In Part 2 of Let Grow’s “Practical Tips for Getting Your Kids Outside” series, one mom divulges the simplest, cheapest trick of all:
Hands down, the best thing I have ever done to encourage outdoor play (other than modeling loving the outdoors) is to purchase a stack of 8-foot 2″x3″ pine boards. Lots and lots of them. I cut some into shorter lengths of 3 feet or 2 feet. My children use them like life-size Lincoln logs to build cabins and lean-to’s and obstacle courses. Every few days there is a new cabin in our yard, and visiting children always make a beeline for the boards. I bought the wood 5 years ago and it is still in almost daily use year-round. My kids build and play with them solo (one kid) as well as together.
I would love to see other families try this. It has led to so, so many hours of outdoor heavy work for my kids and their friends. Buy some boards! — Dixie Lane
Dixie Lane is the mom’s name — not where to buy boards. To read a few more tips as straightforward as this one, get thee to Let Grow by clicking here!
And to read Part 1 of How To Get Your Kids Outside, click here!
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