We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you ... you're just helping re-supply our family's travel fund.
Every parent feels like they are fighting a battle when they’re trying to get the kids outside. It is something that we hear constantly, and we know that our children need to be prised away from their screens and get some quality time outside, but it can be hard to achieve. So rather than giving reasons why your kids need to get outside, you need real solutions. Let’s show you how we can get kids to play outside more.
Follow Their Interests
If your kids have an interest in swimming, as much of an investment as it would be, you could get your children outside more by investing in a swimming pool. And this could very easily benefit the entire family for a multitude of reasons; it’s great for our health and our mental health, but it’s also very aesthetically pleasing, especially when paired with water features, quality outdoor showers, and fishponds. If you follow their interests, you won’t need to drag them outside. If they like a certain sport, you can do that with them, or if they like to draw, you can take them out to do portraits, and if they like cooking, you can pick fresh vegetables. The options are endless.
Inviting Their Friends To Play Outside
If your children don’t want to spend time with you, (and, let’s face it, which child does) then maybe they’ll be more excited about playing with their friends. There are numerous community outdoor playgroups that you could take advantage of to see what’s in your local area, and this could be the perfect chance to get to know families in your neighborhood and encourage more outdoor meetups with the children. If you don’t like the idea of leaving your children alone to play with others, you could arrange regular playtimes in your garden or you could go hiking with other families that also have children. This can also benefit you because it gives you the opportunity to socialize as well.
Get Outside Toys
If your children like throwing a ball, the opportunity to get them outside is straightforward but if they don’t like the toys, you might have to be more creative. Having more outside toys could be the solution here. Younger children who don’t want to go outside can benefit from a variety of options. From kites to tennis racquets and water guns, you can give them a multitude of options. You might also want to try the “toy rotation” or “busy bags” approach. This is where you have a number of toy buckets with certain items and only have one bucket available to your children. This will give them a sense of excitement for the newer toys so they feel more inclined to go outside and see what they will get next.
Get Them Interested in Outdoor Games or Sports
If you want to get them outside, you have to follow their interests, but you could also try out new things. If your child is not keen on things like bird watching, you may want to be a bit more adventurous. For example, you could rent a canoe for the day or if there is a local tennis court near you, you could take them out for a game of badminton or tennis.
Do Everyday Activities Outdoors
The fact is that we can spend a lot of time focused on getting our children outdoors with tactics like getting them to play sports or just run around. But time outside doesn’t have to involve being energetic. If you’ve got a backyard you can use it more to eat meals, do homework, or just relax. If the weather is nice and your children are sitting down indoors, encourage them to do the same activity outside. Because all you need to do is make your garden a bit more like it is indoors. Some outdoor furniture doesn’t need to be expensive, but it can be the perfect opportunity to get your children outside. And while they are outside, this can be the perfect opportunity for you to figure out how to spruce your garden up. Everybody wins!
If you are struggling to get your children outside and every strategy is failing, you may want to take matters into your own hands and remove the game controllers and remotes. Sometimes, we all have the temptation to sit in front of the television, but if these options aren’t available, outdoor pursuits may seem more exciting for everyone. You might be trying to get your kids outdoors, but don’t forget to get yourself outside as well!
Leave a Reply