With children spending more of their time in front of TV screens, phones and tablets it can seem difficult to get them excited about going outdoors. But it is so important to have them play outside regularly, to help them better understand the world around them and use their imagination to play.
So how do you get your children excited about playing outside? We hope these five tips can help you and your family be a little more adventurous in the great outdoors – with activities you can enjoy together, to get little ones excited about playing outside.
Make them an outdoor artist
Always a hit with kids – give them the chance to become outdoor artists by packing up some paper, paint, brushes and a bottle of water. Then go and find your perfect spot to paint – whether that be the beach, at the top of a hill or a sunset.
Doing all this outside means you won’t need to worry about cleaning up a giant mess in your house and it’s a great way to connect with your children and nature. Teach them to look at the landscape and capture it on the page and they will soon appreciate the beauty of the world around them.
Reading trail
The fresh air and books are the perfect combination. All you need to do is fill your basket up with books, a picnic blanket, cushions, food and drinks then head outdoors to make your very own storytelling haven. An idea like this can bring your children’s favourite books to life. Places such as the woods can be great for Gruffalo readers or the beach for those who love The Rainbow Fish.
Make your own museum
Children adore collecting treasures when they’re out and about. So when you are next in the park or garden, compare the shapes of what they find or arrange them by size. Find things of certain colours and put them in a painted egg box – it makes for a great display case and will be perfect for keeping all those bits and bobs neat and tidy.
Go on a minibeast adventure
Kids will be fascinated with the creepy crawlies that they can find in their own back garden. Lift up stones and logs to see what minibeasts you can find – you don’t have to search for miles, just choose a small area.
Show your child how to use a magnifying glass and ask them different questions to get them thinking about the creatures they are finding – how many legs do they have? What do they think they eat? Minibeast adventures can take a while – especially if your little one wants to find every single insect on their list – so it’s a good idea to keep them warm and dry with a waterproof outfit that shields them from any weather. All-in-one designs are a great idea as they don’t ride up and are comfy to wear all day.
Build dens
We all love to build dens, they allow us to have fun whilst putting them together and probably getting up to a little bit of mischief during the process. Den building is a fun activity that can allow kids to spend hours outside getting muddy and creating those magic places.
Dens can be built using almost anything and it gives the kids the chance to explore outside for items and try lots of things out before making their perfect little hiding spot.
No matter what you do to make the outdoors fun for your children, remember that it’s the memories of being together as a family that matters the most.
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