Isn’t it just scary how a mere three-year-old toddler can take your tablet PC, go online and download some games which they subsequently enjoy playing and yet they probably can’t even speak properly as yet and don’t quite fully know what the names of all the different basic shapes are? It appears as if this generation just has a natural affinity with all these little electronics and gadgets which undeniably form a very big part of all our lives, but rather worryingly it’s more on a consumer level than at the level of the developers or producers.

Sure, nobody expects a three-year-old to be a programming prodigy and that’s not what’s implied here. Rather, it’s worrying that kids are constantly indoors and exploring what is essentially the glossed up and filtered version of the world through a tiny mobile phone screen if not through a full-sized computer sitting in the study or on their iPads. It remains to be seen just how much of an effect this is going to have on the kids of the Millennial generation, which is rather concerning since we’ll have to deal with the situation as it arises. We might be faced with a unique set of challenges which nobody appears to have a solution to and we could be headed for disaster.

Granted, Millennials could be said to be in that situation themselves, with job scarcity and a global economy which seems to have sold us dreams that don’t have even the remotest chance of coming true, but we’re dealing with it, in one way or the other.

Now, if you have kids of your own you’re probably worried about the fact that they’re missing out on a whole lot of the joys of childhood, such as the simple pleasure of being able to go outside, call on your friends to join you, armed with nothing more than an imagination, only to have the time of your lives! Getting the kids to play outside again is not some unsolvable conundrum and it starts with just showing them just how much fun they can have outside.

It does slip their minds, you know?

Be proactive and pick up the ball and tell them that everybody in the house is going outside to play catch, kickabout, or whatever else will engage everybody. Obviously, you probably don’t have nearly enough energy to keep up with the little ones, so you can’t enjoy the outdoor fun with them for the many hours that they enjoy it, but all it takes to set the ball rolling is to be that spark sometimes. You could even build a small corner summer house in your garden to relax in and keep an eye on your kids whilst they play on the lawn. This helps you to engage with their outdoor activities, even if you don’t have the energy to run around.

Encourage them to engage in some outdoor activities, like taking the dog for a walk. Chances are on the way back from walking the dog they will have come across something in the great outdoors which has them eager to get right back outside after having a bit of lunch or coming back in to put the leash away.

Alternatively, you can purchase playground equipment like swingsets and get them installed in your backyard to entice your kids to spend time outdoors. It is a great way to make kids step outside and enjoy the fresh air, sunlight, and natural environment. While playing on a swing set, kids can learn to pump their legs and propel themselves, which can gradually help develop their self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment in mastering a new skill.

Conclusion
Expose them to the outdoors, and the natural instinct to play outside again will come flooding back. This will help you to reduce screen time, which is quite important at the current time when kids are glued to electronic devices. They need to connect with the world outside, especially nature which acts as a teacher. This would, eventually, help in developing their survival instincts.