oshc activities
Theme days / Outdoor Explorers

Outdoor Explorers ideas for OSHC

39 DIY activities for a outdoor explorers at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around NAIDOC Week (first full week of July) or October. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.

Build a Outdoor Explorers
NAIDOC Week · Animal Theme · Aussie Outback Day +3

Animal Track Casting

Children press model animal tracks into clay or plaster to make casts, then learn to identify native animal footprints.

EitherCalmSome prepYears 4 to 6Wilderness Adventure · Outdoor Explorers · Aussie Outback Day +2

Animal Track Trail

Children follow a trail of printed animal footprints around the yard and work out which animal made them.

OutdoorModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers · Cubby Day +3

Back to Nature Day

Children spend the day outdoors making nature collages, building cubbies and taking leaf rubbings with found materials.

OutdoorModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Bird Watching Day · Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers +3

Backyard Bird Count

Children sit quietly outdoors for a set time and count the birds they see and hear, contributing to citizen science.

OutdoorCalmSome prepPrep to Year 6Treasure Hunters Day · Trail Blazers · Outdoor Explorers +1

Backyard Geocaching

Children use maps, coordinates or a supervised GPS app to track down hidden caches around the grounds and log their finds.

OutdoorModerateBig set-upYears 4 to 6Flying High · Bird Watching Day · Nature Play Day +1

Bird Nest Building

Children collect twigs, grass and wool and weave them into a nest, learning how birds build their homes.

OutdoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Outdoor Explorers · Bug Day · Gross and Messy Day +2

Bugs in Mud Cupcakes

Children decorate chocolate cupcakes with 'mud' icing and gummy worms poking out. A fun, slightly gross treat for an explorers' day.

IndoorCalmSome prepPrep to Year 6Messy Play Day · Nature Play Day · Backyard Play Day +2

Bush Mud Kitchen

Children cook up mud pies, leaf soups and potions in an outdoor kitchen of old pots, pans and utensils.

OutdoorModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Camp Out Day · Wilderness Adventure · Survival Challenge Day +2

Camp Out Afternoon

Children pitch tents outdoors and help make a simple camp afternoon tea on a portable stove, experiencing camp life at the service.

OutdoorModerateBig set-upYears 4 to 6Wilderness Adventure · Bird Watching Day · Jungle Safari +2

Cardboard Tube Binoculars

Children make binoculars from two cardboard tubes and a string strap, then use them on a nature spotting walk.

IndoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Easter · Treasure Hunters Day · Detective Day +1

Clue Card Egg Hunt

Children follow clue cards around the outdoor space to find hidden plastic eggs, with a final clue leading to a shared surprise.

OutdoorModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Trail Blazers · Treasure Hunters Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Compass Treasure Trail

Children learn north, south, east and west, then use compasses and simple directions to find items hidden around the yard.

OutdoorModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6Teddy Bears' Picnic · Dramatic Play Day · Book Week +1

Going on a Bear Hunt

Children act out a bear hunt adventure, moving through pretend long grass, sticky mud, a river and a dark cave before racing home.

OutdoorHighGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Great Race Day · Outdoor Explorers · Treasure Hunters Day +3

Grounds Map Navigation

Children use a simple map of the service grounds to locate hidden checkpoints, building map-reading and directional skills.

OutdoorModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6Kite Day · Flying High · Weather Watchers +2

Kite Flying

Children fly kites on the oval, learning how wind and movement keep them in the air.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Nature Play Day · Autumn Leaves · National Tree Day +2

Leaf Rubbings

Children place leaves under paper and rub crayons over them to reveal veins, edges and shapes.

EitherCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Autumn Leaves · Nature Play Day · Seasons Day +3

Leaf Sort and Classify

Younger children collect leaves and sort them by shape, size and colour, building early science and maths skills.

OutdoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Park Day · Water Play Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Low-Cost Park Play Day

Take water play gear, an obstacle course and a scavenger hunt to a local park for a big outing that costs little. Fresh air and new space to explore.

