How To Get Your Kids Outdoors More

There’s plenty of fun and fresh air just beyond your front door. But getting your kids to actually head outside can be a challenge.

At Posh Peanut, we understand the importance of kids enjoying playtime which doesn’t just involve their iPads, tablets, or streaming services. Here are some of the most important reasons why your child should spend more time outdoors. We’ve also compiled a handy list of fun things to do outside that will entertain your entire family, no matter what the season. 

Having kids play outdoors isn’t just about burning off their restless energy, though that is a great benefit. When kids head outside to engage in outdoor play, they get the chance to improve their physical being, as well as develop stronger mental and emotional capabilities. Read on for the benefits children get when they spend more time outdoors.

Improved Motor Skills

Playing outside is an opportunity for kids to challenge their physical endurance. If they are running around, skipping and jumping, or climbing the monkey bars, they are improving their motor skills. These acts are beneficial to their evolving coordination, balance, and agility.

Strong Bones and Better Immune Systems

Kids need plenty of vitamin D to help build strong bones and prevent rickets, a condition where children’s bones can soften. Vitamin D also strengthens our immune systems. We need sun exposure to make vitamin D, so playing outside will make sure your kids are getting just what they need.

Healthier Bodies

Obesity can trigger many health issues in a child, such as diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular challenges. Playing outside can help children get the daily movement their bodies need to maintain a healthy weight. Experts advise that children be active for an hour every day, and studies have shown that children burn more calories when they are playing outdoors, so it's a win-win for all.

Better Sleep

Got a kid who is a night owl? Playing outside may help your child fall asleep earlier. ​​When children spend time in the sun, their bodies become more naturally in tune with day and night rhythms. The brain actually shifts into a drowsy state as it grows dark, which should help your children establish an earlier and more consistent bedtime. It’s one they'll look forward to if they get to wear their favorite pajamas. 

Improved Mood

Exposure to sunlight increases the release of serotonin, a hormone in the brain which boosts mood and helps kids and adults feel calmer and more focused. Being outside will help your kids feel happier than if they are cooped up inside all day long.

Greater Social Skills

Participating in outdoor games and sports gives your child a chance to socialize with others, learn to respect their peers, and become comfortable working with a team. These skills are crucial as they grow up and become a functional part of society. Studies also show that children who play outside are more likely to develop observational and reasoning skills, according to a study by Harvard University.

Sharpened Eyesight

Yes, being in the sun may make your child’s eyesight better. Studies have shown that kids who spend more time in sunlight are less likely to suffer from myopia, which is nearsightedness. Being outside gives kids’ vision a break from close-eye stimulation, such as reading or online surfing. 

Appreciation for the Environment

Want your children to have a greater appreciation for nature? Have them play outside! While outdoors, children can interact with our greatest natural treasures. They can climb trees, plant gardens, smell the flowers, observe creatures outside like squirrels, birds, and bugs, and dig in the dirt. Having this first-hand experience with our earth can make them more appreciative of it, and more inclined to take care of it once they are grown.

Continued Dedication To Movement

We know how important it is for us all to get more movement in our lives. It can be hard to commit to a daily regimen of exercise if we start at a later age. Allowing your children to play outside will get them familiar with moving and using their bodies actively, a habit that will most likely stay with them as they get older.

Limited Tablet Time

Kids today spend an inordinate amount of time looking at screens. Playing outside unplugs them from this addictive digital pastime. Dedicated outdoor time gives children a chance to reap all the benefits listed above while improving a child's behavior and emotional well-being.

Kids need to be comfortable when they are outside playing. They may sweat or get wet, and it goes without saying they are going to get dirty. Your kids can have fun without the fuss in Posh Peanut tops, bottoms, and rompers, which are elasticized at the bottom to avoid tripping over too-long hems. Our clothes are made out of Viscose from bamboo, which makes them easy to care for. They also have a little stretch so your child can reach, tug, and pull easily. If it’s chilly out, they can always slip into our sweaters and joggers.  We’ve also got your kids covered from head to toe, with our adorable collection of headbands and socks. 

Here are other items you should have on hand for your children to play outside:

• Sunscreen
• Raincoat
• Rain boots
• Baseball caps
• Helmet (if they are riding bikes)
• Sneakers or gear shoes
• Bathing suit
• Sunglasses

Ready to be in the great outdoors? These fun outdoor activities for kids are sure to put a smile on your little ones’ faces. Whether you plan to do outdoor activities for kids at home or want to try some outdoor nature activities for kids, these ideas can be done together in the sun, shade, and moonlight!

Ride A Bike

Start with your toddler on a tricycle, and then graduate your little ones to a standard bike with training wheels. When they are ready, remove the training aids and watch them roll!

