In days gone by, playing outdoors was all kids wanted to do but since the dawn of iPads, smartphones, games consoles etc, it has become a lot more difficult to encourage them to enjoy nature. As a parent, there are a few things that you can do to change all this and help your kids see that getting outdoors can be a joy rather than a chore. Even though we are approaching the end of summer, there is still plenty of opportunity to try out some of the ideas listed below before the weather starts to become colder again.
Look Out for Some Adventure Activities
There are all kinds of adventure activities that you can organise for your kids. It can be something as simple as a scavenger hunt around your back garden or you can take them out on a camping trip or an RV holiday adventure to River Oaks Park. Another option is to go out on a climbing wall as there are many of these all over the country. Alternatively, you could head down to a watersports centre and try out something like canoeing or rafting. Ultimately, you can plan an activity as big or small as your budget and time stretches to.
Plan a Camping Trip as a Family
A fantastic way to really get the whole family to enjoy the great outdoors is to spend a night or two sleeping under the stars on a camping trip. With so many spots all over the UK to choose from, you have plenty of options and you can really get away from the stresses of home life just for a while. Putting up the tent and doing the cooking are two activities that you can do as a family. Also, bring along some board games and do a bit of research on some other outdoor games that you can try out together. While you are on the trip, you can also plan a family hike that provides a great opportunity to get some exercise outdoors and get closer to nature.
Plant a Garden and Create Some Wildlife Enclosures Together
Your back garden is the perfect place where you can introduce your kids to nature. One of the best way of doing this is planting a garden as you can enjoy the shared pleasure of watching it grow and nurturing the plants. Plant something simple like some sunflowers or some vegetables that you can then eat when they are ready. Another thing that you can do in your garden together is create some wildlife enclosures like bird boxes and hedgehog houses. Make sure to do a bit of reading about the different types of species out there and you can teach your kids all about them.
These are just three ideas for how you can really enjoy the remaining weeks of summer outdoors. Encouraging your kids to get outdoors is a great thing to do for both their minds and bodies.
