6 fun outdoor activities

Who doesn’t like being outdoors? According to multiple studies, being outdoors reduces stress, improves your physical and mental well being and can lead to better health if physical activity is involved. In this post I write about 6 simple fun outdoor activities which are safe as well as engaging, and can be explored right now.

The COVID pandemic has left most of us limited in many ways. Most educational institutions are offering online classes, groceries are offering curbside pick up, restaurants are giving home deliveries, gym rooms have been made at home and traveling has been restricted. In this post I am suggesting 6 fun and safe outdoor activities with families that you can do during this pandemic. So read on!

Research

According to Harvard studies published in the July 2010 issue of the Harvard Health Letter, being outdoors can reap physical and mental health benefits. According to Business Insider 2017, being outdoors in nature can improve your short term memory, eliminate fatigue, and may help fight depression and anxiety. It can also help lower blood pressure, protect your vision as well as boost your immune system. A publication by Yale suggests that 120 minutes or 2 hours outdoors can make people say they feel healthy and have a strong sense of well-being. My last study comes from NCBI. According to The National Center for Biotechnology Information, which is part of the United States National Library of Medicine, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, greater interaction with nature could deliver substantial short and long-term benefits to mental health.

Our experience

Our last vacation was a road trip to Disney World in December 2019. We spent the New Year Eve as well as the New Year morning there with the hope that we will travel this year. We love to travel as a family and take at least 2 vacations every year. This year we had to cancel our Boston trip in spring and looks like no travel for December break too. So we decided to do some outdoor activities which are safe, fun and enjoyable as a family.

We went hiking last week the day before Thanksgiving to Big Thicket National Preserve. It was a perfect two hour drive from Houston- not too far to stay overnight and not too close! We spent about five hours hiking Kirby Nature trail and the Turkey Creek trail. It was an enjoyable day outdoors. Sharing some pictures here.

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The last outing made me write this post about outdoors safe activities during COVID. We have only been to the beach few times since March and been in the ocean only once. The last time we went to the Galveston beach it was packed with too many people in the water and sand, and we ended up only taking a walk and came back home. Did you know that you can visit National preserves or National parks and get so many outdoor activities to do? So here is my list of 6 safe and fun outdoor activities during COVID.

1. Hiking

As mentioned above, the reason for this blog post was our hiking trip from last week which was such a great change and made all 4 of us feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Hiking is a great way to explore nature.

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2. Boating/ kayaking/paddling

We have gone boating in Houston as well as kayaking in Boston, and kids enjoy paddle boating too.

3. Camping

Depending on your kids’ interest, you can do campground or backpacking or RV camping or cabin camping. This summer we were supposed to be cabin camping in Alberta, Canada with my sister’s family but then our plans changed due to the pandemic.

4. Fishing or Hunting

We don’t participate in either one but we have heard good things from friends and other people who enjoy one or both, and it is one of the great ways to spend outdoors and catch a prize or win.

5. Day Picnic to a local park

In Houston we have the Discovery Green, Herman Park, Memorial Park, Bear Creek Park, Miller Outdoors theater, Buffalo Bayou and Hines Water Wall park to name a few. It is always a fun and enjoyable way to spend a day outdoors.

6. Biking

Houston is fortunate to have biking trails and I think this holds true for all major cities, suburbs or towns in the US. Use these benefits and bike solo or with your kids during weekends.

Benefits of spending time outdoors:

-You get to enjoy the bountiful nature

-Change from monotonous routine

-Break from technology devices

-Some physical activity involved

-Improve in mood

-Family bonding time

-Better physical and mental health if done regularly and consistently

Disclaimer- please be advised that the post is written from an amateur’s point of view and in no way be considered professional guidance. Always check for safety and get more information before committing to any of these activities or more. Safety is always first. Always wear mask, keep social distance, use gloves and sanitizers as needed.

Conclusion

2020 has been a roller coaster year for all of us, and many of us have been feeling low cooped up inside our homes. With online schooling, work from home options, home delivery of household items some of us have not ventured out for a long time. This post gives 6 fun and safe outdoor activities that can be done as a family or by yourself to give you a change in scenario and enjoy nature outdoors. Hiking, boating or paddling, camping, fishing or hunting, biking, and day picnics are all great ways to spend a day outside without having to leave your home for 24 hours. Of course if you need to stay overnight or for more days the list becomes endless.

For related posts, read 4 types of hobbies to pursue and 10 goals to work towards during the summer.

Dear readers, we would love to hear from you. What is your favorite outdoor activity as a family? What have you tried this year? Do share how you have been spending 2020. Please comment below or send an email to nishtha@dawnandhope.com!