A troubling trend is emerging in the US: rising levels of sedentary behavior across all age groups. Longer periods of sitting—often on a screen—are now common, even among children and teens, and are associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and overall mortality.
While activities such as running, tennis, and hockey may provide potential options to combat this trend, participating in traditional organized sports may be unattainable—or uninteresting—for many. This could be the result of a variety of factors: lack of time due to academic and extracurricular commitments; lack of enjoyment of sports or the outdoors; or, increasingly, the barrier of cost (a 2024 study found that American families spend an average of $1,491 per child on sports a year!). For these kids, nontraditional and more creative forms of outdoor physical activity can help them get moving.
Geocaching
An activity that may appeal to those who enjoy puzzles and mysteries, geocaching is a type of outdoor treasure hunt that uses GPS devices and smartphone apps.
Participants typically place a small container—known as a geocache (or “cache” for short)—in a hidden, outdoor, public location. Inside is a paper logbook and sometimes a trinket. They then upload the cache’s location in the form of GPS coordinates to their chosen app, along with a hint and other details. Other people can then use this information to find the cache, sign the logbook with their name and the date, and record their discovery in the app.
Incorporating the use of an app may appeal particularly to kids who enjoy screen time, providing a bridge between enjoyment of screens and the outdoors. One study showed that geocaching provides young people with amounts of activity and enjoyment on par with walking.
Interested in geocaching? Try these apps:
- Geocaching®
- Cachly
- c:geo
A real-world treasure hunt
Want to try an outdoor treasure hunt that’s a little more analog than geocaching? Check out letterboxing. The basics are the same, but participants follow written or online clues to find hidden “letterboxes” tucked away in parks or public spaces.
Inside each letterbox is a unique rubber stamp and a logbook. When participants find one, they stamp their own logbook with the box’s stamp, then imprint their own stamp in the letterbox’s logbook. Learn how to get started at letterboxing.org.
Plogging
Plogging started in 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden. The idea is simple: pick up trash while jogging (or hiking, walking, or biking). Research shows that plogging and jogging result in similar amounts of energy expenditure. That said, plogging can be considered more of a strenuous activity due to the weight of the litter bag on one side of the body, which engages the opposite side of the body for stability. There’s also the repetitive squatting necessary to pick up trash.
Want to make a fun competition out of it? Try competing with your kids to see who can pick up the most litter.
Plogging, by the numbers
- The word “plogging” comes from the Swedish plogga, a combination of a jog (or jogga) and picking up trash (or plocka up).
- More than 3 million people have plogged since 2016.
- About 20,000 people plog in more than 100 countries each day.
BioBlitzes
A BioBlitz is an activity in which scientists and community volunteers work together to gather information about the biodiversity in a given area, often using an app to catalogue findings. These events have been organized by the National Park Service (NPS) since 2007, but they are not limited to the NPS—they are often held by schools, universities, and museums.
Participants of all ages benefit from these activities by learning about the variety of species in their area, engaging closely with nature, and forming relationships with various organizations and public institutions in their local communities.
Like geocaching apps, BioBlitzes can appeal to kids who could use a bridge between the outdoors and screens.
Interested in a BioBlitz? There are apps for both iOS and Android, plus, with a quick Google search, you can find organizations hosting BioBlitz events all across the US.
Orienteering
Orienteering is a timed sport in which participants use a compass and a highly detailed topographical map to navigate from one point to another, usually in unfamiliar terrain—without GPS.
The activity combines aerobic exertion with spatial navigation and fast decision-making, leading to cognitive and physical benefits. Kids and adults alike build their knowledge in using compasses and reading maps, useful skills in a world increasingly reliant on digital technology. In one study, young adult participants experienced improvements in heart rate variability, cortisol regulation, sleep quality, and emotional resilience.
From treasure hunts to trail running to map-based challenges, these activities show that movement doesn’t have to look like traditional sport to be meaningful, engaging, or fun for kids.
As sedentary habits continue to rise, these creative, accessible activities offer an invitation to rediscover movement—not as exercise alone, but as exploration, play, and connection with the world outside.
Supplements to support exercise
As kids explore new and creative types of movement, nutrition can play a key role in helping the body adapt and perform at its best. Always talk to your healthcare provider before introducing supplements for children.
- Protein helps support the repair, growth, and recovery of muscle.
- Vitamin D3 may reduce inflammation, pain, and myopathy while increasing muscle protein synthesis, strength, and physical performance.
- Vitamin K2 supports cardiovascular and bone health.
- Magnesium has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and improve performance and recovery.
- Electrolytes can help the body absorb and maintain the correct amount of water to keep bodily functions working smoothly.
This article was originally published in the September-October 2026 issue of alive magazine (US edition).