With video games playing a prominent role these days how can one encourage kids to take interest in outdoor games? . When we were kids we just looked forward to our holidays and all neighbours' kids would get together and play outdoor games every single day. Outdoor games are essential for both mind and body. What is your story?
There are children in the neighborhood who play in our street. Since this is a dead-end or cul-de-sac, vehicles passing are rare and it looks safe for children to play. Whenever I would see them, I would give them candies or chocolates because that is my way of encouraging them to play instead of being attached to gadgets. They have their small bikes and some balls. Sometimes I see them chasing each other. I am overjoyed whenever I would hear their laughter and screams of delight.
The sad part is these days kids are so well fed in their own homes - ironic though it may sound.(lol) During our time that was not the case. We always waited for those goodies that we got from others and if that is the situation in your area then it will certainly be a success. May be holding competitions may also lead to some interest among youngsters to go for outdoor games.
Yes, seeing kids playing outdoors with complete abandonment is becoming rare nowadays. Most likely this is because of reducing number of open and safe places where they can play. Everywhere we see, it is traffic and a big risk for kids. When I send my son out to play, half my attention is towards the noise they make. Sometimes when I don't hear anything, I am quite scared as to where he and the other kids have gone and I go out to check on them. So I think making safe, good places available to play and someone who can ensure the kids are safe is the need of the hour.
You have a valid point and this coupled with temptation to get engaged with gadgets we get to see fewer children opting for outdoor games. As a kid I remember using a field that was bare during summer and all the kids in vicinity got together there. I now see a building there.
Kids in our place know how to schedule themselves on playing games between outdoor and computer games. In school, you can see kids playing with their fellow classmates and also at home during weekends. After classes, you can also see them playing Internet games. It is good their parents are monitoring them, giving them the alloted time to be in the Internet.
We had some good ones growing up and I just hope that they are still around or better yet have evolved into better games, but I also fear a lot has gone away due to the fancy games on screens now. Kids will be kids though and hopefully parents do their best to get them out and enjoy what is around them.
We as kids never needed any goading to play out door games although even in those days we had indoor games like carom, ludo and the like. Parents these days have a role to play in getting their kids to take interest in out door games. There is much too much in the virtual world that keep kids glued to their phones. It is frightenoing when one thinks of that Blue Whale game that led to loss of lives.
You are right, when we were kids we never needed any kind of encouragement or motivation to go play outside. But kids nowadays need to motivated. Sad part is that I know many parents who would rather enrol their kids in a variety of different hobby or art classes even when the kids are not at all interested than let the kids play outside. Some parents are quite vocal about their opinion that playing outdoors is a 'fruitless' activity and nothing can be gained from it. I feel actually pity for such ignorant parents.
You reminded me of my childhood when we used to wait eagerly for the evenings when our parents allowed us to go out and play for 1-2 hours with other children. Incidentally we lived in a government colony with lot of open space, play ground, gardens and agricultural fields providing us natural space. We would run around, climb the trees and play games like "I spy", cricket, "Seven Stones" or a local game Kabaddi etc. It was lot of fun unlike present day children who do not want to go out but stay glued with TV and phones etc.
Mother was quite strict No playing until the holidays (lol) We had a stable which was empty. We had stopped rearing cows. And that is theplace we had our swing which was used during the rainy season. Then there was an empty field belonging to neighbours where we had the most fun
Well, a lot of parents are signing kids up for sports. In fact, in the US, where I live, many communities have a wide choice of sports - for both boys and girls. However, though, some are more controversial - like American football. Nonetheless, tackle football is become less common for younger kids I think. Well, do you all think it's dangerous - or is this just some overkill safety thing? Well, the safety people are even coming down on soccer - because of the headers.
I've had the most success not telling the kids how fun signing up for sports would be, watching the sport on television, telling them about the friends they'll make etc. which many people do to try and make the activity seem enticing. Works for many, but didn't work for me. I've always had the most success simply going out and actually playing the sports with them first, introducing them to a wide range and letting them decide for themselves which they enjoyed the most. Then, doing everything to make it fun, and helping them feel good about themselves as they develop their skills. Naturally, they can't get enough of it. Worked for both children in my family so far!
As a child, the worst we had was primitive video games systems, early Nintendo, Atari etc.. They simply didn't have the appeal to take kids off the playground too much, but I could be wrong! Myself, I spent so much time riding bikes, hiking in mountains, that video game addiction wasn't a problem - and kids who lived in town had sports activities.