The much awaited ‘stretch in the evenings’ is slowly arriving so it’s time to top up those Vitamin D levels:
- Make going outside as much of a planned activity as any extracurricular activity. Whether it’s a walk around the neighbourhood, a cycle or a family effort at getting the garden back in shape, try to fit it in daily with your child
- For younger children in particular, they can now get outside before bed which makes it exciting. Capitalise on that excitement by setting up little treasure hunts or looking for small bugs. Puddle-jumping and leaf picking are toddler areas of expertise!
- Bear in mind the balance between directed and free play – follow your child’s lead. You may have to hold caterpillars or give names to cars but you’ll find a new appreciation for being outside when you see it through your child’s eyes
- Play nature ‘I spy’ while walking and you’ll be amazed at how far you get
- Leave phones behind so that you can really enjoy each other’s company and connect with being outdoors
- Watching the sun going down or the moon rising never loses its appeal and provides a great opportunity to talk about the solar system
