How to Get Your Kids to Play Outside More

Do you have one of those kids who doesn’t like to play outside? It’s too hot. It’s too wet. It’s too cold. It’s boring. There’s always an excuse as to why they’d much rather stay inside. But as parents, we know that getting outside playing, exercising and exploring is so important, making it very frustrating when they just won’t go. So, we’ve put together some tips and ideas on how to encourage reluctant kids to play outside more.

Encouraging Reluctant Kids to Play Outside

Whether they’re device and screen lovers or simply engrossed in what they’re doing inside, we’re hopeful that some of these ideas will encourage your reluctant child to play outside more:

Active hour – introduce a compulsory active hour, where everyone heads outside for some fun. By establishing this as a daily routine, it will get easier.
Phone a friend – kids are often more willing to play outside if they have a friend with them.
Use a fitness tracker – see how many steps your child can do in one lap around the garden, in five minutes or during a game of soccer.
Wear the right gear – being wet and cold is uncomfortable, so dressing your child in weather appropriate clothing such as our overpants and coveralls is a smart idea. It also encourages us as parents to get the kids outside more, as their clothes remain clean and dry!
Create challenges – race against each other, learn something new or set up an obstacle course.
Share your childhood outdoor activities – what games and activities did you enjoy playing outside? Teach your child about them.
Go on a treasure hunt – create a list of things to find outside, such as a yellow leaf or purple flower for your child to find. They could even hide some of their treasures and help you to find them!
Ask for ideas – let your child decide where they’d like to go on a walk or what they want to do outside today. Often this encourages a huge buy-in.
Build a mud kitchen – this is such a cool activity to play with again and again!

But wait, there’s more…Our Muddy Kids Pack combines our coveralls, overpants and wet bag into a special money saving deal for you, easy on your wallet and certain to reduce your washing. There will be no excuses not to get outside and have fun anymore, regardless of the weather.

For messy play inspiration and fun crafts and activities for kids sign up to our newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more inspiration.