Last week, I discussed the benefits of outdoor play. Next, I would like to explore ideas and get creative on things to do outside to hopefully spark your own imagination on how to make outside time more appealing to children than electronics. Be a good role model for your children and spend time outside yourself! Sometimes we have to make it a priority for it to happen. Don’t overthink it and it doesn’t always have to be complicated or elaborate.

Ideas for outside play:

• Ball play

• Walking/bike/scooter trails

• Sand play

• Water play

• Bubble play

• Sidewalk chalk

• Nature Study-take a camera and a notebook-start a nature collection or have a scavenger hunt

• Parks

• Picnics

• Read (yes, take books outside)

• Gardening

• Visit a farm, orchard, botanical garden

• Make mud pies

• Climb a tree

• Pick flowers and make May Day baskets (May 1st)

• Biking, scooters, surf, boogey board

• Jump rope

• Take dog for a walk/play fetch

• Fishing, hunting, camping (age appropriate, could be real or make believe)

I hope this encourages you to get outside and enjoy whatever weather we are having right now. I have fond memories of playing football and visiting several parks on a weekend afternoons while enjoying a snack along the way with my children when they were younger. Now I enjoy taking my dogs for a walk, especially when my husband tags along.  

I always admired a neighbor of mine that had young children. I would see them outside in all kinds of weather, different times of the day, for different lengths of time. Sometimes the parents were outside with them doing a structured activity and other times the older kids would be outside on their own. They gardened, walked, rode bikes and scooters, went to the pool, played ball games, among many other activities. This allowed them to spend time together as a family and enjoy the benefits of physical activity as well as the outdoors. I think they also used it as a way to help their children calm down on trying days. By creating a change of scenery, it allowed the child to get out some emotions or pent up energy. What a great idea to help children learn to manage their emotions. What if when we were stressed or upset about something we took a walk or jog to sort out our feelings rather than eating something that was bad for us or going shopping?

Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.