This post is sponsored by Culturelle® Kids. All opinions are our own.
Have you noticed how hard it is to get your kids to actually want to go outside and play? I can’t really blame the digital age. I think that kids do still love going outside, it’s just that they don’t have as many opportunities. Think about it: so many schools either cut back or eliminated recess (my son got 15 minutes a day throughout elementary school). When they get home, they jump right into homework, which can take hours depending on the grade! Factor in mealtimes, music lessons, family commitments and the time spent getting ready for bed, and it’s easy to see why our kids are spending less time outside.
It doesn’t have to be like that, though. We just have to get more creative, think outside the box a bit. Here are a few of my favorite ideas to spend more time outside with our kids! Plus, keep reading to find out how you can help a school win a new playground and win some great prizes, including free Culturelle® Kids Chewables, for yourself!
Creative Ways to Spend More Time Outside
Obviously, some of these ideas are weather permitting! Still, even if it’s cold out, they’ll help you brainstorm other creative ideas!
1. Do homework outdoors
Find a that’s free of wind gusts and set up an outdoor homework station. You could set it up on your deck under the eave, beneath a giant oak tree, or even partially outdoors in the entrance to your shed. Give your child activity breaks every twenty minutes or so. Let them get up and run around, play a quick game of catch, or anything that gets them moving. Not only will the fresh air and active breaks improve their concentration, but it will also boost their morale.
2. Eat dinner al Fresco
Another super simple way to get outdoors as a family: eat your meals on your back porch or a picnic blanket at least once a week (if weather permits). When you’re finished eating, take a stroll around your back yard and talk about your day together.
3. Create a backyard bucket list!
We have bucket lists for everything from places to visit to foods to try. I’ll be honest, I’ll probably never get to check off “visit Madagascar,” but I can check off fun things that I want to try in my own backyard! Ideas include: make an obstacle course, build a treehouse, hang a tire swing, spend more time at our lake, and so on.
4. Learn a new outdoor hobby as a family
Whether it’s dusting off the old bikes or pulling on a pair of roller-skates, learning a new outdoor hobby as a family can be a lot of fun. I have a confession to make: I actually forget how to ride a bike! I know, they say you never forget, but it’s true! I want to get myself a bike and relearn because my son doesn’t like to ride alone.
5. Pick a new park or playground every week
Now for my favorite creative way to get outdoors as a family: pick a new playground or park to visit every weekend! Did you know that most school playgrounds are open to the public after school hours and on the weekends? We have about 20 elementary schools within a 20-minute drive from my house. We also have about four major city parks and a few state parks that aren’t too far away. Make a list of every playground and park in your neighborhood that allows public access, then start checking them off!
Speaking of playgrounds, I have a really awesome sweepstakes to tell you about! You could help a school in need get a new playground AND win some amazing goodies for yourself! Let’s see how!
Help your favorite school win their dream playground!
Culturelle® Kids has partnered with KaBOOM! to build a new playground for one lucky school in need! If you haven’t heard of KaBOOM!, they are a national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids safe places to play.
Each day, vote for your favorite school to win the playground of their dreams, and you’ll also be entered to win a $100 Target® gift card and free Culturelle® Kids Chewables! Make sure you come back daily until March 16, 2018. Every vote earns bonus entries into the Project Playground Sweepstakes.
The Project Playground program is an investment of $100,000 to build a new playground for one school in need.
It makes sense that Culturelle®. would partner with KaBOOM! in this amazing cause. The two go hand in hand! Outdoor play has key immune-boosting effects, like the probiotics in Culturelle Kids®.*
Head over to the Culturelle® Kids website and vote for your favorite school today!
Do you have any other great tips for creative ways to spend more time outdoors with your kids? Share below!
This post is sponsored by Culturelle® Kids. All opinions are our own.
We enjoy picnics and playgrounds – good ideas. Love the tips!!
These are such great ideas. I see to it that I give my Sunday to my kids. We go to Church and buy some foods and eat in our yard.
We spend as much time as possible outdoors, giving NYC weather. But I am loving your tips!
I cant wait to have my own family so I can do some of these things. I think eating outside as a family is an amazing idea and even doing homework outside when the weather is better will be nice to do with kids too.
I like the idea of visiting a different park. We have so many in our area that we drive by and never stop at. It would be good to actually get out and try them out!
As the weather starts to warm a bit, it always nice to get outdoors for some fresh air. Even just doing homework outside or going the park can give your kids a chance to beat the winter blues.
It is funny that I read this post during a powerful noreaster storm we are having here, not exactly outdoor play time weather. It is so important to get the kids off their tablets and get exercise outside a little each day, weather permitting.
That’s so great that you are partnering with KABOOM to help support kids by building a playground. I love the idea of getting kids outdoors, and have fond memories of dining al fresco as a child. I want to do that with my daughter.
I love these ideas! One of the best ways to show our kids that outside play is fun – and to get in some quality time – is to head out there with them.
I love spending time outside with the kids. We usually go on hikes! I think these are all awesome ideas as well! Definitely perfect for spending time outdoors!
Peanut is already talking about how we can start having dinner outside. She wanted to today, but it snowed…and our picnic table and all are still put away from the winter.
These are such great suggestions! No kids yet but keeping these in mind for the future.
These are great suggestions on ow to spend more time outdoors! I love the idea of going to a new park/playground each time. That definitely helps get things fresh.
I encourage my kids to spend more time outdoors. It’s healthier for them and I think it’s a great way to inspire them to be more active! Love the ideas that you have!
I love the ideas. Quality time is really important to a family, especially to kids. So I always make sure that even if I am too busy we spend time together with thr whole fam during weekends, eating and watching movies outside.
These are great ideas! We try to go out for a walk or bike ride 3-4 times a week. The girls love it and we get our exercise in!
These are great suggestions. Sometimes I really miss the days of my girls being young and playing outside.
These are great tips to get kids outside more. My kids love running around the yard. They could spend all day out there!
We homeschool, and when the weather is nice, we take our work outside. My daughter loves laying a beach blanket out on the grass!
What a great and well-timed reminder! It gets too hot too quick in Georgia. If I don’t plan to do this now, it will get too hot to do some of these items!
Whenever I talk to parents, I definitely suggest that they spend more time outdoors with their kids. I think these are brilliant ways to do that!
We love getting outside and kicking the soccer ball around the yard or going to the park!
I would love to get thew kids outside. I wish we had some more room to do some of this stuff!
I really wish I could be outside with my kids more often. We always have a good time.
Now that the kids are older, we have to get a little more creative in our ways to spend some quality family time outside. They’d rather hang out with their friends so we have to get creative. We recently stayed in a yurt. The kids loved it. Something different and lots of new adventures.
We love eating dinner as picnics in our backyard! It is such a fun and easy way to be outside.
I enjoy checking out new parks. Being outdoors is so important for all of us. I’m from Michigan and even on the coldest days, we can bundle up and visit a park to explore.
Our kids lived outdoors when they were young. Now my grandkids live outdoors. No electronics just running and playing.
We are outside all the time once our weather warms up. We really don’t even need an excuse.
I like the idea of doing homework outside. I am all for getting some fresh air, I find it increases my productivity.