Getting Your Kids to Put Down Their Screens and Play Outside
Is your home perpetually bathed in the blue glow of screens? Do your kids seem glued to their tablets, TVs, or phones?
As a parent in today’s digital age, it can be difficult to find a balance between technology usage and outdoor playtime for your children. Technology isn’t necessarily a bad thing—it provides entertainment, educational tools, and a way to stay connected with loved ones. However, it’s also important for kids to spend time outside, engaging in physical activity and exploring the world around them.
But how can you encourage your kids to put down their screens and play outside? Use these tips to strike a healthy balance between technology use and outdoor playtime for your children.
Create an Outdoor Adventure Zone
If you want your children to spend more time outside, you have to make the outdoors an exciting place to be. If your backyard is nothing more than a pit of dirt and grass, your kids won’t feel motivated to explore it. Creating an outdoor adventure zone is a fantastic way to make the outdoors fun and exciting for your kids.
How Can You Create an Outdoor Adventure Zone?
An outdoor adventure zone is an area in your yard set up for exploration and play. It can include a sandbox, a swing set, a treehouse, or anything else that sparks your child’s imagination.
Organize Neighborhood Playdates
Your child is more likely to want to play outside if they see their friends having fun outdoors as well. Reach out to your neighbors and organize a playdate with their children. Encourage them to bring along outdoor toys such as bikes, scooters, or balls for everyone to play with.
Planning a Neighborhood Playdate
People have busy schedules, and it’s not always easy to find time for a playdate, especially at the last minute. Consider planning a regular outdoor playdate with your neighbors, such as every Saturday afternoon or the first Sunday of every month. This schedule will give your child something to look forward to and help establish a routine for outdoor playtime.
Start a Family Gardening Project
Gardening is a great way to get kids interested in spending time outdoors. There are kids’ gardening projects suitable for any age; you can help your children set up a pizza garden, a butterfly garden, or a vegetable patch. They’ll want to see their plants grow and mature, which will encourage them to go outside and check on their progress regularly.
Safety Tips for Gardening With Kids
You’ll want to purchase special tools that are appropriate for your child’s age, such as smaller shovels and rakes. Adult-sized tools can be too heavy and dangerous for children to handle. Monitor your kids while they’re gardening to ensure their safety and provide guidance when needed—you don’t want them eating any potentially harmful plants or accidentally stepping on a bee!
These are just a few of the ways you can encourage your children to put down their screens and spend more time playing outside. It may be difficult to tear them away from videos or online games at first. However, you can make the great outdoors just as appealing to your kids with a little effort and creativity.
Photo – Karolina Grabowska
