The Benefits of Outdoor Activities for the Family

If you have been following our blog for a while, you will know that we are strong believers in exploring the great outdoors. Yes, it also helps us to lead a more healthy and balanced life, but it's not just about that.  It's where we create memories with our families, have fun and do things we will never forget. After all, at the end of our days, we won't look back and say, "I wish I'd spent more time in front of my screen." 

If you think back to your childhood, the things you probably remember best are the things you did with the people you love. Memories are made at the beach, hiking with our family, or just cycling with our mates. It is a sad state of affairs these days that there is a lot of research out there showing that children are spending less time outdoors and more time indoors playing computer games and watching TV. Now, there is nothing wrong with any of this in moderation; after all, we'd be lying if we said we didn't enjoy a good Netflix binge ourselves. But, if your children are not getting outside a lot, then they could be missing out on some significant developmental and health benefits.

So, how do we encourage more young people to get outdoors? Well, one of the main barriers tends to be our glorious British weather - which we can't do a lot about, unfortunately. What we can do though, is make being out in the rain more enjoyable by designing a kids poncho towel that not only allows them to get changed anywhere but will also keep them warm and dry as well. It's a great treat to have a couple of them stashed in your car to make camping trips and days out at the beach much more enjoyable.

Although the motivation for getting outdoors with your kids should always be to have as much fun as a family as possible, there are also plenty of other benefits they can tap into as well, including:

Coordination

Active play has been proven to have a positive effect on children's coordination. Climbing on a frame, playing with a ball, riding a bike or balancing on a surfboard will all help your child learn about balance and working their arms and legs in unison. It is crucial to pick up this skill when you are young, and so the earlier on they can practise this, the better.

Creativity

Embracing the great outdoors can help your child to engage their senses and explore new ideas while discovering lots of exciting things. Being outside as a family can help the adults to disconnect from work, get us all out from behind our phones and screens, and start communicating with each other better.

Health and Fitness

The consensus from the NHS is that everybody should be active for at least 60 minutes a day - and going outside to play is fun and easy to way to stay active. There are tonnes of outdoor activities for them to take part in, from swimming and surfing to walking. Whatever you choose to do as a family, active play is one of the best types of exercises for children to undertake.

Taking a Hands-on Approach to Learning

Research has shown that we all learn better when we are doing something, rather than just trying to absorb the information from a book or video. Having fun with a play-focused approach to learning outdoors will, therefore, help to improve your child's academic performance as well.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins for humans, as not only does it prevent diseases, but it can also strengthen bone, muscles and teeth. There are supplements available which contain Vitamin D, but the easiest way to ensure you are getting enough is to go outdoors for as little as 10 minutes a day.

Hopefully, this article has inspired you to get outdoors with your family and be more active. Please share your booicore inspired activities with us on social media using the hashtag #booicoremoments