Modern life is now synonymous with technology and screens more than it is with the outdoors. While we individually have our own screen-time issues, a better approach can be a family-orientated one, which is to try and get everybody to change their habits and spend more time outside. The garden is the place for this, and this article will look at ways to achieve this.
The science-backed benefits of garden time for families
The benefits of spending time in the garden go well beyond simple fresh air. It gets us up off our sofa, for a start, and encourages us to move around more — whether it’s pulling off our sofa covers, having a BBQ or watering the flowers.
Most of the UK is deficient in vitamin D, and this is a great way to fight this — we can get our daily recommended vitamin D in just eight minutes of sunshine. It helps with eyesight for children too, as close-by screens are not good for development and are the cause behind the rising need for glasses all around the world.
But, finally, it’s the connection to nature which can reduce stress, alleviate depression and generally help the family socialise with each other more.
Diagnosing the drift indoors: Common garden hurdles
Understanding why the garden is underused is the first step to solving this. The notoriously unpredictable UK weather is certainly a major factor, so this could be one thing to address (e.g. an awning or gazebo).
Inside, there are powerful distractions that compete for attention. Not just the screens, but a comfy sofa too. Busy schedules can also make it tricky to keep up the garden, as well as a lack of ideas.
Creating comfortable zones
Making your garden physically welcoming is going to be the main goal, as comfort transforms perception. Ditch the wirey patio chairs and opt for a weather-proof sofa with made to measure outdoor cushions. These aren’t just comfortable, but will be inviting because they don’t wear out as easily. The British Furniture Association (BFA) is a good resource on what makes for good quality furniture.
This can create a genuine extension of your home, but you can go a step further by adding weather-proofing items like a large, sturdy parasol or a retractable awning. This can also create zones in the garden, which are further fortified with plants. You could have a lounging zone and a play zone, even in a small garden, and this will help attract all family members out there as it offers some level of homely private space.
Activities tailored to age and interest
Generic pleas to “go outside” rarely work, so you may need to tailor activities. For young children, nature scavenger hunts can be great, focusing on leaf shapes or minibeasts. Simple gardening tasks like planting fast-growing cress can help encourage coming back, day after day, to track progress and provide a sense of responsibility. A designated mud kitchen or water table offers sensory play, and building bug hotels or putting up bird feeders also creates ongoing interest.
Older children and teens might enjoy active games like badminton or boules. If you’re fighting a losing battle with teenagers, you could resign to the idea of putting up an outdoor TV. At least, this way, they will be in the sun and fresh air, and the placement of the TV can be further away from the furniture — it’s also great for hosting World Cup games and the like. Again, it gets them out of the bedroom and socialising more.
Den building using tarps or specific kits can encourage collaboration, while outdoor painting and rock art induce a sense of creativity. On clear nights, stargazing is a great interest to encourage, and identification apps can allow them to use technology in a constructive way.
Giving them ownership to parts of the garden can also be rewarding, and it can even encourage looking after it, such as mowing or building a raised bed.
Alfresco dining
Food is a powerful magnet, and tea time is often the only chance to spend time together. It doesn’t need to be a BBQ either, as this makes an ordeal out of things. Yes, a pizza oven is very cool, but you’ll use it once or twice and it won’t change the habits of the family. Instead, you can simply cook your usual food and lay the table outside instead of inside. Heveaoutdoor in UK has some good options for terrace tables which make things feel like normal, cosy dinner time, despite it being outside and weatherproof.
Getting the family outdoors begins by understanding what attracts them to the inside. By making things comfortable, private, and bringing some inside luxuries to the outdoors, it’s possible to change the habits of a family and spend more time outdoors, together.
