While during the cold winter months it can be understandable if your little ones don’t want to spend too much time outdoors, as spring and summer roll in, it’s the perfect time to encourage them to play outside.
Outdoor play is essential for both your child’s development and their overall health and wellbeing.
If you struggle to convince your children to play out in the garden, there are things you can do to make outdoor play a more appealing activity. So, here are just four fantastic tips that will help to encourage your children to spend more time in the outside world.
1. Make Outdoor Family Time a Priority
Our children imitate our own behaviour, and therefore they’re more likely to embrace the outdoors if they see us doing the same.
By making outdoor time a shared family activity, your children will both learn its importance and associate it with quality time with you.
Whether you use services such as Ramblers to find child-friendly walking routes in your area, or simply take a short walk each day before or after dinner, this quality outdoor time will set them up for a lifetime of healthy habits.

2. Discover Local Playgrounds
Taking your child to the local playground can be a great way to not only keep them active, but help them socialise with other children, something that is particularly important if your little one is an only child.
Experts such as Creative Play UK have installed playgrounds all over the country, helping to craft the ideal environment for children to learn and stay active as they play.
Playgrounds offer a safe space for your children to burn off their excess energy with others their own age.
3. Create a Fun Play Space at Home
While getting away from the house can be a great way to encourage outdoor time, if you have garden space then you won’t need to venture far for every play session.
If you’re considering a garden renovation, then it’s the perfect time to dedicate some of your space to fun activities for your children.
From an area where your little ones can learn to plant and grow their own vegetables, to an open space that can become home to a trampoline, providing your children with a variety of options will help them from becoming bored.
4. Limit Screen Time
One of the biggest barriers to more time outdoors for our little ones is excessive screen time. While some apps and content can be educational, too much time with screens can become addictive.
By taking steps to limit their screen time, you’ll be able to remove many of the barriers that keep them from wanting to play outdoors.
While you can confiscate their devices, if your child has an apple device, you can also implement parental controls and screen time limits in settings. Once you have set these in place, they can become part of your family routine, allowing you to define specific hours where they need to focus on other activities.
Have you found new ways to encourage your children to spend more time outside? Share your tips and tricks for success in the comments below!