Never bored outdoors? How to Extend outdoor play time
Newsletter 4: Outdoor Play Masterclass
Outdoor play has been the primary focus of our October paid subscriber masterclass. So far we have explored the importance of outdoor play, risky play and play in all weathers. Today I want to zero in on another parenting ‘bone of contention’ when it comes to outdoor play: your child complaining that they are bored after 5 minutes!
In the colder months especially, it often feels like there is nothing worse that bundling your child up in millions of layers to go and play outside, only for them to whinge about being bored or hungry almost as soon as you’ve walked out of the door.
When I first moved to Vienna in January of 2019, I had to start preparing to leave for school pick-up an entire hour before because I had to get a baby and toddler into snowsuits and boots to collect my son. It was a mission for sure! (for reference, it usually takes 30 minutes all in these days).
When all is said and done, it’s all too easy to want to forgo going outside at all when it takes so much effort for what seems like little reward.
Despite all of this, going outside has always been a key part of our day and we’ve now got our rhythm keyed in. With an energetic youngest son who would quickly resort to running around the apartment and jumping off the couch (which the neighbours did not appreciate!), I had to ensure that we spent plenty of time outside so I wouldn’t have to constantly tell him to stop what he was doing.
In this masterclass, we are going to be exploring boredom and ways to extend outdoor play time.
If you’re brand new and haven’t seen any of the Outdoor Play Masterclasses so far, here’s what we’ve covered so far.
October at a Glance:
This post is part of the Outdoor Play Masterclass series. Here’s what we’re covering this month:
Emails are released weekly on Tuesday’s:
Outdoor Play Challenge - 1st October (free to everyone)
The Importance of Outdoor Play - 4th October
An Introduction to Risky Play - 11th October
There’s no such thing as bad weather? The practicalities of Outdoor Play - 18th October
Extending Outdoor Play Time (this email) - 25th October
What You’ll Learn in this article:
How to make outdoor play a key part of your daily rhythm
The benefits of a child led walk
Why boredom is a good thing
Key items that help extend outdoor play
How to make a DIY mud kitchen
Essential resources for outdoor play
What do you receive as a paid subscriber?
Access to this article and the other newsletters in this masterclass series (which are released over the course of October 2022
Printable resources
Journal prompts and reflection questions
Access to the Playful Prompts library
Seasonal Rhythms Guide and Printable resources
New masterclass topics every month
Access to community discussion boards
This newsletter is part of the Outdoor Play Masterclass which is exclusive to paid subscribers. To access the content, including printable resources and guides, please click the link below.