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Nurturing the Years of Wonder ( Forum Locked)
4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder

Topic: requiring out door play

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mumsrea
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Posted: Feb 21 2011 at 5:34pm \| IP Logged

I know, what a crazy title.

DS 8.5 loves to play outside, and will frequently go out at 8am before school. (Sometimes this creates a problem getting him motivated for school, but i feel it is so beneficial to him i work with it.)

DD 4.75 on the other hand has always disliked being outside. Whether it is the bugs, or the hassle of getting into the snow suit, she hates it.

I've decided that every other child in the WORLD is basically required to go outside every day (often multiple times a day, in school) and as such I will start requiring outdoor play time.

I expect whining and crying at the door, inter alia, and a big fight to get her outside. The kind of fight that is not resolved by "or you'll have to go to your room" - since that is what she wants. ;)

Advice? encouragement? reality check?

Mumsrea

JodieLyn
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Posted: Feb 21 2011 at 7:57pm \| IP Logged

Are you going outside with them? Is there something fun you can start doing outside that she would want to do? taker her dollies on a picnic? have a bit of flower bed or some pots to plant her own choice of flowers in and she'd need to go out and tend each day?

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cmmom
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Posted: Feb 21 2011 at 8:28pm \| IP Logged

"inter alia" What does this mean?

We do this... or at least I try to. I think it is important also. Charlotte Mason talks about the benefits of going outside all the time. Cmmom

lapazfarm
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Posted: Feb 21 2011 at 10:28pm \| IP Logged

I kick my kids (and grandkids) out the door on a regular basis. Builds character, I say!

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Willa
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Posted: Feb 21 2011 at 10:29pm \| IP Logged

Not so crazy, I have the same problem with my youngest. Some kids don't seem so naturally outdoorsy as others.

I think the solution does end up being going out with them, at least in my family. I try to think of ways to make this happen, like taking them to the beach in the summer. My youngest complains and is bored at first but after a few days he's worked up to it and it becomes a habit. Snacks and water bottle are helpful.

Could you have some special toys that are only for outdoors, or some special treat that is reserved for after outdoor time? Or maybe send her on a short mission at first -- finding a new flower or scribbling a picture on the driveway with sidewalk chalk -- something that gives her a way to interact with the outdoors in a way that's somewhat fun for her?

ETA: Oh, I see Jodie already suggested the motivation factor

.

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Willa
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Willa
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Posted: Feb 21 2011 at 10:34pm \| IP Logged

"inter alia" --> among other things.

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Angi
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 6:26am \| IP Logged

I give mine a choice, play outside or do an inside chore. Even the most reluctant daughter heads outside. Lol

I was not an outside kind of kid,but I believe that if the weather is warm enough they need to go outside. I do not force the issue in the cold.

On a side note- when I was teaching, one school didn't have outdoor recess from Nov to the end of Feb. Regardless of weather.

kristacecilia
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 6:53am \| IP Logged

I kick mine out everyday. Unless it's -20C or more. They have nice, warm snow gear. They don't have to stay out long (unless they want to!) But I have really found that if I don't, the natives get restless. Particularly my boys. I am not sure if it's because they are older or because they are boys, but if they don't get that energy out every 3-4 hours, they break something. Or I lose my mind. They just get too rough and we have a small house. Out they go!

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kristacecilia
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 6:55am \| IP Logged

I meant to add that, in the spring, summer, and fall, I go out with them. I go out with them in the winter unless I have a baby (like this year). Now the baby is often napping in doors and I can't hear her outdoors so I have to stay in. If the baby is up, we try to go out, too. *try*

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mumsrea
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 8:16am \| IP Logged

Thanks for the validation plus great ideas. But here is the ugly truth - I don't know what to do with myself outside with them. Please don't judge - I'm stupefied when it comes to knowing what to do generally when it comes to play and outside is even more "open" so it's nit like we can "play doctor with the babies." I have some physical limitations so Playing in the snow is out. I want to do a garden but physical limiations plus pregnancy ( due in aug) may make that ridiculous this summer.

Here is how bad I am - we have a pool and in the summer they often ask me go in with them but once I'm in I literally don't know what to play besides " I'm gonna get you" which ican only do for so long. ( obviously I'm outside with them when they're swimming. But I'm usually reading.

Becky Parker
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 10:36am \| IP Logged

lapazfarm wrote:

I kick my kids (and grandkids) out the door on a regular basis. Builds character, I say!

I agree Theresa! Besides nature hikes which we try to do, I don't go outside with my kids - that's usually the time when I run around cleaning up the house.
What works well here is that I send the kids out for 15 minutes (I set the timer). After 15 min. I call to them that their time is up and they almost always want to stay out longer. They have usually found something fun to do by then. I think the promise of just 15 minutes makes it do-able to them so they don't complain.

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JodieLyn
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 10:41am \| IP Logged

raised beds.. I've even seen some that were table height.. will let you garden without having to get down to the ground.

You don't need to "play" so much as be interested in the outdoors.. if that makes sense.. take a walk around the yard and check out whatever plants are there..

Maybe set up a bird feeder so that you can watch birds and look them up in a book and see what types there are.

Find shapes in the clouds.. go out at night when it gets warmer and look at the stars and moon.. even if you don't know or want to learn astronomy, just enjoy looking for a bit.

