Engaging kids in outdoor activities has loads of benefits not only to the physical growth of children but it also reinforces cognition and learning, promotes social and emotional development. Children who are always around people and nature have a better sense of social interaction, empathy, and has a stronger concept of self identity and self-worth.

We have been trying our best to expose our children outdoor and encourage them to be active and interact with peers. The need to be active is especially important for our children as they are asthmatic; they say asthma is a modern-day disease.  Although modern medicine has provided us with effective asthma treatment, having a sound body and a healthy lifestyle would certainly make a load of difference.

Going out is something that my husband and I are not accustomed to doing as we are home-buddies and introverts. However, having children is a whole new story, especially that the kids have a rather outgoing personalities. The activities below are those that are available around our community. Some may not be possible with you however we hope that these could give you some ideas.

So here are some few of the things that we have been doing to get the children out of the house and catch some rays.

Kayaking. is another great family outdoor activity. It is something different from what children usually do, so they would find this exciting.  Although there are few risks to think about, but if the water is not too rough, it is pretty safe for kids.

Bicycle around the house or neighborhood. Now that my son already knows to ride a bicycle,  he’s excited to go out of the house and go on an adventure as he would call it.

Walk along the beach and collect some shells. Our house is just a block away from Chalatat beach and Samila Beach.  So it’s so easy to stroll on the beach, collect some shells, and breathe in some fresh sea air after school.

Figurine painting with water color. Another favorite activity that my children love is painting at the beach.Plant some vegetables. I’m keen on growing our own produce and so I thought of a garden in the city.  Our place is tiny,  but we managed to turn a portion of the patio into a mini garden.  My kids caught up and planted their own vegetables. Now one of their favorite household chores is watering plants.

Go spelunking caves. Thailand is extremely abundant with natural resources like caves,  jungle,  and waterfalls.  These are great places to explore and experience the beauty of  nature with your family. In one of our trips in Satun Thailand, we visited Phu Pha Phet Cave or the Diamond Cave.  Unlike Tham Luang Cave in Chiang Rai, where a young soccer team was trapped for 18 days, this cave is big and super spacious inside, as well as dry and dusty.

Enjoy a waterfall. As mentioned there is no shortage of waterfalls in Thailand.  One particular waterfall we like is the Wang Sai Thong in Satun Thailand, the entire waterfall basin and paths have high deposits of calcified limestone.  So the place is not slippery. Pretty safe for super active children.

Chill out at the beach. Whether the purpose is to swim or simply hang out there, a beach is an awesome place and children love it.  Aside from swimming, my kids love to feel the sand and build sand castles. A nice way to reconnect with earth, and boosts your child’s immunity by contact with microbes living in sand. They enjoy swimming greatly that a swimming pool is one of the things we look for when booking a hotel to stay for a short staycation or vacation.

Going to museums. A museum is a great place to explore and experience so many things about history, arts and crafts, sciences,  and many others.  What’s awesome with some of the museums here,  is that they are situated in pretty interesting sites like on top of a hill,  park,  and temples.

Family time at the park. For city dwellers city parks are the closest to nature one could get. And there are so much stuff kids could do, like play with their Frisbee, fly kites,  bike around,  explore the place and find different plants and insects,  or may be just run around while Mom and Dad are chilling out with their read.

Camping, may it be day camp or an overnight camping, is an exciting outdoor activity that would surely encouraged children and adults alike especially if they do this together with peers. This is a great venue for them to interact with others and exercise their learnt interpersonal and social values.

Nature photography is another great outdoor activity families could engage to bond, learn, and have fun.  Our daughter is showing interests in photography and is following dad’s footsteps. Below are some of her photos during a day trip to the zoo.

Corner: Following Dad’s Footsteps[/caption]

Take self-defense lessons like Taekwondo. Apart from self-defense, children can also develop motor coordination and balance.

Play basketball, football, or any sports your kids are into.

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