With so much vying for our attention indoors — like streaming services, social media, and video games — chances are we all could use a little bit more time outdoors. And how do we encourage our kids to go out and play when we’re guilty of being glued to our screens as well? Well, if you’re looking for ways to get your family outside and in nature, here are some activities and kids’ outdoor games that are both fun and educational for the whole family.
It doesn’t matter how your child spends their time outside, the important thing is that we as caregivers make outdoor play a priority. Richard Louv, journalist and author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, coined a term, “nature-deficit disorder,” that can be described as a non-medical condition that suggests lack of time outdoors contributes to negative behavioral changes in children.
“Ironically, the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, as tragic as it is, has dramatically increased public awareness of the deep human need for nature connection, and is adding a greater sense of urgency to the movement to connect children, families, and communities to nature,” Louv told The New York Times.
Kids' outdoor games and activities for the whole family
What if you don't have a backyard?
Even if you have a tiny, postage-stamp backyard, or live in an apartment with minimal access to green space, there are still a number of ways to incorporate kids’ outdoor games into your child’s playtime.
“If you explore a woody area in the park, there is something for every age there,” Louise Chawla, Ph.D., told The New York Times.
“There are rocks of different weights, stumps of different sizes, lighter and heavier sticks. Whatever a child’s current skill level is, they can work toward their next level of challenge. They are learning about their own capabilities,” the University of Colorado Boulder, professor emerita, explained.
Parks and nature trails are always an option, but there are probably resources you hadn’t even considered, right around the corner. For toddlers and preschoolers, a simple walk around the neighborhood will suffice. Let them walk the length of a wall to practice balance or jump between sidewalk squares to burn off energy. Make a game of it by timing your child to see how long they can stay on the wall without losing their balance.
Cities are great places to introduce architectural design concepts like columns and arches. See who can point out the various building materials like iron and steel, and design elements, first. And of course, get younger kids to recognize familiar shapes. Make it into a game by having your child recognize as many elements of architecture as possible. City life also presents an opportunity to visit natural history museums, planetariums, aquariums, and botanical gardens.
