Run your own Outdoor Activities
Outdoor activities guide for community groups and individuals
This Outdoor Activities resource pack shares how to run 35 fun, creative and active outdoor activities.
It also has safety advice, and templates you can use for planning and risk assessments.
Download the Outdoor Activities resource pack.
Download the free, PDF version of the guide here.
What kind of activities are there?
Finding rainbows – The aim is to find a ‘rainbow’ of colour, by collecting small objects like leaves, petals or feathers. This is a fun way to look at the natural world closely, noticing detail and colour.
10 minute fires – Learn how to use natural resources to keep warm or cook, while respecting nature. This is good for building skills and self-confidence.
Wild masterpieces – Use natural foraged items to build a picture or pattern. Choose a theme to help focus ideas, like a creature that belongs to that environment, a face, an emotion.
Choosing activities that work for you
You can choose activities based on how you enjoy connecting with nature. The guide has 6 categories:
- Nature
- Mindful
- Art
- Problem-solving
- Bushcraft or survival
- Physical
It has activities for all, and some that are more physically challenging.
Making the most of the activities
We would always recommend full awareness of the associated risk assessments, especially when delivering activities with fire. If your group would like training on using the resource pack, please contact ruth.n@otbds.org.
Why we created the outdoor activities guide
The guide was co-authored by Outside the Box and Field to Fork, with contributions from other local partners.
Outside the Box have been very pleased to be part of coordinating and delivering the whole-systems Eyemouth Gateway to Good Health initiative over the past year. Our LINKS project is rooted in the Eyemouth community and, along with other community partners, we supported the delivery of outdoor activities including nature connection and outdoor cooking. This ‘train the trainers’ approach equipped leaders and workers in the town to have the confidence and skills to take their groups out and about, to promote a healthy active lifestyle for all.
The initiative also funded a full set of outdoors equipment, stored at the Community Centre in Eyemouth. If you are part of a local group in the Eyemouth area, please get in touch with Dixie Scott dixie.scott@btinternet.com if you would like to borrow any of the kit. There are even spare gloves and waterproofs so that nobody needs to feel the cold!
With thanks to East Region Diabetes Prevention Partnership for funding and NHS Borders Joint Health Improvement Team for supporting its implementation.