Nowadays, kids find more pleasure in video games and electronic gadgets, than they do from playing outside. Unfortunately, this has led to an increase in the incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. That’s why parents need to encourage their children to be active outside. But since you can’t coerce them to do this, you need to get creative and find cool outdoor activities that they can willingly participate in. To make it easier for you, here are the top 5 activities to try with kids this summer.
- Play tennis
Tennis is one of the best outdoor sports you can play with your kids this summer. It is very physically involving, which is good for their health. It’s also a very competitive sport, which means the kids will want to stay in play for longer. Besides, it doesn’t cost much to get tennis equipment for you and the kids.
- Ride bikes together
Riding bikes is super fun and can help you bond better with your kids. You can spice it up by competing on speed or on the longest distance that one can cover in a single ride. The best thing about riding bikes with your kids is that it achieves two critical ends. First, it helps them work out and stay fit. Second, it helps you bond with them, something that’s quite hard to do when they are glued to their computer screens. Besides, bikes are inexpensive, which means you don’t have to break the bank just to have some outdoor fun with the kids.
- Go swimming
Swimming is one of the most exciting fun activities that you can enjoy with your kids over summer. If the kids are good swimmers, you can add to the fun by competing with each other. You can even set a monetary reward to it, as an incentive to keep them focused. Considering that swimming is one of the most physically engaging sports out there, you would be assured that your kids are safe from lifestyle diseases. This gives them a chance at a fulfilling life later along.
- Play on a trampoline
Trampolines have become quite popular in the last few years. That’s because they are a great way for families to spend time together. They are great fun especially for kids under 10 years, who love the jumpy feel that comes with this activity. Trampolines come in multiple sizes, and are cheap. As such, you can always get one that fits your family size, on a budget.
- Play paintball
Most kids love action movies, but that doesn’t mean that it’s healthy for them to spend their entire time indoors watching movies or playing action-based video games. You can simulate the same outdoors by playing paintball. The best part about paintball is that it’s not only fun, but also horns the kids’ critical thinking and teamwork skills. That’s because they have to work as a team, and come up with strategies on how to beat the opposing team. These are skills that they will need later along in life.
There are endless outdoor activities for kids these days with these mentioned here, or more exploratory activities such as using a metal detector to find hidden treasures. Keep an open mind and go have fun!