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It can be difficult to get kids to enjoy and appreciate the great outdoors if they are glued to their devices. To help you get started, here are some tips to get your kids to spend more time in nature.
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Tips to Get Your Kids to Spend More Time in Nature
Spending time in nature is a great way to boost your mental wellbeing, and spend less time watching TV. Society nowadays is becoming heavily dependent on technology, so time out in nature is very precious. It can be difficult to get outside, but benefits for you and your family can be significant. There’s no better time than now to get your kids outside in nature and have fun.
Benefits of being in nature
It has been reported that a large number of people can spend up to 10 hours per day staring at a screen. From computers at work and school to mobile phones and gaming devices, this can add up very quickly. While this can be beneficial to education and socialising, it does also mean a lot less time is spent outside in nature.
It is important to look at why more time in nature is key to wellbeing. There have been a plethora of different studies that show the benefit of being in nature, such as expanding imagination and creative skills, improved concentration, boosting mood and mental wellbeing, better coordination, balance and agility, and much more.
Time outside can also help improve fitness. And is a great way for children to expend some of the inevitable energy that builds up inside of them. So it does not manifest into something else, such as frustration. Whether it’s some games in the garden or a walk in a park, regular time outside has been shown to reduce the risk of psychiatric disorder development, and decrease stress. This can be great for the whole family to enjoy after a long day at work and school.
Top tips to get your children outside more and enjoy nature
Whether you like to go on holidays or find local walks, there are plenty of ways you can get outside as a family, or just simply incorporate more nature in your children’s lives. With all the benefits you and your family can reap, there’s no reason not to!
Encourage play
A great way for children to enjoy the outdoors (and parents too) is to utilise the space as your own playground. And have some unstructured play. This is when your children are left to play freely and use their imagination. This stimulates their creativity, as you will start to see them pick up items that they have transformed into something else, just with their mind. This is also a great way for children to have no limits on their creativity, and dive into problem-solving skills.
Create games
Creating games is a great way to get your children to explore the outdoors, and enjoy it. There are hundreds of games that you can play or even make up yourself to get your children involved, based on what they enjoy. For example, you can create your own version of pokemon and equip your children with magnifying glasses, pen and paper, and send them out searching for bugs. They can make notes on what they find, where they live, and even attempt to draw them. You can also encourage them to look them up online when they are home to learn more about them.
Other games include
- a scavenger hunt with a list of fauna and flora you can find in the area you are exploring,
- stacking the rocks like Jenga, or
- gathering items to create their very own nature collage.
Inspire curiosity
As a parent, you are a role model to your children. Your children are like sponges and will soak up everything that you do. You can use this to your advantage, and instil some healthy habits in them, such as curiosity for nature. If you show interest and enthusiasm over nature, then it is likely that your children will do the same. If you can take the role as a student, and take time to learn about nature, spend time in nature and ask lots of questions, then you might just get your children interested too! This is a great way to show them that you don’t need to know all the answers. And that you can be interested in new, cool things and go back and learn about them.
An excellent way to do this is to discover new places together. This means your curiosity will also be much more genuine. Allow yourself to have fun, and let your inner child come out as you explore nature with your children.
Go on holiday together
Holidays are always an exciting concept, and a great way to get the whole family involved, willingly. Holidays are also an excellent way to set expectations with children. So they are prepared to be away from home and their usual environment. Which can make it much easier to get them involved with activities and use their phones/screens much less. With the right research, you can save money on your holiday booking so you can enjoy more trips, and explore some beautiful new places as a family. See if you can find some new destinations that have a range of activities, and nature to explore. This could be in the form of beaches, where the children can spend time in the water, and explore rock pools. As well as nice hikes that are filled with trees and plants.
Going on holiday is a great way to explore further afield, and even create an adventure in itself. Your children can get involved with the planning. And as a family, you can create your own bucket list of places to explore together.
Spending more time in nature is an amazing tool for anyone to help boost wellbeing, mental health, happiness and a range of cognitive developments. It is also an excellent way for families to bond and spend more time together. However, it can be difficult to get children out of the house. Follow these tips to get your kids to spend more time outside in nature and make going out much easier, and more fun for everyone!