The development of technology has had a very positive impact on our lives, but it has also conditioned some new things that are not so desirable. For example, nowadays, children spend most of their time in front of phones, tablets, and computers, from an early age. Watching cartoons translates into playing games over time and then uploading pictures to social networks, scrolling through endless content, and watching YouTube videos. Because of all this, it is becoming increasingly difficult for parents to convince their children to go outside and spend time in the fresh air. However, if you find yourself in this situation: do not despair. Below you can read more about how to make your kids spend more time outside.
Why it is important for children to spend time outside
There are so many reasons why it is important for children to spend enough time outside. First of all, it is crucial for their health to breathe fresh air and have a sufficient level of physical activity. Obesity is becoming the number one disease in today’s world, all because children do not develop the habit of having daily physical activity from an early age. Running and playing with friends can develop in children the need to expend energy in this way and have daily exercise.
Also, when children spend their time inside, behind the screen, it becomes impossible for the body to synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D. When they are outside, exposed to UV rays, a sufficient amount of vitamin D is produced, which is of key importance for bone health.
It has been shown that children who spend enough time outside show less chance of developing myopia and vision problems in general. Another key thing of playing outside is socialization and acquiring social skills that are an integral part of every person’s life. The sooner a child adopts them, the easier communication with other people will be and they will also live a happier, more fulfilled life.
How to motivate your children to spend more time outside
1. Organize play dates regularly
One of the great ways to motivate your child to go out and spend some time away from the screen is to organize playdates. This is an amazing idea, because when the children are small, you can completely coordinate their activities and the way they will spend their time. If they learn to play with other children at an early age, they will feel the need for socialization in later years, too. In case you have a friend who also has children, it is very smart to organize a gathering in which your children will participate and spend a nice time together, playing and having fun.
2. Family time in nature is always a good idea
It is very important how you, as a family, spend time together. If dinner and watching movies are the main family activities, the child will get used to having all the fun in the house and will not feel the need to spend time outside. Instead of doing this all the time, we suggest going out together and spending time in nature at least once a week. In addition to having a phenomenal impact on health, nature and greenery have a calming effect and eliminate stress. Best of all, your child will connect time in nature with fun and activities that make them happy.
Remember: Once he or she acquires this habit, they will feel the need to spend more time outside even when they grow up a little, which is what you want to achieve.
3. Make them a fun setting in the backyard
Another great way to motivate your child to spend more time outside is to make them a fun setting in the yard. Keep in mind that sometimes children do not feel resistance to going outside, but simply do not know what to do there, so they decide to stay inside anyway. The good news is that you can prevent this by giving them an idea of how to have quality and fun time outside. For example, it’s an amazing choice to purchase some garden games, like the ones you can find at dingadget.dk.
These are games that you can enjoy together as a family. You will certainly bond even more through these activities. Also, the child will surely be very happy to invite friends to hang out and play these games with them. Garden games are a phenomenal way to interest a child to have activities outside the home and pick up all the benefits that fresh air has on health and development in general.
4. Get them a puppy
Having pets can transform your life and make it much happier and more fulfilled because of this cheerful family member. Also, if you want to encourage your child to leave the house and spend time outside, getting a dog can be a very good choice. What child doesn’t like to run and play with a dog all day? Game hours sometimes feel like minutes when they are filled with such fun activities.
Also, a pet is a great way to teach a child responsibility and how to take care of another living being. If you are open to this option, we guarantee that you will not regret it. Your child will forget about the phone and computer for a few hours every day, and the whole family will be able to have fun activities with the dog and enjoy quality family time.
Conclusion: Nowadays, with smartphones, tablets and computers, it is becoming increasingly difficult for parents to motivate their children to spend time outside. Breathing fresh air and having physical activity outside plays a very important role in the optimal health and social development of the child. If you want to encourage your child to leave the house, we suggest that you regularly organize play dates for them from an early age, as well as to spend quality family time in nature as often as possible. Also, it is a great choice to make them a fun setting in the yard or get them a puppy. With these tips, you will surely encourage your child to separate from the screen and spend hours playing with friends or animals outside.
