Computer games and television have become more and more acceptable in the domestic environment, making it oftentimes increasingly difficult to get your child to play outdoors. As, a homeschool mom and mother, it is important for me to engage, my daughter, with the outside world as much as possible. Therefore, I like to take her to different places that bring out her creativity and imagination.
This post was sponsored by Landscape Structures as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central
and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
To compete with the myriad of different hobbies which the digital age affords, I like do outdoor activities with her that are enjoyable and interesting. What’s more, I have discovered that giving my child the freedom to play it has allowed her to gain confidence through mastery, self-discovery and instill lifelong skills.
Here 5 Tips on How To Encourage Your Child to Play Outdoors
1) Schedule Playdates at the Park
I like to take Imonni to the park at least 3 to three times a week. She often times, get bored when she does not have a friend to play with therefore, I like to schedule playdates with her friends. Recently, on one of our playdates, we discovered Landscape Structures playground nearby that was amazing. What I loved about the playground was it had several different modules that were all connected together which encourage the kids to explore and use their imagination. I was so impressed with the design of the layout and its durability, I decided to look up more parks in my area with Landscape Structures and plan our playdates at different locations.
2) Take an Interest in Trees
Make your visit to the park a learning experience for your little one by getting to know all the names of trees in the area. While we are at the park take a picture of the tree and a leaf. When you get home to look up your picture of the tree by doing a search. Once you discover the name of the tree take the leaf and them it out and pressing it, and then create an album or make a montage with your child and list the name of the tree above the leaf. The leaves could even be laminated and then made into mobiles or pictures to hang in the children’s bedrooms.
3) Play Traditional Games
During your playdate at the park do games with the kids such as swingball, hopscotch, marbles, skittles and hula hoops this may be old-fashioned, but they have endured for a reason. Plus they have universal appeal for children of most ages.
Bonus tip for Summer Days
4) Have Fun with Water
In warmer weather, encourage your child to let loose with water by bringing water down sponges to have a riotous time at the park. By making your time outdoors with the kids creative and fun it will encourage your child to play outdoors and hopefully spend less time playing games or watching tv.
5) Make a plan
Create a carefully-planned schedule of summer activities for your child. This will help you to develop an ongoing environment that gives your child the freedom of play, spark their imagination and build their self-confidence.
The more, I engage my daughter with activities outside of our home, I’ve noticed that her confidence has grown and she is developing stronger social skills. To learn more about the importance of play check out Landscape Structures video below.
About Landscape Structures
In the mid-1960s, playgrounds meant freestanding metal equipment with a large footprint, resulting in a less natural and challenging play experience for many children. A young landscape architecture student named Steve King had a crazy idea. What if play components were attached so kids could move from play event to play event without ever touching the ground, creating a “continuous play” experience?
Continuous Play brought more play value to a smaller space, more social interactions and more skill development among children. The idea led to the formation of Landscape Structures and marked a first of many revolutions for the playground equipment industry.
For decades, we’ve paid attention not only to how children play together, but who can play together. A playground is a place where kids of all abilities should be able to interact and play side by side.
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