OutdoorHighBig set-upPrep to Year 6Bug Day · Gardening Day · Nature Play Day +3

Magnifying Glass Bug Safari

Children hunt for minibeasts with magnifying glasses and record their finds on a tally sheet, building curiosity about small creatures.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Nature Play Day · Mindfulness Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Nature Mandalas

Children arrange leaves, petals and stones in circular patterns to create calm, colourful nature mandalas.

OutdoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Nature Play Day · Raw Art Day · Art Attack Day +1

Nature Paintbrushes

Children bind leaves, grasses and twigs onto sticks to make paintbrushes, then test the marks each one makes.

OutdoorCalmSome prepPrep to Year 6Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers · Trail Blazers +3

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Children search for natural items such as a smooth stone, a forked stick or a feather using a checklist.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Treasure Hunters Day · Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Nature Treasure Hunt

Children use a picture or word list to search the yard for natural treasures like a feather, a smooth stone or something yellow.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Earth Day · Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Nature Walk Bracelets

Children wear masking tape bracelets sticky-side out and collect small leaves, petals and seeds on a nature walk.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Raw Art Day · Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Nature Walk Sketching

Children sketch interesting plants, bark and textures on a walk. Slows them down to notice details.

OutdoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Outdoor Explorers · World Bee Day · Bug Day +2

Paper Roll Bees

Children paint cardboard tubes yellow and black and add wings to make buzzing bees. A simple craft that opens up talk about pollinators.

IndoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Park Day · Bug Day · Nature Play Day +3

Park Bug Hunt

Children search under logs and leaves with magnifiers and tally the creatures they find. Hands-on science in a local park.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Photography Day · Outdoor Explorers · Treasure Hunters Day +1

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Teams use tablets to photograph items on a list, like something round or a shadow. A creative way to look closely.

OutdoorModerateSome prepYears 4 to 6Rock and Gem Day · Outdoor Explorers · Nature Play Day +2

Rock Scavenger Hunt

Children search the outdoor area for rocks that are smooth, rough, sparkly, striped or tiny, then sort and compare their finds.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Wilderness Adventure · Jungle Safari · Crazy Hat Day +1

Safari Explorer Hats

Children decorate paper explorer hats with animal pictures and patterns, ready for an adventure-themed day.

IndoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3Clean Up Australia Day · Environmental Day · Earth Day +3

Schoolyard Litter Clean-Up

Teams with gloves and tongs collect and tally rubbish around the grounds, caring for their space.

OutdoorModerateSome prepPrep to Year 6Nature Play Day · Cubby Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Stick Forts and Sculptures

Children build forts and sculptures from fallen sticks, string and natural materials.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Trail Blazers · Treasure Hunters Day · Teamwork Day +2

Team Trail Challenges

Teams follow a map with marked checkpoints around the grounds, completing a small challenge at each stop.

OutdoorHighBig set-upYears 4 to 6At the Building Site · Science Week · Weather Watchers +2

Toy Shadow Tracing

Children trace the shadows of toys onto paper outdoors and watch how the shadows change, linking art with simple science.

OutdoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 3National Tree Day · Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers +2

Tree Bark Rubbings

Children rub crayons over paper held against tree bark to reveal and compare the textures of different trees.

OutdoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6National Tree Day · Science Week · Outdoor Explorers +2

Tree Measuring Investigation

Children measure the girth of trees and estimate height using simple methods, recording and comparing their results.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goYears 4 to 6Wild Aotearoa · Treasure Hunters Day · Outdoor Explorers +1

Tuatara Camouflage Hunt

One child hides a painted tuatara rock somewhere in the yard and others search for it, learning how camouflage helps animals hide.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Threatened Species Day · Nature Play Day · National Tree Day +3

Wildlife Habitat Building

Children build a small habitat from sticks, leaves and natural materials for a threatened species, thinking about shelter, food and water.

OutdoorModerateGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6Gross and Messy Day · Bug Day · Gardening Day +3

Worm Exploring

Children dig gently for worms in a garden bed, observe them on trays and return them to the soil.

OutdoorCalmGrab-and-goPrep to Year 6