A trip outdoors is always a fun family activity. However, things can get boring and monotonous with children if activities only include setting up a camp, preparing a picnic, and playing your family’s old board games.
If you’re not keen to use devices outdoors, you might want to reconsider—there are several cool apps designed to be used outdoors. Not only will they pique your child’s interest, but they may also be a great avenue to feed their curiosity and offer an innovative way to learn.
Here are the best apps to use outdoors with your children.
1. PictureThis
Whether you’re on a shoreline, trekking a mountain, or even just having a stroll around the neighborhood, PictureThis can identify the local or global species of plants, flowers, and trees that you’re bound to encounter outdoors.
The app is also a handy companion if you’re exploring with pets, so you can keep them away from plants that are toxic to them. The same goes for your kids. You never know; young kids can be pretty curious.
If you have a garden, you can add plants from your garden and diagnose their problems to take better care of them. You can also snap photos of plants while you’re outdoors and add them to your plant collections.
Download: PictureThis for iOS| Android (Subscription required, free trial available)
2. Picture Insect
If your kid is a budding bug hunter, they will surely enjoy Picture Insect. The app allows you to take pictures, or even just upload photos, of insects so that it can identify them for you.
The app not only has a database of around 1,000 species of insect, but it can also provide your child with a rich resource about the insect world.
You can use the app as a fun activity to engage your child in hunting for creepy crawlies. Otherwise, you can also use it to help you identify an unknown bug that suddenly appeared in your home.
Download: Picture Insect for iOS | Android (Subscription required, free trial available)
3. Star Walk 2
One of the perks of spending the night outdoors, chilling by the seashore or camping out, is that you’re away from the light pollution of the city, allowing you to see the night sky above your head.
To get to know more about the heavenly bodies twinkling above you, you should try Star Walk 2. It is a stargazing app that uses your device’s sensors and GPS to identify the stars, planets, and constellations in the night sky.
Just open the app, allow it to use your device’s camera, and wait for it to identify the stars for you in real-time.
Download: Star Walk 2 for iOS| Android ($2.99)
4. Geocaching
If you’re looking for something more exciting for an outdoor family trip, then treasure hunting—by which we mean, finding a geocache near you—is a good option.
There are millions of geocaches hidden around the world. The Geocaching app provides tips and descriptions, has maps and driving directions, and even allows you to message other players for tips and hints as you look for caches in your region.
It even tells you the difficulty, terrain, and size of the cache you’re looking for, so you can choose to treasure hunt depending on those preferences.
If your family enjoys geocaching, you might also enjoy other outdoor games that use GPS-enabled smartphones, like Geodashing and Pokemon Go.
Download: Geocaching for iOS| Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
5. Dog Scanner
Well, going outdoors also includes strolling around the mall or the park. Aside from spending time on the swing and monkey bars, you can still add some fun and excitement by spotting canines and identifying their breeds.
However, this app is not limited to pure dog breeds. It can also detect mixed breeds. No dogs around? Don’t worry. You can still have some fun by using the app on your friends and family to determine the dog breed they most resemble.
Download: Dog Scanner for iOS| Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
6. BirdsEye
BirdsEye is also an excellent outdoor companion to help you identify and even locate birds by directing you to birding hotspots. The app is hyperlocal and enables you to explore various winged creatures around your region.
If you’re looking for a specific species, the app can also notify you of rare bird alerts and sightings and get driving directions to reach them. The app also has a library of over 5,000 species from its contributors.
Download: BirdsEye for iOS| Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
Enjoy the Outdoors More
Suppose you’ve already racked your brain thinking of the best outdoor activity to do with your family or want to try innovative alternatives to traditional outdoor activities. In that case, these fun apps can make family trips and strolls more enjoyable.