If you have an outdoor excursion in your future planned with your family and friends, you are probably pretty excited. Getting into the great outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and scenery is one of the finer aspects of life. However, the fun can come to a half pretty quickly if you have nothing to do and a group of kids who are bored following you around. While some people are content to relax in a field just letting time pass while starting at the clouds, the serenity will be interrupted if you have to share the space with complaining kids. If you are planning a trip into nature, consider a few of these activities to keep the time passing and the kids from griping. Those who will be making their way into an area providing horseback riding are in luck. Pack up your riding helmet covers or equestrian helmet covers and get ready to explore the forest on horseback. Kids love spending time with horses and will learn a great deal from a guided ride.

If horseback riding is not an option where you are going, organize a hike. While some kids may immediately begin to complain, thinking you are basically just walking on trails, turn the hike into a game. If you create a friendly competition between siblings or plan a scavenger hunt through the forest, the time they spend hiking will be a lot more fun. Some kids will be content to just go exploring, but others needs a bit more of a challenge.

Those with kids who are losing patience for a few hours outside may not want to try this, but some families love camping. Spending the night under the stars is a bigger adventure than just spending a few hours outside. If you think your children have the patience and adventuresome attitude it takes to enjoy camping, plan a trip into the wilderness and enjoy some family time around the campfire.

Enjoying the outdoors does not always mean heading deep into the forest or woodland. You can get just as much fresh air at a local park and while there, enjoy a few sports. If your family is large enough, put together a team and enjoy sports like soccer, softball, or flag football. For those who are looking for options geared toward pairs, consider tennis, the batting cages, or an obstacle course. These are all great ways to get plenty of exercise and enjoy time together as a family without the distraction of television or household chores.

If you are having a difficult time deciding which of these activities is right for you and your family, plan a combination of them all. There is no reason why you have to limit yourself when it comes to outdoor fun, especially if you only have a few months out of the year to enjoy it. As soon as the weather gets warm enough, pack your weekends full of outdoor fun. Your family will thank you with their smiles and giggles while they play in the fresh air.