Despite its best efforts, the rainy weather in the UK doesn’t stop people from having fun outdoors.
Did you know that there are a plethora of ways to go outdoors, raining or otherwise, and have some good quality fun with your family? It sure beats staying stuck indoors, that’s for sure! Without further ado, here are 13+ ideas if you’re looking for things to do with your family:
1. Go Glamping
Glamping is a more luxurious form of camping. In a nutshell, you go camping in a tent or park up somewhere in a campervan as you usually would. But, the main difference is you take many of your home comforts with you! For instance, you might have some comfortable seats with you or even a TV with a games console! In essence, you take whatever you like having at home.
2. Take a Trip to the Beach
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a hot and sunny day or it’s grey and cloudy outside. Walking along the beach allows your family to do many fun things. You could build some sandcastles, search for shells, or see if you can spot some jellyfish or crabs lurking in shallow waters!
3. Go to a live music venue
Even the rain can’t dampen the spirits of anyone going to visit a live music venue! Some events might also have some marquees set up to shelter from the rain. Of course, nothing is stopping you from bringing brollies with you all! Whatever the weather, the fun atmosphere of being at a live music venue is sure to keep everyone’s spirits up.
4. Create a vegetable garden
If you don’t fancy straying too far away from home, one activity you could all enjoy as a family unit is to create a vegetable garden. You can do so at home or a local allotment plot. You will all enjoy immense satisfaction from your hard work, especially when you start to see the plants growing and producing their vegetables.
5. Play a game of crazy golf
If there was ever a family-friendly outdoor pursuit that everyone should try once, it is crazy golf! Unlike regular golf, you get to see and play through all kinds of weird and wonderful objects and scenery during each game. The idea is for everyone to have lots of fun, and so there’s no pressure to win or even play properly in crazy golf.
6. Go stargazing
In the evening, why not take a drive to a quiet, secluded bit of the countryside and do a spot of stargazing? The silence and lack of noise pollution will help you to immerse yourself in the awe and splendour of our solar system. If you’ve got a smartphone, you could download a stargazing app to help you learn the names of various stars or planets in the sky.
7. Do some metal detecting
Feeling inspired by notable finds like the Staffordshire Hoard? And do you all want to go out and find some treasure? If the answer to both questions is yes, why not do some metal detecting! There are loads of online resources for detectorists, both those new to the pastime and seasoned treasure hunters.
8. Have a barbecue
It makes no difference whether it’s sunny or raining outside. You can all still have some fun by having a barbecue! It’s the perfect way to bring your family together and enjoy the great outdoors. While the food is cooking and the adults are chatting away, the kids can always play any number of exciting games depending on where you’re located!
9. Have a campfire
Another evening activity you could all participate in is to have a campfire. Not only is it an ideal way to keep warm on a cold evening, but there’s loads you can do. For example, you could sing some songs, play some games, or even tell a ghost story or two.
10. Go fruit and vegetable picking
There are many seasonal fruits and vegetables grown on farms across the country. That means you can all do a spot of fruit picking at any time of the year! Going fruit and vegetable picking also teaches youngsters where some of their food comes from before they eat it.
11. Go geocaching
In case you didn’t know, geocaching is fast becoming a popular outdoor pursuit enjoyable by both adults and kids. You will most likely find a geocache near to your home. Of course, it’s also possible to go geocaching further afield.
12. Take a trip to your local park
Going to the park near your home is both fun and free! The kids can have fun in the playground area or running around on the grass. Meanwhile, all the adults can sit down, relax, and put the world to rights! Some local parks might even have adventure playgrounds for younger visitors, while others may have mini-attractions like a model railway.
13. Take a ride on a heritage railway
Sticking with the transport theme, how about spending a few hours going on a heritage railway? Did you know there are many heritage railways operating across the country? The stations often have facilities like cafes and restaurants, so you can always grab a bit to eat while you visit.
14. Go on a bike ride
Have you all got bicycles? If so, one fun family activity you could all do is to go out on a bike ride! There are many places like country parks you can go where it’s possible to have a long cycle journey and feel safe due to the lack of vehicles nearby. Be sure to check any children and other adults are wearing a helmet for crash protection!
15. Take a boat trip
Last, but not least, if you’ve got a nearby canal or lake, why not take a boat trip and explore your neighbourhood by water? In some cases, you are even allowed to steer the boat yourself. How cool is that?
If you still have some time left, check out these 25 fun things to do in the garden with kids