Have picnics, it doesn't have to be elaborate, just take a non-breakable (paper?) plate with a sandwich and fruit on it outside to eat... I only serve popcicles and such OUTSIDE

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Becky Parker
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 10:46am \| IP Logged

I just wanted to add that we also make sure our kids have "outside toys" - bikes, scooters, sleds, balls of various sizes ... whatever they were interested in. We collected them over time. Each Christmas at least one of the gifts is an outdoor toy. This year it was baseball mitts. Last year it was a trampoline for all to share, and the year before that it was sleds.
My dd, at the age of 4-5 loved pushing a doll or stuffed animal around in a little stroller, or pulling them behind her on a sled.

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Mackfam
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 10:48am \| IP Logged

mumsrea wrote:

I don't know what to do with myself outside with them. Please don't judge

Absolutely not judging!!!

I highly recommend going outside together. Relax some of your expectations of yourself. Tell yourself that you're going to go out with "less-than-enthused-about-the-outdoors" child along with any other children that want to tag along...for 10 minutes. I like concrete times because they help me see clear boundaries to what I'm about to do. 10 minutes. I'm going outside for 10 minutes to....

:: Walk around the house - 2 slow trips around the house should take care of 10 minutes.
:: Ask 2 questions that no one has to answer.
:: Observe 1 new thing you've never noticed before.
:: Stop and look at something that is intriguing/curious/pretty/new/old/smelly.

Go inside.

Do it again tomorrow.

No need to provide entertainment, just give yourself permission to wonder aloud. This helps you relax and is good modeling for your less-than-enthusiastic-about-the-outdoors child. She can see that you can walk in the outdoors and wonder.

Now, after you relax a little doing this and if you're feeling really C-R-A-Z-Y...maybe in a little while, you could pick up a little treasure you find outside and bring it in to investigate further - a leaf? a rock? a snail? an interesting twig? the list goes on. Again - NO PRESSURE! You don't have to identify them - you can try, but if you can't, that's ok, too.

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cathhomeschool
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 10:49am \| IP Logged

mumsrea wrote:

Please don't judge

Never!

I think that part of getting them out is to just "be" out yourself (I boot mine out when they're being rowdy regardless of the weather...and I don't go out there with them at those times either!). I don't think you have to play with them the whole time or even every time. That's what siblings are for.

Reading while they play is great. They can race each other or run around the yard once. They can jump rope or kick the ball. Maybe encourage them to seek out something "new" in nature: a bug, a rock/flower/weed (for your daughter that doesn't like bugs...), a cool splinter from the fence, a rusted nail... anything! They can bring it back to you and you can look it up in a field guide, draw it, be grossed out or awed by it. Do you have a swing? I like swinging on the swing outside.

Sometimes mine are happy to play if I'll just *watch.* (I have one in particular who loves to be in the spotlight!)

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wahoo92
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 11:23am \| IP Logged

It might help to start an outside "habit" just if you are outside together. You could bring a book to read or something to work on while the others play. If your daughter usually prefers inside activities, perhaps she would like the fun of bringing the inside outside. My girls have always loved the variety that comes with bringing a doll or tea set or little play figures of one kind or another outside.

If you cannot accompany them, or just want to encourage the independence, or want a break, a few ideas that mine have loved: scavenger hunt, make a list (maybe you could do it with her the first time, so she gets the idea) of items to find. You know your child, it could be as challenging or not as she would find fun. Something purple (flower, bird, insect), something that moves, two things that are square, four things that hop, what shape are the clouds today, whatever. If she can't write yet, then this could be a team event with her brother, or maybe you have an old tape recorder she could use. 2. Old cooking equipment and some water will keep my 6yo "cooking" in the garden forever, as long as you're okay with a mess 3. Nature books--buy or make a nature book or just send her out with a clip board and coloring pencils or even water colors and have her draw a bird/ tree/cloud/whatever -- you can tie this into a lesson or not Again, this can be "something special" for outside time only or not. Do you have a sidewalk, porch, or other hard surface that she can "paint" with water? Sounds silly, but kids love this. A darker surface works best. They can see the designs a while before they dry.

Obviously, we spend a lot of time outside, but I do have one child who is more resistant to going out that the others, and another that doesn't like cold. While I am sensitive to these preferences, outside time is necessary for everyone, and I don't hesitate to enforce that they go out and do something.

Best, Sarah

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ekbell
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 6:14pm \| IP Logged

I'm not much for active play outside either.

We watch birds, check out tracks, take pictures, collect bugs and sketch things as weather permits.

There's also a sandbox and a watertable plus sleds for winter but that's just for the children.

My main method of enforcing outdoors time is that as soon as it's warm enough in spring, we move our lessons outside!

Willa
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 6:30pm \| IP Logged

No judging here! I am in my late 40's and hardly ever play with my poor younger ones. But just going out to keep them company -- strolling in the yard or street, getting them to the park or playground. It seems to provide them with some security -- the young ones who feel like the outdoors is a huge scary place. I often read or sketch while they're wandering around.

I admit I rarely go out in the snow either. I have even paid my teenagers token amounts of $$ to take their young siblings out in wintertime and keep them safe and happy for a while.

I don't think it matters if they are not really "doing" much while outside -- Charlotte Mason talks about the gentle influence of Nature even when a child is just dreamily wandering. I can remember that from summertime when I was little -- the fresh air and plants and all have a wonderful effect. From an article my mom told me about it is even good for the mood and for the immune system.

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Marcia
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Posted: Feb 22 2011 at 9:54pm \| IP Logged

there's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothes.

Tip #1 buy mommy some outdoor winter/summer clothes that she feels comfy in and you have out door time everyday.

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Chris V
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Posted: Feb 23 2011 at 12:25am \| IP Logged

Marcia wrote:

there's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothes.

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