Best Activities to do Outdoors with Baby
Kristina
—Aug 23, 2022
Looking for some ideas to get your baby outside with you? I’m an outdoor person and am happiest when I’m outside with my babies. All three of my babies have loved being outside from the very start, something about being in nature is calming. Here you will find the best activities to do outdoors with baby.
A benefit of being outdoors with a baby; you might just find your baby is less fussy outdoors!
In this article:
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Rest assured all products I suggest are products I have bought or would buy based on personal experience or through my network of other mommas
Can a Baby be Outside in the Sun?
A baby is more sensitive to the sun and before a baby reaches 6 months of age you shouldn’t put sunscreen on a baby. Says Skincancer Foundation. That doesn’t mean that a baby can’t go outside, it just means you have to be careful with your baby.
The best protection for a baby from the sun is clothing and making sure your baby is in the shade. Ensure you have the right baby outdoor gear. Once you have that there are plenty of activities to do outdoors with baby.
What Can You Do at the Park with a Baby?
Parks are great places to take babies. At the beginning there isn’t much your baby can do, so a nice walk in the stroller or being worn is all you can do, besides laying your baby down on a blanket in the shade. But if you have other small children that is enough.
Around 3 months old my babies were able to be front worn in my Lillebaby carriers. This was a game changer. I could now go on walks without feeling that I was forcing my baby to take a nap. My baby could now look out at the world, just like I was doing, as we walked.
Don’t underestimate how much a baby learns from just watching the world around them. A baby learns from watching their environment and a park provides a lot for a baby to take in.
Once your baby is old enough to sit up there are more activities to do outdoors with a baby at the park. You can try the baby swing and sit them down to explore themselves.
Following sitting up your baby will start to be on the move and will discover more. Allow them to crawl around the grass, playground or sandbox. Just make sure they don’t eat the sand!
What Can you do Outside with a Newborn?
Newborns can’t do much. The most enjoyable thing you can do with a newborn outside, in my opinion, is to go for a walk. A newborn can be worn in a wrap or, structured carrier and car seat adapters exist for strollers.
My son dressed and ready to go for his stroller walk
Outside naps are also an option. Lay a blanket in the shade or pull out a shade tent and lay your newborn down on his/her back. The great thing about newborns is that they can sleep anywhere.
Or just sitting outside holding your baby is great too! I spent a lot of time outside on my porch in our rocking chairs when my babies were newborns. I bring a book or just sit and enjoy.
Also look into the best outdoor gear for a baby.
Should a Baby Go Outside Everyday?
I personally like to take my baby outside every day if that is feasible. I certainly enjoying being outside each day. It sets a good routine for the baby and you. Look at the weather and plan when it will be the best time for your baby to be outside. Make sure to dress him/her appropriately.
On a hot summer day I try to take my baby out first thing in the morning or right before bed. Often the middle of the day is too hot. In winter I try to spend the warmest part of the day outside with my baby.
Figure out what works for you and then find activities to do outdoors with baby!
What are the Benefits of Taking Your Baby Outside?
- Build immune system
- Development of motor skills
- Exposure to Vitamin D which aides in growth and immunity
- Development of 5 senses
- Nature benefits adult mental health- happier parents, happier babies!
Activities To Do Outdoors with a Baby
1. Go for a Walk:
Not only good for your baby but also for you! Either place your baby in a stroller or carry them in a structured carrier or wrap and you are ready to go.
All three of my babies have loved going on walks. When they were younger than 3 months old I would inward wear my babies. Once my baby was older than 3 months I would front wear babies when in my Lillebaby Carrier. This position allowed them to engage with the world.
2. Go for a hike
Are you itching to get outside and a change of scenery? Going for a hike in nature is a great way to reduce cabin fever and rejuvenate yourself while your little ones enjoy themselves.
My husband and I hiking with our baby and toddler using our Kelty backpacks
For a true hike in the woods carrying your baby is the best option. A stroller is not made for a true hiking trail. For a baby younger than 6 months old I wear it in my structured carrier. A baby older than 6 months old I can place in my **backpack baby carrie**r.
When taking a baby on a hike don’t forget to take the essentials; baby changing gear, a change of outfit in case of a blow out and snacks and water for yourself.
3. Take a nap
You can forget the sound machine for this nap as nature will take care of it! Take your baby outside and lay them in a shade tent or under a tree on a blanket and let them take a nap.
