For many parents and grandparents across the UK, getting children away from phones, tablets and games consoles can feel like an uphill battle. Screens are everywhere — and while technology certainly has its place, many families are looking for simple ways to encourage youngsters to reconnect with the outdoors.
The good news? You do not necessarily have to ban screens altogether to inspire children to spend more time outside. Sometimes the best approach is to make gardens and outdoor spaces so engaging that children naturally want to be there. In other cases, technology itself can become a tool for exploration, creativity and discovery.
Whether you have a large family garden or a smaller patio space, here are some brilliant outdoor activities that can help children swap endless scrolling for fresh air, movement and imagination.
Studies and parenting experts continue to highlight the benefits of outdoor play for children’s creativity, wellbeing, confidence and physical health.
A stylish pergola can double up for childrens' role-play games or crafts during the day time and as an adults relaxation zone while the youngsters are busy elsewhere
Children love having a mission.
A simple scavenger hunt can transform even an ordinary garden into an exciting adventure zone. Ask youngsters to spot:
You can even use free plant and insect identification apps to help children discover exactly what they have found. Suddenly, the phone becomes less about watching videos and more about exploring the real world.
Nature scavenger hunts remain one of the most recommended ways to encourage outdoor curiosity and active play.
A species rich lawn provides plenty of opportunitites for children to interact with nature. Think daisy chains, plant identification, watching pollinators at work, flower pressing crafts and so much more
Many children already love using cameras and phones — so why not use that interest creatively?
Challenge them to:
Older children might enjoy learning basic editing skills or creating mini YouTube-style nature videos for family members.
This works especially well because children begin paying closer attention to the details around them instead of simply consuming content on a screen.
Children love ownership and creativity.
Give them a small section of the garden, a raised bed, or even a few pots and let them become the “garden designer”. They could:
Younger children often enjoy drawing their ideas first, while older children may love using simple garden design apps or mood boards for inspiration.
Gardening activities help children develop creativity, coordination and confidence while encouraging time outdoors.
Children are naturally fascinated by wildlife.
Simple projects like these can keep them entertained for hours:
Watching wildlife return to the garden gives children a real sense of achievement — and teaches patience too.
Wildlife friendly features like this hedgehog house encourage youngsters to be more aware of life off-screen. Help them build more skills by letting them use tools to design and make homes for wild creatures.
Not every outdoor activity needs to involve running around.
Creative children often love:
Outdoor art combines creativity with fresh air and usually creates far less mess indoors.
Creative outdoor activities are regularly recommended as a simple way to reduce passive screen time.
One of the best ways to keep children interested outdoors is to let them grow something edible.
Fast-growing favourites include:
Children who may not normally show much interest in gardening often become incredibly invested once food is involved.
There is also something genuinely rewarding about picking ingredients from your own garden for dinner.
Sometimes children stay indoors simply because the garden does not feel inviting enough.
A few simple additions can make a huge difference:
Creating an outdoor space that works for the whole family encourages everyone to spend more time together outside.
Raised beds offer a brilliant opportunity for children to start gardening - even if they use their allotted space to make a fairy garden or a mini-dinosaur world - they're using their imagination and more importantly, moving away from any dependence on screens.
Many traditional games still work brilliantly today:
Children do not always need expensive equipment — often they simply need ideas and encouragement.
This may sound surprising, but experts increasingly suggest that boredom can actually help children become more imaginative and independent.
When screens are not immediately available, children often begin inventing games, building dens, exploring nature or creating their own adventures outdoors.
Sometimes the best outdoor activities begin with the simple words:
“What shall we do outside today?”
At Precision Paving & Landscaping, we know that gardens are about far more than appearance. A well-designed outdoor space can become a place where families relax, children explore, and grandparents make memories with younger generations.
Whether it is a safe patio for family gatherings, a child-friendly lawn, or a beautifully landscaped garden designed for year-round enjoyment, investing in your outdoor space can help encourage the whole family to step away from screens and spend more quality time together.
Because some of the best childhood memories are still made outdoors.
8 outdoor activities to do outdoors with children