• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • Email Me
    • Disclosure & Copyright
  • Start Here
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Books for Moms

Creative Family Fun

Your one-stop shop for kids activities and family fun

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Spelling Activities
  • Family Fun
  • STEM
  • Movie Night
  • Toddler Activities

Gross Motor Play

Outdoor Shape Activities for Kids

May 9, 2022 By Terri Thompson

Whenever the weather is nice, it’s always so much fun to take your learning outside.

You can play, explore, and learn all at the same time.

These fun outdoor shape activities for kids are great ways to play and learn with your toddlers and preschoolers.

Your kids will be having so much fun, they won’t even realize how much they are learning.

Outdoor shape activity collage showing several activities like sidewalk chalk shapes, rock shapes, and water play

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Fun Outdoor Shape Activities

Get moving, explore nature, and get creative with all of these fun ideas.

They’re perfect for anytime of the year and a great excuse to get outside and learn with play.

Outdoor Shape Activities

These fun outdoor shape activities for kids are great ways to play and learn with your toddlers and preschoolers.

Shape Hopscotch Outdoor Game

Learn shapes with a fun sidewalk game when you play our version of Shape Hopscotch.

Driveway Shape Maze

Find your way through our Driveway Shape Maze and learn all about shapes as you go.

Outdoor Shape Hunt

Grab a camera and hunt for shapes when you go on our fun Outdoor Shape Hunt.

Running Circles

Get your wiggles out by running circles and other shapes with our fun driveway game.

Geometry Game

Photo Credit: simpleplayideas.com

Explore big shapes by measuring, walking, and creating them with your body with this geometry game from Simple Play Ideas.

10 Ways to Play with Rocks {Sensory Summer} - Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten

Photo Credit: mrsplemonskindergarten.com

Create shapes with rocks with this fun idea from Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten. (You'll find several other cool rock ideas in this post too!)

Scooping Shapes Bubble Water Play

Photo Credit: www.fantasticfunandlearning.com

Play in bubbles with this bubbly water shape sorting game from Fantastic Fun and Learning.

Find & Erase the Matching Shapes

Photo Credit: Hands On As We Grow

Find and erase shapes with water with this fun activity from Hands On As We Grow.

Making Shapes With Acorns Fine Motor Shape Activity

Photo Credit: www.creativelittleexplorers.com

Build shapes with acorns with this simple idea from Creative Little Explorers.

Nature shapes outdoor math activities

Photo Credit: nurturestore.co.uk

Use nature treasures to create shapes with this fun activity from NurtureStore.

I don’t know about you, but I’d love to do all of these outdoor shape activities! Which ones do you think you’re going to try with your kids?

Outdoor shape activities for kids collage showing water play, grass shapes, and sidewalk chalk shapes.

You May Also Enjoy One of These Other Fun Outdoor Activities:

10 Fun Walk Ideas for Families

Driveway ABC Game

Silly Races

You can find all of our toddler activities at this link.

Smaller outdoor shape activities collage showing the different activities talked about in this post.

My Recommended Shape Resources

It’s so much fun to learn shapes through play. You can play these fun outside games or try one of these great shape toys for toddlers. Here are a few more playful ways to learn shapes:

Shape Hopscotch Outdoor Game

May 4, 2022 By Terri Thompson

Shape hopscotch, a fun outdoor shape game, is not a new idea to us, nor is it new to this blog. (I shared it here in the very first months of this blog.)

But, I wanted to share it again for a few reasons.

First, it’s fun and we play it often.

Second, it’s easy to do and it’s a great way to get outside.

And third, both toddlers and preschoolers will love learning with this fun outdoor shape activity!

Two pictures of children playing shape hopscotch with the words shape hopscotch overlayed. You can see the children jumping on shapes drawn with sidewalk chalk on the driveway.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Set Up Your Shape Hopscotch Game

Grab a few fun colors of sidewalk chalk and a bare spot of cement.

