Kid-Friendly Outdoor Activities Proven To Boost Mental Health

• The top child friendly activity for benefiting mental health is simply going to the park, with 24,000 average monthly searches
• A scavenger hunt comes in second, with 12,100 monthly searches
• Experts at Eden’s Gate provide tips on how to enjoy nature

Exercising outdoors, growing your own food and plants and being around animals can have lots of positive effects on your health. Including:

• Improving your mood
• Reducing feelings of stress and anger
• Improving your physical health
• Improving your confidence and self esteem
• Helping you make new connections

Top ten child-friendly outdoor activities:

Outdoor Activity         Search Volume

1. Local parks                                           24,000
2. Scavenger hunts                              12,100
3. Stargaze                                               12,100
4. Fly a kite                                               2,400
5. Ride a bike                                          1,300
6. Take a hike                                          1,000
7. Plant a vegetable garden           590
8. Outdoor workout                           480
9. Have a picnic                                     90
10. Watch the sunrise                          70

Spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health issues which include anxiety as well as depression. Research into ecotherapy has shown it can help with some cases of depression due to combining physical activity and social contact with being outside in nature.

Another mental health issue that spending time outside can help combat is seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which is a type of depression that affects people during particular seasons of the year and some people find learning more about nature has helped them.

Some top tips on how to enjoy nature:

Grow or pick your own fruit and vegetables

• If you have limited garden space you can plant salad or herbs in a window box or even a plant pot on the kitchen window sill
• Apply to share an allotment or look for community gardens local to you to grow food and plants with others
• Local farms and orchards often let you pick your own fruit which you buy which is a super fun activity for younger children
• Bring nature inside

Buy some pretty potted flowers and plants to decorate your home with

• Collect natural materials such as feathers, shells, rocks, tree bark to also decorate your home
• Try to find a comfortable place to sit by a window so you can look out onto nature and have natural light coming into your home
• Have paintings and photographs of your favourite wildlife and nature spots around your home
• Do activities outside

Take a walk in a local park

• If you enjoy writing, keeping a journal, playing music try doing your favourite hobbies outside
• Have a picnic in a local park or simple in your garden this is a great activity for younger children
• Try exercising outside also, running or cycling around your local area and parks helps keep you physically fit and connects you to nature
• Help the environment

Go on a litter picking walk with a local group or even gather round family and friends

• Volunteer to help with a conservation project local to you
• Build a animal habitat, for example, build a hedgehog house