BC Parks Foundation

Tut tut. Looks like rain (here on the South Coast, at least). 

While that might dampen some of your family’s long-weekend plans (see what we did there), don’t let it keep you away from nature!  

Whether you’re getting out to a provincial park this long weekend, sticking close to home or avoiding the elements entirely, here’s a list of 16 activities to keep you and your little ones entertained and connected to nature.

1. Nature Bingo from Power to Be Society 
2. Join in on a virtual forest study and Instagram quiz with YMCA Camp Elphinstone
3. Take a nature-themed twist on the classic memory matching game
4. Bring more birds to your backyard by making a bird seed ornament
5. If you’ve got some easel paper at home, try learning more about the bark of a tree with this bark rubbing colouring activity
6. Or stick to the classic leaf rubbing, but with a few science lessons mixed in
7. Get sticky with this outdoor nature mural activity
8. Explore your backyard or neighbourhood with a little one using this sensory scavenger hunt
9. Play a game of ‘will it float’ and learn about density in this sensory activity
10. Practice your maths skills and take a nature walk at the same time with this worksheet activity
11. Take a lesson in beaver building with this backyard dam building activity  
12. Get lost in your own backyard by building a maze with materials from around the house and yard
13. Lay back and check out the clouds with this learning activity
14. Learn about shapes and matching with a simple stones game
15. Wet outside? No problem! Check out these outdoor rainy day activities
16. What happens when it rains? You get mud! Check out these great mud activities to get yours hands dirty. 

No matter what the weather, trade some screen time for green time this weekend, even if the green time is just your back yard. Tell us how you’re connecting to nature this long weekend by heading over to our Facebook or Instagram pages.

About the author

Ariele North grew up climbing trees in her backyard, camping, and learning the art of starting a campfire in any condition (rain? No problem!). Girl Guides and summer camps strengthened her love for exploring the outdoors, and when she’s not planning events and programs for the BC Parks Foundation, she enjoys getting lost on a B.C. back road or exploring the globe.