Raising a happy child is something every parent wants. A happy child will grow up well-adjusted and ready to face the world. If you have a little one, chances are nothing makes you happier than seeing them giggle and smile. But it’s not always easy to keep your kid in good spirits. One of the most important things you need to do to raise a happy child is create the right environment. And if you’re anything like us, that means spending a lot of time outdoors.
Here are some tips on how you can make sure your child grows up filled with joy.
Encourage their imagination
One of the best parts about being a child is that everything is a possibility. There’s nothing they don’t believe in. They’re free to dream without the limitations of the real world. If they want to be president of the universe, they’re free to do so. If they want to protect your house against scary ghosts, they have no problem doing it. If they want to be a karate champion or princess, they can be. That’s why it’s important you encourage them to play pretend and give them the freedom to discover the power of their imaginations. Let them run around in the park or spend hours on jungle gyms. It can only be good for them.
Give them a creative outlet
Children don’t only delve into their imagination when they play, but also when they create. Your little one needs to express themselves and that’s why the need to have a creative outlet. Some children like to draw, others enjoy singing and some like to make up stories. Help them find what works for them. They don’t need to be good at it, they simply need to love doing it.
Limit screen time
It’s 2016 and getting in touch with technology is important for children who are going to grow up in a world run by Google. But that doesn’t mean they need to spend hours playing with apps on your smartphone. In fact, spending too much time in front of screens can be a bad thing. As with most things in life, it’s all about balance. Give your child a limited amount of time to explore the world through a screen (while keeping an eye on the content, of course). The rest of the time, however, they should be daydreaming about fighting dragons or celebrating their inner artist.
Raising a happy child isn’t always easy and there’s a lot of different advice out there. But you can’t go wrong by encouraging their imagination, giving them a creative outlet and limiting the amount of time they spend with a screen. View our range of playground equipment for kids.
