It’s long been documented that physical play is essential for children’s health, and that playing outdoors is just as important for getting fresh air and Vitamin D from the sun.
However, in the age of smart devices and the internet at our fingertips, it can be hard to tear kids away from screens for long enough to get their recommended 60 minutes of exercise a day.
So, how can parents and guardians encourage kids and teens to get out of the house and play outside more? Here are six suggestions to get you started.
1) Create a safe outdoor play area
Kids can’t spend time outside if there isn’t anywhere for them to go. If you have any kind of outdoor space attached to your home, you should do your best to make it welcoming for them.
For example, you should have a clear open space where they can play around freely, whether it’s playing with toys, kicking a ball about, or jumping around to music.
If they don’t have anywhere to play with larger outdoor toys, like riding a bike or scooter, you might have to set aside scheduled time on a regular basis for supervised visits to a local park.
2) Get them involved with gardening
If you have a private back yard, getting the kids to help with outdoor chores like gardening is a two-for-one deal – keeping them active and busy while ensuring the garden stays tidy.
This could involve gathering fallen leaves in autumn, cleaning up the cut grass after it’s been mowed by an adult, pulling up weeds, watering flowers and plants, or filling bird feeders.
Planting seeds and growing herbs or fruits and vegetables can also be very beneficial for children of any age, teaching them new skills and encouraging them to get involved with cooking, too.
3) Motivate them with fun challenges
Children may not feel like leaving the comfort of their bedroom or the couch to go outside, so you’ll need to make it worth it with interesting challenges or rewards.
For example, going on a hike as a family at the nearest park or forest trail, then picking up a sweet snack on the way home as a treat, can be a fun way to make memories together.
Alternatively, you could get an activity book or download an app with a list of things to do that kids can check off like a bingo game – including anything from scavenger hunts to water fights!
4) Encourage them to play with friends
Kids, especially tweens and teens, are more likely to want to hang out outside if they have friends to do it with – whether it’s neighbouring kids or schoolmates coming round.
Combining socialising with physical play is great for all kinds of development and boosting their mental health, so letting kids play outside together is one of the best ways to get kids active outside.
Of course, play dates are only as fun as the activities available, so this also depends on what they can do in your garden – whether that’s various sports games or splashing in a paddling pool.
5) Let them look after the family pet
There are lots of different household pets that don’t ever go outside, and some that are more independent in their outdoor ventures, like cats – but dogs are the perfect pet to encourage exercise.
Whether you get a new puppy or have an older dog that’s growing up alongside the children, sending the kids outside to play with them ensures that both the kids and the dog burn off some energy!
They can learn responsibility while helping to walk the dog at the park, then play enthusiastic games of ‘fetch’ with frisbees, balls, or sticks when the dog is in a safe place to let them off their lead.
6) Invest in outdoor play equipment
One of the guaranteed ways to get kids active outside is to provide some kind of jungle gym or play set with different features for them to engage with, like a multi-level den or swings and slides.
While it can be more expensive upfront than other options, investing in outdoor play equipment will pay for itself many times over with the amount of use it will get throughout the years.
For example, TP climbing frames are suitable for children from 3 years old to 10 years old, so they can make fun childhood memories and stay healthy by playing on their climbing frame every day!