Spring is here and we all want to be outside enjoying the wonderful weather (unless you’re in Utah and it starts snowing again). But how do you get your kids outside without them fighting you every step of the way? This dad has some ideas.
Be the Example
First, you have to be the example. It’s really hard to come home from work and jump right in, but if you come home from work and start scrolling on your phone right away, they are going to think that’s what they need to do right when they get home from school. If you want them to go outside, be the one to start it, and soon they’ll know “Dad’s home, let’s go outside and play!”
Have Fun Things to Do
The next obstacle for a lot of kids is “What do I do?” If you have room for a trampoline or a playset save up to have one or both of those in your backyard, that always is a go to for getting the kids out and getting energy out.
If you don’t have the room or budget for that right now have toys visible and accessible for kids:
- Bikes
- Scooters
- Roller blades
- Wiggle cars
Have a bin for:
- Balls
- Jump ropes
- Chalk
- Bubbles
If you have older kids you can get things like:
- Spikeball
- Ladder toss
- Paddlesmash,
- Croquet
- Portable Pickleball Net–our most used item!
As it gets warmer you can pull out a portable splash pad and sit and watch them have fun! One of my girl’s favorite things to do is a fairy garden and they will play in it for hours. Whatever it is that they like, invest in that! You know your kids best and know what will get them outside!
Set the Expectation: Outside First, Screens Later
Whenever my kid has a friend coming over, I’ve learned it pays to get ahead of it with a quick conversation. Before the doorbell even rings, I’ll throw out a few ideas of things they can do outside together—nothing fancy, just enough to plant the seed. I do this because if I don’t, somehow every hangout turns into “Can we have screens?” within five minutes. And I’m not trying to raise kids whose best memories are sitting side-by-side on a couch staring at different devices.
Some of my favorite memories growing up were just being outside with my friends, no plan, no agenda, just figuring it out as we went. So I try to recreate that a little for my kids. Whether it’s helping them set up a chalk obstacle course, grabbing a football, or just pointing them toward the backyard and letting them be bored long enough to get creative, I nudge them outside first. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just enough to remind them that the best kind of fun usually starts when they step out the door.
Follow the Parent’s Lead
If all else fails, I’ve learned there’s one move that works almost every time, and it’s ridiculously simple. Just grab a book and go sit outside. I don’t know what it is, but the second you make yourself comfortable and act like you’re enjoying a little peace and quiet, the kids suddenly decide outside is the place to be. It happens like clockwork at our house, Emily will head out, sit down for a minute, and before she’s even turned a page, here come the footsteps. It’s like they’ve got a built-in radar for “parent relaxing without me.”
So if the kids are digging their heels in and refusing to go outside, don’t fight it head-on. Just lead by example. Find a chair, soak up some sun, maybe pretend you’ve got all the time in the world. Give it a few minutes, they’ll wander out, get curious, and before you know it, they’re playing, exploring, or at least not glued to a screen. It’s one of those low-effort dad wins that feels almost too easy, but hey, when it works, it works.
Prep Now, Play Longer Later
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that my kids will play outside way longer when they can switch from one thing to the next. It’s always good to do a spring reset and set yourself up for success. There is nothing worse then thinking the kids are happily playing outside and hearing the door open and hearing “Dad, I can’t find…” So go through the bins and garage this weekend, make sure the toys are together, the bikes are working, everyone’s helmets fit, and throw away anything that was fought over last year before they find it again this year. And enjoy spending time together as a family!
