It’s not true when people say that it was better in the olden days; by virtually every metric we use to measure the quality of life of society, things today are much better today than at any other point in history. But, of course, things today are far from perfect, and there are definitely aspects of the past that we should try to incorporate into our lives. Take spending time outdoors. Many children spend virtually all of their time indoors, using modern technology, and rarely, if ever, get to experience the magic of the outdoors.
So it’s up to you to get them to find enjoyment in the natural world. It is a gift that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. But how do you do it? We take a look at a few tried and tested methods below.
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Part of the Schedule
You can’t expect to just take a trip into the outdoors once a year, and hope that a love for the natural world will just somehow stick. Instead, your nature journeys should form a more sustained part of your family’s life. This means taking regular trips into the outdoors, even if it’s just for a few hours. It’s much better to spend an afternoon walking in the outdoors every couple of weeks, rather than spend four days camping once a year. The idea should be to slow-drip the beauty of the outdoors into your child’s consciousness.
Ensure They’re Comfortable
You might see the outdoors as a natural playground, but if your child has spent the bulk of their life tucked away indoors, always completely safe and warm, then they might be a little less comfortable. They could be anxious that they’re unsafe, or simply be uncomfortable, as in the case of when it’s cold. So make sure that they feel secure in nature. If they take learn to swim for kids classes, then they’ll feel a lot more secure about walking around the edge of bodies of water, for instance. It’s also important that you invest in warm and waterproof clothing. Remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only incorrect clothing!
Freedom to Play
Once you’re out into nature, you’ll most likely find that your children have a natural affinity for the outdoors. They’ll be excited and want to explore. It’s usually at this point that parents make a mistake, however. Instead of encouraging the child to have fun, they try to keep them on a metaphorical leash and limit how much fun they can have. There’ll be time later to take them on the hikes that you want to do, but when you first take them out, just let them roam free. If you do insist on having a more structured day out, then at least make it fun. You can enjoy the outdoors by going on a long bike ride as a family, for example.
Take the above tips, and you’ll soon have children that love nothing more than taking trips into the outdoors.
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