Outdoor activities for people who get bored with "exercise"

I get really bored with any exercise that's too repetitive or that is done just for the sake of moving. I like to feel like I'm actually having a worthwhile experience while I'm exercising! Does that make sense?

Spending time outdoors in nature is what I really love, so finding activities to do outside that are active is my favorite. I also love anything that the whole family can be involved in.

Here are some of my favorite outdoor activities to get moving!

• Hiking - we live near a wildlife management area that is beautiful and really fun to hike through! These are all over the place, and even if you live in a city there are probably interesting places to walk and explore.
• Swimming - while it's an activity we don't get to enjoy much of the year here in North Dakota, swimming is great exercise and lots of fun.
• Canoeing - on the same note, canoeing is a peaceful and relaxing way to get active outdoors. I love seeing all the wildlife around while canoeing!
• Snowshoeing - while I've never done this myself, some in my family have and I guess it is a pretty good workout.
• Hunting - even if you don't eat meat, some people like to "hunt" with a camera.
• Kickball - since our kids are little, when we play this, it literally just means "go outside and kick the ball around." but it's still lots of fun!
• Training dogs - Our dog needs lot's of exercise, so training him and taking him outside to play is one of our more frequent activities. I think that training dogs is a really great experience for kids, too.
• Gathering - picking fruit, herbs, and edibles is fun and you get free or cheap groceries out of the deal!
• Gardening - another source of food, gardening can be a great form of exercise and is another good activity to do with kids.

According to Nature.org, "The statistics are alarming: in a typical week, only 6 percent of children ages 9-13 play outside on their own and kids 8 to 18 spend an overwhelming 53 hours a week using entertainment media." This is something pretty much every family has to be aware of these days - getting outside is a great way to "unplug" as well as stay active and healthy! I've also read that kids who spend more time outdoors are less likely to have serious allergies.

What do you like to do outside to stay active?