Youngsters, especially toddlers, enjoy a natural fascination with nature. They are willing to curiously run their tiny hands and fingers through flowers to discover how it feels, drop on all fours simply to watch an army of ants march by, and even get excited with the sound of birds chirping. Regrettably, with today’s lifestyle stuffed with technological gadgets, a limitless assortment of cartoons, and structured play, children rarely get the opportunity to develop their love for nature and check out the truly amazing outdoors. This robs them of the ability to develop and enhance several important daily life skills including awareness, motor coordination, inventive play, and cognitive functioning. Hence, the good reason why child experts are encouraging parents to get their kids out more. In order to aid in that, we’ve compiled some hints that can make it simpler for parents to get their kids away from their beloved gadgets and toys and out to spend a bit of time in nature.
1. Just Get Out
Your child will not get to discover the allure of nature until they actually spend some time in it. So, start getting out more and start as soon as possible when your little one has started to take an interest in his/her surroundings. Any outdoor activity will do whether it’s a game of catch at the park, a picnic, some playtime in the yard, a visit to a nature center, or a nature walk through the woods. The key here is to greatly increase the amount of time your child spends outdoors and to let him/her take the reins during these fun outings. Kids are likely to explore more and have more fun if they are given some independence during outdoor time. Therefore, try to refrain from taking complete control over all outdoor activity.
2. Turn to the Skies
Whether day or night, the sky is a fascinating sight especially to a small child. Therefore, occasionally pack a warm blanket and go lay down in an open field with your child to look at the clouds and any passing birds. You can even pack a binoculars and a cloud book and get your child to try and identify different cloud types. In the same way, sit out at the porch during nights to look at stars and identify different constellations.
3. Find a Natural Water Body to Explore
Unless traumatized by some awful water-related incident, all kids love water and will even beg or cry for some more time in the tub during bath time (that is after you manage to get them into the shower)! This makes natural water bodies a great way to get your kid to connect with nature. Not only will kids love hanging around or inside a pond or stream for hours, but they will also have a lot of fun as they discover the snails, fish, insects, and other creatures within or outside the water body. You can even bring along a shovel to get your child to actively look for fascinating creatures and items around the water body.
4. Organize Hikes or Other Outdoor Activities
Your child will not get to discover the allure of nature until they actually spend some time in it. So, start getting out more and start as soon as possible when your little one has started to take an interest in his/her surroundings. Any outdoor activity will do whether it’s a game of catch at the park, a picnic, some playtime in the yard, a visit to a nature center, or a nature walk through the woods. The key here is to greatly increase the amount of time your child spends outdoors and to let him/her take the reins during these fun outings. Kids are likely to explore more and have more fun if they are given some independence during outdoor time. Therefore, try to refrain from taking complete control over all outdoor activity.
2. Turn to the Skies
Whether day or night, the sky is a fascinating sight especially to a small child. Therefore, occasionally pack a warm blanket and go lay down in an open field with your child to look at the clouds and any passing birds. You can even pack a binoculars and a cloud book and get your child to try and identify different cloud types. In the same way, sit out at the porch during nights to look at stars and identify different constellations.
3. Find a Natural Water Body to Explore
Unless traumatized by some awful water-related incident, all kids love water and will even beg or cry for some more time in the tub during bath time (that is after you manage to get them into the shower)! This makes natural water bodies a great way to get your kid to connect with nature. Not only will kids love hanging around or inside a pond or stream for hours, but they will also have a lot of fun as they discover the snails, fish, insects, and other creatures within or outside the water body. You can even bring along a shovel to get your child to actively look for fascinating creatures and items around the water body.
4. Organize Hikes or Other Outdoor Activities
Whether day or night, the sky is a fascinating sight especially to a small child. Therefore, occasionally pack a warm blanket and go lay down in an open field with your child to look at the clouds and any passing birds. You can even pack a binoculars and a cloud book and get your child to try and identify different cloud types. In the same way, sit out at the porch during nights to look at stars and identify different constellations.
3. Find a Natural Water Body to Explore
Unless traumatized by some awful water-related incident, all kids love water and will even beg or cry for some more time in the tub during bath time (that is after you manage to get them into the shower)! This makes natural water bodies a great way to get your kid to connect with nature. Not only will kids love hanging around or inside a pond or stream for hours, but they will also have a lot of fun as they discover the snails, fish, insects, and other creatures within or outside the water body. You can even bring along a shovel to get your child to actively look for fascinating creatures and items around the water body.
4. Organize Hikes or Other Outdoor Activities
Unless traumatized by some awful water-related incident, all kids love water and will even beg or cry for some more time in the tub during bath time (that is after you manage to get them into the shower)! This makes natural water bodies a great way to get your kid to connect with nature. Not only will kids love hanging around or inside a pond or stream for hours, but they will also have a lot of fun as they discover the snails, fish, insects, and other creatures within or outside the water body. You can even bring along a shovel to get your child to actively look for fascinating creatures and items around the water body.
4. Organize Hikes or Other Outdoor Activities
While walking through the woods with a small child may seem like a daunting task, there are actually many kid-friendly hiking destinations around the world. Just make sure to stick to a short trail and allow or even encourage your child to explore every nook and cranny along the way.
If you’re not too keen on hiking, other adventurous outdoor activities such as camping, water rides, a tour through the zoo, etc. offer an experience that’s just as fun and beneficial as an outdoor excursion.
In addition to instilling a love of nature in your child and allowing him/her to enjoy the benefits that come with immersing children in nature, the time spent outdoors will give the two of you a chance to strengthen your relationship. So, try these tips and come up with other fun reasons to get out more.