5 Tips for Tired Parents to Get Outside with Your Kids
We all know that children need lots of outdoor, free play. If you’re a parent, you know how challenging it can be to have a to-do list a mile long and let that get in the way. Once we get OUT THE DOOR with our kids, many times their imagination and creativity take over you’ll have hours of outdoor fun and endless mental benefits for both you AND your kids. Here are 5 tips to just GET OUTSIDE!
Get outside first thing in the morning. The longer you wait, the easier it is just to turn on the TV, get lost in social media, or get distracted by a dirty house and just want to start cleaning. As soon as your children wake up - get their shoes on and get out the door! Bring a quilt outside with an easy breakfast like granola bars, bananas, and dry cereal and see how it quickly changes things.
Prepare the night before: Before going to bed, place you and your child’s shoes/jackets by the door. It will make things easier and also remind you in the morning of your goal to get outside!
Have some outdoor play items ready. Sidewalk chalk and bubbles are a great choice! Once you get outside, it’s amazing how quickly your kids will start using their imagination.
Plan for a “job” outside you need to do and you need your kids help with it. If you start with “we need to check the mail”,or “let’s go feed the chickens together”, or, “let’s go pick some flowers to make a flower crown” it can quickly turn into hours of outdoor play.
Model the love for the outdoors! If you act like it’s a chore to go outside or just something to “check off”, your children will feel that, too. Make it a priority to get outside as a family, go to your local park, or simply lay in the grass together taking in all of God’s beautiful creation.
Your mental health will improve HUGELY just getting outside a little bit each day. TAKE OUR CHALLENGE: Get outside for a minimum of 10 minutes every day, and see - 1. how long that 10 minutes actually turns into, and 2. how it changes the flow and energy of your week!
