Keep it fresh. Introducing new adventures and activities - like this slackline - will encourage kids to get outside and stay active. (Photo credit: Gibbon Slacklines)
Like many parents, U of A elementary phys-ed specialist Doug Gleddie, '06 MA, '10 PhD, worries about children who spend summer days staring at screens. Programmed, scheduled activities provide an obvious alternative - "there are a ton of great camps out there," Gleddie says - but this assistant professor of elementary physical education also suggests finding solutions literally in your own backyard. "There are so many things to do. It doesn't have to be expensive."
Here are a few tips to get you started:
- "Go outside and play." It may be a cliché, but it's a start. Left to their own devices, kids will invariably find ways to entertain themselves. "And there's value in just being outside," Gleddie says.
- Get to know your neighbours. Parents naturally worry about safety and supervision, but that doesn't mean you need to be shackled to your kids. "If a bunch of kids are going to the park, not all of the parents have to go. One of you can go today, and somebody else tomorrow."
- Allow your kids to be bored. Transform boredom into a stimulant by keeping options at hand. "Give them the opportunity to be creative. That could be as simple as having a sandbox in your backyard, with a few basic toys. For older kids, it could be access to tools and simple building materials."
- Encourage active play. Provide the usual options - balls, Frisbees, street hockey gear - and try some new activities. One new idea Gleddie suggests is setting up a slackline (a kind of low-hanging tightrope available online or at a good outdoor sports store). "Kids will have all sorts of fun on there. It's a challenging activity in a safe environment."
- Physical activity Fridays. Have everybody in your household take turns choosing an activity for the whole family. "If Mom picks something, like a walk in the park, next week I get to say what we're going to do. It's role-modelling, it's relationships - all those good things."
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