What part of cleaning up a city park sounds fun? Every bit! To a child, any outside time can quickly become an adventure. If you have multiple children, it's even easier to turn this experience into a game. Simply pair up, distribute trash bags and gloves, and set off. Suddenly cleaning up the park is a competition, and the kids' natural competitive nature will kick in to make for an exciting day. If you're a single-child family, try setting a goal of how much trash you can pick up and reward the hard day's work with some ice cream.
Most kids adore animals. A regular trip to the local Humane Society shelter or pet charity will keep your kids engaged with meeting the need of these abused or neglected animals to be loved, but it will also foster a gentle spirit in your child. Turn these trips into a game by challenging your child to also raise money for the shelter. Print out a spreadsheet and help your child find people willing to pledge nominal amounts ($0.25-$1.00) per hour your child works at the shelter over the summer. The ultimate challenge? See if your child can earn "minimum wage" for the shelter.
What kid doesn't love a good pile of dirt? Put this adventurous nature to use by encouraging your child to help you plant flowers or produce in a private or community garden. Teach your child about how plants grow and nurture the environment, then challenge your child to keep up with deforestation in a particular rainforest or part of the world. If you live in an area where forestry is a major industry, you and your child can tag along with the local timber company to replant harvested areas. In more urban environments, challenge your child to go plant-for-tree on the deforestation challenge in a local park or community garden.
Nurture your child's creative spirit by having her come up with a puppet show for the local children's library. Engage her in translating the story to a puppet-show format and making the finger or hand puppets and scenery to put on the show. Let her have creative design, but guide her in making the project a success for your home and the community. Hold regular showings of your child's masterpiece and join in the fun if she needs a supporting cast.