Spring is fast approaching, and it’s time to think about getting kids outside! If you’re looking for new ways to encourage your child to play outside and keep their imagination active, here are some practical tips.
Why is it so important for kids to play outside?
Increased technology and higher rates of screen time have been linked to obesity, mental health disorders, insomnia, social disconnection, and lack of exercise. Now more than ever, it’s important for children to spend time outdoors. Harvard health experts cite the following medical (physically, mentally, and socially healthy) reasons for children to be active outside:
- Sunshine: Enriches children with vitamin D, contributes to bone development, boosts moods, and aids in healthy sleep.
- Executive Function: Executive function skills help children prioritize, plan, multitask, negotiate, imagine, and problem-solve. Children need to be outside to imagine, figure things out, make up games, and navigate unstructured, adult-led time.
- Exercise: Children should be active at least one hour each day. Sending them outdoors is the best way to give them room to move in.
- Appreciation of Nature: Children need to appreciate the mountains, the sky, the birds, the oceans, the worms. It’s essential to protect our planet.
- Taking Risks: Falling off a swing or tripping mid-run is part of understanding that failures occur and we can learn from them. It prepares us for life.
- Socialization: This can be tough during a pandemic, but forming a pod with other kids can help. Interacting outside of the classroom or sports team structure is crucial.
Safe, Outdoor Spring Activities for Kids
There are many creative ways to keep kids outside and off screens. Here are some of the most innovative and classic activities that can be done with household members or socially distanced with others.
- Outdoor tea party: Have your kids dress up, make cucumber sandwiches, and have some lemonade or tea!
- Go fishing: You can fish in almost any type of water. It teaches children patience, and their faces light up when they catch a fish.
- Fly a kite!
- Plant a tree: Purchase a tree seedling, dig a hole that’s twice as wide as the root ball, and pull dirt over it. Make sure to create a little dam around it so the tree can get more water!
- Grill outside: Hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie skewers, and steaks all taste better outside!
- Dig for worms: Kids love seeing what’s right under their feet. Dig for worms after the rain when the soil is damp.
- Press flowers: Pick some flowers and let them dry for 7-10 days. Put them in journals or cards or use as art decorations!
- Go green for St. Patrick’s Day: If you celebrate, make the theme of the day green. Dress in green, spend time in the green world, and eat green foods!
- Make a fairy garden: Let your kids pick the spot, set up a little house, lights, glitter, beads, garlands, rocks, figurines, and anything else you want!
- Dandelion crowns: Collect dandelions with long stems. Wrap one dandelion around the stem of another, and keep adding until it looks like a crown!
- Make a rain gauge: Find a jar, mark measurements with a ruler, put the jar outside on a level place while it’s raining, and bring it back inside to measure how much it rained!
- Blow bubbles: All you need is a wand and some bubbles (water and soap)!
- Celebrate May Day: May 1 is right between the March equinox and the June solstice. Celebrate by making a maypole with colorful ribbons, make flower crowns, have a bonfire, go hiking, and read or write some poetry about spring.
- Decorate a flower pot: Purchase a terracotta pot, and let your kids use paint, stickers, chalk, markers, etc. Add soil, a plant, let them keep it or gift it!
- Start a nature collection: Collect rocks, feathers, shells, snakeskins, four-leaf clovers, turtle shells, eggshells, empty nests—anything goes!
- Make wind chimes: Use anything: seashells, wood, glass, stones, silverware, or anything you think would look beautiful!
- Make a magic wand: Using a stick and some colored ribbons, let your kid’s imagination run free!
- Dance in the rain: Dress your child in rain gear, or go barefoot! Splashing in puddles is always fun.
- Make DIY butterfly wings!
- Go strawberry picking: Visit a local orchard. Apply plenty of sunscreen and wear boots for the muddy terrain. Fresh strawberries taste delicious!
- Create a backyard golf course: You can use anything as makeshift holes: cereal boxes, buckets, whatever you think would look cool and might give kids a challenge!
- Set up a hammock: Taking a nap outside or reading in a hammock is one of life’s simplest pleasures.