Sun, Fun, and Family: 5 Ways to Make Outdoor Time Irresistible for kids

"Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth" - Walt Whitman 

Like a moth to a flame, it can be a challenge to pull our kids away from the captivating glow of the TV screen or tablet. In today's digital age, our children spend more time on screens - both at school and at home – than many of us did during our own childhoods. 

Recent studies underscore the importance of limiting screentime is and embracing outdoor time!  Perhaps our parents and grandparents sent us outside for slightly selfish reasons, but today, we now recognized it as a precious gift.  

We frequently hear about the perils of excessive screen time, often from our own screens,  but the evidence is clear and compelling. Getting our kids outside improves learning outcomes, helps them stay healthy, and can improve impulse control.  While we know understand its importance, getting our kids outside is often harder than it seems!   

Here are five tried-and-true tips to inspire your kids to embrace the wonders of nature:  

1. Get them involved

…and I don’t mean involved in outdoor sports, although that is also a great option.  Get your kids interested and involved in decisions about their own outdoor space: your yard, patio, garden, or community space. Let them be your adventure architects! 

Providing our children with a say in even small decisions can ignite their enthusiasm for outdoor activities. Kids love any opportunity to call the shots and be the boss!  

Here are some ideas to get them involved (ahem: be the boss) in your outdoor spaces at home: 

• Take them to your local nursery to select flowers or vegetables for your garden 

• This activity naturally evolves as they will need to tend to their seeds, water the garden, and eventually pick the fruit or flowers!  
• Let them decide what to plant and where to plant it. Allowing them to ‘own’ this space will get them excited about being outside and instill a sense of responsibility – a win win!  

• Build a rock garden!  

• This is an inexpensive way to encourage creativity and outdoor time. Grab some paint brushes and water-based paint for some added fun and color.  

• Let your kids pick out a spot for a new sandbox or mud pit 

• Have an empty, grassless, space in your yard? Add some water or sand for a quick and easy transformation!  Sure, you can search Pinterest for some great ideas for an eye-catching sandbox, but throwing some sand in a ready-made sandbox is also perfect. Trust us, your kids won’t know the difference and they will thank you for it!  

• Ask your child their opinions about the garden. You might be surprised by their answer! This open-ended option can lead to some great outdoor fun.   

In our home, we discuss our weekend landscaping plans and chores as a family during meal time. We have implemented all of the ideas above and our now 6-year old takes so much pride in his garden as it gives him a great sense of accomplishment. 

He often comes up with his own ideas for our garden and yard and it’s so fun to see those ideas come to fruition as a family. Some of those ideas are a bit messier than I would like, but I’ve learned to “let go” so his creativity can run wild outside.  

2.  Little Helpers

This may not be true for kids of all ages, but most young ones love to help parents with different chores.  They often enjoy working alongside us, so let's take advantage of that! 

• Engage your kids in simple tasks such as wiping down outdoor tables, chairs or windows. All you need is a water bottle and towel.  

• Incorporate landscape stones or rocks to create a path or a rock garden, allowing your children to be part of the creative process.  

• Get the water hose out and let them water the garden or lawn. If they have outdoor toys, encourage them to help wash their trucks, cars, or other outdoor toys.   

• Provide a child-size lawn equipment for tasks like raking leaves, digging holes, or pulling weeds.  

• Even mowing the grass can become a collaborative affair! Let your child rake up grass clippings or leaves or use a pretend mower. (Don’t forget safety equipment like ear and eye protection!)  

• Get their help washing the dog, cleaning the pool (while supervised) or sweeping the deck  

Letting our kids help is not usually the most efficient approach to getting a job done, but this isn’t about getting the task completed. 

Engaging our kids in this manner is about giving them the gift of nature while helping them build healthy habits that will last them a lifetime.  

 3. Game On!

Playing outdoor games with our kids doesn’t have to be complicated or require extensive preparation. Just remember to keep it light and fun for both you and your children!  (unpopular opinion alert: don’t let your kids win all the time 😊.) 

• Create an obstacle course using landscape timbers, buckets, or rocks to jump on that will foster gross motor skill development.  

• Setup a sand box for loads of outdoor fun and creative work. Hide “bones” so they can pretend to be archeologists looking for dinosaur skeletons! (our favorite activity!) 

• Sidewalk chalk is perfect for outdoor art sessions, enjoyable for kids of all ages 

• Play a game - with your kids!  Games like tag, football, soccer, or baseball can get the whole family involved.   

• Do your kids have a favorite toy like magnatile magnets, trains, or blocks?  Cart those outside and let them play in the grass or on the porch for some fresh air while they play! 

4.  Let them be Captain

Out little ones love to pretend to be the boss, so give them the reins. Let them call the shots and pick the (outdoor only) activity.  This will give many kids the extra boost they need to get outside while also connecting with parents.  

• Backyard safari: Transform your backyard into a wild safari, complete with stuffed animals and make-believe binoculars. Let your child lead the expedition spotting imaginary creatures along the way! 

• Sprinkler Showdown: Give your child the role of Captain of the backyard and let them plan water-themed adventures. From water balloon battles to running through the sprinklers or creating their mini water park, saying ‘yes’ to water play can lead to hours of outdoor fun. 

• Adventure Time with your Tiny Explorer: Encourage your little one to take charge and choose the day’s outdoor adventure. Whether it’s a quest for hidden treasures in the backyard or a journey to find the mystical creatures of the forest, let their imagination run wild while running with them. 

• Show and Tell: Tell them a story of what you used to play and do as kids to help spark their creativity and get playing! 

5.  A Kingdom of Their Own

Days are full of the word ‘no’ for our children. Create a space where they are safe and free to explore and create without constant restrictions. Whether it's a playhouse, fenced in area of your yard, or just the back deck, find a spot that you can relax and say “yes”. 

This area will look different for a toddler vs an older kid, but the idea is the same for both.  Fill the area with toys they can play with independently without needing an adult in the immediate vicinity.   

Kid-friendly outdoor zone ideas: 

• Blocks that can live outside 

• Plastic animals or characters 

• Affix a steering wheel to the fence or table for make-believe 

• Provide a plastic jug of water they can use for pouring (spilling)  

• Give them fake flowers with a vase where they can arrange flowers or ‘plant’ them 

 Surprisingly, most of the toddler focused activities are still great fun for older kids too. They play with the same toys but in different ways so the above ideas could work with any age! 

Outdoor playtime fosters curiosity and creativity, builds strong muscles, and gets our little ones away from screens. Studies have shown the importance of sunlight exposure (not direct, of course!) for hormone regulation and improved circadian rhythms.  As a parent, I'll do anything to promote healthy sleep habits for our kids! 

Getting children outside and away from screens not only creates lasting memories but also guarantees family fun. Get outside and stay sun safe!  

Don’t forget to stay sun safe while getting outside. Dress your kids in sun protective clothing, like our sun-protective hoodie and wear sunscreen!