Wasn’t the outdoors amazing when you were a child? You were the king of the jungle, only the jungle was probably your back yard. Young imaginations go wild outdoors. Playing outdoors is all about running, jumping, climbing, sliding, sometimes falling, but getting right back up and going at it again. Play outside is healthy on all kinds of levels. It’s boodles of exercise. Anything can be used for play with a child’s boundless imagination, and the possibility for adventure is endless when friends are over. Here are a couple of ways to encourage your child to leave the screen and seek wonder in the great (or backyard)outdoors.
The collector
We love collecting things, it’s just in our nature so why not encourage your child to start a collection of things he or she may find locally. Just be sure to accompany any field trips if necessary. Organizing a berry picking trip is fun for the whole family and the end results can be delicious. Bring jars for collecting and a bit of sugar to make the finding even more scrumptious. You can always keep the berries for a pie, but in the meantime your kid or kids will have had a great learning experience and will have learned which wild berries are safe for collecting and eating. Otherwise an excursion with the local herbology teacher can be a great and informative day out for the kids.
Out of virtual reality and into the woods
Kids didn’t used to need a lot of reason to be out. In fact, calling the kids home for supper could be a challenge. Kids nowadays have technology to keep them hooked. When it comes to videogames, game developers have come along way in getting people moving, and generally interacting with their virtual world in a physical way. But while a videogame console offers an interactive experience it does not replace the great outdoors. The sounds, the smells, textures… on a very biological level it is essential for us to connect with nature. One great way to get the kids out of the home and sharing exciting ghost stories is to organize a family camping trip. You might want to make it a whole week, or a night on a bank holiday weekend. Whichever you prefer, Britain has lot to offer when it comes to green space. From the lush green valleys of the West Country to the wild Forest of Dean. Cornwall is awash with beautiful golden beaches and shores along which there are many places specially designated for camping.
Being outdoors is fun. We all need fresh air from time to time, give your child enough time away from their computer, they’ll thank you for it later on!
This article was authored by The Kids Window. Be sure to check out our complete catalogue of kid’s furniture, wonderful gifts and fancy dress for fun parties. We encourage parents and kids alike to have fun and be healthy. We believe connecting with nature is a great way to come together as a family.
