It’s a well-known fact that our children are becoming less and less intrigued by the great outdoors. Playing video games and watching television are seen as significantly more entertaining than building a sandcastle or learning how to ride a bike. I believe there is a certain type of enjoyment and education that the outdoors delivers which will never be matched by any digital device. If, like me, you wish to encourage your kids to spend more time outdoors, here are some of our top tips on how to do this.
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Start at home: make your backyard exciting
Have a look outside. If your backyard looks dull and uneventful, it is most certainly not going to work as an effective way to limit your children’s television time. You may need to put a little effort into transforming your yard into an exciting and intriguing environment. This could mean adding some outdoor activities, planting some interesting and colorful plants or adding a few wildlife enticing items like a bird feeder. Before you start, I would advise researching family-friendly backyard ideas for inspiration.
We gave our backyard a facelift spring and our daughter became instantly interested in what we were doing. I asked her for suggestions on how the backyard and garden area could be improved and what she would like to see added to it. She also enjoyed helping me transform the garden by managing a few jobs like planting seeds and painting pebbles. She really enjoyed being part of the whole process.
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Organize regular outdoor time
I found it successful to schedule a set amount of outdoor time each weekend. As a family, we agreed to half a day each Sunday where we go on an outdoor adventure or spend time in the garden; weather permitting of course. Because we reached an agreement as a family on this matter, I spend less time trying to force my little one away from the television and into the outdoors. On our adventures, we often visit the local farm to see the animals, go for a bike ride to the park, and have a picnic or just go for a long walk. If we stay at home we often play soccer in the backyard and have a BBQ. We are now in a routine, and my daughter really looks forward to our weekly outdoor family time.
Host an outdoor event
Together with the school, I organized a community event focusing on getting kids interested in the local wildlife and the outdoors. The event included games, wildlife stories, food and more. We funded the event through sponsorship from local businesses. The school used a website like http://www.the-fund-raiser.com/event-sponsorship-letter/ for advice on approaching companies for sponsorship. It was a very successful day as it added a social and exciting element to spending time outdoors. Many parents have confirmed that their children’s interest in nature and their yard has increased.
The great outdoors is an amazing source of excitement and education for children. I hope you find my top tips useful in getting your kids interested in spending more time outside.
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