Draw several shapes in a line; the same as you would do for a regular hopscotch game.

Get moving and learning with this fun outdoor shape activity, Shape Hopscotch. It's easy to set and so much for for preschoolers and toddlers.

I used simple shapes as a review for my 3-year old, but you could make things even harder by using octagons, polygons, and any number of shapes

Find a couple of rocks, grab the kids, and start playing.

Get moving and learning with this fun outdoor shape activity, Shape Hopscotch. It's easy to set and so much for for preschoolers and toddlers.

How to Play Shape Hopscotch

For our version, the girls took turns throwing their rock onto the shpaes. They had to hop to the shape closest to their rock.

They practiced jumping on one foot and they also had to name each shape as they landed in it.

For these two, the hopping on one foot was a much bigger challenge than naming the shape.

Get moving and learning with this fun outdoor shape activity, Shape Hopscotch. It's easy to set and so much for for preschoolers and toddlers.

Shape Hopscotch Variations

You can mix up this game any way you want!

If you’re playing with toddlers, just have them jump (or run) to each shape and then name the shapes as they stand in them. If they’re just learning their shapes, you can call out the name of the shape. This is such a fun and active way to learn shapes!

You can also call out a shape and have your kids run to that shape.

Practice your gross motor skills by hopping, standing on one foot, skipping, etc. The possibilities are endless.

The best part is that it gets you outside and gets your kids moving!

Have you ever played shape hopscotch?

Get moving and learning with this fun outdoor shape activity, Shape Hopscotch. It's easy to set and so much for for preschoolers and toddlers.

Find more shape activities here:

Get Crafty: Shape Collages

Shape Hunt

Driveway Shape Maze

10 Shape Activities for Toddlers at Hands On As We Grow

12 Shapes Themed Sensory Bins for Preschoolers at Fun With Mama

Fun Toys for Learning Outside

It doesn’t take fancy toys to learn outside. In fact, a package of sidewalk chalk is about all you need. But, if you want to kick it up a few notches, here are some fun tools and toys for learning outside.

Backyard Color Match Game for Toddlers

May 24, 2021 By Trisha

Looking for a fun toddler activity to get them moving and learning?

Head to the backyard for an active color match game for toddlers. It’s a great way to learn colors while practicing gross motor skills.

Get your little ones moving with this fun Backyard Color Match Game for Toddlers. They'll run, have fun, and learn a lot!

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Backyard Color Match Game for Toddlers

This toddler game is all about running around and having fun, so you’ll need quite a bit of space. We played the game in our backyard. It will also work inside as long as you have enough room to move around safely.

Supplies Needed

Colored place markers (one for each color you want to practice). We used large balls, buckets, and a cone.

Objects/toys of different colors. Make sure the color of these objects match the place markers. We had 2 of each color (one for each child). We used small balls, toy ducks, cups, etc.

How to this color matching game for toddlers

Spread the colored place markers (balls, buckets, cones, etc) around your playing area. The farther they are away from each other, the more running your kids will do.

Start by practicing the names of the colors.

Call out a color and have your child run to it.

Can you find the orange cone?

If more than one child is playing be sure to talk to them about how to touch the place markers. (My toddler wanted to pick everything up.)

Say: “Run to the green bucket and touch it with your hand.”

Once you have named all of the colors, it’s time to introduce the color matching.

Ask your child to choose a small toy. Then, ask him its color. “What color is the duck?”

Have your child take the toy to the matching colored place marker. “Can you take the yellow duck to the yellow ball?”

Get your little ones moving with this fun Backyard Color Match Movement Game for Toddlers. They'll run, have fun, and learn a lot!

Continue matching the small objects to the place markers.

Be sure to say the colors each time.

Backyard Match Game for Toddlers #2

Ready to mix it up a little? Our second game practices colors and following directions. Once you’ve finished the color match game, try this one. Leave all of the toys matched up.

The goal of game 2 is to move the toys around.

