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They need to go outside!!!


Noreen Claire
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My kids play outside everyday, at least the littler ones. At that age my boys spent hours in the gravel pile, our version of a sandbox bc I was not okay with the Sandy clothes. My kids have a big yard and farm, they ride bikes, play with chickens and on the swing set. They also ride scooters and we have Rip Razor things that every kid who comes over loves to ride! A tire swing is fun and cheap to put up, too, if your DH is opposed to a swing set. Mine don't play on ours much anymore, but it got a lot of use when they were a bit younger.

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This thread is full of such great ideas...that I keep thinking are impossible to do here. *sigh*

 

Our driveway is slanted towards the street and in desperate need of repaving and our street is a steep hill. No riding bikes/scooters/whatever.

 

We don't have trees to hang swings/tires from. Also, hanging one tire swing for these three kids? Civil war.

 

DH hates sandboxes. (Also, we spent a LOT of money removing the literal half-ton of sand in the yard after tearing down the above-ground pool when we moved in. No sand is coming into this yard again, ever.)

 

DH had the kids help him to dismantle the old pool deck & reclaim the wood into a shed this past spring. He's not home much during the week, but he does include the kids in projects over the weekend. I need stuff that they can do with minimal parental input/supervision.

 

We DO have a large pile of small rocks from under the swimming pool that I can have them move using buckets/wheelbarrows to another spot in the yard where they can use them to play. I will try to get them some construction toys and maybe some army figures to use out there. I am also going to look into making a DIY water/sensory table or a mud kitchen for the back corner of the yard.

 

I love the idea of going to the playground for longer times (and walking). Maybe in the spring, when the 3yr old is better able to manage his bodily functions (no public restrooms). Though, I will NOT give up quiet time each afternoon, so it will require significant rescheduling of our school day.

 

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm rereading them and plotting...

 
edited for so.many.typos.
Edited by Noreen Claire
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It sounds like your boys may need a project. Moving the rocks would get them outside, playing, and give them a place to focus their energy.

 

I'm not sure how long school takes but could you wrap up by 11:30ish and take a picnic lunch to the park. Eat, then play for an hour. Go home for naps. Then have them play in the backyard for an hour or two before supper?

 

Or alternatively play for a bit after lunch then go to the park for a couple hours after naps? Could you take a potty seat to the park for the 3 year old or just let him pee on a tree if the need arises?

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This thread is full of such great ideas...that I keep thinking are impossible to do here. *sigh*

 

Our driveway is slanted towards the street and in desperate need of repaving and our street is a steep hill. No riding bikes/scooters/whatever.

 

We don't have trees to hang swings/tires from. Also, hanging one tire swing for these three kids? Civil war.

 

DH hates sandboxes. (Also, we spent a LOT of money removing the literal half-ton of sand in the yard after tearing down the above-ground pool when we moved in. No sand is coming into this yard again, ever.)

 

DH had the kids help him to dismantle the old pool deck & reclaim the wood into a shed this past spring. He's not home much during the week, but he does include the kids in projects over the weekend. I need stuff that they can do with minimal parental input/supervision.

 

We DO have a large pile of small rocks from under the swimming pool that I can have them move using buckets/wheelbarrows to another spot in the yard where they can use them to play. I will try to get them some construction toys and maybe some army figures to use out there. I am also going to look into making a DIY water/sensory table or a mud kitchen for the back corner of the yard.

 

I love the idea of going to the playground for longer times (and walking). Maybe in the spring, when the 3yr old is better able to manage his bodily functions (no public restrooms). Though, I will NOT give up quiet time each afternoon, so it will require significant rescheduling of our school day.

 

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm rereading them and plotting...

 
edited for so.many.typos.

 

 

Put sawhorses or cones across the bottom of the driveway.

 

Why can't 3 kids learn to share a swing? I am quite sure that families with 5 or 6 or more kids don't have that many swings. (FWIW, we have 4 kids. We have 2 swings. The neighbors have a swing set that has another 2 swings and a trapeze. They also have a tire swing. They allow our children to use them. But, if they didn't, too bad, so sad kids, learn to take turns.)

