If you think back to the days when you were growing up, you likely have fond memories of playing outdoors until your parents forced you to come in. The winter was perfect for outdoors because of the snow; the fall was perfect because of the leaves; the spring and summer were perfect because you could play whatever came your imagination devised! Perhaps you played outside with your siblings also, or with other children from the neighborhood you grew up in. And with these other kids, you would play sports or would play make believe all the way until dark.

Nowadays, however, it seems like a lot of kids never go outside unless they are walking to or from school. The rest of the time when they are not in school, they are watching television or playing video games or playing around on a computer. Television, video games, and computers are fine, of course, but they should be used in moderation; after all, children who play outside are healthier, their minds are stronger, and they are less susceptible to childhood obesity. Here are a few things that you can try doing if your goal is to encourage your own children to start playing outside.

If you “force” your children to play outside, they are less likely to enjoy it; recognize this, and recognize that many children will feel rebellious when they are told they “have to” do something. What you should do instead is create opportunities for your children to “discover” the joys of playing outdoors. This can be done in a couple of simple ways: 1) Limit the amount of “media time” they are allowed each day; 2) Play outside with them!

As you limit the amount of time they are allowed to spend with video games, television, and computer each day, they will begin to naturally fill their extra time with time outdoors! And if you go outside and play with your children a few times, it will further draw them out of the house and help them get started.

There are some children who will take to the outdoors quite naturally and automatically; but even if this is not the case with your children, do not despair – as you follow these tips, your children will begin to play outside more and more.