Let’s get kids playing outdoors again!
When you think back to your childhood, what do you remember most about how you spent your time?
For me, it’s memories of playing outdoors with my friends and sister.
I’d spend the whole day outdoors and would only return home for food, water or money to buy an ice lolly!
I guess I was lucky that we had a lovely back garden. It was spacious, full of plants and had a pond at the end of it. There was a decked area with a picnic bench sat on it, which lead onto a big patch of grass. To the right was our garage, full of bikes, garden tools and a barbecue and then we had some fruit trees, herb plants and a big apple tree that my sister and I would climb on a frequent basis.
Beside the apple tree sat a double swing set and right next to the pond, a bench called for you to lay on it underneath the hazy summer sun.
We’d spend hours dreaming up imaginary scenarios from living off the land, to building dens and even a race track from cones for us to navigate around on our bikes.
When we weren’t playing, we were topping up our tans, watering the plants or reading a book under the shade of the tree.
If we weren’t in our garden, we’d be in the park or in one of our friends back gardens. Always outdoors. Even if it rained! We’d don our raincoats and splash in puddles!
Children nowadays are being brought up surrounded by so much more technology than when I was a child. It’s actually quite scary. I like to think I’m quite up to date on technology, but with how fast paced it all is, I worry that by the time my children start to use technology I’ll be lost in a world too advanced for me!
I want to bring back the traditional childhood and get children outdoors in the fresh air!
Socialising and playing with their friends face to face not over a games console or computer.
I know so many toddlers who use iPads and other devices. Don’t get me wrong, I think they’re a great learning tool and I guess using this type of technology is a must have in today’s world, but are some parents guilty of allowing their children to play on these devices for too long?
Our twins don’t go on our iPhones or iPad. Not because we’re cruel parents and don’t want them to embrace modern technology, but because every time we’ve allowed them to play on them in the past, it always results in a major tantrum when it’s time to put them away!
They’ve not long turned two, so they end up frustrated more than anything because they don’t know how to play the games on them and keep clicking off apps!
I’m sure when they’re a little older, we’ll allow them to play on such devices, but for the majority I want their childhood to spent doing something other than staring that a screen.
Research by Natural England has found that one in 10 children regularly plays in wild, outdoor spaces, compared with almost 50% of children a generation ago.
Yes, that’s right one in 10 children. That’s such a small number.
I think many parents struggle to find a balance. We’re all leading busy lives and sometimes I imagine it is easier to hand your toddler an iPad to keep them entertained for 10, 15, 20 minutes whilst you get some chores done etc, but it does come with its own disadvantages.
Sitting down for long periods of time, staring at a screen can affect your child’s health. They will most likely gain weight and their eye sight can be affected by this too. Not to mention the lack of vitamin D.
Outdoor play is a great way for children to get some exercise. It encourages children to explore and discover their surroundings and the world they live in, plus children who play outdoors are happier.
If you’ve read some of my recent blog posts lately, you may have noticed that I have been writing a lot about home education. This is for a number of reasons, but one reason is also the amount of homework that children seem to get nowadays.
I’ve got three step children and have seen the ridiculous amounts of homework that they get. Instead of spending the evenings and weekends with their friends, they’re indoors doing homework. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying homework is a bad thing, but it should be in moderation.
I’ve also seen the amount of stress and pressure that exams has put on my middle step-daughter. Are the pressures of the modern world too much to live up to?
Aside from school, there is the general feeling that we are living in a scarier world compared to when we were children. I always remember my dad telling me how he used to play in the streets by his home all day with his friends and that everyone’s doors were unlocked because everyone knew each other and everyone felt safe. I couldn’t imagine for one minute leaving my front door unlocked!
I think it is so important for children to be children. To have the innocence and magic that childhood should bring with it naturally. I’ve come up with a few ideas to encourage your child to get outdoors this year. It doesn’t matter if they’re two months old, 10 years or a teenager these simple ideas are great for the whole family to get involved in!
