5 Things You Can Do This Weekend to Get Your Kids Off Screens and Outside
Getting kids outside used to happen naturally. Now, screens compete for attention every second of the day. Tablets, phones, gaming systems, and streaming apps make it easy for an entire weekend to disappear indoors.
The good news is getting kids back outside doesn’t have to cost a fortune—or require some massive family trip.
Most of the best outdoor memories come from simple things.
Here are five easy, low-cost ways to get your kids off screens and back outside this weekend.
Go Fishing at a Local Pond
You don’t need a fancy bass boat or expensive gear to get kids excited about fishing.
In fact, some of the best fishing memories happen with:
- A cheap rod
- A can of worms
- A neighborhood pond
According to the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, fishing remains one of the best ways to introduce kids to the outdoors because it combines excitement, patience, and hands-on learning.
And kids don’t care if it’s a trophy bass.
A tiny bluegill can feel just as exciting when it bends the rod.
Take a Nature Walk and Let Them Explore
Kids don’t need a national park to have an adventure.
A local trail, creek, or patch of woods can become an entire world if you let them explore it.
Instead of turning it into a structured hike, let kids:
- Flip over rocks
- Look for animal tracks
- Find interesting bugs or plants
- Explore at their own pace
Half the fun is simply letting them be curious.
Have a Backyard Campout
You don’t have to drive deep into the wilderness to make camping exciting.
Set up a tent in the backyard and suddenly ordinary space feels different.
You can:
- Roast marshmallows
- Tell stories
- Use flashlights
- Watch stars
According to the National Park Service, even simple outdoor overnight experiences help children develop confidence and connection with nature.
And for younger kids, sleeping outside—even 20 feet from the house—feels like a real adventure.
Ride Bikes Until Dark
One of the simplest outdoor activities is still one of the best.
Bike rides cost almost nothing and give kids freedom that screens never will.
Neighborhood rides, dirt paths, or local parks all work.
It also gives families something that feels increasingly rare:
- Unstructured outdoor time
- Movement without pressure
- Simple fun without a schedule
Sometimes kids just need permission to go outside and stay there for a while.
Start a Backyard Competition
Kids love competition—even simple ones.
You can create easy outdoor games using almost nothing:
- Water balloon toss
- Nerf target shooting
- Obstacle courses
- Frisbee challenges
- Backyard scavenger hunts
The goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is getting them moving, laughing, and forgetting about their screens for a few hours.
Why It Matters
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, outdoor activity helps improve:
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Attention span
- Sleep quality
But beyond that, outdoor experiences create memories kids actually keep.
Most adults don’t remember the videos they watched as kids.
They remember:
- Catching their first fish
- Riding bikes with friends
- Exploring creeks
- Staying outside until dark
The Biggest Secret? Keep It Simple
A lot of parents feel pressure to constantly plan expensive activities or major trips.
But kids usually don’t need something elaborate.
What they really want is:
- Attention
- Freedom
- Adventure
- Time together
And most of that costs little to nothing.
The Bottom Line
Getting kids outside this weekend doesn’t require expensive gear, long travel, or a packed schedule.
A fishing pole, a bike, a backyard tent, or a simple walk outside can do more than another weekend in front of a screen ever will.
Because sometimes the best childhood memories start with something incredibly simple:
“Go outside and play.”