Hi, I’m Andy — And I’m Figuring This Out Too
I'm a dad of two boys — Arnie and Albie. Yes we’re triple A. Yes, that was deliberate.
I've always been the outdoorsy one. My dad had me out fishing, building dens, and staying out until it got dark from as young as I can remember. When I had the boys, that's just what we did too. It's all we've ever known.
Then I noticed something at football. Standing on the sidelines with other dads, hearing how hard it was to get kids off screens or think of something to do at the weekend. Meanwhile their kids wanted to come to ours. And I realised what we were doing wasn't normal. Fishing trips, foraging walks, bug catching, RC cars in the mud.
Some weekends it felt like full-on Daddy Day Care.
That’s when I realised this might help other families too.
It doesn’t have to be complicated to count.
Why Outdoor Dad Exists
Modern life has made it very easy to stay indoors. Screens are everywhere, they're endlessly entertaining, and they don't require any effort to access. We get it, after a long week, letting the kids disappear into a game feels like a fair trade.
But here's what we've found: when you give kids something real to do outside, something hands-on and just a little bit wild, they don't want to go back in. The screen loses every time.
The problem isn't that dads don't want to get outside with their kids. It's that nobody's handing them a simple plan. What do we do? Where do we go? Is it worth the effort?
Outdoor Dad exists to answer all of that. Simple ideas, honest gear recommendations, and real adventures from a family that's actually out there doing it.
A Mate in Your Corner
Vision
A world where kids grow up climbing trees, catching fish, getting muddy, and building real confidence and where dads feel genuinely proud of the memories they create together. We want outdoor childhood to be normal again, not a lifestyle statement. Just what families do.
Mission
To give dads the ideas, inspiration, and gear they need to get their kids off screens and into the outdoors, without the overwhelm. We share what works for our family in the hope that it works for yours. Simple activities. Honest recommendations. Real adventures.
They won’t remember perfect — they’ll remember you.
Built From Real Adventures
Everything on this site comes from real experience. The activities we share are ones we've done. The gear we recommend is gear we've actually used, sometimes brilliantly, occasionally disastrously. That's how you learn what works.
We grew up outside. Catching rabbits, building dens, staying out until it got dark because nobody wanted to go in. We want to pass that on. Not as some kind of nostalgia project, but because that kind of childhood genuinely produces confident, capable, curious kids.
And while Andy started this as a dad trying to do right by his boys, Outdoor Dad isn't a boys' club. Mums, grandparents, guardians, anyone who wants to get a kid off a screen and into the fresh air, you're welcome here. The adventures don't care who's leading them.
You don't need to be a survival expert. You don't need five acres and a fishing lake. You just need to show up, get involved, and be willing to get your boots a bit muddy.
The kids will do the rest.
Values
Adventure is for Everyone
You don't need a mountain or a forest. A pond, a park, or a back garden is enough. We believe every family can have outdoor adventures, whatever their space, budget, or experience.
Simple Beats Complicated
The best memories usually come from the simplest ideas. A bug net. A fishing line. A kite in the wind. We keep things achievable, because an adventure that actually happens beats a plan that never does.
Mess is the Point
Muddy boots, wet sleeves, and mystery stains on the coat, that's not a problem. That's proof of a good day. We celebrate the mess, the trial and error, and the glorious chaos of doing things outside.
Dads Matter
Time spent outside with your kids isn't just fun, it builds trust, confidence, and bonds that last a lifetime. What you do with your kids this weekend matters more than you think.
Honesty Over Perfection
We don't pretend everything goes to plan. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes the kids moan. Sometimes the tent collapses. That's fine. We share what actually happened, not a highlight reel.
Tried. Tested. Dad Approved.
Whether it's a beginner fishing kit, a set of chest waders, or the right tent for a family of four in a British summer, we've been through it. The gear that makes the cut on here has been used, tested, and genuinely approved by the people most likely to break it.
Two boys under twelve and a dad who'd rather be outside than anywhere else. That's your quality control right there.
We want you to spend less time reading reviews and more time actually getting out. So we'll do the homework, you just show up.
Because outside always feels like the right decision.