Grow a sunflower
It’s simple, it’s easy to do and it’s something you can enjoy doing as a family. You can encourage your children to plant the seeds themselves and set them tasks each to water the sunflower and measure it as it grows.
Some companies will even give you free sunflower seeds. Just perform a quick online search, but you can pick them up in your local garden centre at minimal cost.
Build a den
An all-time classic activity that never gets old! You could you make a quick den by throwing a large blanket or sheet over some garden chairs, or you could get adventurous and use big branches, twigs and leaves to build your den!
No matter what type of den you build, this is a great exercise to get all the family involved. It also teaches children about team work.
Make a water maze
If your kids love to play in water then this is the activity for you!
You can use your garden fence or wall or even a big piece of wood (just make sure there are no nails and the edges have been sanded down).
Most households have a recycling bin or bag. Simply dig out your empty pop bottles, yogurt pots and anything else you think you can use and then get to stick them onto your surface.
Start at the top and work your way down. You want to stick your bottles onto your surface in a way that when water is poured into the very top on, it will trickle down through all the pots and bottles to the very bottom!
You can even make a mini windmill at the bottom!
You’ll need to cut some bottles in half and make holes in others, but it’s a great activity for a hot day and can be played with again and again and again!
Puddle Jump
Just because it’s raining that doesn’t mean you can’t play outside! It’s time to put on your wet weather gear, dig out your wellies and splash about in the rain!
This is even better in my opinion when you go home to a lovely, hot meal or hot cup of tea or hot chocolate!
Go to a farm
Farms are a great place for children to learn about animals and to have the chance to see them up close. Some farms allow children to feed or pet the animals and some even let children have pony rides!
We recently went to the farm and our twins had a great time running around in the fresh air and it was great for me too!
Ride a bike
Children of all ages can enjoy this one. You might decide to take your toddler out in their trike or for older children a trip to the park on their scooter, bike or roller skates is great exercise and fun at the same too!
Even better why not go with friends!
What outdoor activities do you like to do with your children?
You can also check out the National Trusts 50 things to do before you’re 11¾ who have compiled a list of 50 outdoor things to do.
7 Comments
Little Miss Alba
May 1, 2014 at 9:11 am
LOVE this post and so does Mummy 😉 – she has us outside playing all the time telling us that in her day if she wasn't on her bike with friends riding the streets with her girl cape on she was in bed asleep. Some lovely ideas above – I would like to build a den xxx Ax
Catriona Stephen
May 1, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Great post! Although Osian is only 6 months old I try and take him outside whenever the weathers nice, and we will be going on lots of trips to the local park and things when he is big enough! xx
Denise Johnson
May 1, 2014 at 8:23 pm
I agree that children should play more outside and have great adventures like we did when we were younger. My two older children get so much home work and course work and are so stressed out that I really wish that I had home schooled them. It makes me want to home school my youngest but my husband doesn't agree with me and as she has already started school I think that she would find it difficult if I just pulled her out now. When my two older girls were little I was always encouraging outside screen free play and it is sad now as they both hate being outside and they are addicted to technology – I really wish that my efforts had paid off!
Claire Jacobs
May 1, 2014 at 8:51 pm
great ideas there, we already enjoy jumping in muddy puddles lol.
totally agree about the technology, but sometimes its useful when in doctors waiting rooms and my 2 yo is getting bored lol
Michelle Twin Mum
May 1, 2014 at 9:19 pm
fab list, it is indeed so important to get out and about with the kids. We were lucky to move to the countryside last summer and this means our kids can head off and explore every day now. I love it and so do they. Mich x
Zena’s Suitcase
May 2, 2014 at 8:34 am
Great post. We always try and get out of the house, even though my huge bump is proving a challenge to that at the moment. Princess loves being outdoors, as well as the IPad! We are a very geeky house though 😉
Laura Mummy to Boyz
May 5, 2014 at 6:33 pm
Completely agree – outside play is so important! We get out as much as we can as long as you have the right clothing there is no excuse!