When my babies were younger than 3 months old I found they could nap anywhere. Always happy to nap in my shade tent on a towel or blanket while I played with my other kids outside.
Tips to get your baby to sleep outside:
- Feed your baby right before laying them down
- Follow the same steps as if you were going to lay your baby down for a nap inside
4. Feel the ground
Babies are learning quickly from their environment. Sensory processing is using the 5 senses to organize the sensations from one's own body and environment. When you place a baby on the ground you allow them to feel new textures.
It doesn’t matter if your baby is feeling the ground with their hands or feet, your baby will be building new synapses in their brain and learning from the experience. Try placing them on different textures outside or situations to expand their sensory processing.
5. Tummy time
Experts recommend that babies work up to about 1 hour of tummy time a day by the time they're 3 months old
That one hour of tummy time doesn’t have to be on their inside tummy time mat. Try laying a blanket outside and letting your baby do tummy time outside. The new environment will give your baby new objects to look at and increase their senses.
6. Water Play - Splash Pad Or pool
Have temperatures been rising in your area and you're looking for outdoor activities with your baby that will cool them off? Water play is a great way for a baby to cool down.
A splash pad is a great summer outdoor activity for a baby. Splash pads have holes with water squirting up for your little one to explore with their hands, feet or whole body. Unlike a pool the water build up on the floor of the pad is minimal making it safer for your baby.
My 10 month old splashing in his baby pool
Or you can fill up a baby pool and supervise their play. This works best for an older baby who is comfortable sitting for long periods of time.
Me wearing my 3 month old baby in the pool with a Beachfront Baby Sling
Or you could invest in a water carrier and take your baby in the pool with you!
7. Bubbles
There is just something about bubbles that make a baby’s eyes light up, also true for toddlers. Bubbles are just magical.
Either lay your baby down on his/her back or in a sitting position and blow bubbles around them. Your baby may try to pop them or just giggle as the bubbles pass.
8. Let baby watch you and siblings do normal outdoor things
A baby is really just an explorer and any new experience or sensory stimuli captivates them. Let your baby sit near you as you garden; depending on the age of your little one you might want to get his/her hands dirty too!
Maybe it is autumn and you need to rake the leaves. Let your baby crawl in the leaf pile and explore!
Or your baby has older siblings playing outside. Your youngest will love to sit around them and watch and learn. Your older siblings will most likely love the attention and engage with their little sister or brother.
9. Touch different objects
Touch is one of the five senses and being outdoors is a great way to have your baby feel different objects. Each time your baby feels a different texture new synapses will be forming in their brain.
Not just touch, but also sight is involved with feeling different objects. Once your little one’s brain takes note of the different texture of an object your baby’s sight will form a connection. The more things you can find for your baby to touch the more connections will be formed.
Try to find objects of all different shapes, colors and textures. Think rocks, dirt, leaves, tree bark, grasses, and flowers to start.
10. Eat outside
Simple. Instead of having purees inside, bring the snack time outside. If your baby isn’t eating solids yet, no problem, nursing or bottle feeding can happen outside too.
Once my baby is eating purees I have an outside travel highchair I use. This makes outside eating easy and without the hassle of carrying my bigger highchair outside. Also means I can feed my baby not just in my backyard, but also in the park, other people’s houses, the beach, or anywhere!
Almost one year old in his Hiccapop Travel Highchair
11. Read
Reading to babies has many benefits to your baby. It helps with language development, bonding with you, pattern recognition and social and emotional development.
Reading has different purposes for different aged babies, but at all stages reading is important. On a nice day take a blanket outside and cuddle up as you read your little one’s favorite books.
12. Swing
Around 6 months old my babies were able to be placed in baby swings. Both my boys loved being in the swing at 6 months and I could spend hours just pushing them on the swing.
You don’t need a swing set to have a swing. For my first child, before our swing set, we tied the swing to a tree. It worked great!
13. People/Animal Watch
Babies learn from observing others. Take your baby to an outdoor cafe or restaurant, park, farm, or zoo and just sit and allow your baby to watch the goings around them.
My first son, before COVID times, loved being outside in public places and watching the world go by. He would smile at the people passing and often strangers would interact with him.
14. Go Camping with a Baby
Yes, you heard me right! Camping with a baby is achievable and a great way to spend quality time outside in nature. All you need is the right baby camping gear, and you might be surprised you own more gear than you think!
Hope you founds great activities to do outdoors with baby!