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Are you looking for outdoor activities for 12 year olds?
If yes, keep reading for some great ideas …these will make sure there is no more boredom no matter how long your tween will be on holiday..
Outdoor activities for 12 year olds
Your son or daughter should have a blast with these outdoor activities for 12 year olds…
Have fun…
Bike Ride
Many children at the age of 12 usually love riding bikes.
A competition with friends would be more fun.
Skateboarding
This is not something new since most playgrounds now have skate ramps – and you and I know that many pre-teens really love skating.
Camping
Who hates camping anyway? Going camping with your 12 year old, even if it’s just for one night is fun.
There will be a new environment, unfamiliar sights and sounds, other kids to meet and play with, and a ton of refreshing things to do..
Oh, and the bonus of eating outdoors and sleeping under the stars all make an even more fun-filled adventure.
In a nutshell, camping is the perfect outdoor activity for nearly all tweens.
Create a zip Wire
This amazing idea for youngsters…
Here your kid will create a zip wire to transport secret packages to their friends.
This might be the real deal for your 12 year old- spending a whole day in the garden creating a zip wire to transport lunch to their pals can be awesome.
Fly a drone
Getting pre-teen outsides (and off the couch and out of TV screens) can be easier if you entice them with some technology to play with.
That being so, flying a drone can be another good idea for your boy or girl to try out with their friends.
You obviously want to ensure that the drone is suitable for kids aged about 12…
Oh, and flying a drone is not just about play- let the kids enjoy taking photos as well.
Build a den challenge
Friends are needed in this challenge…
Give each team some tarpaulin and some pegs and have them build their own shelter.
To make it more interesting, award a prize for the sturdiest one.
Here is how it’s done.
Go for a stargazing sojourn
Going outside in the spring to watch and count the stars is another accessible adventure for kids about 12 years – and the night sky has plenty of interesting things to observe including other planets.
Here is a full guide.
Try outdoor Art
You and your kid can either decide to visit some outdoor art shows/events or create your own.
If you’d like him/her to try their own art, see 100 Nature Crafts for Kids for loads of ideas of nature art your child can make.
Whittling or wood carving
This is another perfect way for creative and crafty 12 year olds to reconnect with nature.
Whittling is easy to learn and fun to do.
Plus, almost everything your tween needs to start his/her first whittling project is free and right outside your door so it is only inexpensive but friendly as well.
Try Geocaching
For most children at the age of 12, geocaching would be something they would enjoy because most kids like treasure hunt games.
In Geocaching, kids use an app (in a smartphone) to find some hidden caches in the neighborhood/out on the trails
If your preteen doesn’t have a phone, just help them with yours (There are many different apps to help your kid crack a code or find a geocache).
Read about the basics here.
Photo Scavenger Hunt
It’s an open secret: kids love taking photos on your or their phones so why not coordinate a photo scavenger hunt (for them)?
If you have tech-savvy kids, this is a wonderful way to get them exploring outside whilst tapping into their other interests.
Check Pinterest for inspiration.
Treasure Trails
This is a fantastic activity because it offers great ideas for whole family adventure- you explore local places or far away locations in a self-guided tour.
Give some tricky clues to keep your 12 year olds child entertained and involved.
Here is a great review of treasure trail’s self-guide walk.
Drop the egg experiment
Let your child be a scientist now and this will be a favorite game.
Give your child an egg plus a piece of string-they should package the egg up with every natural materials they will find (see full details here).
This will make sure the egg will not break even after it is dropped from a high height.
Before you start, let your child (and his/her friends) know that if the egg is not properly packaged, it will smash.
Go Ape – Tree Top Adventure (For those in the UK)
With a variety of treetop adventures and courses for different climbing abilities, Go Ape is the perfect adventure and trust me, no kid (even older ones) would resist this.
Build a bench Activity
Let that pre-teen be creative for once by building a bench- this greatly stimulates your kid’s problem-solving skills.
You will give the kids some string and ask them to build a good bench that will hold you for 10 seconds using anything they can find in the woods outdoors.
Keep in mind that they have to be able to sit on their bench with their feet off the ground for 10 seconds.
Orienteering
This is an easy game where you just need to dump your son/daughter somewhere in the garden or forest and then they have to find their way back..
If your child likes treasure hunts, they should enjoy orienteering.
The aim of orienteering is to navigate(in sequence), to different control points that are located on a special course using a map.
Go Canoeing/ Kayaking/ Paddle Boarding
Kids love water hence water activities are a thrilling activity for tweens.
Not only will these water activities for kids keep them cool off if it’s hot but they’ll also help them improve their swimming skills, balance and coordination, and more.
Foraging
Children are natural foragers and they love to get outside and search for hidden treasures.
Try foraging with your tween as a new outdoor adventure for them to enjoy.
To wind it up
With the above outdoor activities for 12 year olds (and there many others out there), there is no sufficient excuse not to go out with your child.
Trust us…it’s gonna be insane fun!
ALSO READ:
Outdoor activities for 4 year olds to keep your kid entertained
Fun things for 11 year olds to do when bored (Away from the screen)