Whether it's the park, the forest or just the nearest meadow: children love to let off steam and play outdoors. Physical activity is also very important for child development. Nature offers optimal conditions for this. Developmental psychologists even rate movement in nature as a key focus for optimal cognitive development. We show you great outdoor sports that inspire youngsters to exercise in the fresh air in the long term.

Experience adventures in nature while climbing

There are countless reasons why you should exercise outdoors in nature with the whole family. Above all, it is the children who need these outdoor experiences in order to further develop their personality. In addition to the personal wealth of experience, the focus is on movement, where the little ones improve their motor skills.

If you want to be on the safe side, try it out with the kids in a “protected” environment on bouldering walls or rocks. It is important to have a soft and shock-absorbing material on the floor so that the kids don't hurt themselves if they do fall down. There are also special courses where the little ones can learn techniques such as securing a rope. As soon as the temperatures allow it, the sport can be moved outside to climbing parks or high ropes courses.

The different levels of difficulty, which appeal to beginners and advanced users alike, are advantageous. In addition, climbing is considered very healthy for several reasons: It trains coordination, strengthens children's self-confidence and provides physical balance. Children with ADHD (attention deficit and concentration disorder) particularly benefit from this, as they use their excess energy sensibly. The more successes and challenges the kids master while climbing, the more self-confident they act.

Tip: Children love to practice climbing on all sorts of objects. Adults, for example, should not generally ban climbing trees, but should provide a protected framework. This is the case, for example, when kids want to try their hand at slacklining, which is becoming increasingly popular. They need suitable slackline sets to balance between the trees. Too thin longlines are not recommended for children. Instead, they should use slacklines that are at least 3.5 centimeters wide. Furthermore, the leisure activity should not be practiced at the expense of the trees - a tree is only suitable if it has a thick trunk with a width of at least 40 centimeters.

 

Swim in cool water

In summer, the outdoor pool and the lakes invite you to splash around and swim. From a health point of view, swimming is considered one of the healthiest of all. Even small children are recommended to use the water under supervision so that they lose their fear of it. At the same time, kids don't need much for the first attempts - only (depending on their age) arm bands, swimwear and swimming goggles. Apart from the casual handling of water, the sport requires physical fitness. Almost all muscle groups are used and trained in a way that is easy on the joints.

However, children up to a certain age, even with swimming aids, should never be left unsupervised in the water. As the "Advice Center for Accident Hazards" recommends, at least one caregiver should stay with the child to ensure safe water sports. It is also important not to force the offspring to swim. Nobody should go in the water if he or she doesn't want to. Instead, for some kids it's sometimes just enough to watch the others from the edge of the pool doing sports or playfully romping around.

Ball games for children

Ball or ball activities are among the most popular outdoor games children play. Of course, Basketball is a prominent representative here. This classic has been very popular with children and young people for many decades. An advantage of ball sports are the countless associations and clubs where children learn how to play professionally at an early age. This ball sport also helps to improve endurance, coordination and speed. From a social point of view, too, team sports make a significant contribution to later development. Since the children play together in teams, they learn important qualities such as team spirit and solidarity early on.

Relaxed and happy cycling

Cycling is a very relaxed and fun sport that almost all children enjoy. In contrast to jogging, the knees and joints are not put under as much strain. In addition to the adults, the little ones benefit from a bike tour together, as their sense of balance is trained. The cardiovascular system also gets going. Due to the coordinated movement sequences, cognitive development also improves. In the brain, which has a stronger blood supply, new connections are formed along with altered messenger substances.

So you can literally say that cycling makes you smarter. When it comes to children, the independence factor should not be underestimated: those who jump on a bike are “free” and to a certain extent independent, on their own two wheels, so to speak. With longer bike tours, parents encourage the children's independence and support them in becoming mobile.

Important: Children are only able to fully perceive risks in road traffic from the age of about eight years. Therefore, the first driving tests should take place in a safe environment without traffic. A certified helmet is mandatory for adults and children to reduce the risk of injury to a minimum. In general, light-colored clothing and visible lights on the bike also increase safety.

Other (hobby) sports for children in nature

Riding horses is fun for both girls and boys. Special courses and riding lessons are offered in many places. It is important to understand the needs of the animals and to slowly introduce the children to a trusting relationship.

Not a sport as such, but a worthwhile outdoor pursuit is martial arts. Boys in particular love to "compete" against each other in the forest and form gangs. Like in the movies, they make plans, form alliances and "fight" each other and play with self-made equipment.

Throwing, hunting, archery: throwing training never goes out of style, but it should be subject to certain rules. Animals and people should not be targets. Instead, kids should throw where nobody can get hurt.