You know how much I love playing outside, right? Here are 10 fun outdoor activities for adults to get you enjoying it more too.
There are already loads of posts about fun outdoor activities for kids, so I thought I would balance it out for the big kids out there. And those who fell into the “adulting” trap and want an excuse to get out there and get muddy!
10 fun outdoor activities for adults
We may have jobs to do, bills to pay and chores to get done,but that doesn’t mean that fun stops. Yeah, OK, you might get a funny look from that person while you zip down the slide or a disapproving tut as you splash in the mud. But that is nothing to do with you. Just because they are stuck in the idea that adults have to be boring, doesn’t mean you have to too. So long as you’re being respectful of people around you, and let the kids go on the play area, you’re OK.
Get muddy!
Now that you’re the one doing the washing, you can get as mucky and as muddy as you like! Clothes clean and so do we, so don’t let a bit of gooey water stop you! It is so easy to stay indoors when it has been raining so the paths will be muddy. Sometimes, though, it is the best time to get out. It’ll be quiet so you can splash in the mud all you want with nobody getting in the way. I love heading to the canals in the rain, because the paths are perfect for some muddy jumping.
Have a picnic (even when it’s cold and not sunny!)
Most people think of picnics as a sunny summer activity. I’m here to tell you that you can picnic at any time of the year. Even if it is raining, you are sure to be able to hunt down a doorway or shelter for while you’re munching your food. Bringing your own picnic means that you can make your adventure cheaper, which means more money for other adventures or travel. Plus, don’t you agree that food tastes so good outdoors?
This picture is of us having a picnic in a city centre park in December! So no excuses, it can be done at any time of the year!
Play in the play areas
This one will have you feeling ten again in no time at all. It is fun watching kids enjoying the play equipment, but miles better having fun on it yourself. The only thing that I preface this with is that you do it when there is no demand from families, as they are really there for them. This could mean that you go on that wet muddy day when you’re out splashing about. I have found that muddy or rainy days are the best for getting the clear park. Many parents fall into the “adult” trap so stay indoors with the kids on messy days. So it is the perfect opportunity for you to have a go on the swing, whoosh down the zip slide and scale the climbing fame.
Dance in the rain
Rain is another one of those things that keeps people indoors. I am of the opinion that we can dry out (or wear the right clothes for the occasion!) so head out there to have some fun! I absolutely love the feeling of the rain on my face. If you need another excuse to get splashy, then a rainy day is it. Grab your wellies, waterproofs and brolly and get out there for some “singing in the rain”.
Go bird spotting
Let out your inner twitcher and go bird spotting. It can be in your local park, nature reserve or even along the canals. There are plenty of birds out there for you to discover and a great way to get to know your local nature too. Have a competition to see who can spot the most or take a sketch book to do some drawings of the ones you see.
For those of us who aren’t so knowledgeable (yet!) on our bird breeds, the RSPB have a great resource to help.
Be an explorer
You can dress up if you like, but it’s not necessary. Head out to find somewhere you have never been before. A road, park or avenue that you might have passed by or been curious about. Our recent exploration was trying to find a way into a disused piece of parkland on the other side of the Ashton Canal that we’ve been passing for years. It was fun to find the way in and has now opened up another walk to town.
Go “Trig Bagging”
Back in the day, the Ordnance Survey crew installed trigonometry pillars around the country to help them create the maps that we know today. A fun thing that many of us do is challenge ourselves to go trig bagging. This means finding out where your local ones are and heading up the hills to find them. Then take a picture with it as proof of your discovery! You’re be surprised how many there are when you look for them. For help finding your local ones, check out the Trig Pointing site.
Take a photowalk
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might remember my weekly photowalk challenge. It was to encourage you to get outside and looking at things from a different angle while taking pictures on the weekly theme. How about hearing out with your camera and a theme (maybe choose one from the list below) and start snapping. Surprising things can be discovered this way, because you’re on the hunt for something specific you need to work that little bit harder to find it.
Let me know if you’d enjoy the resurrection of the weekly photowalk challenge and I’ll get it back on the go.
Find some water
If you live within travelling distance of a beach head there, otherwise, hunt for your nearest body of water. It could be a lake, reservoir or canal. Think outside the box, check the map and find some waterside wanders to enjoy. If you get to the beach, how about flying a kite, building a sand castle or paddling in the water. We have been known to spend the day on the beach on the Wirral with our swing ball set. You can add a picnic to this idea too, to make a day of it.
Gardening
I know that sometimes these chores and “adulting” things do take up more time than we like, so I thought I would add something that is easy to do. Gardening doesn’t necessarily mean you must have a garden, you could grab a plant pot or raised be for outside your house. And if you’re feeling more adventurous, you could make some seed bombs to take out on your next adventure to brighten up forgotten bits of land and to bring flowers to the insects.
Gardening is a fun way to get some outside time when you’re feeling short of it. So think about grabbing some bits now so that you can get rolling now that spring is in full swing.
I hope that these have given you some inspiration for getting outside and making some fun for yourselves. Remember that being an adult doesn’t have to mean giving up fun or playing. In fact, I think it is a very important thing to keep going in order to help keep us curious! So get out there and have some outdoor play time. Grab some friends to make it even more fun too. And please, do tag me @the_urban_wanderer if you share any on Instagram, I’d love to see what you get up to.
There you have 10 fun outdoor activities for adults, to get you started. Which take your fancy? Do you have any others that I can add to the next list?
Let me know in the comments below.
Here’s to more outdoor play and fun for us adults too!