So the weather is getting a bit colder outside, and it’s taking more than the promise of a warm day at the beach or park to get your kids to go outside?

Times like these call for special adventures that will get the whole family itching to put on that coat and hat and get out into the fresh air—even if that air is decidedly frigid. And what else gets kids as excited as the promise of a treasure hunt? From low-prep to high-tech, here are three ideas for adventurous family fun that will get kids (and grown-ups) of all ages rushing out the door:

Scavenger Hunts. You don’t need any special equipment or much planning to pull off a scavenger hunt. You don’t even have to leave your yard! Read this clever tutorial for creating a toddler scavenger hunt (could be easily modified for bigger kids) at United Teaching, and check out the awesom glow-in-the-dark scavenger hunt this mom blogger created for her daughter’s birthday party!

Letterboxing.  This pastime is a combination of treasure hunting, art, and outdoor adventure. Search online to find clues about letterboxes hidden in your area, and go on a hunt to uncover the prize. Or hide your own letterbox (instructions here) . Here, Amy of All Buttond Up shares about her family’s first experience letterboxing.

Geocaching. Using a GPS device and coordinates, Geocachers find “caches” (treasures) left behind by other participants, or leave clues to the location of their own cache on the official Geocaching website. Check out MamaLisa’s description of her geocaching outing with her kids!
Have you created a scavenger hunt or gone letterboxing or geocaching with your kids? I’d love to hear about it! Please share in the comments below.