Child spending time in the great outdoors
Parenting

How to help your child enjoy the great outdoors at home

With Spring and Summer just around the corner (fingers crossed) there are so many ways that you can enjoy the great outdoors with your child at home. It’s as simple as getting out of the house, and into the garden. You’ll be surprised by just how much fun you can have. So here are some super simple ways to help both you and your child enjoy spending time in your garden.

Planting flowers and vegetables

This is a lovely activity to do together, and it will really encourage your child or toddler to get to grips with gardening and how things grow. You could give them their own plant pot, and allow them to add the compost and help by planting the seeds, bulbs or flowers. They will definitely love this, and probably enjoy getting messy at the same time. I know that my 31 month old toddler would really enjoy this activity, and would want to be updating all of our pot plants with pretty flowers.

Find their sense of adventure

Treat your garden as another playground for them, it will make some days easier for you rather than trekking to the local park. You could think about getting a slide and swing for them to play on, or even a sandpit where they can create their own beach and sandcastles. See your garden as a source of adventure for them, and it should then be a place that they enjoy spending time in.

Child playing in a sand pit

Invest in patio or garden furniture for you and your child

To ensure the best of both worlds for both you and your children, invest in patio and garden furniture from Groupon who have exactly what you need. This could be a patio table and chairs set in a style and colour of your choice, where you can relax and watch your children from. And, for your children this could be a cool wendy house or shed where they can bring their friends, or act as an outdoor space for them to play. It could also double up as a place for their scooters, bikes and outdoor toys to be stored as well.

Hunt for bugs, wildlife or birds

Whatever shape or size your garden you will be able to complete a bug, wildlife or bird hunt with your children. You could create cards that contain different types of insects, and ask your children to find them. Or alternatively you could ask your children to draw what they find. This is a brilliant way for them to learn more about the great outdoors, and the wildlife that they can find on their doorstep.

Create a mud kitchen

Mud kitchens seem to be really popular at the moment, appearing in schools, nurseries and parks. They are a brilliant way for your child to spend time outside, and a good opportunity for you to get rid of a few old pans and utensils. At the same time your child will enjoy playing with mud and water, whilst learning important social and sharing skills. If a mud kitchen seems a bit far fetched for you, just think it’s better for them to be playing outside with mud, rather than being indoors making a mess.

So those are my top tips for helping your child enjoy the great outdoors at home. Spending time in the garden when the weather is warm and sunny is a great way to enjoy the day, and you could also have an outdoor picnic at the same time as well.

How do you spend time outside with your children at home?

Claire x

How to help your child enjoy the great outdoors at home

This is a collaborative post. 

30 Comments

  • Caroline

    This is a great post and l think we sometimes feel like we have to go somewhere in the car to feel like weve done something properly but like you say theres lots of opportunity and adventures right on the door step x

  • Laura: Adventures with J

    Great tips. J loves planting bulbs but he also wants to use the cutters which are far too dangerous for him so that has caused a few tantrums! Oops. I look forward to getting the sand tray out soon. #fortheloveofblog

  • Sara @ Magical Mama Blog

    This is such a fabulous post! Our little one adores the outdoors but, unfortunately, the previous homeowner put in rock landscape in front and back and didn’t do it properly so our yards are danger zones. Our daughter loves going for family walks and going to work with Dad at the golf course so she can run around the grass. We can’t wait to get our yards fixed and get some outdoor furniture so we can enjoy it!
    #fortheloveofblog

  • Leah

    Great ideas!!! I am looking forward to getting our garden started if it ever stops raining and stays warm long enough.

    So funny that you suggest doing a mud kitchen…growing up in the country that was our greatest pastime making food from mud and various plants. My parents didn’t love the endless mudpies laying around or the big ditch we once dug across the driveway to make a stream. lol. But as a parent, living in town, I sometimes wish my kids would just go outside and get dirty.

    Leah @ Confessions of Parenting

  • jeremy@thirstydaddy

    some great ideas here. pretty much from the moment she could walk, I started taking my daughter on “adventure walks”, hikes through the woods where we would let our imaginations go free. We absolutely love it #fortheloveofblog

  • Welsh Mum Writing

    Fab ideas! Now Small Boy is a confident walker (and runner) I’m looking forward to doing some digging, planting and potting with him this year. We definitely need to get him some outdoor furniture though. #ForTheLoveofBlog

  • Welsh Mum Writing

    Fab ideas! Now Small Boy is a confident walker (and runner) I’m looking forward to doing some digging, planting and potting with him this year. We definitely need to get him some outdoor furniture though. #ForTheLoveofBlog

  • The Squirmy Popple

    If only we had a garden to play in – it’s the biggest downside of living in a flat! We can still enjoy outdoor activities in the park once spring actually arrives – it seems very far away! #fortheloveofBLOG

  • Briony

    I had a swing chair in the garden but it didn’t survive the storms last year and I never replaced it. Used to love swinging whilst he played though, I really need to sort something else out. L has his own corner of the garden, to dig, play and plant in. It’s a right mess but it’s his mess. He’s got one stick or rhubarb, some cornflowers growing. He planted some corn kernels from the bottom of our popcorn bag but he’ll be sad when they don’t grow and we’ve got some sunflower seeds to do this weekend #fortheloveofblog

  • Kate Holmes

    Nothing on Earth better than a mud kitchen – my late Dad built me s special area in the garden to cook up a mud storm! I quite fancy investing in some new outdoor furniture so I can relax whilst the children run and play outdoors – great to see them so much more interested in the gardens here now the sunshine has finally shown up. #FortheLoveofBlog and thanks for hosting

  • Mrs Mummy Harris

    Ben loves a mud kitchen and I saw one in tesco’s that I wanted to pick up for his birthday but it was over £100!! I need to find a cheaper way to do one as I’m sure there is! #fortheloveofBLOG

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