Are kids testing the limits of your patience? Perhaps you’re feeling cooped up with a baby who won’t settle down for a nap, a whining toddler or older children who are arguing incessantly. If so, maybe it’s time to take it outside.
Scaring away wildlife with a teething baby in Florida
When I was a young mother, taking a crying baby outdoors in my arms or in the stroller always seemed to take the edge off. Even if the baby didn’t settle completely, at least I felt better.
When my sons were older, having them run around the house several times was my favorite solution to behavior that was spiralling downwards. They always came back in refreshed and in a better mood than before they went out. More often than not, time outside can be more effective than a time out.
But we don't want to be outside!
Of course children don’t always want to go outside. They might complain that the sun’s too bright or it’s too windy, too wet, too cold, too hot or too early in the morning. Never mind. Dress them appropriately and throw them out. Better yet, go with them. If they’re climbing the walls, you probably are too.
You can’t stop kids from horsing around, but you can have them take their loud voices and rough play to a place where noise isn’t an issue and they can inhale fresh air while exercising their large muscles.
Climbing the walls isn’t half as much fun as climbing trees. Besides, the trees don’t mind.
- This post is the fifth in a series about Getting Children Outdoors.
Flandrum Hill 
Brilliantly put, Amy. And I totally love the illustrative photos – the one titled “But we don’t want to be outside!” is just too precious! You can just *see* the whining… giggle…
Thanks Reggie. Those little boys are all men in their twenties now. The majority of them are in the military, so they must have got over the whining by now 😉
In the military?! Gosh! I’m sure they must have! No whining allowed there! 😉
Well said and, I do not have kids myself, but my nieces whined at first that they didn’t want to go out but then they whined that they didn’t want to come in again! Once they are out nature does its thing 🙂
Indigo, it always amazes me when kids whine about not wanting to come inside after whining about not wanting to go outside earlier. Nature certainly is a mood changer.
I have done just that today with my precious, but not very well, Poppy. We went out and played in the park. Result: smiley, happy little girl. Then we headed for home. Soon as she caught sight of Mummy, the bottom lip went out, and the tears were turned on. Hey Ho, time for Nanny to go home!!
Lynne, going to the park for a bit can put a smile on any child’s face, even one who’s not feeling well. No wonder she didn’t want to go back home. Hope Poppy is feeling better soon.
I wholeheartedly agree with getting children OUTSIDE! It’s like another universe out there AWAY from all the plastic toys and video games. What I find very distrubing is that I see sooo few people of any age outside when I take my walks. Their dogs, locked indoors, go crazy barking when they see me walking past. I see very few children ever playing outside in some very appealing yard areas. Even fewere adults outside unless they’re mowing their grass. Btw, why do people feed grass to make it grow just in order to cut it down when it does grow? Has anyone ever figured out “why” people do this activity?
47whitebuffalo, many neighborhoods here also have beautiful lawns with no people visibly enjoying them. It seems like such a waste as the owners obviously work very hard to maintain them.
The following article at ‘Per Square Mile’ attempts to shed some light on the subject of why so many people grow useless lawns:
http://persquaremile.com/2011/08/26/front-yards-minus-the-grass/
As for the children, a good many of them are now at daycares during the week while their parents are in the workplace. I’ve noticed that homes have acquired more floor area in recent decades at the expense of yard area. Some homes have very large play spaces indoors. Many parents, made overly cautious by reports of child abductions in the media, find it less nerve-wracking to have their kids play indoors than out. Also, on the weekends, working parents are busy catching up on housework, shopping and unwinding themselves. It’s easier to have their children playing indoors where they can more easily keep an eye on them.
Ah yes, the cry of the exasperated mother. So much excess energy, so many good ways to discharge some of it outside. (I’m thinking that if we constructed a giant gerbil wheel out in my yard and told all the kids in the Township that they were absolutely forbidden to climb into it and run–we could power three houses, even in winter.) And I think I have a new prompt to add to my oral history interviews: Tell me about being outdoors when you were little.
Gerry, that giant gerbil wheel with a forbidden sign on it is excellent! Where do you get such great ideas? I’d say it’s time to visit the patent office.
That’s a wonderful prompt. I can’t wait to tell you 🙂
I believe I was born with a brain stuffed with ideas, some of them better than others. My whole life has been a process of weeding through the stash. I look forward to reading whatever the prompt elicits 🙂
How about a certain two grown ups doing some outdoor exploring real soon ?
Dear She,
Do you mean ‘we?’
If so, ‘Oui.’
Signed,
Me
Scaring the wildlife–lol Fussing isn’t as loud in the great outdoors as within four walls. Great idea. Like you said, at least YOU will feel better. 🙂
Patti, if the mother’s calm and content, then that will benefit the child too. It’s amazing how their loud voices are put into such a different context outdoors. What I like best is how the outdoors are so BIG compared to our indoor spaces, that small worries and concerns are immediately forgotten by both young and old.
I am with you there. When my boys were little, we walked every single day – even at -20 – we had a dog to walk, so it had to be done. My kids did not have temper tantrums and slept very well. The nature deficit is real.
Cindy, our dog often prompted us to go out for walks in less-than-perfect weather too. It’s so much more positive for a child to burn energy by running around outside than by having a temper tantrum inside. More positive for the parent too!