As we seek to improve and maintain the health of our children, we will need gift ideas to encourage outdoor play. Playing is a crucial part of development for all children from toddlers all the way up to 10-year-olds or even older! Let’s get our children outdoors and as healthy as they can be!
Benefits of Outdoor Play
Children benefit from playing outdoors because they get more space to exercise. All those muscles and bones can stretch and roll so much more freely when they are unrestricted in the great outdoors. More exercise means less pediatric obesity.
Playing in nature is also known to improve your mood. That means children will be happier if they get to be close to nature.
It’s also a good idea for children to get downright dirty. Studies have shown that many modern ideas of a perfectly clean child may be the cause of weakened immune systems. This has led to an unprecedented increase in cases of conditions like asthma and autoimmune diseases.
Not good.
But encouraging children to play outdoors also benefits stay-home moms.
How?
Well, think about it – imagine how clean and orderly the indoor space will be when all the action is kept outside! Less cleaning for me is music to my ears!
So, how do we get our children excited about going outside in the first place?
It starts with developing a family culture of, and love for being outside.
In our family, we have managed to raise nature-loving children by implementing the following:
- Going for walks after dinner (or when the weather is fine).
- Being overly appreciative when my little daughter brings me flowers.
- NOT passing on my squeamishness – by that I mean, when my children point at a yucky frog or squiggly earthworm and ask me if they can touch it, I say YES! (Then I secretly gulp and squeeze my toes…)
- Taking the time to show each other interesting things in nature – the other day I was yelled at to come see something that turned out to be migrating ducks in a v-line..so cool! Or when we see ants carrying eggs, we always call someone else in the family to come and see.
Other than that, here are some gifts you can give to your children to encourage them to go outdoors more!
How do I Encourage my Child to Play Outside?
Binoculars
Binoculars will spark any child’s desire to go outdoors. This gift idea may even get them asking for camping and hiking trips.
When shopping for child-friendly binoculars, look for waterproof models that have good reviews. You don’t want something that’s going to fall apart on the first of many falls, or that will malfunction if you get caught in the rain,
Bicycles
Bicycles are a timeless part of many childhood experiences.
They are a fun way to get exercise while having friendly racing competitions or even to go exploring. Even your youngest child can join in if they have tricycles or bicycles with training wheels. That’s how my oldest daughter learned until she could go without the training wheels.
Balls
Nothing can inspire a desire to go out and play like a simple ball.
It could be a giant beach ball or a small tennis ball. I tend to select balls somewhere in the middle like a football (well, soccer ball for my American friends!)
Balls are almost hard to shop for because they come in so many varieties of colours too!
Swings
Swings are great for outdoor play. They can be homemade or store-bought. They can be free-standing on a dedicated stand or attached to the favourite tree on your premises.
What I like about swings is how easy they are to use. Of course, the younger ones might need more help at first.
But when they get the hang of it, you might end up gulping or feeling your heart shake a few times when you start seeing them fly through the air!
Skipping rope
Skipping ropes bring back fond memories of childhood in Jamaica.
Those were the days when playing was always equivalent to playing outdoors. Most of us had no idea of a concept of indoor playing – it was almost an oxymoron to talk about playing inside the house. lol
Today there are so many styles, colours and lengths of skipping ropes to choose from.
I love to go plastic-free as much as possible, so those made from cotton and wood are the best picks for me.
Magnifying glass
While there may be uses for a magnifying glass indoors, it will also be a good gift to draw the curious child outdoors.
They will be busy looking at ladybugs, flowers, ants, leaves, the dirt, everything! A gift like this needs no charging, no plugs, no batteries. Your child can simply grab and go.
I recommend brands that use wooden handles and frames like this one:
Nature book
Books are one of the items I designate for rainy days when the children are not able to go outside. But a nature book is actually a different kind of book, especially if you live in a community where they have wildlife to look for.
Nature books will pair up nicely with binoculars or magnifying glasses, so bear that in mind if you’re looking for a gift combo for your child.
Wagons
Children love to collect things sometimes.
I always have to be dealing with all the “pretty” rocks and “treasures” my children take into the house. And then there are all the flowers, and odd items they bring in.
