Kids should ideally be spending at least 3 hours playing outdoors.  In our urban environment, children don’t get to play outside much. With Xbox, video games, so many favourite shows on TV, children love indoors and tend to spend most of their time glued to a screen. This has a negative impact on their health and wellbeing. 

Playing outside enhances children’s learning, social skills, creativity and independence. Spending time in the open air amidst nature in fresh air helps in overall wellbeing making children feel calmer and happier. But how do we get children to play outdoors? It can be really hard to make them move away from their cartoons and video games.

After some experiments I tried, here are few things that have really helped me get my children to love outdoor play:

Play Dates

Children love parties and the excitement that comes with arranging them.  Gathering a few of your kids’ friends and organizing a park party with fun games and some healthy snacks is a great way to get your kid outdoors. It worked wonders for me and soon my kids wanted to go out on their own to the park with their buddies.

Become an Explorer

If you look closely there is a lot to explore in natural places such as lakesides, lush green picnic spots or even your own backyard or garden. It is an innovative method to get children to learn about flowers, plants, and insects. Kids are curious by nature and trust me, once you show them the joy of exploring they will love to be outdoors.

Long Walks

When I go to pick my child from the bus stop, we take a longer route back home in the cool evening air. We love strolls like this. It helps us bond better as we talk about the day and it also sets the mood for some evening play in the society once we reach!

Weekend Fun

Every weekend, instead of spending time at home after a long week, we make sure to plan an outing, and no, not to a restaurant.  Whether it is a picnic, an outdoor event with the play group or a visit to our farm house outside the city, we often plan events that are healthy and don’t involve screen time.

Children are quick learners and very adaptive. The idea is to introduce them to the fun outdoor world and how much they can enjoy playing games outside the house. Exposing them to nature and healthy games is an all new experience for them and once they get the taste of it, they will definitely want to spend time outside four walls. 

Of course, all this play will also require some added nutrition to keep the energy high. That is why my child’s doctor suggested PediaSure that contains all essential 37 nutrients. My child drinks a glass in the morning before school and in the evening after play. It keeps them strong and healthy. The Grow Right Charter too has been a boon to me. Ever since I began following the tips given in it, our routine has taken shape in an amazing way. Now I don’t have to worry about my kids’ nutrition or how to get my children to play outdoors. It’s all sorted! 

Did you find this post helpful? Do share your views in the comments below.

Disclaimer – This post is in collaboration with PediaSure. However, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.