particular occasion was no different. Morgan happily wrote out her own list and brought a bag to collect things in, but I think Noah was hoping if he complained enough we wouldn't leave the house. And if he complained loudly enough in the car maybe we'd turn around and go home. But I persevered and as soon as we started the walk he changed his tune and was happily hunting away. As is the case 99% of the time with that boy. So don't let the complaining discourage you, if you too have a Noah ;)

The beach is another great place for a scavenger hunt. So much to find, and a great way to entertain the kids, you may even get to relax for a minute. (Maybe.) 

For this week's hunt I drew a grid in the sand with little boxes in and the kids happily hunted for shells, oddly shaped, colourful rocks, and sea glass, and came back to find the perfect way of organising them in the grid. They had such fun and I did get at least one minute of relaxation, but then there was a lot of chasing the 19 month old around :-/

I really hope you get a chance to get out on a scavenger hunt soon, get creative with your lists and see what adventures you have! I'd love to hear about them in the comments, or if you have any tips or fun things to search for, please do share. 

Happy Hunting.