Getting children to play independently outside!

[TitsMcGeeee]

We have a great garden for kids, fully enclosed and safe, lots to explore and plenty to keep them occupied in the way of toys, balls, ride-ons etc. They are 5 and 3. They play fine if I'm out with them but as soon as I go indoors to do a job (I can still see them through the window) they moan and whinge and want to come back inside (to carry on with the moaning and whinging 🙄).

Is this normal and how do I encourage them to just go the fuck outside to play and give me a break from the whinging play independently?

Lock the door 😬

You could try with making it a game...

You could try with popping in to get drinks, then come back out, then pop in to put the washing on, then come back out, then pop in to make a phone call, then come back out

Train them up little by little, dont just disappear for an hour the first day!

Set them up with something that holds their attention and go inside as soon as they are engrossed in it.

Make it a rule that if they follow you inside they have to do the job you’re doing and you get to go outside and relax/play with their toys. They’ll soon want to swap.

But realistically 3 is still very little to not want to be attached go mum all the time. You’re only going to get short bursts away from them. They just love you so much! You’re their favourite toy! sorry OP!

Thanks. I've done the 'setup something, go inside when they're engrossed' but as soon as they realise they're straight back at my heels again. If they have friends round I don't see them for dust, this just happens when it's just them and me! My husband is all for building them a treehouse etc. but I don't personally think they'll play in it if we're not in it!

Does this get better as they get older?

Graded change I think. Stay outside but gradually less interest eg bury nose in a magazine, do some weeding until they are happy out there. Or put the sprinkler on I doubt they'll come in then!

Maybe 3 & 5 age gap they don't play brilliantly well together without you?

Yeah, age gap is tricky. They play together ok sometimes but 5yo much prefers kids his own age or older.