15 Summer activities to help your kids appreciate nature with Joe from Nature Rated

Happy Thursday!

Two Fridays ago when school let out, the boys and I took off to my favorite place in town, the Wetland Boardwalk with ice cream cones in hand. It was such a nice day out and there was no way that we were going to go home and sit around wasting such a beautiful day.

So, we spent a little over an hour, walking the 950 feet floating boardwalk (twice), picking flowers, rock pooling, and checking out the wildlife and all that nature has to offer. We even spent quite a bit of time climbing up the tower and admiring the view from above.

Nature Rated

So, if you have not had the chance to visit your local Wetland Boardwalk, I encourage you to do so, especially with summer being right around the corner – which brings me to Nature Rated.

Joe at Nature Rated understands this all too well and has put together a nice, family friendly, infographic on 15 Summer activities to help your kids appreciate nature.

Here’s what Joe had to say about encouraging your children to spend time outdoors.

What are your kids doing this Summer? For many of us Summer time with the kids is a time to enjoy the outdoors, the sunshine and if you’re lucky the ocean.

As much as kids love Summer holidays, keeping them busy can be a real chore! If you’ve not got the luxury of a Summer camp then it’s up to you as parent to find things for the youngsters to keep busy with.

Failing that, your kids might spend all their time in front of a computer, tablet, phone or other screen and research has shown that spending too much time in front of a screen can have a detrimental effect on the health and well being of children.

Studies Show

Studies have shown that taking part in nature-based activities helps people who are suffering from mental ill-health and can contribute to a reduction in levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. In fact, a daily walk in nature has showed decreased activity in a region of the brain associated with a key factor in depression.

One in four people are estimated to experience bouts of mental ill health and it’s on the rise. Prescription medication of antidepressants are also at a record high level and the demand for more invasive treatments are also on the rise.

Health and social care commissioners are examining and commissioning different options for cost effective services for mental health and one of these options is a daily walk of 90 minutes or more. We need to learn from the past – when kids got excited to spend their time climbing trees and building dens rather than spending hours inside.

Remember those days?

I know Brennon does, because I see so many of the outdoor activities on her blog.

15 Summer Activities

So, if you are stumped on finding what activities to do, don’t forget to check out, 15 Summer activities to help your kids appreciate nature. From baking a blackberry pie to constructing a pond or insect hotel, there’s plenty for the youngsters to get up to. Head on over to his site for step by step instructions to get your kids out and about enjoying nature.

This post is in collaboration with Nature Rated. Joe is an outdoor enthusiast and is the lead editor at Nature Rated; a website which rates and reviews the best outdoor gear for people who quickly want to know what to get. He believes in no fluff, to the point reviews, which help you choose the right gear for your next adventure. Whenever daily life gets him down he heads to the nearest lake or river with his kayak and camera spending time recharging his batteries.