If they had a wagon maybe they could go treasure hunting and keep their treasures in one place.
(I can see it now..).
Bow and arrow
Nothing says outdoors like a bow and arrow set.
A bow and arrow are one of the gift ideas that will definitely encourage outdoor play.
It inherently makes you feel like going outside, hunting, hiking, all the things of the great outdoors. This will be a favourite for your boys but don’t be surprised if your girls get in on the action too. (Mine did!)
Fishing gear
The great outdoors isn’t just made out of dry land. God made bodies of water too!
So, if you live near rivers, lakes, ponds or the sea, your child might enjoy having fishing gear as a gift for the outdoors.
Now don’t say you have never gone fishing before or that you know nothing about fishing.
Watch a couple YouTube videos, read some books, hang out with some more experienced fisher folk, and take your children on a fishing adventure!
Telescope
One of my favourite things to do as a child was to observe the night sky.
If you want to inspire your child to play outdoors while standing in awe of God, a telescope is a great gift idea.
Beginner telescopes are portable and are an excellent gift that can be used to get the whole family together. Imagine taking this on a fishing camp or even just a backyard camp with the family.
Seeds
We happen to have some seeds being kept in the refrigerator and for some reason, my children keep going outside to plant something.
That makes me realise that by just having seeds, you might be able to get your children going outdoors more.
My children come every day with a report on how their plants are doing – a new blossom, new germination, even digging up carrots before time to report that they had started showing roots.
I also notice how knowledgeable they are becoming about plants. They are able to recognise seedlings that I knew nothing about when I was their age.
The conclusion? Get some seeds for your child as a gift and you will see them playing outdoors more! You can choose one specific kind of seeds or go for a whole range.
Beach tools
Like I said before, we should not forget that playing outdoors isn’t limited to the dry land.
That’s why a cute and practical gift for outdoor playing is a beach tool set.
I recommend metal ones with wooden handles just so we can help turn down the plastic we bring into the environment.
Hammock
While not necessarily a playing item, a hammock will inspire more trips outdoors.
That means when your child gets up from the hammock, he or she is more likely to stay outside and play.
You can choose hammocks that you have to connect to stands or trees, or you can get a complete hammock set that is free-standing.
You should also verify the weight capacity of the hammock you choose. Some can only accommodate a little over 200lbs, while others can take over 500lbs.
Compass
There is something about a compass that sparks the idea of discovery, exploration and adventure.
Your children can pretend to be the Swiss Family Robinson trying to navigate their way on the open seas. They can go on camping and hiking trips and try to find their way home without GPS.
They will only be limited by their imagination.
Metal detector
If you have access to open land or long stretches of beach, you can give a metal detector as a gift to encourage outdoor play. It is not only fun but also a STEM activity for your homeschooled children.
Metal detecting can even end up becoming a lifelong hobby.
Kite
How could we think of giving outdoor gifts without mentioning kites?
Whether homemade or store-bought, a kite is a perfect reason a child needs to get outside, so long as the weather permits.
Headlamps
When my children got their headlamps, they couldn’t wait for the sun to set so they could go on their nighttime adventures. They were looking for frogs, peering across bushes and having their version of camping.
It’s amazing how much creativity a simple headlamp can spark in a child. Of course, in order for this gift idea to work, you will have to be in a safe place for nighttime frolicking.
Zipline kit
A zipline kit is the ultimate backyard adventure gift. It is a great gift idea that can work even if you don’t live in the countryside.
So often we assume that playing outdoors can only happen when you have acres of land at your disposal, but zipline kits prove this isn’t always true.
Shop around for the length you think would work best for your space.
Gift Ideas to Encourage Outdoor Play
As you look for gift ideas to encourage outdoor play, you will find that there are also kits that have a combination of some of the items mentioned. For instance, here is one that is a nature kit for children:
It has a compass, binoculars, bug net, magnifying glass and even safety goggles. So, if you are thinking of getting several different items, check this package out and see if you could get a good deal on them in one go.
Which gift will you be giving to encourage your children to play outdoors?
Let me know in the comments!
