Your porch may be small, but there are small front porch activities for kids and adults. You may be overlooking this little piece of heaven, just because of its size.
If your house has a porch, consider it a blessing. A porch of any size is a great addition to a home and a wonderful place to hang out with the family.
It is even the perfect spot to grab some quiet time by yourself. Your porch lets you get back to the basics and away from technology. Even a small porch can offer a cozy little retreat for some good old-fashioned fun.
We have 30 small front porch activities for kids and adults. And all of them are perfect for some outdoor fun. We have ideas for the whole family as well as a few for being alone.
Whatever you choose, your porch has you covered as the perfect spot. Don’t let size fool you. With these ideas for people of all ages, your small porch will be the go-to hangout of the house.
Table of Contents
15 Front Porch Activities For Kids
You may not always want the kids running off down the street. Having a small front porch is the perfect collusion. They can play right by the house and you can even sit out there too.
Even if the weather is a little wet, a porch offers cover, so the kids can still get fresh air without getting wet. Even if small, your porch is a great place for several fun activities for kids.
1. Decorate Bird Houses
Decorating bird houses has two benefits. You get to have fun arts and crafts time. And when you are done, you can hang the birdhouse and watch to see which feathered friends come to visit.
You can find a variety of affordable birdhouse kits on Amazon. So, let the kids pick the one they like, or even a few. The porch will be waiting to serve as a great outdoor art studio.
2. Make Wind Chimes
Another great crafting project for the patio is to make wind chimes. All you need is string and a hanger. Then let the kids make whatever chime they want. You can use bottle tops, twigs, and even seashells.
You can also buy wind chime kits from Amazon that the kids can paint and design. Then hang them on the patio to provide some natural sounds as you all relax.
3. Telescope
The porch is a great place for setting up a telescope and checking out the sky. If you don’t already have one, affordable telescopes are available on Amazon. They are a great investment and kids can enjoy them every evening that the skies are clear.
4. Read Stories
Moving story time to the porch is a wonderful change of scenery. You can lay out blankets or cozy up in porch chairs. If you have a porch swing, even better.
Have the kids pick out their favorite books and everyone can gather on the patio. The kids can read to you or to each other. Either way, the porch is a great place for reading.
5. Sidewalk Chalk
It may have ‘sidewalk’ in the name but there are no rules that say you can’t use sidewalk chalk on the porch. Because it is easy to wash off, the kids can create new designs and pictures every day.
Whether they are bored with coloring on paper or in books or just need some fresh air, chalk drawing on the porch is a great change for artistic creativity.
6. Rock Painting
Another great craft project for the porch to entertain kids is rock painting. They can collect rocks from the yard and then bring them to the porch for painting. Spread out a sheet or paper to protect the patio from paint.
You can get specialized acrylic paints for rocks from Amazon. Use the rocks around the house or line them up around the porch as decorations.
7. Classic Games
Two of the best games for a small space are jacks and marbles. They are classics that never go out of style and your kids will love them. You can get classic game sets from Amazon and they will entertain the kids for hours.
8. Play Games
In addition to classic games, you can also bring the board games out to the porch. Nobody says they have to be played inside. You can set up a blanket on the porch or bring a small table out and set up board game favorites.
Monopoly, Checkers, Sorry, Connect4 and many more can all be enjoyed on the porch.
9. Bubbles
Bubbles are fun any time of day and any time of year. Load the kids up with bubble wands and let them create a porch bubble wonderland.
They can make games with the bubbles, such as blowing them and trying to catch them before they pop. You can also get larger bubble wands in different shapes and fill a kiddie pool with soapy water for a little more variety and fun.
10. Arts/Crafts
While more specific crafting projects have already been discussed, the kids can also use the porch for general artistic activity.
Sitting on the porch with their favorite coloring book, play dough, jewelry making, painting, or drawing pad is a change from being indoors. The fresh air may even inspire more creativity.
11. Car Races
Setting up a race track with some blocks or getting a roadway mat that already has a track on it, turns the porch into a raceway of fun. Bring out all the hot wheels and race until there is a champion.
12. Kiddie Pool
Kiddie pools are small for a reason. You can set them up anywhere. Bring it out to the front porch for some water play on a warm day. You can throw in some water toys and let the kids splash around to keep cool.
Amazon has inflatable pools of various sizes, so get the measurements of your porch and find the pool to fit.
13. I Spy
I Spy is a classic game that can be played anywhere including the front porch. It lets the kids survey their surroundings while having fun. Try alternatives of the game such as finding things by letter, color, or shape. The kids use cognitive skills while having fun.
14. Dance Party
Bring out the radio or other music player and the kids can dance till they drop. If they want a real party atmosphere, you can bring out some decorations too. If the dance party is at night, bring out some special lighting for a true disco experience.
15. Write A Story
Have the kids bring out a notepad to write a story. They can use the surrounding views for inspiration. The porch is a quiet place, perfect for creativity and thinking. They can share their story with the family later as everyone gathers on the porch for story time.
15 Front Porch Activities For Adults
Whether you need some time by yourself or when you are hosting a small gathering of friends, the porch is a great place to go. It can be small but still offers just enough space for a few fun activities.
