It's sunny and warm, but despite everything, some children still refuse to go outside to play. Here are some tips to get them outside for more than a few minutes.
Go out too
If you want to read, work on a laptop or just relax, lead by example and do it outside. If your child sees the outdoors as a pleasant place rather than a he althy obligation, he will be much more likely to go there. Plus, you'll feel better after getting some fresh air and your kids will be much happier playing around you.
Install a net
Find a place to set up and take down a net as you wish. It will let kids decide to play volleyball and badminton on a whim and when they get used to it, they'll go out and play without even having to remind them.
Join their activities
Play hockey, basketball, tennis or soccer with them. If they see you playing one of these sports, they will automatically see it as a more interesting game. Who knows? You may find other parents who will do the same and who you can build a team with.
Integrate outings into a routine
If you take your coffee outside every morning or get into the habit of having dinner on the terrace, your children will get into the habit of going out daily and gradually find ways to have fun outside with chalk, balloons or whatever they have on hand.
Sit in the grass
Very urban children are sometimes afraid of getting dirty in nature. If you have a grassy yard, your child can do cartwheels and somersaults in it if they aren't afraid to get dirty. Show him that the floor isn't full of bugs and mud by sitting on it and he'll be more inclined to go too.
Explore the surroundings
Take long walks, hikes in the surrounding woods and ride a bike, without putting pressure on your child. He will see these walks as an adventure much more than a compulsory exercise and he will want to return to them more often.
Find a stimulating park
Taking into account your child's age group, find a place where he can have fun and where he will want to return often. A colorful park for the little ones, an obstacle course for the older ones and a place where there are small climbing walls for pre-teens will stimulate them and make them spend time outdoors.
Passive activity
To make your child enjoy going outside, he can also relax there. Set up a reading corner, set up a gardening corner or get into the habit of going fishingtogether from time to time. These calm activities will make him want to breathe the fresh air and enjoy the beautiful season. Children also need to clear their heads sometimes.
The Monitor
Give ideas to your pre-teens so that they can keep the youngest busy. They will feel valued, empowered and will have a lot of fun controlling hide-and-seek activities, tag or relay races. They can even invent totem names, like at camp.
Discover nature
If you are lucky enough to live in the countryside, near a forest or by the sea, encourage the children to make a herbarium, collect rocks or shells and observe insects. Little by little, their fields of interest will evolve and a simple collection of rocks will become a collection of fossils and the shells will make them want to make craft decorations.
