With the freshness of spring, and warmer weather in our midst, let’s enjoy His creation with a group of friends (significant others welcome)! For a quick list of fun warm-weather activities, visit our Top Ten list from June 2008.
When participating in any outdoor activity, make sure to keep plenty of water and healthy snacks handy to help keep people from getting dehydrated or overly hungry.
The ideas
Watch an outdoor movie. Some libraries offer free outdoor movie nights during warm weather, so visit your local library to see what they offer. If a free movie isn’t an option, visit the drive-in on a family– friendly movie night (just make sure the friends you go with are mature enough to not engage in impure, ungodly activities), or have a friend bring a laptop to the park. If the place you’re viewing the movie allows, bring your own snacks and drinks to save money––each person could be in charge of one item to offer a large variety of goodies.
Visit an outdoor museum or learning center. Many museums and learning centers have outdoor spaces to enjoy, so look up the ones in your area to see if they offer group discounts or special discounted days or times (many offer half price or free admission after a certain time of day).
Spend an afternoon at a state park. More than a city park of swings and picnic tables, state parks often have lakes, horseback riding, trails, caves, canoeing, and a variety of other outdoor activities. To find a park in your area, simply type “state park,” then insert your state name into a search engine. Most state parks have websites, so you can find out their specific activities, prices, and hours to find the best park for your group.
Play a sport. Many city parks have tennis courts or basketball hoops that can be used for free, as well as open field areas for baseball or soccer. They may also have sidewalks or trails for rollerblading or bike riding. Just make sure that, no matter what sport you’re planning on participating in, you bring your own equipment and follow the park’s safety procedures!
Go on a picnic. This can be done anywhere from your backyard, to your local park, to a state park. Everyone can bring one item to share, and if nobody in the group is up to using a grill, people can just bring sandwich fillings or chicken salad along with the other treats.
Watch an event at an amphitheater. This is basically like an outdoor play, and can vary widely in cost and professionalism, so ask around in your area to find what suits your tastes. If you’ve never experienced the outdoor play, this could be a real treat! If there are no amphitheaters in your area, pull the talents of you and your friends together and create your own short play on somebody’s back porch.
Host a yard sale. Clean out your room (and with your parents’ permission, other areas in the house), and have your group do the same. Place an ad in your paper at least a week in advance, then have everyone bring their stuff over a few days before the sale. They can help price and set up the sale, and place well-written signs around the neighborhood. Everyone can take turns manning the booths on sale day so nobody has to sit in the sun all day. Donate the money––and the leftover items––to a worthy cause.
Serve somebody else. Nothing brings a group together faster than doing something for someone else. Whether you mow somebody’s grass, help someone clean out their garage or shed, or grill a dinner for a family in need, you’ll feel great knowing that you’re all working together to help other people.
Clean Spring
It’s important to keep our minds and hearts pure. This can be exceptionally difficult to do while dating, but we can all choose to care for His creation (in this case, you and your date) by encouraging him to participate in clean, group activities so he can have an easier time of keeping his thoughts pure as well (Psalm 24:4-5; Hebrews 10:22-25).
By Davonne Parks
Speak Your Mind