How to spend more time outdoors

[BeHereNowx32]

Hi!
Just wondering if anyone is managing to spend most of the day outside with their young children/ toddlers? And any advice on how to do this.
Where to go? What to take etc?

We go out everyday for a class and a wander, but home by lunch and then spend all afternoon watching tv. It’s getting me down. Maybe I should just take lots of toys out into the freezing garden lol

Thanks!

@SergeiL thank you! I know. Think I was just having a hormonal/ mum guilt kind of day. Overthinking making me crazy.

Still nice to get some ideas for the future though :)

@idontlikealdi haha! My DD always wants to do this. She gets so annoyed when I don’t let her pick the actual poo up!

Thanks everyone else for the ideas. Think I’m ok now :)

Not sure if you need anymore ideas! But we live in a very tiny flat so try and spend as much time out as possible. Invest in some decent waterproofs and thermals so you stay warm!. We try and spend a couple of hours in the woods a day, usually we do a picnic lunch and then the DC do scavenger hunts, build dens, ride bikes etc. We also have an outdoor playgroup once a month and have tried to incorporate some of that into our own trips.

@brambleon thanks for the tips. Sounds like you’re outside a lot. It is so good for them

Haven't rtft yet but this sounds like us!

My toddler and I are outside in all weathers as you can probably guess by my username 🤣 my toddler is 3 and I have older children at school aswell.

School run is an hour round trip on foot. We do it whatever the weather.

Plus most of our days are either spent in the garden or out at local park, nature reserve, woods etc.

One day a week we go to forest school which he loves.

Weekend we tend to go out one of the days as a family to the abive nature reserve or woods etc.

Layers and preparation are key! We all have thermal base layers, then layer up, waterproof coats / trousers / dungarees. We have lots of insulated flasks and Insulated food pots for hot picnics out and hot drinks. Also waterproof picnic mat

Hope that helps, any more questions ask away we love outdoors!

A walk with a purpose is useful - go to see a statue or something, a walkt hrough the woods collecting something, a nature trail, drink in a cafe halfway round. The best thing to do us arrange to meet a friend to do this with. That way you are less likely to not bother once you're comfy at home and the time goes quicker with someone else there.

Obv this depends on having that social network but if you do have one it might work.

'But now my DD is older I feel I need to be more imaginative with what we do. But I’m probably just overthinking it! It doesn’t need to be complicated'

I think you've got it absolutely right there. Even quite boring tasks can be interesting for them if you really engage them with it.

If you want to get out the house but not actually be outside the whole time a trip to the supermarket can be good! Go for the ingredients for something she can make (cupcakes, even just a box mix or fruit for fruit kebabs - keep it simple!). At home you can write the list together, maybe get her involved in counting out the money (if you have cash). If you normally drive, maybe take a bus or train if possible. When you get there, maybe get her to ask a shop assistant what aisle number you need and then look together at the big numbers to find the right aisle. Then let her do the self scan (if it's not too busy). Then home to make cupcakes/fruit kebabs. It's just a boring task to us, but to a pre-schooler it can be fun and educational. And will kill a whole afternoon or a couple of hours at least.

You can also write a letter or make a card. Walk to the post office. Buy a stamp. Stick it on. Post letter. Or do the same but with a parcel. Or make a card for someone/few people locally and go for a walk to post them through their doors. If you let them do each step, it really takes some time!

Litter picking is a other great one that someone mentioned upthread.

They're good ones for when you want to be out, but not actually out in the woods/park etc. because it's too cold/wet/the time really drags sometimes!

Lots of great ideas, but I do think half the day outside is plenty of time.
I think real issue is lack of indoor activities other than the TV.

So add in
Painting pictures/Art
Craft projects (build a bird house, make Christmas decorations, learn to knit/weave/sew etc)
Reading/Story time
Baking
Yoga
Building blocks/Lego
Hide and seek, Shark, Paper Airplane war and other indoor games

@Plantsandpuddlesuits sounds soo nice. I do feel like being outside makes me feel more accomplished. They sound alike fun days! :)

@Plutonium7000 yeah, you’re right. We went and met a friend at a group today. Then the walk home (round the corner) took an hour! At toddler pace

@NuffSaidSam really good idea to extend one activity for the whole day.

@PlanDeRaccordement thank you for the really good ideas. I know, I can make things accessible or set up a little activity.

Thank you everyone! I am feeling more positive today. We were out this morning again. And going at toddler’s pace to walk home took an hour. We made cakes, and I’ll do something simple after a little bit tv 🙈

Feeling more motivated and will stop overthinking things!

Where you live, is it possible to have a fire in the garden? Kids love messing around with fire, you can stay warm around it, you can have hot food. There's something very comforting about a fire.