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Do you look on with pride as your child deftly navigates your device for playing music or video games? If yes, it’s important you read this.
It’s true, kids these days are great with tech toys. But that comes at a cost; entertainment being available indoors and at one’s fingertips 24x7 (literally!), kids are naturally less motivated to seek the outdoors or physical activity for excitement. This lack is linked to several growth and development issues.
It would be great to throw exciting, fun-filled outdoor activities into the mix. This helps children in developing their physical and motor skills, which has long-term benefits. Here are 5 classic, tried-and-tested outdoor activities.
1. Outdoor walks
Walking tends to get ignored because it is too low-tech and easy. But hey, it is the best basic exercise, Which can be done almost anywhere, and it is free!
A simple nature walk will amuse and divert your tot, helping him stay healthy by chasing fallen leaves and twigs, or pebbles along the way. And what about giving the little one a ride on your shoulders, to enjoy the view?
Here are a few enthusing activities you can enjoy with your bub…
Taking them for walks
A walk, anywhere, is always a great form of exercise but you can make it a special experience for your little ones. A soothing nature walk will surely fill your tot with much amusement and help in staying healthy. We bet your angel will have lot of fun playing with fallen leaves and twigs and collecting pebbles on your way. Don’t you think that at times it would be just awesome to take your baby on your shoulders and give him a top view of the way?
Here are examples from 3 cities of great spots for walks. There are spots like these in every city:
Mumbai: Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Karnala, and Matheran.
Delhi: Hauz Khas and Lodhi Gardens.
Kolkata: Botanical Garden, Butterfly Park, and Bird Sanctuary.
2. Outdoor games
Remember your childhood days playing in the gully or your backyard?
Relive that time by playing outdoor games such as hopscotch, hide-and-seek, colour-man, and so on with your kids. This is not only fun, but will also spark independence, decision making, team-work, and grit. Through questions like “where to hide?”, “what colour to choose?”, and having to face loss and victory will set a good tone for later years.
3. Cultural activities
Did you play with spinning tops, kites, or marbles as a kid yourself? These activities are cultural markers, but they’re also great games that require hand-eye coordination, visualisation, and skill!
4. Sky gazing
This is one activity you can do on your back!
Lay down during the day and name cloud shapes or identify constellations on a starry night. Encourage free-association, let imagination take over and watch them paint the blue canvas with their wide-eyed cloud tales.
Go out onto a summer night’s terrace with your little one and share your sky stories with them. Great way to bond, isn’t it?
5. Parks & recreation
Swings, slides, merry-go-rounds, rope-ways, and jungle-gyms; some things never get old. Parks are a great place for your little bundles of joy to meet other little bundles and make friends. This mixing and adjustment, in addition to being invigorating, also contributes to making them sociable.
Mums, hit these awesome places with your tots and have new adventures:
Mumbai: Essel World and Imagica.
Delhi: Appu Ghar
Bangalore: Wonderla
