Outdoor Activities for Infants » The Stay-at-Home-Mom Survival Guide (2024)

You can take an infant outdoors for a little play time. With a few simple activities and the right weather, you can get your little one exploring outside! I am always looking for outdoor activities for infants.

It can be a little stifling to be indoors all day long, and most children do much better during dinner prep time if they have burned off some energy outside.

Even infants need to be getting their own version of exercise-tummy time, practice sitting, grabbing and reaching.

Here are some ideas for outdoor activities for infants that I used when my children were little.

First, gather one or two small waterproof toys, a blanket, and even a few books…and don’t forget a camera!

(To add water play, bring along a container and pitcher of water. This would be for infants 4 months and up.)

Also, dress your child appropriately for the weather in your area-if it is really rainy or windy, wait for a nicer day. (My babies always seemed to really dislike wind!)

Second, lay a blanket on the grass and then lay or sit your infant on the blanket near the edge so they can touch the grass. If you do not have a grassy area, use a couple of thicker blankets on a sidewalk. Be sure to sit with your child if they are not sitting independently on their own.

The textures of the grass, sidewalk and any leaves that you can gather can be really interesting to your child. Starting with a 4-6 month old, my child would just lay on the blanket (getting in a little tummy time) and touch the blades of grass.

If you treat your lawn with fertilizers, be cautious with the use of this activity.

Talk to your infant about what they hear:

• cars and trucks
• birds or bugs
• the wind through the trees rustling the leaves
• pets

Talk about what they can see:

To help extend this activity for infants who naturally have short attention spans, introduce a toy when your child begins to get a bit irritated.

Often the introduction of a toy can extend their desire to stay outside a little longer. Add a small book or two for baby to flip through as an additional activity.

Changing your infant’s position can help as well to change their focus and help them enjoy these activities a little longer.

Even a short time outside with your infant can help break up the day, get both of you out in the sun for some Vitamin D exposure, (read why that is important here), and exposes your infant to a whole world of sensory exploration.