Sharing adventures and having fun with your children outside can look different for every family, some may enjoy hiking whilst others prefer puttering about in the garden at home. However you choose to get your green time in, there are massive benefits to be reaped from just a few hours of outdoor interaction with your children.

Here are just a few of the ways you can spend quality time outdoors with your family, and the ways that doing so will benefit your children’s development and well-being.

Go on an adventure

Kids love to be outdoors, and you can sneak in many educational lessons if you get creative with your outdoor adventures. Get everyone excited to explore new places by creating a picture sheet of the local wildlife and see how many you can all spot on your walk. You can also do this with different types of fauna, flora, and fungi — teaching children to be observant and comparing the shapes and colours of different leaves, flowers, and mushrooms. Working together to tick off as many as you can find promotes positive skills such as teamwork, sharing, and problem-solving.

Outdoor play has huge positive effects on children’s development, in all areas. Ever notice how young children don’t just walk? They skip, run, jump, climb, and balance because they are driven to constantly push their bodies in order to fine-tune their gross motor skills. When you give your children the opportunity to explore new outdoor environments, they naturally expand these skills and become stronger and more sure of their physical capabilities.

Become a member of a conservation group

Spending time outside with others in a conservation community and joining in with environmental campaigns as a family has massive benefits all around. Not only does it add manpower to the efforts of the cause, but you’ll be nurturing your children’s innate desire to connect with and protect the world they live in.

Just by joining your neighbours during community clean-ups and rewilding projects, you and your family could create a pollinator’s paradise a few steps beyond your front door that can do wonders for local wildlife. You could also get involved with any eco-friendly campaigns run by your child’s school or nursery. Aside from the benefits to the planet, your children will also reap the rewards of being part of a community. Social skills and self-confidence are boosted greatly when children build these types of connections, and they’ll feel proud of their contributions and more strongly bonded to your local community.

Visit national parks and nature reserves

Exploring places such as nature reserves and national parks presents the perfect opportunity to discuss the importance of protecting endangered species and wildlife with children. Spending time enjoying the outdoors together also fosters a love for nature that will help children become empathetic and responsible world citizens.

Always prepare for your trip and plan ahead to ensure you have the right supplies (don’t forget the snacks) and appropriate clothing for the weather and terrain. When possible be careful not to disturb any habitats while out on an adventure, and always remember to leave no trace when exploring the outdoors. You can engage kids during outings by using iNaturalist to identify different plant species and animal tracks found while exploring, and uploading observations once exploration is over.

Find Your Local NatureHood!

Joining a young naturalists club or a forest school gives you and your child the opportunity to make like-minded nature-loving friends. Emotional intelligence also gets a positive boost from playing outside with others. Without the confinement of being inside, children tend to become more open to sharing and working cooperatively with their peers. This builds social skills and encourages them to become more aware of others’ feelings. Building dens, helping each other climb a tree, or navigating a trail all help children learn to problem solve and work together.

Create a garden together

If you have outdoor space at home, why not get the kids involved in gardening? By teaching them how to sow seeds, grow plants and even create their own vegetable patch you’ll also nurture your children’s mental development. There’s a great sense of satisfaction to be found in gardening, and children feel immensely proud to share their produce with friends and family. This boosts their self-esteem and confidence, as well as reinforces the importance of healthy eating and sustainability. Community gardens in particular reconnect youth with nature and each other while encouraging local residents to consider the importance of locally sourced food.

If you don’t have much of a garden, you can create a window box of various herbs, or utilize vertical space on a patio with raised planters. Fruits such as strawberries and raspberries, and herbs and vegetables such as beans are all great options for smaller gardens.

Aside from planting food, you could spend time together outdoors at home by enjoying other crafts. Painting terracotta flower pots, drawing with chalk and playing with bubbles are activities that entertain little ones for hours and all create fond memories that reinforce family connections and bonds.

Let them set the pace

As all parents know, children don’t like to travel in a straight line. They become distracted and intrigued by everything and love to zig-zag across the path, stopping frequently to investigate every new thing they see. Our best advice? Let them. By focusing on sharing those moments with your children rather than pressing ahead to the finish line, you’ll nurture your connection and open up multiple conversations with your children that you may otherwise miss. Overall, have fun whilst exploring the natural world with your family.

The Trans Canada Trail is an accessible and engaging trail of trails that stretches from coast to coast and connects Canadians to nature and to each other. If you or your family are interested in exploring nature a few steps outside your front door, check out the nearest access point to you!