As a mum, you want what’s best for your kids, which is why you worry about them not spending enough time outside. Do they lack vitamin D? Are they getting enough exercise? Are they addicted to technology? These are all worries that a lot of mums have, so if you’re worrying about these things or anything else to do with your kids spending time outside, don’t worry because you are not alone – we all worry about our kids.
Of course, in days gone by – like when we were kids – children spent a lot of time outdoors. We rode our bikes from morning til night. We built dens. We climbed trees. We went exploring. But today, it’s not safe to let kids roam free, so when it comes to how much time our little ones get outside, it’s all down to the environment that we create for them at home in our gardens.
Summer is well and truly on the way, which means that now is the perfect time to start thinking about how you can encourage your little ones to spend more time out in the garden. The question is, of course, how can you go about doing that? Believe it or not, all it takes is a little creativity and smart thinking.
Make your garden a fun space
The number one reason kids boycott their gardens and prefer to play indoors is because they aren’t seen as being fun. So, if your back garden isn’t already a fun place and somewhere that your little ones love to play, now is the time to change that. Think about creating a play area for your little ones – somewhere fun for them. Whether that’s a play tower complete with a slide, swing, climbing frame, and sand pit, or simply a slide and seesaw, it doesn’t matter. Another option could be to add a trampoline to your garden or a sand pit. Children’s trampolines are great fun for all ages. All that matters is that you find simple ways to make your garden a more fun and enjoyable space, and somewhere that your kids look forward to spending time in. Need ideas for your children’s play area? Have a browse on Pinterest as there are always good ideas on there.
Find ways to make your garden educational
Kids love to learn, or at least, a lot of kids do. So with that in mind, it could be worth making your garden a place where they can learn – the more educational it is, the more interesting they should find it. Think about creating mini nature reserves for insects and small animals like hedgehogs – perhaps you could help them build an insect hotel to put outside or a hedgehog house? Or, what about creating a small nature pond, where your kids can study the wildlife that lives there. From newts and frogs to slow worms, if you create a nature pond your garden should come alive.
Create a range of zones
To make your garden somewhere that the whole family can spend time together, consider creating different zones within it. You could opt to have a play zone where you children’s play equipment is placed. A relaxing zone where there’s garden furniture which you can get inspiration for online at Bridgman.co.uk. You could create an eating area with a BBQ and other outdoor appliances. How about adding a growing zone where you and your kids can grow vegetables and fruit? Last but not least, what about adding a nature zone, where your little ones can study nature? The more you can fit into your garden, the better. Kids get bored easily, so having a garden that offers them all sorts of different activities is important. Something that a lot of mums find works well is creating a sensory corner within the garden, where the plants have different scents, textures, and are edible, as this allows kids to really learn about their surroundings. Remember, the more creative you can be when it comes to your garden, the better.
Grow your own food
Above we mentioned growing your own food, the reason this is a great idea is because kids love having a purpose. If your little ones know that they need to care for and nurture a certain area of the garden, they are more likely to want to spend plenty of time outside. Whether it’s a whole vegetable patch or simple a mini one made in a raised bed, it doesn’t matter. Kids love growing stuff, especially stuff that they can eat because it’s exciting. So if you don’t already grow your own food, now is the time to start. From potatoes and onions to apples and raspberries, there’s nothing that you can’t grow – lots of people have even started growing avocados at home. Obviously, if you’ve got a greenhouse it’s easier, however, it is possible to grow food without one, so don’t let the lack of a greenhouse put you off.
Have fun as a family
On those days where you’ve got nothing better to do, get the whole family outside for a day of fun. This could mean organising a teddy bear’s picnic for the little ones. It could mean planning a BBQ complete with your children’s favourite BBQ foods. It could mean planning a family sports day complete with sack races, egg and spoon races, and three-legged races. Or, it could mean investing in a blow-up swimming pool and spending the afternoon splashing about in it – you could even make a waterslide or use a pool salt system for a healthier option. The possibilities for outdoor family fun are endless; it’s just a case of finding ways to be more creative with how you spend quality time together, that’s all.
So, there you have it, a mumma’s guide to getting the kids to spend more time outside. Sure, it’s not always easy to encourage your little ones to spend more time out in the sun and less time indoors, but it is possible. The most important thing is to create a garden that appeals to your kids for all the right reasons and has plenty to keep them occupied. From growing fruit and vegetables to creating play zones, there’s plenty of ways you can make your garden somewhere that your kids want to be.
