Aug
This post was contributed by Luke Douglas of Ripped.me
One of the biggest concerns parents have is how to instill good habits in their children.
That starts at the earliest age and never really stops. If you have a kid, you’ve probably asked yourself time after time how to motivate them to spend more time outdoors. Everybody knows how beneficial it is for kids to spend time engaging in outdoor activities but actually getting them outside is easier said than done. Nowadays, thanks to tablets and smart phones, it is not enough to just get them outside; you have to come up with an engaging activity to keep them away from their smart devices, so consider the next few suggestions.
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is a great activity for kids. It is fun and good for their physical development. This is a type of exercise that will help kids build muscles and improve their physical coordination. Although it is not a team sport, it provides a great opportunity for children to learn how to socialize and make new friends. Once they get into skateboarding, they will probably spend their free time at skate parks trying to build their skating chops, and they will surely meet other kids with similar interests. If you want to get your child into this activity, a good idea would be to buy them a cool Bart Simpson skateboard. Every kid knows how much Bart loves skateboarding and having a cool skateboard like that will surely pique their interest in this activity.
Gardening
If you want to teach your kids about nature, you should start gardening with them. You don’t need a lot of space for this – you can plant a small garden in your yard or just a few plants in a bigger pot if you live in an apartment. Talk to them about their interests and decide whether they are better suited for caring for decorative plants or edible ones. Whichever type of plants you choose, taking care of them will teach your kids responsibility, commitment, and the value of taking care of nature. Planting some vegetables will be great for their feeling of accomplishment when they see and taste the fruits of their labor. Gardening is not exactly an exercise, but it is physically challenging and it will help your kids get moving. Plus, your garden or balcony is guaranteed to look nicer.
A bug hunt
Another great outdoor activity is organizing a bug hunt. Challenge your little ones to scour your yard or neighborhood for interesting bugs. They should search everywhere they can to find as many bugs as possible, and they can also classify them later. They can draw the bugs or if they are old enough to use a smartphone and are interested in photography, they can even photograph them. This activity will get them running around searching for as many bugs as they can find, it will develop an appreciation for all living creatures, and it might get them interested in biology too. This is a great activity to physically activate children but also to develop a sense of wonder in them. The key to an activity like this is to plan it well and come up with prizes for good results. The prize should be something that will further inspire them to learn, like visiting a museum, but it can also be a good idea to spice it up with something your kids really like.
Neighborhood Olympics
Organizing a fun event like the Olympics for the kids in your neighborhood will get them all outdoors, and once they see how much fun running around can be, they will forget about their smart devices. You don’t need to do a lot of preparation. Announce the sports in which they will be competing, make some paper medals, and let them do the rest. If you organize it well, they will spread the word, invite their family to watch, and do their best to show their skills. If the kids get into it, you can even make a tradition of it. The important thing is that they will engage in an activity that is great for their health, spend time outdoors, and have an outlet for their creativity because they will want to make it bigger and better next time.
Blogger Bio:
Luke is a fitness and health blogger at Ripped.me and a great fan of the gym and a healthy diet. He follows the trends in fitness, gym and healthy life and loves to share his knowledge through useful and informative articles.
To learn more about Luke, you can follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
