Do you want to get hands-on with nature, take a break from screens, and spend as much time as possible outdoors? The National Geographic Planet Possible Family Challenge is built for exactly that — a set of boredom-busting activities that get kids exploring, building, and learning right in their own garden or local green space.
Make a telescope, put together a bird feeder, try your hand at foraging, discover forest bathing, or turn the kids into wildlife detectives for the afternoon — there’s plenty to choose from, and most of it needs nothing more than a bit of imagination and things you already have at home.
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National Geographic’s Planet Possible Family Challenge
Get outside and explore the biodiversity hiding in the microhabitats all around you with a range of simple crafts and activities from the Nat Geo Planet Possible Family Challenge. Every activity is designed to make going outside — and learning while you play — feel like an adventure rather than a chore.
There’s plenty of room to get creative, and the materials you’ll need are mostly things already knocking around the house. We love how the save-the-Earth tips are engaging and easy to follow for children and adults alike, and the hands-on activities can keep the whole family busy for weeks.
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Planet Possible Family Challenges
Boredom-busting challenges and activities include:
- Explore the trees with a birdsong maker
- Explore the sky with a telescope
- Explore your yard with a beanpole tent
- Explore the ground with a magnifier
- Explore the waterways with a DIY sailboat
Each challenge is a small, achievable project — perfect for an afternoon, a rainy-day-turned-sunny-day, or a weekend with nothing else planned. Kids get the satisfaction of building something themselves, and you get a genuine reason to put the screens away for a while.
More Planet-Protecting Tips and Fun Activities for Kids
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The Planet Possible Family Challenge sits within National Geographic’s Planet Possible initiative, which encourages families everywhere to live a little more lightly on the planet — one small, hands-on activity at a time.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What age group is the Planet Possible Family Challenge suitable for?
The activities are designed to be flexible, so most can be adapted for younger children with a bit of help from a parent, right up through to older kids who can take on more of the building and exploring themselves.
Do we need special equipment to take part?
No — the appeal of these challenges is that they mostly use household items and things you can find outdoors. You won’t need to buy anything special to get started.
Can we do these activities in a small garden or yard?
Yes. Many of the challenges, like the bird feeder, magnifier, or birdsong maker, work just as well in a small garden, a balcony, or a local park as they do in a big back garden.
Is this a good option for a rainy day or holiday boredom-buster?
Definitely — pick one activity, gather what you need, and it’s a ready-made plan for an afternoon when the kids need something hands-on to do.
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Enjoyed exploring the Planet Possible challenges? Save this page for your next outdoor day, and browse our other nature and outdoor activity ideas for more ways to keep the kids busy and off-screen.
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