It's good for kids to be outdoors as it boosts their physical and mental health.
Sadly, kids live an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, with screens everywhere they look.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are so many easy ways to have fun with your children in natural environments, and best of all, they don’t cost a cent!
Here are a few ideas you might want to try…
Press flowers
This is great for creative kids. Place the flower between the pages of a book and, hey presto, you’ve got yourself a free flower press!
Bird spot
Not only is this educational, it’s also pretty fun. How many kids – or adults! – know that we have a whopping 466 species of bird in this beautiful country? You can also feed the birds in your garden.
Pack a picnic
If your child is reluctant to get out in the air, bringing food along is a good way to coax them. Simple sandwiches will do, but you could get adventurous and make a pasta salad, for instance.
Investigate a rock pool
Rock pools are great ways to give kids a glimpse into the underwater world. They won’t see Nemo or Dory, but they might spot their less exotic, distant cousins.
Hatch frogspawn
Go pond dipping and watch the amazing life cycle of a frog. Kids love seeing things grow, so get googling and learn more about the little creatures together.
Get plotting
If you’ve got a back garden, why not try growing your own vegetables? This will teach kids all about where their food comes from, and chances are they'll be keen to get their hands dirty. Carrots, turnips, broccoli and kale are just some veggies that grow quite easily here.
Go old-school
Sadly, plenty of things we did for fun as kids are practically unknown to children today. But you can change that! Make a daisy chain. Pop a buttercup under their chin. You never know, they might actually enjoy it.
Set up an easel
Again, this is great if you have an arty kid on your hands. Grab the sketchpad, paints and pencils and head to a picturesque spot of your choice. They’ll be in their element in no time.
Skim stones
Boys will love this the next time you go to the beach. It takes practice but it’s worth it when you finally get it. If your child isn’t interested, go shell-collecting instead. They make nice keepsakes from trips to the seaside.
Go Camping
You don’t even have to go very far. Set up a tent in your back garden and do some star-gazing over a nice barbecue and your kids will have a blast.