After all the time spent inside playing video games and watching TV, nothing compares to taking a child outside to play. This has become a concern for many parents since electronic games have practically absorbed our children. Having children play outside is good for their physical and mental health. An effective way that parents can encourage their children to play outside is by providing them with toys and equipment made for the outdoors. Here are some examples.
TODDLERS AND LITTLE CHILDREN
When shopping for outdoor toys, parents should consider which toys are suitable for young children. If you have a backyard, you can consider a handmade wooden activity gym that comes with a slide, a crawl space made of tubes, and even bridges surrounded by netting. These activity gyms will provide children with hours of fun. It can also help develop their imagination and encourage them to be more adventurous.
Bicycles have always been a popular outdoor toy that children can enjoy, and since we are talking about toddlers and young children, you can buy a trike or a bicycle with training wheels.
Older children
A great outdoor toy for any child is a trampoline. Trampolines come in all different shapes and sizes, which is very useful for larger families or families that don’t have a lot of space in their backyard. Trampolines will typically last for many years if properly cared for. This also makes it a good value in an outdoor toy.
Another outdoor toy for older children is a remote control airplane. I know it doesn’t seem like a kid gets much exercise while he watches the plane fly. However, keeping in mind that the child may have to go to a park or area where there is open space, she will get exercise just by walking to and from that spot. At a minimum, you’ve kept your child away from television or computer games for a couple of hours.
Finally, I have never seen a parent go wrong with a soccer ball. A soccer ball can bring a group of children together to play for hours. Soccer balls come in different sizes and are made from a variety of materials, which can be helpful for younger children who prefer a soft soccer ball to a hard one.
If your child isn’t into very competitive sports, there’s always Frisbee or you can try a game of badminton. Either way, there are plenty of options when it comes to outdoor games for kids.
