How do you encourage your children to play outside? Tell Persil for a chance to win a £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED

[PoppyMumsnet]

A new global study of 12,000 parents reveals children are spending on average less than an hour outdoors per day - and in the UK specifically 1 in 5 children never play outdoors.

In response to this, Persil is launching the Dirt is Good campaign, encouraging children to spend more time playing outdoors.

Here’s what Persil has to say: “We believe that children need plenty of outdoor play because climbing trees, building dens and just being in nature are essential for their learning and healthy development. That’s why we say that #dirtisgood. However, parents have told us that it’s getting more difficult to find time and places for their kids to play. So, in partnership with parents, educators, and other leading child development experts, we want to investigate ways to help children play and explore more so that they can learn and develop to their full potential.”

Persil wants to hear your top tips for encouraging your children to get out and play. Do you feel they have fewer opportunities to play than you did? What are the main obstacles to outside play and how do you overcome them? What, if anything, would you like to help you facilitate outdoor play for your children?

Everyone who adds a comment to this thread will be entered in to a prize draw where one winner will receive a £200 Love2shop voucher.

Thanks & good luck!

MNHQ

Standard T&Cs apply

My children have activity charts. Every week they get to choose what activities have to be added to the chart. This can range from riding scooters to school, collecting leaves, playing hide and seek, making giant bubbles, digging for worms, making dens, etc,. Each activity is worth points. The more things they do, the bigger the reward they get at the weekend. The kids feel empowered to do more as they have picked the activities and have fun completing the tasks. It is also a good way to get chores done......like hanging out the washing, or clearing leaves from the garden, or brushing the garden path.........points make prizes and my reward is sitting with my feet up for 5 minutes while the kids do the work....I mean....fun activities! ;-)

We spend lots of time in the garden, myself and dp gardening and dds joining in or finding their own entertainment, these are often stone related !!!

We've just got a dog and that's had the desired effect 😊 we've never had so much fresh air, or dirty washing 😊

I'm very fortunate that we have good parks near-by. My kids love to go outside so it easy. I do encourage them about the importance of exercise. However although you cant live sheltered lives, times have changed and I worry more and more about them being outside. Its common to see crime / anti-social behaviour and there are some very strange people in society

Get outside with them. Let them help you in the garden and out foraging. Play hide and seek with them. Take them to the park and to feed the ducks. Show them the treasures of nature and let them collect leaves or pebbles. Have pals over too.

Turn off the electricity.

Buy them really stylish wellies and this will encourage them to be out in all weathers.

We have left a bit of the garden a bit messy so they can play in the mud and learn about wildlife

Just get things ready for a a mini pic nic, a ball and a skipping rope and everyone included the dog get on line to get out on a good day!

In the summer it is easy - sandpit, water, gardening, swings, climbing frame, dens etc In the winter we go dog walking and play word games, or discover things as we go along. If need be they can earn a treat by coming for a walk. As children get older taking up a sport can help, my eldest was not sporty but he liked archery and that got him out.

Provide simple tools to aid discovery in your garden. Kids love tools! Include a bug box, trowel, magnifier, etc. And if you don't have a garden, take them to the park. Encourage them to make a tent using an old sheet and chairs and give them a rug to sit on so they can play with their toys out on the grass while you are doing your gardening or hanging out the washing.

Start young! I imagine it would be difficult to U turn on screen time and gadgets when they are a bit older. Mine don't have their own gadgets, so will happily spend any spare time outdoors!

Getting out there with them always helps, on our bikes, on a walk, doing some gardening. And turning off the Wifi.

Try and make everything fun that way I find it encourages them to want to go outside and play.

I am lucky to have lots of space outside, so for me its lots of ride on toys so then can broom-broom around creating make believe roads. The outside fresh air keeps lungs healthy, skin pink, and growing limbs exercised during the most important years of their life, which equals a healthy and happy adult.

Fortunately my kids love being outdoors. We play hide and seek if walking in our local woods, collect bits and pieces to make things with it when they get home. I always leave our wellies in the car just in case!!

Mine don't need a lot of encouragement to get outside - its more just a case of opening the door!! We are lucky to live right next to a field so in summer we play a 10 minute game of football every evening after dinner before having a bath which brings the whole family together

Get planting- mine love growing their own veg, fruit & flowers, they have hours of fun choosing what to plant & where to plant & it encourages them to eat more healthily.

Take them to the park with a ball, and make sure you join in with the fun. There are plenty of ways to get them outside. Kids love parks, beach and nature trails in the woods.

Get out there with them. When I'm out weeding, hanging washing, cleaning the car, my little one comes out to 'help' but ends up collecting snails to put them in the snail disco under the hedge or making earth castles with her bucket and spade. We're loving the better weather.

I do limit tv watching and gaming time, but actually all my four love to play out, Ive always done outdoory things like making camps in the woods, finding wild flowers, having lots of picnics, walking adventures, feeding the ducks. So basically they all play out on their bikes, play runouts and make up lots of games.

I don't need any tips as my kids always want to play outside without any need for coxing

My daughter isn't fond of rain, no matter how much I try to encourage her so when the weather is good I remind her that there might not be a day like this again and she goes out to play!

Just letting them see sunshine and another friend!

Go with them works for me!