Some people enjoy the outdoors more than others, but everyone needs some vitamin D. Here are some fun ways to get your kids to play outside—check it out!
When the sun’s out, most people want to get outside and enjoy it. Though the coronavirus pandemic has put a damper on travel plans and even daily summer activities, that doesn’t mean you and the family can’t enjoy the sunshine from the backyard. In fact, your kids need that vitamin D and time for free play—it helps them develop, spurs their creativity, and gets them away from the screen for a while.
That said, some kids battle heading outside more than others. If you need some help motivating your young ones to enjoy the sunshine, take a look at these ways to get your kids to play outside. From putting guidelines on screen time to perfecting your backyard design, these tips will have your kids jumping for joy for outside time without the battle!
Help Them Learn About Nature’s Beauty
If your kids can appreciate the beauty of nature around them, they’ll be more likely to get outside. As humans, when we see something beautiful, we often want to obtain it. Luckily, with nature, we can simply take a step out the front door and have access to nature’s beauty. Help your children learn about this beauty by watching nature documentaries on rainy days, designing scavenger hunts on sunny days, and reading books with them. The more they know, the more appealing it will seem to them!
Design the Perfect Backyard
If your backyard is a mess, then the kids probably won’t feel inclined to play there. Help them out by following some tips for building a backyard playground. It’ll give them the space they need to delve into free play and offer them a safe environment to develop. A good and safe environment is one of the key ways to get your kids to play outside.
Limit Their Screen Time
As we mentioned, screen time guidelines are essential to getting your kids to play outside. Until we help children break the habit of turning to electronics for fun, most will choose a TV over the backyard. That’s where limiting screen time comes into play—if they have to get off the iPad after an hour, then outdoor time is their way to spend the rest of the day. Not to mention, the more they play outside, the more likely they’ll be to turn to that over the TV.
Get Outside with Them
One of the biggest tips for encouraging outdoor play in children is by getting outside with them! Especially in the beginning stages, where your child isn’t sure how best to spend their time—help them. Set up an obstacle course with them, sit in the sunshine with them, or help them delve into their imagination. Once they start feeling more comfortable with their outdoor time, then you can wean them off your own participation.
Make Outdoor Time a Regular Event
If you can make outdoor playtime a part of the daily schedule, the kids won’t make it such a battle. If you only force them outside every so often, then they’ll put up more of a fight to watch their TV show. Instead, if you make walks, bike rides, and backyard time a part of their schedule, then it’ll be a routine they can’t resist.