Nature Play SA: 25 things to do in summer
WORDS: Nature Play SA
What’s your favourite way to summer play?
We love rockpool discoveries, fruit harvests, early morning bushwalks, and balmy evenings by the water… Print Nature Play SA’s list of ’25 Things to do in Summer’ and see how many ideas you can tick off these holidays!
25 things to do in Summer
1 Explore a reef or rockpool and see how many sea creatures you can spot!
2 As a family, choose a new natural place to visit and set out with picnic in tow for a day of discovery and adventure
3 Discover seasonal food: learn when different summer fruits come into season and then harvest from your garden, at an orchard or farm
4 Get up early and go for a bushwalk, listening and spotting wildlife along your way!
5 Make a nature craft decoration to hang from the Christmas tree
6 Make a sand sculpture – or a sand city! – and decorate it with natural treasures you have found along the shore
7 Enjoy the waves: body surf, boogeyboard or learn to surf this summer!
8 Paint pictures on cement with a container of water and a paintbrush
9 Spend a balmy evening by the river or sea: swim, play frisbee or cricket, enjoy a casual dinner and watch the sunset with your family
10 Explore a Botanic Garden and enjoy the cool shade of the trees
11 Try your luck at fishing, crabbing or yabbying! Measure your catch to see if it is large enough to keep, or if you should return it to the water
12 Plant a summer garden or pot plant (try strawberries, lettuce and cucumbers!)
13 Kayak or stand-up-paddleboard on a river, lake or the sea
14 Find a beach known for cockling and do the ‘cockle twist’– feel the waves lap against your feet, locate the cockles with your toes then see if you can scoop them up!
15 Go camping and look up at the night sky (head somewhere wild or pitch a tent in your own backyard)
16 Create a summer nature play journal to record your adventures and natural finds
17 Look at the world from a different perspective: take off your shoes and climb a tree!
18 Water your summer garden first thing in the morning or as the sun sets – what changes can you notice from the day before?
19 Snorkel at the beach and see what lies beneath the surface
20 Create a nature boat from natural materials – such as seed pods, bark, washed up cuttlefish, sticks, seaweed and leaves – then float or race them in a creek or the sea!
21 Discover the world at dusk! Head out for a walk with your family, and see what you can discover as day turns to night
22 Enjoy the freedom and sensory delight of mud play at home – then run through the sprinkler to clean off!
23 Build a cubby or natural shelter in your garden, at the park or somewhere wild
24 Get an adventure backpack ready with food and cool water, then head out on a family geocaching mission – locate caches in your neighbourhood or venture to somewhere new
25 Make homemade iceblocks or lemonade and enjoy them outside on a hot day!
Discover why #ItsBetterOutside these school holidays with more handy tips and ideas for families at Nature Play SA.