 

It doesn't have to be sand. A dirt pile works well too.

 

Just wanted to throw out some possible workarounds.

 

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(1) we do outside time as a family- daily walks are on the schedule- in nearly all weather- we have snow gear and go early or late when it is hot.

(2)sometimes I just say- it's time to go outside

 

With my girls it is pretty easy if I restrict electronics they go outside if the weather is nice. With my son he doesn't hardly like to go out unless we are doing family time or I make him, if I don't go out with him then he reads outside on the playset, whatever. He used to play like crazy outside when he was younger but now that he is older and he doesn't play with his sisters much he doesn't care for it much. BUT as I said we do family activities and he does Scouts which has plenty of outside time.

 

The girls play a lot with the animals and they build lots of forts. They adventure in the woods. They ride bikes and scooters. 

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I like this idea! I've been reading through this thread thinking, "How about when you live in the desert and it's TOO HOT to go outside half the year?" But THIS they could do. Even at the ages of my kids: 19 and 13.

 

It's either too hot or too rainy (or both - rain does NOT cool it off) to go outside in summer here. We never followed a traditional school schedule so would do school in the summer and take a lot of time off December - March when it's nice here. 

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I've been thinking about this, and another thing I've done is to separate all my kids and rotate through them through areas. They don't know that's what I'm doing, but it helps me to keep track of things. I've noticed when they get back together, they have things to share with each other, and new play ideas get started.

 

So, maybe try just sending 1 boy out for a while, and then let another one out in 20 minutes or so. They might last longer that way.

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*sigh*

 

Now that they are outside, all they do is fight and SCREAM!

 

Why? Why? Why? Why can't then just play nicely? There is one patio chair that my husband sits in - they are literally beating each other up over it. There is one playhouse, they were screaming at each other because each one wants to sit on top of it (and it won't hold more than one and the 3yr old can't even climb up yet). God forbid they play *together* inside of it! We set up an area of mulch/stones/pieces of wood were they could play/dig/construct/whatever... they won't touch it.

 

Why is this so hard????? This is ridiculous.  :cursing:

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Sounds frustrating!

 

Could you send them out separately? Kid A, you go out for 15 minutes, then you come in, and Kid B goes out. Maybe after a week or two of that, you can work up to both of them being out there together

 

I understand the screaming. Mine do it, too. We have a rule of you scream, everyone comes in, because it's obviously not working. I can't handle the screaming. Once the weather gets nice (not yet here), they like being out there, so that is motivating. But this time of year, they don't care, so they scream. I am ready for summer to be over and my kids to enjoy outside again.

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I kick them out.

 

Okay, we live in the country so there is a lot to do, essentially - climbing rope, tree swing, lumber, chop wood, garden, mow, play random games.  

 

I know you don't want it to *feel* like a punishment but eventually it just becomes that thing you do - an hour or two outside.

 

The very *best* way to do it is to go out with them.  My kids read outside, do schoolwork outside, play outside, work outside.

 

We have a picnic table to work at, trees to work under, and a garden that is *necessary* to work on.  

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*sigh*

 

Now that they are outside, all they do is fight and SCREAM!

 

Why? Why? Why? Why can't then just play nicely? There is one patio chair that my husband sits in - they are literally beating each other up over it. There is one playhouse, they were screaming at each other because each one wants to sit on top of it (and it won't hold more than one and the 3yr old can't even climb up yet). God forbid they play *together* inside of it! We set up an area of mulch/stones/pieces of wood were they could play/dig/construct/whatever... they won't touch it.

 

Why is this so hard????? This is ridiculous.  :cursing:

 

Its the ages and the need for deep muscle work.  8s are mostly done with this type of play, but they love to climb.  I have photos from a birthday party this age with the swingset unused for swinging, but used for climbing and as a balance beam as the kids go across the top as part of their impromptu obstacle course. 

Try providing material for trebuchet or catapults or stomp rockets...the little guys will gather the loads, the bigger guys assemble. experiment and run. Nerf archery is also good for this age spread, as is hide and seek.

Edited by Heigh Ho
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