Children need to spend time outside. As I have said before, I believe that a key component of being an effective parent and a WFH employee is being mobile with your laptop. I am frequently outside with my son and working on my laptop. It can be hard to work outside sometimes, but I have figured out ways to make it work and activities that allow me to sit and watch while getting work done for my job.

Sand and Water Table

The sand and water table I purchased has been amazing. My son can play with sand and water at the same time, or have double the amount of room for one. Plus, it can be used as a picnic table without putting any of the sand away. We do lots of activities with this table:

• Normal Play with Water and/or Sand with Beach toys
• Wash Rocks with a Brush and Soap 
• Find Rocks and Bury Them in the Sand
• Blow Bubbles into the Water and Sand

Wash Outside Balls

I give my son the hose and he washes his outside basketballs, footballs, etc

Bubbles

Get your child a small bubble machine. My son plays with it a lot!

Water trees

I will fill up a wagon with water, give him some beach toy cups, and let him water the trees.

Sprinklers

Sprinklers are always good. My son comes up with new ideas on how to make them fun.

Basketball Hoop

We have a basketball hoop his size outside so that he can “play” basketball.

Roll Balls Down a Slide

One of my son’s favorite outdoor activities. He will roll his toy balls down the slide to where I am sitting on a camp chair. Then I throw the balls back up to him and we do it all again.

Swinging

Another staple outdoor activity. I just sit on a camp chair with my laptop and push him on the swing. It keeps my son entertained and allows me to work!

Chalk

Coloring outside is even more fun!

We spend a lot of time outside now that it’s summer. Do you have any other great outdoor activities I can try? Let me know in the comments!