Call out a color and a toy. Then name a colored place marker. “Can you place the green frog on the pink bucket?”

Get your little ones moving with this fun Backyard Color Match Movement Game for Toddlers. They'll run, have fun, and learn a lot!

The game practices colors and following directions.

You can also use it to practice positional words like on, in, next to, etc. “Can you place the blue duck next to the orange cone?” “Put the pink ball inside the green bucket.”

Get your little ones moving with this fun Backyard Color Match Movement Game for Toddlers. They'll run, have fun, and learn a lot!

You May Also Like One of These Color Games for Toddlers

Go on a Colorful Scavenger Hunt

Rainbow Texture Explorations for Toddlers

Butterfly Color Match

Fun Color Games for Toddlers

Color Sorter Water Bin at Teaching 2’s and 3’s

More Color Games for Toddlers

Here are some more fun color games that you can have on hand both indoors and outdoors to learn about colors through play. They’re so much fun!

Leaf Hunt Alphabet Game for Toddlers

September 9, 2019 By Trisha

Fall is a great time to do learning activities with leaves.

Our Leaf Hunt Alphabet Game for Toddlers is a fantastic way to work on learning letters. You can practice name recognition and letter sounds, too.

Learn the alphabet with this fun outdoor leaf hunt alphabet game for toddlers and preschoolers. You'll have fun moving and learning!

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Leaf Hunt Alphabet Game for Toddlers

Supplies Needed for the Leaf Themed Alphabet Learning

Leaves – collect real leaves, use silk leaves, or cut paper leaves

Chalk markers or permanent marker

Bucket or container

Drawing board (We used an Etch a Sketch Freestyle. A dry erase or chalk board would work well, too.)

How to Set Up the Leaf Hunt Alphabet Game

Head outside and collect some fallen leaves. We were able to collect magnolia tree leaves and tulip tree leaves after a storm had blown them out of the trees. Real leaves do become brittle and can crumble after a while. Larger leaves tend to do better. You can also preserve the leaves. Instead of real leaves, you can use silk leaves from the floral or craft department or you cut leaves from paper. If you want to save the paper leaves, you might want to laminate them or cover them with contact paper.

Write letters on the leaves. I used a chalk marker to write on real leaves. We’ve found that a chalk marker is fun for drawing on leaves as well. The chalk marker is erasable. If you change your mind, just wipe it off. Permanent markers would be fine substitute.

I drew uppercase and lowercase letters on our leaves. You could just start with uppercase letters or even just choose a selection of letters if your child is just starting to learn the alphabet. Sometimes too many letters can be overwhelming.

Spread the leaves out in the grass or on your floor.

Learn the alphabet with this fun outdoor leaf hunt alphabet game for toddlers and preschoolers. You'll have fun moving and learning!

How to Play

There are a few different ways we played this leaf game. The goal is to get kids moving and learning letters.

Game 1: Read the Letter

For this game, simply have your child pick up a leaf and bring it to you. Ask her what letter is on the leaf.

Outdoor fun with this leaf hunt alphabet game

You can also work on letter sounds. “That’s the letter B. B says /b/.”

Continue picking up leaves and saying the names (and sounds) of the letters.

You can add a bucket to your learning game if you wish. Have your child carry the bucket and place a leaf inside. Then, bring it to you and tell you what letter is on it.

Game 2: Find the Letter

For this game, you’ll need a drawing board. We use an Etch a Sketch Freestyle. A dry erase board or a chalk board would work equally as well. You could also use alphabet cards or letters written on paper squares. We were doing the activity outside, so I wanted something that wouldn’t blow away.

Ask your child to say a letter. Write the letter on the drawing board. (Alternatively, you can just choose the letter.)

Have your child find that letter in the leaves. Bring the letter back.

Practice saying the name of the letter and the letter’s sound.

You can also work on uppercase and lowercase letters. Write both cases of the letter on the board and ask your child to find them in the leaves.

