Bec Judd: 5 fun activities to get your kids outdoors these holidays

ARTICLE

25 November 2021

4 mins read

Wellness

Summer is here, and Bec Judd has some ideas about how you can make the most of it as a family.

There are plenty of benefits in getting your kids outside. From spending time together as a family to learning about nature and how the world works, outdoor activities are great for development.

Not all my kids are bursting to playing outside. I have one who’s very keen, two who are alright, and one who isn’t a fan. However, when they eventually go out and play, they always have the absolute best time.

It’s easy to stay inside with their creature comforts, but your kids will often be happier (and healthier) after they’ve played outdoors.

Here are five fun ways to get outside as a family this summer.

Take a nature walk

There are lots of lessons to learn from a simple nature walk. Everything you see could be a teaching topic – the weather, seasons, flora and fauna. Nature is all about kids having to use their imagination.

Coming out of lockdown, we’ve had a lot of time to be outdoors as a family. We take the time to observe our surroundings and interact with nature – for example, looking at flowers and leaves on trees. Are they falling? Is it new growth? Are we sneezing because of pollen? It’s easy to string these lessons together when they’re all around you.

Go to the beach

We also love heading to the rock pools near us, where we see fish, crabs and sea stars. We never run out of things to talk about. We turn over heaps of rocks, too. I guarantee you, to a kid, there’ll always be something cool underneath a rock.

You can collect things from the beach and do some arts and crafts. We also look at litter, and discuss its impact on the water and the animals.

Jump on a bike

Our family does a lot of bike riding, and it’s a great environment for the kids to experience controlled risks. For example, we’ll go down a hill – I’ll be on one end of our bicycle train, and my husband on the other – so the kids get that feeling of independence and exhilaration.

They’ll process these internal questions like, ‘How fast can I go?’ or ‘Am I going to hurt myself?’ These learning opportunities are great for their development.

Bec’s tips for busy parents

After-school sport with a club is a great way to get kids outside.
If you can, add sports equipment (like a basketball hoop) to the backyard. It’ll draw your kids outdoors.
Go easy on yourself if you’re time poor during the week. Aim to get outdoors together on the weekend.
Pencil in a beach catchup or barbecue with friends. You can socialise while the kids get some play in.
Make sure your kids always use sunscreen outdoors – it’s important to teach them to be sun smart from day one.

Visit a playground

There are plenty of growth opportunities for children at playgrounds and parks – things like controlling their impulses, self-awareness and learning social concepts like turn-taking and problem-solving.

We recently went to an amazing park on Halloween that was full of kids. Lots of them were racing around and being quite rough, and there was plenty of crazy (and potentially dangerous) play equipment.

It’s important to encourage your kids to have a go. Just watch from afar and make sure they’re safe. These play opportunities are absolute gold.

Explore your backyard

Outside play helps children use their creativity and imagination. Once, I encouraged my kids to play in the backyard when they told me there was nothing to do. I watched them come up with their own obstacle course based on Survivor. They had to climb up a tree, jump down, collect some balls and run around from corner to corner. It was incredible.

As parents, you can give your kids some tips on what they can do outside, but let their imagination take the lead.

Rebecca Judd

AIA Ambassador Rebecca Judd is one of Australia’s busiest and best known television and media personalities. She's also a Speech Pathologist, wife (to AFL legend Chris Judd) and a mother of four busy kids. She's essentially a self-taught expert when it comes to raising kids while prioritising your own physical and mental health – and she's looking forward to sharing all of her wellness tips with OneLife readers.

Disclaimer:
This is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser, or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.

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