How to get your children interested in playing in the outdoor world.
Absorbed in the virtual world of video games and cartoons, children nowadays spend less and less time playing outside. This can have a negative impact on both their physical and mental development.
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Not only do children who spend more time in nature have better coordination and motor fitness, but they are also more curious, have better mental acuity and inventiveness and attain better intellectual development. Thus, it’s important that parents motivate their children to be more active and spend more time outside.
Instead of forcing them to go outside, try some of these great ways to inspire your child to do so:
Team sports, such as soccer, volleyball, basketball and the like, offer numerous benefits for children. Apart from regular physical activity, these sports will provide your child with an opportunity to enhance their social skills thanks to the interaction with other team members. However, if your child doesn’t feel comfortable with a competitive environment, you can find some other sport they might enjoy such as running or swimming. What you should do is follow their interests rather than just sign them up for something they will dislike.
2. Plan family outings in nature
Being a positive role model for your child is one of the best ways to help them acquire healthy habits. Thus, if you want for your children to spend more time outside, you and your spouse should do so as well. Organising family outings in nature is a perfect opportunity to show to your child that you enjoy spending time outdoors too. Not only will you be positive role models, but you’ll also spend quality time with your child engaging in different activities and family games.
3. Get them a dog
Welcoming a furry friend into your lives will motivate all of you to spend more time outside playing with your new family member. By playing with their dog, your child will get great exercise while having a whale of a time. In addition, studies have proven that there are numerous benefits of children growing up with pets, such as physical activity, better immunity, the development of empathy and emotional stability, etc.
4. Plant a garden
Gardening is an engaging and educational activity that you can try as a family. Your children will have an opportunity to learn more about the environment and different plants and you’ll be able to teach them responsibility by giving them their own plants to take care of. Make sure to involve your child from the very beginning by taking them to the store and letting them choose their own seeds to plant. Later on, you can make a schedule for watering plants to remind your child to take care of their plant.
5. Get the wheels turning
Riding a bike has always been a popular activity among children that brings a lot of fun and excitement, as well as physical activity. Once you get your kid a bike, you won’t see them inside the house. However, if your child finds cycling boring, there are other wheels that can get them excited. You can get them a modern self-balancing scooter along with the safety gear and let them hit the streets. Since these scooters are stable, you won’t have to worry about your children falling off. Not only will they be delighted with their new scooter, but they will also be inspired to spend time outside mastering it.
If you try to force your child to spend time outside, they will see it as tedious task. Instead, you can try some of these engaging activities and motivate them to be more active and spend time in nature. Just follow their interests and you’ll barely see them inside the house.
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