Do you have a family member or friend that hasn’t been fully bitten by the outdoor bug yet? Chances are they just don’t know how to get started.

The reality is that many folks who don’t get outdoors express that they are either (1) bored or (2) intimidated by the idea of activities like camping or fishing.

But there’s good news–as their outdoor concierge, you have the ability to make recommendations and assist them. And particularly with younger children or teenagers, sometimes all it takes is 1 or 2 positive experiences for them begin seeing the outdoors differently.

With summer approaching, here are 14 ideas to help you “get them hooked” on a lifetime full of outdoor enjoyment:

1. Visit a national park or forest. They are plentiful and offer a very rewarding outdoor experience for a very minimal commitment.
2. Recruit them to do a trail 5K with you. These are fun, and (because of their shorter distance) usually not terribly challenging. Still, they provide a fun and bite-sized way to get out on the trail. 
3. Do a photo-themed overnight campout. Similar to a photo scavenger hunt, think up a list of photos to collect when you are out, and have fun seeing how many you can find. For folks that may get bored, this gives a fun twist.
4. Have a star-gazing night (even without a telescope!). For young kids, in particular, it’s amazing how much fun can be had lying on your backs and learning about the stars. Bonus points for meteor showers or shooting stars!
5. Take them fishing to the closest spot, for the easiest fish. If this means to a reservoir or for pond carp–go for it! Use a loaner rod, or otherwise really inexpensive setup. Fishing can get intimidating quickly, so start them right by keeping it simple. Let them borrow your pole, or recommend some inexpensive gear they can easily get their hands on.
6. Backyard s’mores. Who doesn’t love a s’more? If it’s been a while since you’ve been camping, s’mores have a way of bringing up old memories. Enjoy some tastiness, and plan your next trip over the fire. 
7. Bike or walk to your camping destination. The adventure starts as soon as you walk out your front door! Biking or walking to a camping spot gives a fun twist. 
8. Camp near some recreational water. Although these campgrounds tend to fill up quickly, they are a lot of fun, particularly for people that are usually bored with the thought of camping.
9. Plan dinners ahead. You can do some really tasty and easy food that you make ahead of time so that when you get to your camp spot, you only need to reheat what you have already cooked. This makes the average camping trip way easier, and to somebody who is intimidated by the thought of cooking food over the campfire, much more doable.
10. Birdwatching. That’s right, bust out grandpa’s old binoculars (or pick some up at a pawn shop), and spend an hour seeing how many birds you can identify. If you have a wooded area accessible, awesome. If not, do it off the back porch!
11. Make hiking a “scavenger hunt.” This is a particularly good idea for kids, who need to be a little bit distracted perhaps to have a good time on the trail or at the campsite. Pick plants, trees, or animal species, and see who can find the most.
12. Go camping twice in a month. There are scores of people, that ramp up the courage to go camping one time, and have a good time, but then don’t go again for several months or even years. When this happens, it’s easy for it to become intimidating again. Two times in a month is frequent enough that they will be able to remember the fun and also the little details to help them have a better experience the second time around. From there it should be far less intimidating for them the next time.
13. Go for a drive in the country. If the spirit moves, park the car and wander for a few minutes. Simple, relaxing, yet still embodies what it’s all about. Putting yourself in the middles of some beautiful earth to enjoy.
14. Go camping when the weather will be perfect. At lower elevations, this usually means spring or early fall. At higher elevations, Summer. If there’s a sure fire way to make somebody hate camping, it’s to bring them out in excruciating weather. If possible, stack the deck in your favor by getting this piece right. 

Well, there you have it. 14 ideas to help the outdoors be less intimidating, less boring, and more fun. 

The reality is that many folks would actually like to spend more time outdoors, and really don’t need a lot of cute or fancy ideas.

Simply being a good friend that invites them to come with you on outdoor activities, and helps them when they have questions is often times enough. But, if you were looking for a few additional ideas, hopefully, some of these can help.

Enjoy sharing the beautiful outdoors this summer, and as always, be safe!

About The Author: Ryan Templeton is an outdoor enthusiast and editor at GearLobo.com. When he’s not sharing his passion for the outdoors through his writing, you can find him plopped on the couch with a good book, or wrestling with his Rhodesian Ridgeback.