5 ways to encourage your kids to play outside
When you were a kid, did you splash in mud puddles, run around, and play on the swing set until dinnertime?
Today’s kids don’t play outside nearly enough. Despite an increase in youth sports participation, only one in four children between the ages of five and 10 get the recommended one hour of daily physical activity, according to a YMCA survey.
Almost half the parents surveyed said social media, video games, and smartphones get in the way of physical activity. Plus, 74 percent of surveyed parents choose to sit with their kids in front of the TV.
To ensure your kids get the daily physical activity they need, encourage them to step away from the smartphone, TV, or computer and explore the outdoors. Regular physical activity improves cardiovascular fitness, builds strong bones and muscles, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, and keeps weight in check. It also sets kids up for a lifetime of healthy habits.
Although organized sports are a great way for kids to stay active, there are plenty of other ways to play. Follow these tips and you may have to call your kids inside for dinner!
1. Make your yard kid-friendly.
Many parents have fond memories of climbing trees, chasing fireflies, and making stuff in the sandbox. Help your kids create their own special memories by setting up a backyard play area. An old tractor tire makes an easy sandbox. Big trees are made for climbing and swings.
2. Let them help with chores.
Recruit your middle-age kids to walk the dog, help plant a garden, pull weeds, water the bushes, and/or rake leaves. They’ll get some time outdoors and develop practical life skills. Make activities fun and age-appropriate. Bonus: Piles of fall leaves are fun to jump in!
3. Encourage timeless games
Get some chalk and teach your kids how to hopscotch. Gather some burlap sacks or old pillowcases and organize a neighborhood sack race.
Even easier, get some ties or bandanas, pair the neighborhood kids into teams, and lead a three-legged race. Think of other games you played as a kid—like leapfrog and tag—and pass them on.
4. Use water.
Kids love water, and it’s especially fun to splash around when it’s hot outside. Fill up a kiddie pool and let the kids do their thing (with proper supervision). Bring out the sprinkler and let them run and jump through the water. Seek out other inexpensive water toys, like squirt guns for easy backyard fun.
5. Spend family time outdoors.
When the weather’s nice, why stay indoors in front of the TV? Do something active as a family. Play backyard baseball, soccer, or other active games together.
On the weekend, round up the gang and go camping, take a hike, ride bikes, or visit a nearby park, beach, or swimming pool. Outdoor outings benefit your kids physically and mentally and let you bond as a family.
6. When playtime ends, make sure your kids refuel right.
Whether it’s after a baseball game or the neighborhood hopscotch championship tournament, your child needs a nutritious snack within 20 minutes of playing. TruMoo flavored milk provides the right combination of protein, carbohydrates, calcium, and vitamins to help keep muscles strong.
TruMoo also provides eight essential nutrients kids need for critical development. Even though it’s flavored, chocolate milk only contributes three percent of added sugars to the diets of children age two to 18—all nutritional win-wins for parents and kids.
Regular outside playtime gives kids the physical activity they need as well as the freedom to have fun, act silly, and be kids. Support their playful, active lives by encouraging outdoor activity and providing a nutritious after-play recovery drink like TruMoo flavored milk.
Find TruMoo and all its deliciousness at your local Publix supermarket. Stop by Publix today to pick up a week’s supply of milk as well as fresh fruit, vegetables, sandwich items, and snacks to keep your child healthy and happy. Check for coupons before you go!