The weather is getting nice out and you want to spend some time in the great outdoors.
If you have a little one you may be wondering what are the best outdoor activities for babies.
There are so many different things your baby can learn by heading outside to explore.
In this post I will tell you about simple activities to do with your baby outdoors.
Many of these baby outdoor activities are great at encouraging all areas of development including motor, language, social, self help, and cognitive skills.
Here is an overview of what I will be covering:
- Outdoor Activity Ideas for Babies
- How to Encourage Development by Playing Outside with Your Baby
- Tips on How to Carry Out These Outdoor Play Ideas
- Best Outdoor Toys for Babies
- Frequently Asked Questions about outdoor play for babies
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Outdoor Activities for Babies
Go For a Walk
Taking your baby for a stroll is a great way for you to get some fresh air and exercise while enjoying the company of your baby.
There are lots of things your baby can learn from the walk as well.
Point out things that you hear or see to your baby while you are on your stroll. Your baby needs to hear words many times in order to learn what they mean and how to say them.
You can read all about your baby’s language development for other simple ways to encourage it.
Does your baby get fussy during rides in the stroller? Try and distract them by singing a simple song or nursery rhyme. If they are facing you, make a few silly faces to see how they react.
Try giving them a simple toy to explore if they get bored (like this one that hooks to the stroller.)
Feel the Grass
When looking for outdoor activities for infants and toddlers…just look around!
Take off your baby’s shoes or socks and let them feel the grass with their toes.
This is one of the easiest ways to enjoy outdoor play with your baby.
Some babies will love this…others may not so watch your child’s cues. If they don’t like it then introduce it a bit more slowly.
Let them touch it with their hands, instead of their feet.
Look around your environment and see what other textures would be interesting for your baby to touch.
Always closely supervise your baby while exploring new things especially if they are at the age where they put things in their mouth.
Here are some examples of fun things that you can have your baby touch when outside:
- Grass
- Sand
- Pine cones
- Water
- Leaves
- Rocks
- Tree bark
- Flowers
Look at the Trees
Go on a baby nature hunt using your eyes.
One of my favorite parts of being a mom is getting to see the world around us again through our child’s eyes.
Look at the dew on the grass sparkle, go up close and look at the bark on a tree, get creative and explore all the interesting things around you.
This baby activity will get your little one using their sight to soak in all sorts of new information. A wonderful way to encourage cognitive development!
Grab your FREE Milestone Guide HERE.
Explore a Nearby Park Together
A fun way to explore some different sights is to head to a local park.
For this outdoor adventure, you can use a baby carrier if you prefer to keep your little one near you in a new environment and enjoy the different sights and sounds.
Taking a short walk will in a new place will give you both the opportunity to get some fresh air on a warm day and maybe even connect with other new parents.
Water Play
Take a small dish fill it with water and let your bay splash their hands in it.
This infant activity is great to do outdoors as there is no cleanup involved if some get spilled.
Filling up a baby pool on a hot day is also a fun way to cool off and provide a sensory experience.
It is great activity for your baby’s physical development as it encourages them to kick their legs and splash with their hands in the water.
Checking out a local community pool or splash pad is perfect for those hot summer days.
As with all water activities make sure to supervise your baby very closely.
You can read more about baby water safety HERE.
Play with Bubbles
There is something magical about watching bubbles float around in the air and your baby is sure to love it which makes it such a fun outdoor activity.
If your baby has an older sibling have them blow the bubbles while you and the baby watch.
Talk about how they “pop” each time.
Look at Books With Your Baby
I have always loved reading outside.
Grab a big blanket or sit in the grass and explore some of your favorite baby books out in the fresh air.
Reading is one of the best things you can do with your baby (read all about early literacy skills.)
Explore New Sounds
Remember that EVERYTHING is brand new to a baby.
Go outside and let your baby hear some new sounds.
Listen to birds chirping, a train whistle, wind chimes, or whatever else is going on outside.
Play with Food Outdoors
One of my favorite memories of my son his first summer is eating outside.
Babies can be messy eaters so enjoying food outside makes for less cleanup.
He was starting to get some teeth in and we would give him frozen cherries in a mesh feeder (like this) and the cherry juice would get EVERYWHERE.
We would literally just hose off the highchair when he was done.
Frozen cherries remain one of his favorite foods still to this day!
Best Outdoor Toys for Babies
There is plenty for your little one to play with outside, but having a few toys on hand to explore can be helpful.
These outside toys for babies will help encourage skills in all areas of development.
Here are some simple toys and gear that are perfect for outdoor play.
The one hard thing about blowing bubbles with your little one is that it can get messy and it is easy to waste a lot of bubbles quickly.
This no spill tumbler makes it fun and easy for little ones to blow bubbles without spilling.
My son still loves his ride on toy still and he is now 2 1/2! These are great for working on your baby’s gross motor skills. This Push and Ride Racer is recommended for little ones 9 months and up.
When my son was in between walking and crawling we would put him in an empty inflatable pool (like this) while he was outside with us.
It worked like a baby playpen and was great for sitting outside with him in.
We would put a soft picnic blanket down and he would practice sidestepping while holding on to the edge of the pool.
They also make baby pools with canopies to help protect them from the sun (like this one).
A baby swing can be a great way to spend some time outdoors with little ones. The recommended age on this swing is for babies 9 months old to kids that are 4 years old.
I love baby toys that have a large age range because you know they will use them a lot!
Click here to read more about the best outdoor toys for toddlers!
Heading Outside in Cold Weather
Although most enjoy heading outside in warm weather, don’t be afraid to head out for shorter times when the weather gets a bit colder.
My first baby was born in North Dakota and there was no way we could have stayed inside all winter long!
I would always dress him in the appropriate clothing but we would head outside to explore the new sights and colder temperatures.
When he was a young toddler he would put on his snowsuit and enjoy the new experiences winter had to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your baby is under 6 months you can bring them outside but you will want to avoid direct sunlight because sunscreen is usually recommended for babies 6 months and up.
Bringing your little one outside can have lots of benefits so enjoy!
If it is not possible to get your baby outside every day that is ok.
Getting fresh air is helpful for many reasons so just enjoy it when you can.
No, you can take your baby outside as long as you dress it properly for the weather.
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Best Baby Toys for Fine Motor Skills 0-12 Months
Complete Guide to Outdoor Play for Toddlers
Top Toys For Baby’s First Year
5 Fun Bath Toys to Encourage Development
Kayla O’Neill has a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood education. She has been working as a developmental therapist with babies and toddlers in early intervention since 2012. She is also a mom with two young children.