It’s no secret that kids love playing outside and parents love to see them playing outside! It helps promote physical development and mental development while encouraging them to build confidence and curiosity as they explore the natural world.
Setting the kids up for success as they play outside will be the key to making it enjoyable for both your child and yourself. We’ve found there are 3 key ingredients to ensure your kids will have fun outside.
Time
Kids need lots of time outside! Not only do they need time outside, but they also need scheduled time as well.
Set expectations with them on when and how long they are to be outside. Letting them know what to expect will help them plan their adventures accordingly and can help mitigate whining when it’s time to come back inside.
Once expectations have been set it’s important to recognize that they need a ton of time outside. Parents lament frequently about children having too much energy and needing constant attention while never letting them go and explore autonomously.
This doesn’t mean they need to be left in the wilderness outside of town, but instead of having them tear up your house, it could be much nicer for yourself and for them if they got to tear around outside.
Don’t forget that when you were a kid you were practically thrown out of the house and told to come back at dark or at dinner time.
You survived and enjoyed it. Let them do the same.
Friends
Having company can help enrich a play experience. Another friend can help bring ideas and new perspectives to play, challenging your child to think and grow. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to work on developing social skills.
As the children discuss and talk and the plan they are able to learn how to evaluate and consider the thoughts of others as well as their own.
When they’re inside and under their parents’ watchful gaze they lack the space to test and learn from their interactions as the parent steps in. This growth leads to self-regulation, a tool they will continue to use and develop later in life.
There is also the saying, “life is best shared” and it most definitely applies to play!
Play Equipment
As fun as sticks and mud is, there is an enormous amount of fun toys available to kids now.
Many toys are very specific and have an intended use. Toys like this can be lots of fun, but frequently have much shorter “lifespans” and children soon grow bored of them as they play through the possibilities of their use.
To avoid this you can look for toys that are “open-ended” meaning they have a much broader range of possibilities of use. Children can use them as they see fit and mold the toy to the activity. Balls, blocks, and blankets are great options for open-ended play.
“Active Play” is another type of play that is important to incorporate into children’s activities. It helps them improve motor skills, develop coordination, and increase physical confidence and spatial awareness.
There are tons of great options for active play equipment ranging from slides to forts! One great option is a blow-up bounce house. They are easy to set up and take down, making them especially good for families who don’t want something permanently dominating the backyard.
They also let kids jump around and goof off like on a trampoline, but in a safer environment and with fewer risks.
Another great active toy is a slide! Simple and safe, slides allow kids to build their confidence as they work their way up to climbing the ladder and sliding down confidently. It’s another great toy to develop coordination and balance!