Top tips whilst out and about with your children.
At work I have been thinking about getting pupils outside more often and of course when you work in education and have children: life starts to imitate work.
We are all aware that many children today are not playing outside as much as they perhaps should. This is due in part to changes in work patterns for parents and how safe we feel our children are out-and-about. Children are therefore missing out on the health benefits that the outdoors brings, often spending many hours indoors playing on tablets and watching TV.
In the pursuit of my own children being healthy and active, I have learnt some very valuable lessons along the way that I wanted to share with you.
My three top tips when taking the children out and about:
Always Have a Clean Set of Clothes
It doesn’t matter whether you say ‘please do not get wet/dirty/roll’ – they will. The water will always be too tempting and always too high for their wellies – despite the numerous times you say ‘I think that is too deep’! Remember to pack a plastic bags or bin liner for the wet items on the return journey.
Always Pack Snacks
Two things will happen when you are outside. Either you will enjoy yourself so much you spend longer out than expected which will result in hungry children or you will arrive in the middle of no-where and the children will decide they are ‘starving’ and don’t stop moaning until their stomachs have been replenished.
Invest in Pocket Books about Nature.
There is nothing worse than being out with the children only for them to test your very limited knowledge of the flora and fauna around you. I can guarantee there will always be someone standing nearby to add to the embarrassment. There are also lots of apps you can download that will help you - from bird identification to types of fungi.
I hope you enjoy our ‘Get Them Outside’ walks for different ages and do not forget the ‘Pimple Folly Picture Trail’.