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Why do my kids seem not to be able to creatively play outside and find things to do on their own? |
When I was younger I used to entertain myself with bottle caps and empty soda cans. I made crafts and did fun things with what I had. I played with sticks and bugs and rocks, etc. My kids are constantly asking me to buy them toys to keep them busy. I say no most of them time. They have a pool, and bikes and friends in the neighborhood. they also have toys they could bring outside. Why does it seem with this generation kids need things that parents 'have' to buy for them to keep them happy? Times have changed for sure..my question how to bring back the old ways of making my kids find things to do?? And for a short time until they get sick of them. And also the neighbors kids come over and break, steal or lose the things my kids have..it's a waste of money for me. I know EXACTLY what you mean!!! I'm only 23 but I still remember the golden years of imaginative play... WITHOUT the use of aids (toys). My son is still 2, so he LOVES to go outside and mess with nature and just run around. But is is so hard to get my nephew and cousins to do the same. If you really feel that you money is being wasted, you can hold a toy sale or donate some of the unbroken toys to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. As for the play time... are there any parks, beaches, wooded areas near your city or town? Sometimes it helps to take the kids to a "different" location than they are used to in order for their creative juices to get flowing. Everytime we take my nephew to the beach or park, he forgets about toys and tv (my sister will let him watch it for 12 hours straight!!! yuck!!!) that by the end of the day, he's too tired for anything else and just goes to bed after his dinner. If these places are not near you, try to be creative yourself and bring a fun place to them. For example, you mention they have a pool, but wouldn't it be just as fun to "water the lawn" by having a sprinkler or water hose picnic? Put some refreshments and bite size snacks ona table and let the water games begin!!! You should put on your bikini or cut-offs and join the fun, that way they don't feel like their being forced to have fun. It's more appealing if you're in there getting wet too. Also, if you (or your husband) don't mind, stake out a small area, maybe in a corner or inconspicuous spot, where y'all can bring out plain ol' pots and pans and make mud pies!!! Then you can each take turns hosing each other off before getting back in. With global warmign ans water waste issues, you can sneak in more healthy snacking and mud slinging before washing off or water play. If you go to the beach, make it more physical by just bringing essentials: drinking water, snacks, towels, sunglasses, and sunscreen, and maybe a camera to capture the fun!!! If you bring toys, they end up doing most of the work... pretend you are back in time people and only have your hands or feet to dig and have fun!!! If you MUST bring toys, limit it to a pail and shovel per person... this way they can use them for digging and shoving, but they have to use their hands and imaginatin to mold figures or castles!!! Another idea: fill some small backpacks with water and snacks and take a hike at a park or small wooded area. Just be aware of any pest alerts in your area (mosquito and tick spray... it varies by state). Once that gets played out, you can explore your own surroundings by taking "people in your neighborhood" walks. We LOVED those!!! It was a good way for us to admire what others do with their lawns and porches... and sometimes some of the neighbors would introduce themselves whils they tended to their gardens. On our way home we'd buy dime candies, but if again, you are trying to keep it free, bring along some home made treats and water in small backpacks. OR, you can host your own plushie parade by pulling your mascots on a wagon and showing them off to passers by (a good way to air out musty toys!!!)... or your dog can come along (if you have one, of course). Do your kids have bikes? You can also do a variation of this activity if your parks have bike routes... or even a stroll around the neighborhood. A good way to teach and learn proper biking safety!!! Or... you can have a nature fashion show. All you need are some needles and thread. You can thread flowers, leaves, tree berries, etc. and then model your necklaces or crowns in your "driveway" runway. Y'all can make an inexpensive bird or squirrel feeder, there are some critter friendly recipes online with seeds and honeys for ingredients. So much fun to make and design!!! And afterwards you'll be able to spot your little visitors throughout the seasons come and go. If you get cold winters, you can even freeze some berries and seeds in an aluminum pot or pan; let it thaw a tiny bit to unstick it, use an ice pick to poke a hole and use sturdy twine to attach in to a strong tree branch. As it melts, winter critters can enjoy the icy fruit, nut, or seed treats!!! You can also have a late night dinner on weekends in your backyard. Take a large blanket or picnic sheet and place it in the middle. Use plastic plates, or serving trays so they wont' spill or break outdoors. Enjoy the outdoors, and as it gets darker, listen to the chirping crickets or look for fireflies... and watch the sunset as you enjoy some family time!!! If you ever decide to go for take out fast food, park your family car out in the driveway (sunsets are cooler, so you can have the doors open or windows down) and pretend you are at a drive in... except instead of a movie, y'all can talk about your daily lives or family stuff, you know. It's so fun!!! We used to do this with my Mom and it always turned into, "Sheesh, this car is a mess... we should clean and wash it!!!"... and we would and it kept us outside and active!!! Wow, your question sure brought back memories!!! I hope some of my ideas inspire your kids to do more outdoorsy or imaginative things without toys. AND many of these should be so obviously fun, that even the neighboors will join in the fun (and maybe get them to quit breaking and stealing from your kid's toy box!!!). Good Luck and have fun!!! Ok im 13 so I should know this. First off it depends how much TV they watch and how much videogames they play. Second it depends on weather or not they have a good imagination. I play outside all the time and make up a lot of fun games that me and my friends play its because I have an excellent imagination and can make up a story on the drop of a pin I know what you are saying. Kids nowadays seem to need more toys to keep them occupied than they did 10 or 20 years ago. Maybe they need a bit of teaching. If you play with them more and help them make thinfs up they will probably stop demanding things. Probably the same reason that some parents I see have more on their kids schedules than I have on mine. I may be wrong but I dont see the need for a 3 years old to be involved in 17 different structured activities. Thats just me though. Because all the creativity has been bred out of them. Not allowed outside to play or be unsupervised because they might get kidnapped or hurt. Never told to go outside and amuse yourself. They don't know how. Very interesting question. I am not even a parent, but I find myself wondering this, too. I think a lot of it is social and entertainment-media pressure. Kids today may simply not be familiar with exploring the outdoors and making toys of sticks and rocks. Some TV shows, I think, spell everything out for the kids --- so much so, that the kids don't get the opportunity to make use of their imaginations. Besides that, these shows encourage short attention spans. Do your children read? I think reading is a great way to foster creativity and develop a longer attention span. It might help if you guided your kids into imaginative play. Maybe you could "assign" them to draw you a picture of a scene out of a story they wrote. It can be really silly.... Unfortunately, I think those days are long gone. I remember my Barbie doll. I got new clothes for her on my birthday and Xmas and really looked forward to it. Now Barbie's clothes cost almost as much as real ones! I blame it on TV and advertising, plus peer pressure. I guess a lot of kids have 2 working parents and they buy lots of expensive toys for their kids out of guilt. Plus we didn't have the selection of toys they have now. Toys are outdated by the time you buy them! The internet? What happened to going to the good old library and checking out books? Life was sure simpler back then. I feel sorry for the kids now days. Back then, kids were.....just kids. |
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