Unleash Your Kids' Inner Explorer!
Our mission at Great Family Adventure is to encourage, inspire, and empower people to get outside. As a family-based platform, we think it’s important for us to continue exploring outdoors with kids.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and you’re struggling to get your kids out of the house, here are some great tips and tricks that should help.
Get Involved in Unstructured Play
I recently found out that the average kid spends three to four minutes a day in unstructured playtime outside, and to me, that’s just mind-boggling. I grew up in the outdoors, and for my kids, I try really hard to get them to spend at least an hour a day outside doing unstructured play.
The reason why unstructured play is so great for kids is that it develops creativity within them. When kids are bored, they have to use other parts of their brains to come up with ideas and things to do, so even when you’re outside, and you’re saying you’re going for a hike or a bike, try not to set destinations so your kids can enjoy the moment and become creative in their surroundings.
If you’re overwhelmed at the idea of trying to get your kids involved in unstructured outdoor play for an hour a day, start off small. Set aside 10 minutes and work up to 15 minutes, and so on. Like many things, it gets easier the more of a habit it becomes, so definitely consider unstructured play as part of your day, as it makes everyone happier and more excited to eventually get outside.
Don’t Overthink the Weather
It’s easy to get the thoughts in your mind of what if it rains and what is the weather? But if you’re simply at home and in your own area, you can easily throw on coats and jackets so the kids can get out the door to discover things on your own street.
If you don’t have access to a park or greenspace close to home, then consider making it a plan for sometime in the week to travel somewhere where your kids can explore and take part in unstructured play.
I’ve found over the years that the best way to get outside is to just start small. It doesn’t have to be hard, and by starting small, you’re developing positive habits, and you’ll already be above the average by spending just 10 minutes outdoors.
Take Snacks and Water
I always take a snack and water with me everywhere we go because sometimes adventures take a lot longer than you first anticipate. Your kids can easily get carried away when they’re outside, and if they’re really enjoying their time and discovering new things, it’s best to be prepared by carrying snacks and water along the journey with you.
Don’t Underestimate Your Surroundings
Another tip for getting your kids outdoors is to not underestimate what's around you. So often, you’ll drive by the same area and not slow down or appreciate the little things in that region. By going for a walk, or just by going for a bike ride somewhere, your kids will find more beauty in the places you usually drive straight past.
Once you start to explore by foot, you’ll begin to notice things that you’ve never noticed before. So, no matter where you are, whether it's a Walmart parking lot or a beautiful stretch of woods, commit to actually getting outside to go on a walk or a leisurely bike ride.
Give Your Trip Outdoors a Reason
One more pointer when you’re trying to get your kids outdoors is to think about the reason why you’re doing it in the first place. Often, we’re trying to get to a specific place, like a waterfall or other point of interest. I've found, however, that when we do that, it puts a lot of pressure on the kids.
When I get my family outside, my main goal is for my kids to simply enjoy being in the outdoors. So, if I’m hustling my kids through the experience, we’re missing out on a lot of opportunities for them to connect with nature.
I encourage you to rethink the motivation behind your time outdoors, and to relieve the pressure you put on yourself and your kids. That pressure will get in the way of your kids enjoying their time outdoors. Instead, try saying to your kids “we don’t know how far we’re going today, we’ll just go as far as we want”. That way, everyone in the family will be more relaxed and able to focus on simply enjoying their time outdoors. It's my belief that this approach will help encourage everyone to want to get out and explore the outdoors more often.
If you liked this article, check out some of the Top 5 Family Things to Do to get more specific on adventure fun!
Backpack: Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack
Clothing: Cotopaxi Fuego Down Kids' Jacket, Cotopaxi Teca Cálido Reversible Kids' Jacket, Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket, Cotopaxi Trico Hybrid Women's Jacket, Do Good Kids' Trucker Hat
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