Blow Bubbles

All you need are bubble wands and a soap mixture. Want to make your own? Pour 1/2 cup of dish soap into a large cup. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the dish soap in the cup. Measure 2 teaspoons of sugar and stir it into the water/soap mixture. You’re ready to blow!

Look For Cloud Shapes

To get this activity started, all you have to do is look up! Have your children stare up at the sky and pick out different shapes they see in the clouds, such as animals or modes of transportation.

Make A Paper Plane

Let’s see just how far your plane can go! Watch this video on how to make a paper plane, and then test your work outside. It’s a great way for your little one to learn more about gravity.

Build An Outdoor Fort

Time to put that lawn furniture to good use! You children can arrange chairs, tables, and outside toys in different ways and create a little kingdom that’s all their own.

Play Hopscotch

This skip and hop game has been around for generations. Draw the numbers 1 to 10 on the ground with chalk, alternating between one box over two boxes. Players toss or place a rock into a box, and hop around it before retrieving it on the way back. See how the game is played here.

Fly A Kite

Test the strength of the wind and let this flying toy take flight. You can make your own with some construction paper, a dowel, and yarn. 

Have A Water Battle

Whether it’s with balloons or water soakers, these outdoor water activities for kids allow them to cool down while getting totally drenched.

Host A Picnic

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches taste even better when they’re eaten outside! Don’t forget to pack your child’s picnic snacks in our durable lunch bags.

Tour The Town

Take a walking tour of your neighborhood or a neighboring town to discover new fun places, like a playground or a child-friendly restaurant.

Hit The Playground

Take your kids to the nearest playground and let them climb, slide, and swing on the equipment available.

Find Natural Treasures

Your kids can look for pine cones, acorns, flowers, bugs (if you can stand it!), and other items to learn more about the great outdoors, especially when dressed in our Spring Florals collection.

Pitch A Tent (In Your Own Backyard!)

Turn your own backyard into a camping ground! You can pitch a tent outside for your child to play in, or if your children are a little older, make setting up the tent a family activity. 

Watch A Movie Outdoors

It’s movie night under the stars! Use a commercial screen or string up a white sheet and project your favorite family film onto it, maybe something from the 90s?

Play A Game

Along with hopscotch, you and your family can play classic outdoor games such as Red Light Green Light, Kick the Can, or Red Rover.

Get Sporty

Let your child express their athletic side by playing softball, tennis, volleyball, or any sport they enjoy. All you need is the equipment.

Wash the Car

You’ve got to get it clean anyway. Make it a fun family activity with plenty of soapy water and sponges.

Work In the Garden

Your kids may be a little more into eating their vegetables if they grow them themselves. Allow your children to dig up dirt, plant seeds, and water their own little garden patch.

Set Up A Stand

Your kids could set up a lemonade stand, host a yard sale, or sell their own DIY products, such as lanyard bracelets. They’ll get a chance to flex their entrepreneurial spirit. Just make sure to research your town’s laws on selling items on the street.

Seek A Local Outdoor Excursion

Now is the perfect time to find local outdoor activities close to where you live, such as mini golf courses, botanical gardens, and local amusement parks, just to name a few. Just type “things to do near me outside” in your browser and see what outdoor adventures await you! 

If you live in an area where the climate changes per season, you can add these outdoor fall activities and outdoor winter activities for kids to your list. 

Pick Some Apples

Early fall is the ideal time to go apple picking with your family. Check your area to find a family-friendly orchid. Continue your outdoor activities and bob for apples when you get home.

Jump The Leaves

When the leaves change color and fall off the trees, you and your children can make huge piles of leaves to jump into. Or try a line of smaller leaf piles where they can jump from one pile to the next.

Play In The Snow

Whether your children are making snow angels, snow people, or snowballs, playing in the snow is such a fun activity to do in the winter. Make sure your children are adequately bundled up to keep them warm as they play in the cold.

Get On A Sled

Got a hillside covered in snow? You and your children can race down the side in a commercial sled or experiment with making your own from ordinary household items like cardboard or a trash can lid. 

Getting your kids to play outside doesn’t have to be difficult. Try a bunch of different outdoor activities with your child and see which ones hold their interests. You can then incorporate their favorite choices into your weekly routines. We’re pretty certain you’ll see them putting down their tablets and picking up their jump ropes for a little fun in the sun. And they can do it all in our most comfy Posh Peanut two-piece sets, designed to let your kids be fashionable while at play!

Do you have any secrets on how you get your kids to play outside. Please share,  we’d love to hear them! Be sure to follow Posh Peanut on Instagram and Facebook for the latest product releases, to enter giveaways and be the first to know about upcoming sales events!