7 ways to encourage outdoor playtime!

We know how important playing out in the fresh air is for kids, but with screens increasingly taking their attention, they might need a little coaxing to get out and about. Here’s our top 7 tips to encourage outdoor playtime.

1. Plant a garden or flowers together with your child.

Pick the type of flowers or plants together, the tools you need (including a child friendly set), and the area of the garden. Chart the flowers growth by recording measurements and taking pictures, you could put them up somewhere inside.

2. Grow your own veg together.

Have a veg patch in your garden that you can tend, nourish and reap the rewards. As well as exercise, fresh air and fun there is the prospect of encouraging healthy eating by growing your own fresh produce.

3. Invite magic. 

Children have amazing imaginations. Embrace the magical with them. Get creative and make a fairy house or toadstools at the base of a tree. Use overgrown areas to clear paths for tunnels and caves. Plant shrubs in exciting containers like an old boot or make a mini garden in a pot. Think whimsical.

4. Rediscover nature

Imagine how exciting nature would be if you were discovering it for the first time? Your child is! There’s so much to see, even in your own garden. Bird-watching (find tips for beginners here), bug-watching, any kind of nature watching! Explore the different areas of your garden, set up bird feeders and houses to encourage more wildlife in.

5. Have a picnic.

Grab a blanket and pillows, pack some food up and go for a wander into your own backyard! The kids can help you prep and pack the picnic into a basket. You could take some teddy bears to join you, and there are fun games like duck duck goose you can play.

6. Get a play area in your garden.

If you’re in the position to get your children their very own play area, you can guarantee they’ll be outside more than in! Burn off all that excess energy with swings, a slide, a climbing frame. There’s so much choice and ranges available for all budgets.

7. Make sure your play area is safe and mud free with Safer Surfacing.

Whether it’s rubber chippings, rubber much or rubber crumb, laid loose or resin bound, give your garden a year round play surface. With rubber you don’t need to top up annually, and there’s no rotting or degradation. There are plenty of colours to choose from, from natural green or brown to bright and beautiful blue.

Need any advice about the perfect rubber surface for your child’s play area? We’re here to help! Contact us on 0151 357 1391 for friendly advice or email us at hello@safersurfacing.co.uk