We live in a society where our media rooms and 
televisions are getting bigger, our back yards are getting smaller, and our time schedules are getting far too crowded. Children are becoming more reluctant to be out exploring the great outdoors and have a greater desire to be indoors and entertained. Recent research by industry group Turf Australia has found “Australian kids under 12 spend an average of more than 16 hours a week, or 2.3 hours a day, in front of a screen. In contrast, the average Australian child spends 1.2 hours a day playing outside”.
When you actually stop and calculate the quality hours you have together as a family once you factor in work schedules, school hours, extracurricular activities etc., there really isn’t much time left over in a week.
This is why it is absolutely critical to make sure that those few hours you do have together are intentional and valuable in building your family relationships. This may mean that boundaries need to be put in place and sacrifices need to be made for the betterment of everyone.
We decided to share 10 ways to help encourage your family to get outdoors and spend quality time together. As parents it is so important that we set the standard and encourage our kids to make healthy choices.
1 Backyard Time – Getting outdoors doesn’t need to be big and extravagant. It may simply mean grabbing a ball and kicking it around together in the back yard, or everyone lying on the trampoline and reminiscing times gone by. By getting out there with your kids and showing them how to use the space and showing them that it is a fun space to hang out in, the kids will most likely become more inclined to use it regularly.
2. Exercise Time – Some days if we get dinner done early enough, we like to go for a short walk around the block. It’s not far, and it doesn’t take up much time, however it is a great way to blow away some of the stresses and angst from the day. We are usually home just in time for bedtime routines. If you have more time on the weekends, then find a longer route where the kids can take their scooters or bikes as you walk. If the weather isn’t great for going out and about, then why not try a 10-minute workout session with the kids. Exercise can do wonders for the soul!
3. Park Time – Since back yards are getting smaller these days, why not find a park that is close enough to home to walk to, or only a short drive away. Take a ball, frisbee, bat, or have running races, and enjoy hanging out together away from your four walls. As adults we are then less tempted to get distracted by our mobile devices or work.
4. Drive Time – Get in the car and head out to explore new roads you have never been down. This is a great way to find hidden gems! Make a game of it and get the kids to tell you which road to turn down next. While driving along choose random topics to talk about or use the time for a family meeting. Pick your favourite songs and have a family sing-along or share stories from your own childhood. This is a great activity to do on a rainy day, or when you just need to get out of the house.
5. Picnic Time – Why not try packing a picnic or picking up some simple takeaway and head to your local park, beach, or river during the week. Doing something spontaneous like this helps the week to feel less of a drag and can give you that extra energy boost that you needed to get through.
6. Hobby Time – Consider your families hobbies and interests, whether it be bike riding, sport, running, kayaking, photography etc. and try to incorporate these into your week. It may mean getting up that bit earlier to fit the time in or trying to be home a little bit earlier. Make family time a priority and reap the benefits.
7. Garden Time – If you enjoy working in the garden, then try and get the kids involved as much as possible. Have a family working bee outside and give the kids a specific task to contribute to the overall efforts. The tasks can easily be age appropriate getting everyone involved, from weeding, to planting, watering, raking, or mowing. At the end, you can all put your feet up and feel the sense of achievement working as a team.
8. Outing Time – When you have a free weekend, pick a favourite place to hang out and go there for the day. These don’t have to be expensive places, they could be as simple as heading to the bush for a walk, spending the day at the beach, river, or lake, or catching public transport into the city and being a tourist for the day.
9. Camping Time – Getting out camping with the family can be one of the best places for bonding and connecting. Take as little material things as possible and let the kid’s imaginations run wild. Let them explore around you while you put your feet up and actually stop. If it’s only for the weekend, then pick somewhere close enough to home that you can make the most of your time away. There are so many free camping spots around Australia which can make weekend getaways affordable. If you don’t like camping, then why not hire a cabin so you can still enjoy being away from home with a few more comforts.
10. Holiday Time – School holidays are a great opportunity to get out and explore. Not everyone gets this time off, however if you have the chance, then take the opportunity to get away as a family. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, overseas, or even interstate. Often there are some amazing places to visit right on our back doorsteps. Head to your local information centre or Facebook group and find somewhere new to visit locally.
As Aristotle says, “In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous”. I encourage you to take the challenge and go and discover what that is with your family. “No amount of money or success can take the place of time spent with your family” (author unknown), so go ahead and be intentional with those small pockets of time, you won’t regret it!
I’d love to hear what other things your family do to get outdoors together. We’re always after new ideas!! Leave a comment below 😊
