Help Me Get My Kids Outside: New Homes and New Communities Pave the Way

If you’re a parent, you know how hard it can be to convince your kids that playing outdoors is much more fun that the game system, television or plethora of toys you have stashed in every corner of the house. It’s tempting to give up – how bad can being lazy be anyway…? After all, they’re just kids!

Parents, wake up! Recent studies show that children in North America spend an average of 2-4 hours PER DAY watching TV and playing video games. This has led to a staggering 20% of children (estimated) between the ages of 6-20 years that are classified as obese. These kids are 70% more likely to become obese adults and on the path to diabetes, cardiovascular problems, high cholesterol, cancer and many more ugly health situations.

So what can we do about this fixable situation? Newer real estate communities are being built with ponds, tons of green space, new parks, cycling paths – you name it, they’ve got it! Turn of the TVs, stop buying the junk and get those kids outside!

Here are Top 10 tools and tricks to help your kids take more of an interest in the outdoors:

1. Look to the play center! If you have enough room in your yard for even a basic play center, build one! They are a fantastic investment; kids love to swing, slide and climb. If you can’t afford one, find out where the local parks are and make frequent visits. Local playgrounds are great for activity, fresh air and meeting new friends.
2. Hunt for Treasure. Hidden treasure is a huge draw for younger kids. Why not plan a scavenger hunt with simple items like spotted bugs and dead twigs, or garden gnomes? Give them a list and a pencil and let them go exploring around the neighbourhood.
3. Pick a sport. Even if you live in a colder climate, there are great outdoor sport options available in most communities. Some great outdoor sports include:BasketballBaseballHockey (ice hockey, street hockey)SkatingSkiingSoccerAll of these sports can be done in a backyard or community park too so you don’t necessarily have to join a team.
4. Build a Castle. A sand castle that is… or an ice castle. Kids love building and they appreciate the gift of a shovel, bucket and helping hand more than you can imagine.
5. Give them Freedom. Camps are a great way for kids to experience the outdoors with their peers. There are sleep-over, day and half-day camps available.  If you can’t afford to enroll them, a tent, some blankets and some s’mores are a fabulous option too.
6. Seasonal Activities and accessories. Buy little items that are seasonally appropriate and let them have fun. Water guns, bubbles, butterfly nets, shovels, buckets and diggers are always surefire hits.
7. Teach them to ride. Bikes, scooters and skateboards are still the ultimate in outdoor toys. I’ve never met a kid who didn’t like to feel the wind in his or her hair. (Just make sure to include the proper safety accessories and rules.)
8.  Have backyard “parties”. Call some other parents and arrange once-a-week play parties during the warmer weather months. Send the kids outside in the yard, send out some beverages and snacks, and let them scream around the yard for an hour (or two).
9. Family Time. Remember, kids learn from example so get outside with your kids. Picnics, Frisbees and jump ropes are still fun if you can harness your inner child. Plus, you get some much needed family bonding time too.
10. Be the Boss! The best tool you have in your parenting arsenal for getting them outside? Tell them to go! It may sound pushy, but it’s not a foreign concept. Limit TV time, put away the iPhones and laptops (you too) point them in the direction of the door.

We don’t have to let our kids succumb to a completely reversible health situation. With a little encouragement and some fun and exciting suggestions, the kids will be happy, healthy and smiling with every leap, tumble and goal.

Lilly Gordon is a freelance web writer and publisher. She is currently researching active lifestyles for kids, new communities and Real Estate in Leduc, Alberta.