How To Prepare Outdoor Activities For Your Family Weekend

During the week you barely get the chance to spend any time with your family. When the weekend comes around, you want to not only do something different, but ensure that you get quality time mixed with a whole lot of fun that all members of the family will enjoy. So, how do you prepare for outdoor activities for your family weekend?

Check the weather forecast

Before you plan an outdoor activity, it is always essential to check the weather forecast and make sure that your plans won’t be ruined by drizzling rain or thunderstorms. Or if the weather is too hot, you can start choosing your activity and location based on that information and include water related activities to withstand the heat. Being prepared and knowing what to expect will not only help you put together an appropriate activity, but will also help you decide the weather-friendly locations and the extra stuff you’ll need to take into consideration such as umbrellas, raincoats etc. 

Make a list 

When planning any kind of event, there are a million things to consider, especially when kids are involved. Instead of racking your brains trying to remember every little detail and being worried that there’s an important aspect you might forget, you can resort to making a list. Having everything written on paper, or even on your phone, will allow you to go back and check the items on your list, reminding yourself of what is left to be done to ensure your weekend is successful. It is also such a great feeling to check off an item, making you feel you’ve accomplished something, even if it’s as small as picking a venue. The important thing is to have an organized way to keep track of the things that need to be done and who needs to be doing it. 

Get the necessary equipment 

Depending on the outdoor activity you’ll be choosing, there are certain tools or equipment that will be necessary and preparing them before the weekend will be essential. This can include bikes if you’re going on a biking adventure, for example. Whether you need to rent them, or check that all the bikes in your garage are fit for riding without needing any maintenance, will need to be done beforehand. You will also need to plan the games in advance and if they need to be setup, or where to be placed. For each type of activity there will be a series of preparations that need to be done or things that need to be prepared in specific. 

Appoint a leader 

One of the best ways to prepare for a family weekend is to share the responsibility with your family members. Appointing a leader in charge of coming up with the idea and helping you fine tune the smallest details will not only relieve you of some of the planning, but will also guarantee that every member gets to fulfil their idea of an ideal family activity. It is also a great way to teach your children about responsibilities, taking the lead and seeing through the entire process of planning an event from idea to execution. When playing a game, it will also be the leader’s decision to handle disputes and be the judge or referee of the day, giving the kids a chance to have the final say for a change. 

Prepare Enough Food

Whether you’re going on a picnic or having a barbecue or even planning a weekend away, the food is one of the most essential factors and is a necessity in every single activity you do. It’s important that you do some research to understand how to have the right meals for your family and their health. Taking a reliable Yeti cooler could come in handy.

Lifestyle tips and recipes at Simple Green Moms suggest the best kind of meals appropriate for families and even snacks to keep you hydrated during those hot summer days. Using these recipes or ideas, you’ll be able to plan the food part of the day to ensure your family gets the most suitable nutrition source for an exciting day.

Plan Fun Games

You don’t always have to go beyond your backyard to ensure that your family has a good time. If you’re looking for an outdoor activity that you can all do together as a family, then it’s bound to incorporate a few games. You can set up a few bases and have a baseball game, even if you just use a tennis racket and ball, but the amount of fun you’ll have trying to get to the base before someone touches the ball there first will guarantee that lots of laughter is involved.

If you don’t have enough people to cover 4 bases, then you can consider preparing a scavenger hunt with clues scattered around the garden and using questions about the family that everyone should know to open up new clues. Finding a prize at the end will get everyone motivated and excited to join in the scavenger hunt together. Winmau Dartboard is also a good option to consider.

Have a first aid kit ready 

When you’re spending the day outdoors with the kids, there’s a pretty definite chance that someone will get hurt. Whether it’s falling off a bike and scraping their knees, jumping off a tree and spraining their ankle or bumping into a branch and getting a scratch or a nosebleed, it is essential to be prepared to handle the most likely situations. Having a first aid kit will help you deal with the small things without having to rush to the hospital for no reason. Containing items such as plaster bandages, painkillers, sanitizer and disinfectant will ensure that you can have things under control and deal with the basic injury at hand without having to worry. It’s always better to be prepared, then end up running around frantically. 

Spending time with the family is extremely important, but in order to ensure that everyone is enjoying their time, it is necessary to plan your outdoor activities suitable to what your kids will enjoy, as well as yourself and your partner. The most important thing is to have something to look forward to, instead of ending up dreading family time altogether.