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The weather is warming up, the sun is shining and kids are bouncing off the walls. Now is the perfect time to plan some outdoor activities! Spending time outdoors with your foster family can benefit all by easing stress and promoting bonding. In fact, these activities are tailor-made to help a foster parent connect with their child. Read on for ideas to help burn some of that extra energy and make lasting family memories.
Visit a state park.
Unplugging from technology and spending time in nature is a great way to bond with your foster family. Consider camping in a local state park. Visit stateparks.org to search for a state park near you. You can plan a day-trip to take a hike, or ride a bike. Sometimes parks have activities for children, such as arts and crafts, and nature walks. If you are really feeling adventurous, plan a weekend overnight trip. Pitch a tent, roast marshmallows and stargaze as a family. You can also fish, canoe, or kayak. You’ll be sure to head home with lots of great stories of your adventures together!
Plan a picnic.
An easy, fun, and affordable way to enjoy the outdoors is to plan a picnic. Find a location that has picnic tables, or plan on bringing a large blanket. You can pick up sandwich fixings at the store or simply bring a variety of crackers, cheese, fruits, and vegetables to snack on. Enjoy spending time in nature, and if you are close to a park or pond, you can go for a stroll after lunch or play on the playground.
Make chalk drawings.
Hand a small child a piece of sidewalk chalk and prepare for easy entertainment! Children love a variety of colors to choose from, so that they can draw their favorite animals. Consider the dollar store for a small and affordable package or visit an arts and crafts store for a larger bucket of chalk. Show them how to draw hopscotch and teach them an old-fashioned game they probably never heard of.
Visit an arboretum or zoo.
Most arboretums offer free or donation-based admission. Roam luscious gardens, smell the flowers, and learn a thing or two about the varieties of different plants native to your area. You can also plan a trip to the zoo, which is a great way to educate children on the importance of animal conservation while enjoying a funny monkey trick or two.
Play mini golf or go zip-lining.
Mini golf is a great way to enjoy the outdoors while doing something lowkey challenging and fun. Feeling really adventurous? Your teenager will especially enjoy zip-lining and feeling the breeze from several feet up above! There’s nothing like a new experience together to help promote bonding.
Go to a farm and pick fresh fruit.
Look up local farms where you can pick your own fruit. Depending on the season and your location, you may be able to pick blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, peaches, or other fruits. Once you get home, plan on a fun kitchen activity together, such as making fresh blueberry muffins or delicious strawberry milkshakes.
There are plenty of ways you can keep your child entertained this spring. Use some of these ideas as a starting point to get your foster family outdoors and bonding these warmer months.
Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency
