Outdoor play is synonymous with summer. During the summer months, we often encourage our kids to spend as much time as possible outdoors. We take midweek vacations to lakes and beaches and spend full days hiking before having dinner (quite possibly a meal that’s been grilled outdoors) followed by time around a bond fire. Yet, as the weather begins to cool and colds begin to spread, we lessen our time outside. And, herein lies the beginning of the outdoor hiatus of winter.
Why Do We Stay Inside When It’s Cold
If staying indoors is your way of avoiding a cold or the flu, you may want to rethink that. Studies have shown that the best way to build and maintain a healthy immune system (which, by the way, is a key defense against sickness) is through physical activity and outdoor play in cold weather. As mentioned in a piece published by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, “viruses that are spread by other human beings and cause colds and the flu are indoors.”
Children gain so much from outdoor play. Not only does it allow them to fully explore their surroundings while developing physical strength, but it also helps them build self-confidence. Knowing this, we want to encourage our children to weather any storm –both literally and figuratively– by allowing them to play outside in all types of weather.
How to Encourage Outdoor Play
Lead by example
You’ve probably noticed your mini-me repeating phrases you often say, dancing like you, and even laughing like you! That’s because children mirror what they see, and this becomes more evident the older they become. So, if you want your child to develop a love for nature, you must first show her how to love nature.
Get excited about the little things and share that joy with her. Slow down and observe the bees going from flower to flower. Listen to the birds singing with delight bright and early in the morning. Take time to notice the sunset each evening. When your child points out a roly-poly moving across the sidewalk, engage with her. Ask her where she thinks he’s going, remind her that her thought is brilliant (because let’s be real: All kids are brilliant until told or shown otherwise), and then build on what she said.
Not only will this boost her confidence, but it encourages her to think about her surroundings and the living beings in it. Encourage and support her curiosity.
Take the Fun Outside
Does your child love painting and doing crafts with you? What about pretending to cook? Use these interests as an opportunity to encourage your little one to go outside. If she enjoys painting, take her outside to find rocks, sticks, and leaves to paint. Then, use those items to build houses.
Screen Time
Screen time is like frozen chicken nuggets. You know it isn’t the healthiest option for your kid, but after a long, tiresome workday, it’s the one thing that you know they’ll eat without any pushback. Believe me, I get it.
Still, as convenient as tablets and phones can be, they cannot act as replacements for real-life experiences. So, when your little one refuses to put their device down and go outside with you, Give a heads up. No one wants to be interrupted without fair warning, so let your child know they have 10 minutes. Then, 5 minutes. Then, one minute before the phone, tablet, or TV goes off. When the time comes to turn it off, tell her “Okay, it’s been a total of 10 minutes. Time to turn this off and go outside!”. But, don’t snatch it from her. Ask her to turn it off. This will let her know you respect her and will make her feel better about turning it off on her own. If she refuses, remind her of the plan to turn off the device and go outside. If she continues to refuse, let her know you need to take the device before taking it.
Overall, you want to speak to and respect her like you would an adult and talking her through the steps is a healthy way to do that.
Don’t Let Inclement Weather Stop You
When the weather is extremely cold, it is easier to stay inside and watch videos, drink hot cocoa, and snack on baked goods. Still, as cozy as that is, inactive lifestyles are never good for our overall health. Not only does staying indoors have adverse effects on our mental health, but our physical health also takes a hit.
So, find things that get you and your child excited about being outside! If it’s raining, take the opportunity to go outside and explore; Rainy weather brings dark clouds, beautiful rainbows, as well as snails, slugs, and frogs to surface. Teach your child to dance in the rain, not hide from it.
Too much snow? Collect as much extra snow as you can to build your very own Olaf. Then, make snow angels, or have a scavenger hunt to see what you can find beneath the snow!
We can always find an excuse to not go outside, but instead, let’s focus on all the great things we can do when we do go out! Rather than booking all your vacations during summer months, plan Fall and Winter trips. In doing this, you’re teaching your child to find joy in all types of weather, while also teaching her resilience.
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