Leaf Hunt Alphabet Game for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Game 3: Spell Your Name

Your child’s name is one of the first words he or she will be able to read. They get so excited when they recognize the word as theirs.

For this game, write your child’s name down on the drawing board. (You can even ask your child to spell it for you.)

Have your child hunt for the letters in his name.

My son found the letters in his name, but he didn’t find them in order. When he had all of the letters, I had him put the letters in the correct order under the drawing board.

More Leaf Themed Activities for Toddlers

Leaf Name Sticky Wall – work on name recognition with a contact paper sticky wall

Go Leaf Collecting– make a bag to collect your nature finds

Leaf Shape Collage – work on fine motor skills and learn shapes

Leaf Measurement and Sorting Activity

Do you want to do more activities with your family?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Water Balloon Activities for Kids

August 20, 2019 By Terri Thompson

Splash!

Let’s have some fun with these awesome water balloon activities for kids!

You’ll learn a little with some fun math and science ideas. But, most of all, you’ll get a little wet and have a lot of fun.

Go outside and have some fun fun with these awesome water balloon activities for kids!

So, grab the kids, find an idea, and go outside and play!

Are you ready?

Water Balloon Activities for Kids

Cool off and have some fun this summer with these awesome water balloon activities. You can learn, have fun, and definitely get wet!

Water Balloon Parachute

Photo Credit: www.fantasticfunandlearning.com

Make a water balloon parachute with this easy STEM activity for summer.

Build a Water Balloon Launcher that the Whole Family will LOVE!

Photo Credit: frugalfun4boys.com

Get out the tools to build a fun water balloon launcher with this fun family project. Once it's made, the kids can play with all summer long!

Water Balloon Game { Learning After School} - No Time For Flash Cards

Photo Credit: www.notimeforflashcards.com

Use your water balloon for learning with this simple math game.

Water Balloon Science Experiment

Photo Credit: www.123homeschool4me.com

Use water balloons to do some fun density science experiments.

Water Balloon Towel Toss Game

Photo Credit: loveplayandlearn.com

This water balloon towel toss game would be a great family fun activity! Get ready to get a little wet!

Forces and Motion - Water Balloon Splatter Patterns

Photo Credit: www.science-sparks.com

Experiment with speed and motion when you explore the splatter patterns left by water balloons with this fun science activity.

Mixing Colors with Water Balloons

Photo Credit: www.icanteachmychild.com

Experiment with color mixing with this fun outdoor activity.

How to make a water balloon sink

Photo Credit: www.science-sparks.com

Can you make a water balloon sink? Science Sparks shows you how.

Mouse Paint: Water Balloon Painting

Photo Credit: www.pre-kpages.com

Paint with your water balloons with this fun art idea.

Water Balloon Pinatas

Photo Credit: thekennedyadventures.com

Burst a water balloon pinata with this fun family activity!

We're Going on a Water Balloon Hunt

Photo Credit: www.messforless.net

Go on a water balloon hunt with this fun - and wet - scavenger hunt idea.

Water Balloon Sensory Bin - Simple Fun for Kids

Photo Credit: www.simplefunforkids.com

Have a little fun with a water balloon sensory bin.

Which one of these fun water balloon activities are you going to try with your kids?

I want to try them all!

Go outside and have some fun fun with these awesome water balloon activities for kids! Find science ideas, learning ideas, and tons of fun.

More outdoor activities you’ll love

10 Fun Walk Ideas for Families

Shape Hopscotch Outdoor Game

Outdoor Math Games

Driveway ABC Game

Must-have water balloon resources

You’ll need a few supplies before you try any of these water balloon activities. Here are a few resources to help you:

Spend more quality time with your family

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Footer

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2025 · Designed by The Blog Surgery

Creative Family Fun uses cookies to improve your experience. These cookies provide feedback to our analytics and advertisers. We use the information to track views of the site, where you go and to know if you are a regular visitor or brand new as well as provide a personalized experience where possible. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT