If you're like our family, sometimes getting our kids outdoors and away from screens can be a bit of a challenge! Especially now they are older. But every single time that we do, it's always worth the struggle. Here are a few ideas that have helped us over the years.
Nature Walks
These are always brilliant with toddlers and younger children. Play nature bingo as you go looking out for insects, flowers, trees, birds to make it fun! For older children walk to see something unusual. we have a few near us, the ruins of a very old plane crash on the moors, an old abandoned village in the middle of nowhere (which is quite spooky), a reservoir that covered an old village which you can sometimes see when the water is low. The promise of a hot chocolate or pub tea at the end always seems to do the trick too!
Nature Crafts
Again these are always brilliant with toddlers and younger children. Making collages from leaves, flowers and other nature finds or simply collecting pine cones. For older children whittling is great fun. You can use a vegetable peeler if they're not ready for a pen knife or whittling knife yet.
Camping
Camping is fun for all ages! Get them to help build a camp fire (this is also great for teaching fire safety), toast some marshmallows and everyone will be happy.
Gardening
Children are never too young to start gardening! Planting seeds is such a wonderful activity. If you have space a vegetable patch it will keep everyone busy with weeding, watering and picking/digging the various produce. They can also help with cooking them for dinner too!
Outdoor Play
Outdoor play gives children lots of wonderful fresh air and gets them out of their four walls and away from screens. You don't have to have a massive space - just setting up water activities or a mud kitchen for younger children. Or a basketball hoop attached to a wall of the house for older kids, or a tree swing if you have space.