Did you know that the average American child spends around four to seven minutes per day playing outdoors and north of seven hours per day in front of a screen?
Are you the parent of a child who spends much more time in front of a TV, smartphone, computer, or tablet screen than outside running about under the open sky? If so, you’ll want to do some brainstorming to come up with ways to encourage your children to enjoy time outside like you and your friends probably did as children.
Although we can always sit down with our kids and engage in whatever activities they are playing. If you’re looking for something different give them family gift experiences that will allow them to experience outdoor activities.
Do you want some ideas to get your creativity going? If so, you’re in luck. Continue reading for five ways you can get your kids to willingly spend more time outside.
1. Go On a Camping Trip
In 2020, the number of people aged six and up who went camping was around 48 million. If you have kids who could stand to stare up at the sky more than a ceiling, why not plan a camping trip? You can go to a national park or someplace else. Let your kids help pack their own stuff, load everything into the car, help arrange the meal plan, and help set up the camping spot. It’s best to ensure your kids don’t take their computers and mobile devices with them. Allow them the opportunity to enjoy hiking, swimming, exploring, and cooking over a fire pit.
2. Cook and Eat Outside
Do your kids like pizza? That question might as well be a rhetorical one since just about everyone loves pizza. If you want your kids to spend more time outside, how about cooking meals outdoors a few days a week and having the entire family enjoy food outside? Get a quality outdoor pizza oven if you want to make things extra special during mealtime. Your kids will enjoy making the dough, putting on the cheese, adding the toppings, and waiting for their creation to cook. Eat out on the patio deck and play some great tunes for an outdoor pizza party.
3. Go Biking as a Family
Another way to encourage your kids to spend more time outside the house is to buy some bikes and helmets. You can all go biking as a family. It’s a great way to get some exercise, enjoy the fresh air, and explore the neighborhood. If you’re going camping to enjoy a bit of nature, you can also take your bikes along. You’ll need a bike rack to transport the bikes with your vehicle.
4. Go to a Park
If your kids are very young, you can get them to enjoy the great outdoors by going to a park. They’ll get to rub shoulders with kids their own age, burn off some energy, and enjoy the playground equipment. Spending a few hours at the park per week will help to reduce how much time your kids have available to spend in front of screens.
5. Walk the Family Dog
Do you have a family dog? One way to get your kids moving is by giving them the responsibility of walking the dog. Ideally, your family will have a routine as to when to walk the dog. Depending on their ages, your kids can take the dog around the block, to the park, or elsewhere so that the dog can do its business and get the exercise it needs to be healthy and happy.
If you’re interested in finding ways to encourage your kids to spend more time outside, these suggestions will give you some ideas to work with. Your goal should be to provide your kids with options that actually interest them so you don’t find it a chore to get them to go outside.
Whether any of these ideas work for you or you think of others, it’s worth the effort to get your kids to get some fresh air regularly rather than spend all day cooped up in the house.
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