10 Ways to Get Your Kid to Play Outside

10 Ways to Get Your Kid to Play Outside
These tips from the National Wildlife Federation's Be Out There campaign will help families get a daily dose of nature—to improve children’s physical, mental and emotional well-being.
By National Wildlife Federation

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/play-outside-47060105?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr

Engage the Senses

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that kids spend, on average, more than six hours per day with electronic media. The antidote for gamer’s eye and texter’s thumb is right outside the door, where neighborhood nature offers sights, sounds—even smells—to engage and recharge all of a child's senses.

Enjoy The Simple Pleasures
Sometimes the simplest outdoor activities leave the most lasting memories for kids. Remember how to skip a stone, make a daisy chain, or blow a grass whistle?

These easy games could be making your child happier, too. Research by Cornell University environmental psychologist Nancy Wells shows that children with more exposure to nature have reduced stress levels and longer attention spans.

Host a Backyard Campout
The outdoor vacation is making a comeback! A report from the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association says that overnight backpacking went up 18.5% between 2007 and 2008. And, in April, REI’s tent sales were up 14% over the same period last year.

But if your family’s not quite ready for wilderness camping, organize a campout in your own backyard! The Great American Backyard Campout is June 27. To get the kids exciting about camping, visit Ranger Rick's Campzone.

Go On a Photo Safari
Your family doesn’t need to travel to the Serengeti to have a photographic adventure. Simply peering through a camera lens is a great way to see the world around you from a fresh perspective.

Check out some amazing amateur shots for inspiration, then head out to the backyard or a local park and put these six tricks for better pix to use.

Buddy Up with the Birds
City, country, or anywhere in between, birds are probably the most familiar wildlife we see each day. Invite them to your own green space by making homemade feeders for songbirds and hummingbirds. Or, simply enjoy their songs and calls—and see if you and your child can identify these familiar birds by sound.

See more bird conservation tips, and family friendly citizen science projects that benefit birds and other wildlife.

Walk This Way
The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services recommends one hour a day of physical activity for children. Make a walk part of your family's routine! You can play a nature scavenger hunt (pdf) to keep it fun.

To find a walking trail near you, plug your zipcode into this NWF database of parks, trails and other outdoor destinations.

Grow a Green Thumb
Gardening is a great family activity that can help teach children about so many things—life cycles, pollination, and nutrition, just to name a few. Whether it’s in your own yard or a community garden plot, why not plant a garden with your child—one to benefit both humans and wildlife? Research shows that children who plant vegetable gardens tend to make healthier nutritional choices as adults.

Get Dirty!
Kids love dirt! Put a spoon or a small shovel in their hand and they will dig a hole to China ... or make a dozen mud pies. Let your kids get dirty: A growing number of researchers believe that good old-fashioned dirt play exposes children to a myriad of bacteria, viruses and microbes that strengthen their immune systems. So, dedicate a small part of your yard as a digging station. No yard? No problem. Set aside a large container or flower box just for digging in the dirt.

To read the full article: 10 Ways to Get Your Kid to Play Outside