We have 15 of the best ideas for spending time on your small front porch, and others will love coming to hang out there too.
1. Board Games
Kids are not the only ones that can play games on the porch. Bring out your favorite games like Checkers, Parcheesi, or Chess and enjoy a fun game outside.
Playing on the porch provides a different setting that is sometimes important for good health. Who wants to be stuck inside all the time? So long as the porch has covering, you can even play outside during the rain.
2. Host A Club
Invite over a few people for your own club. The porch is a great place for small gatherings such as book clubs or crafting clubs. Set out a chair for everyone and a few snacks to discuss the latest book or to hang out as you all create a new blanket, scrapbook, or art project.
3. Music
You probably don’t want to have a dance party like the kids, but you can still enjoy music on the porch. Relax in your favorite chair and play your favorite tunes.
Being outside will inspire relaxation. If you do not want to listen to music, you can also invest in a white noise maker that provides peaceful sounds to relax to.
4. Jigsaw Puzzle
Bring a small table out on the porch and do your favorite puzzle. Depending on how much time you have, you can pick a puzzle of any size.
A small enough table can be moved inside and outside as needed. Rather than sitting at the same old table for a puzzle, move outside. The porch is the perfect spot.
5. Small Garden
You don’t need a large backyard to create a beautiful garden. You can plant beautiful flowers, herbs, and even vegetables right on your porch. You can plant small potted gardens with ease.
All the supplies you need can be found at Amazon, so choose what you want to grow and get the pots or planters set up. Then you can visit your porch garden every day and switch out the plants as needed when seasons change.
6. Audiobooks
Of course, you can take a book out to the patio to read, but you can also listen to an audiobook. Laying out in your favorite porch chair, hammock, or swing, let the story be read to you.
7. Tea Party
Whether you are by yourself or have a few friends over, the porch is a great place for a tea party. Catch up with some reading or with some friends as you enjoy tea or lemonade and a few finger foods.
Sandwiches, vegetable sticks, and some cookies are all you need and if you don’t already have a tea set, grab a classic style one from Amazon.
8. Get Organized
Use your porch as a place to get organized. Rather than sitting at the dining room table, head outdoors. Get your photo albums together, organize coupons or recipes.
Whatever task you have to get caught up on, do it on the porch. Being on the porch will make it seem less like a core. You can even play some relaxing tunes as you work.
9. Make Decorations
Create some decorations for the house or for the porch itself. One of the easiest things to do is to make a wreath for the front door.
You can also make wind chimes for the porch or stained-glass artwork to hang in the front windows. Since the decorations are going to be for the porch, why not make them while sitting out there.
10. Sports Gathering/Radio
If tea parties are not your thing, invite some friends over for a porch sports party. With a few snacks and drinks, chairs for everyone, you can listen to the game on the radio. All while sitting outside.
11. Art
Do some arts and crafts with the kids or on your own. Let the fresh air inspire you to draw, color and paint. Even if you do not have a drawing pad, there are adult coloring books that are all the rage.
Sitting on a porch swing while coloring these relaxing designs is a great way to spend an afternoon.
12. Cards
A deck of cards can be your companion on the front porch. There are many games you can play alone such as Solitaire and Klondike.
You can also invite friends over for some card games like Spades, Hearts, Rummy, and even Poker. If you have room for a card gaming table, grab a top-rated one from Amazon and make a night of it.
13. Yoga
Rather than doing yoga inside, get outside. All you need is a yoga mat and the front porch will be your studio. You get fresh air, the sounds of nature, and you don’t have to trek all the way to the gym.
14. Bird Watching
If the kids have made bird houses or bird feeders, then you likely have birds hanging around. Take the opportunity to sit on the porch and watch the birds.
If you do not have bird feeders, grab some from Amazon to make the neighborhood birds feel welcome. Then you can watch and even record who comes to visit through the year.
15. Picnic
Grab your lunch to go and have a picnic on the patio. Most of your meals are at the dining table so you deserve a change. Enjoy breakfast in the morning from a blanket on the porch.
Watch the sunrise or the sunset. Pack a small basket of all your favorites and lay out a blanket and pillows. The best part about a picnic is you can invite others to join you too.
Helpful Tips To Find Activities For A Small Front Porch
As you can see, there are a number of things you can do on your front porch, even if it is small in size. Both you and the kids can make the best of the space and get the benefits of the outdoor air too. A few additional tips to remember when setting up activities for the front porch include:
- Seating: make sure there is seating for everyone. If the porch is too small for a chair for each person, set out blankets and pillows instead.
- Lighting: Most porches will have a light, but this may not be adequate for some activities like reading or crafting. Add additional lighting to the porch if needed especially in the evening.
- Cleaning: Make sure the porch is always cleared of all debris before hanging out. Not only do you not want guests to be on a dirty porch, but you want to remove anything that can be uncomfortable to sit on or can cause a tripping hazard.
Final Thoughts
The porch was not added to your house for decoration only. It serves as a wonderful little spot to get out of the house. You get fresh air and a chance of scenery without having to go too far. The amenities of your house are right there when you need them.
Both kids and adults can enjoy time on the front porch, regardless of its size. With these 30 small front porch activities for kids and adults, the porch will be your new favorite place to be.