4 Family Outdoor Activities Everyone Will Enjoy

Most families today spend far too much of their time indoors. Between television, video games, and computers, it is easy for families to forget that there is a great big world out there waiting to be explored. Taking time to experience the outdoors does not have to be fancy or expensive. Simply going outside and taking a walk gives you an opportunity to see and discuss new things. If your family has been spending too much time indoors and you are ready to make a change, here are four family friendly outdoor activities.One of the easiest family friendly outdoor activities is hiking or trail walking. Most areas have some sort of park or trail available for people who are interested in hiking. With this activity, the key is to build up stamina slowly. Do not start out by taking your family on a six mile hike. Start with a mile or two of scenic trail. Wear good shoes and use a backpack to carry water and a few snacks. Do some research ahead of time and find out what animals or landmarks you can expect to see. This will give your children something to look for while they are walking. Once you have successfully hiked a few shorter trails start to extend the distances and increase the difficulty. Before you know it you will be hiking fascinating trails and seeing parts of your area that you didn't even know were there.After hiking, biking is probably the next most family friendly activity. Almost everyone can ride a bike, and children who are too small to ride can sit on an adult's bike. Make sure that all of the bike tires are inflated properly and that everyone is wearing the proper safety equipment, and set out. Like hiking you will want to choose a shorter route initially. Try biking to a fun destination such as a local ice cream shop. Make sure that everyone knows how to safely ride with traffic if your route takes you along a major road. With some practice your family will be able to ride longer routes and rougher roads, which will give you access to parts of your hometown that you would not normally see.If you are looking for something a bit less strenuous than hiking or biking, then try a trip to the beach or to a lake. Many people believe that these destinations are only fun in the summertime when you can swim. However, there are many things to do and see at a lake even during the fall or spring. Look for different birds or animals, talk about different sea creatures, or climb and play on the rocks or in the sand. Bring along a Frisbee or ball and play catch. Taking a trip to a lake or beach is an excellent way to get your family outside to play.For families with older children, a picture taking adventure can be a fun way to spend time together. Simply choose a unique location and let everyone take pictures of whatever interests them. This is a great way for children to learn about photography or to have experience capturing their own memories. When you get home, spend time talking about each picture and digitally processing them together.