People often see getting their children to be active as a challenge, but it really shouldn’t be. Most children are naturally active – it’s only when we stick them in front of screens for hours on end that they start losing interest in it. This is why it’s important to instil a love of going out early in them and cultivate it through your actions. Here are three easy tips for getting your kids to enjoy the great outdoors.
Plan Cool Activities
Going for an afternoon hike might sound like a perfect idea for you, but it might not be for a 9 to 12-year-old. So, you might have to spruce things up a bit. Why not rent a cabin and ride the trails on quads instead? You’ll be hard-pressed to find a teen or pre-teen who doesn’t like riding, especially if they get their own ATV. One option would be to go for an electric quad bike. You can browse these electric quad bikes at kids-quads.co.uk. They have a wide selection of electric quad bikes for all ages, including for children as young as 4 all the way up to 16 and up. Their bikes are also very affordable to buy and run, with some models starting as low as £399.95.
Take the Video Games Outside
If your children are homebodies, they’re probably huge fans of video games too. But what if we told you that you can find outdoor activities that might be appealing to the gamer in them? We’re not talking about Pokémon Go here, though it’s not that bad of an idea. We’re talking about activities that combine the excitement of video games, while still allowing them to be active.
For instance, if they like racing games, or better yet, go-kart games, why not get them into go-kart racing? Or, if they’re into shooting games, then paintball or even something more hardcore like airsoft could help them burn calories while having fun. Paintball in particular can be very demanding, and a whole day of paint-balling could count for a whole week of exercise. Not only that, but you won’t have to beg them to do it either.
Have a Fun Garden
You can plan an obstacle course in your garden, set up a playground, or buy a water polo set for the pool if you want your children to actually enjoy going out. Or, you could go for something simple like a badminton net. Children usually love these kinds of games, and they’re a great way to get the whole family involved.
Another thing you could do is try to get them into gardening. Gardening is a deceptively demanding activity, and children love the idea of being able to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Just make sure to get them involved in every step of the way, from the choice of crops, to planting, to maintenance.
These are all great ways that you could instil a lot of the outdoors and physical activity in your children. You can try some or all of these activities if you want to change your couch potatoes into the active and happy children they should be.
