How Can I Get My Kids Away From the Screen and Play Outside?

Sit down with your kids and brainstorm a list of exciting and specific outdoor activities. Things like “build a fort”, “have a pic-nic”, “set up a lemonade stand” or “find interesting bugs” could start you off. Include your playset to spark imaginative play with “have a pirate adventure on the pirate ship”, or play “the ground is lava” on an imaginary “planet”. Write all the ideas on strips of paper and drop them into an empty jar, to pull one out when the time comes to play outside.

Dedicate different days of the week to specific outdoor themes. Name activities like “nature explorer Tuesdays” that could involve searching for different kinds of leaves or building a bird-feeder. “Superhero Saturdays” could include your playset as it is transformed into their secret headquarters. The novelty of a themed day adds an extra layer of fun and anticipation.

Make it a family affair! Create simple outdoor challenges that everyone can participate in, like a scavenger hunt in the yard to a timed obstacle course where, again, your playset will come in very handy, as well as all your natural surroundings. Friendly competition and family bonding make it more appealing than solitary screen time, don’t you think?!

Set up a simple art station outside with supplies like paper, paints, glue, sidewalk chalk, or natural materials like leaves and twigs. Encourage them to create art inspired by nature or for special events like a birthday or celebrating the beginning of summer. This merges creativity with outdoor time, what could be better?!

As the sun begins to set, head outside for some calmer activities. Catch fireflies (if it’s the season!), tell stories under the stars, play a guitar and sing songs or simply enjoy the cooler air with a board game on a pic-nic table. Even a playset can take on a different kind of magic in the soft evening light!

Steer dinner conversation towards nature topics and then take your kids on short nature walks in a nearby park or even your own backyard. Point out interesting plants, insects,  animal tracks or whatever your prior “warm-up” conversation topic was. The more they connect with the natural world, the more appealing spending time in it will become.

Involve your kids in the upkeep of their playset (in a safe way, of course!). Maybe they can help hose it down, wipe swing seats and slides, or even decorate the area by planting flowers or butterfly bushes nearby. Giving them a sense of ownership can make them more invested in using it and, therefore, spending more time enjoying the outdoors.

Put your own screens away when you’re encouraging them to play outside. If they see you enjoying the outdoors, they’re more likely to follow suit. Join them in a game of tag, help them build a sandcastle in their sandbox, or simply relax together in the fresh air. It’s amazing how easy it is to let go of our devices when we are having fun with our family!