Five ways to encourage your child to play outside these summer holidays - and why it's so good for them

• The six-week summer holidays are coming up quick
• Children can get all sorts of physical, mental, and social benefits from playing outside a little more this summer
• Parents can help encourage this by setting screentime limits, building habits and creating opportunities
• But an expert also warns they’ll need to avoid being overprotective for maximum impact

An outdoor play expert is encouraging parents to pry their children away from their devices and get them spending more time outside this summer - for their own good.

Across England, schoolchildren are now in their final weeks of class before the long-awaited summer holidays. These are set to begin around Wednesday, July 23 for most pupils, including those at primary school, as well as secondary school pupils not sitting exams this year.

They’ll then have six weeks of lie-ins and leisure time before the new school year begins. And for many young people, online gaming, binge-watching TV shows, and scrolling social media will have a big place on the itinerary.

But Dr John Allan, head of impact and breakthrough learning at educational travel and outdoor adventure company PGL Beyond, said there were all sorts of ways parents could encourage their children to make the most of their summer. What’s more, it could even provide them with some unexpected benefits.

Here are his tips for parents trying to encourage a little more time outdoors over the coming break - as well as just how helpful it can be:

Five ways to encourage your child to play outside

1. Introduce your child to new experiences over the holidays

There is significant evidence to show that play is the best way to support learning, Dr Allan said. Outside, children can play in all sorts of ways which can boost their physical, mental, and social development.

But sometimes, it’s up to parents to help them discover the power of outdoor play. Part of that was making sure they had ample opportunity to do so during their holidays. “Parents can facilitate time outdoors by considering a range of activities that offer both fun and challenge, such as visiting adventure playgrounds, hiking trails, or cycling routes.”

2. Set smart screentime boundaries

Experts generally believe that spending too much time glued to a screen isn’t good for children. In some cases, it may even be actively harmful.

Dr Allan said that every hour a child spends on their smartphone or tablet is an hour that could be better spent on non-virtual or outdoor play. “However, an overall ban on screentime isn’t the way to go, as children can benefit from some time spent on screens - indeed, apps have been used to identify aspects of nature such as the types of trees or identifying a bird species.

“Instead of a blanket ban, parents should set healthy boundaries, discouraging the use of devices at certain times particularly during mealtimes and bedtimes.”

3. Don’t let a little rain dampen the fun

The Great British summer tends to come with unpredictable weather, but he said parents shouldn’t let that stop kids from playing outside in nature. “With the right planning - think waterproof clothing and footwear - outdoor play in the rain can be just as enriching as time spent in the sunshine.”

It could even help introduce them to realistic consequences, like wearing the wrong clothes leads to being cold and wet. “Being immersed in natural settings gives young people a dose of reality and respect for the environment - empowering them to see the situation clearly and confer with others when dealing with the significance of their choices.”

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4. Make movement part of every day

Summer is the perfect time to encourage children to get active, whether that’s playing sports or going for a swim. Dr Allan said it’s recommended that young people aged 5 to 17 get at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity per day.

“Regular maintenance of this level of activity increases their physical fitness, reduces body fat, enhances cardiovascular health, builds bone strength and reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety,” he said. “Further, children who exercise regularly are more likely to be physically active, and therefore healthier, in adulthood, so it’s great to get those daily habits introduced from a young age.”

5. Let them learn by doing

For older children, independent play is an excellent way of building resilience, he said. For parents, this can mean striking the right balance between being responsible, and not being overprotective.

“If children are never allowed to wobble, trip, stumble or fall, they miss out on the opportunity to learn what it’s like to get back up again,” Dr Allan added. “Activities which offer some negative emotion, such as feeling unstable in the moment, counterbalanced by positive emotions such as joy, pride and attentiveness underpins a ‘steeling effect’. This helps to inoculate young people to handle more significant risks in the future.”

How outdoor play can benefit your child

Research from the University of Exeter shows that from the age of two, girls are playing outside in nature less than boys. “This is a real shame, as outdoor play is hugely beneficial to all children,” Dr Allan said.

“Outdoor play combines the revitalising, mood-enhancing impact of nature with the adventurous uncertainty of youngsters interacting with each other in playful settings without rules and restrictions. Here, children can enjoy exploring their emerging physical capabilities, take turns, cooperate, and socialise; finding solutions to new problems in novel ways rather than just sticking to the tried and tested,” he continued.

For children, just five minutes of exercise in an urban green space like a park or a nature trail may already start to boost their physical and mental wellbeing. Physical play combined with the naturally quiet environment of the outdoors - especially if it’s away from the loud noises that come with devices, traffic and crowded spaces - can provide “the perfect sensory space setting for focus and brain development”.

It may even help prime them for their return to school. “It may be reassuring for parents to know that immersion within the outdoors builds neural pathways that support academic learning. So being playful outside in the summer break supports all forms of knowledge retention.”

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