Outdoors Fun With Kids In The Countryside

When was the last time you planned a day out with the kids? Since May 17, the Covid lockdown roadmap has reached a new milestone. Restaurants, coffees, and tea shops are finally opening their doors to indoor eating. And truth be told, the weather is changing so quickly that we can’t imagine eating on the terrace anymore. The other piece of good news is that you can now meet with a different household indoors, which means you could plan some outdoors fun with friends too. 

However, social distancing is still relevant. So, if you want to avoid crowded places, you may need to head to the countryside. There are plenty of wonderful places to visit, especially during the next bank holiday weekend at the end of May. You could head to Chedworth and spend the day exploring public farms and the Roman Villa. West Midlands, Yorkshire, and Greater Manchester have got a lot of petting farms and zoos that are ideal for younger kids – and tired adults. So, once you’ve decided on a glorious itinerary for the day, here are 4 things you want to keep in mind. 

Kids are filthy

Not that it’s a novelty, but kids are filthy creatures. Now take kids outside of their familiar environment to bring them to the heart of a rural community, and they will be doing some of the grossest things you could imagine. It takes a mere few seconds for their hands to be covered in dirt and their hair to get tangled into all the twigs and leaves in the vicinity. How do they do it? Children have unique talents that we, mere mortal adults, can never understand. More often than not, we’ve long forgotten that we were the same, if not worse. But in the meantime, you will need to prepare for every eventuality. Grubby hands, sticky fingers, and dirty fingernails are an unpleasant sight, especially when you finally stop for lunch. So make sure you pack some wipes in your bag. You never know when you’ll need them! 

Set some clear rules for Outdoors Fun

Say what you wish, but our kids aren’t always on their best behaviours, even when they try really hard. Sometimes, it’s intentional. But, more often than not, they don’t know the rules and simply start wondering on their own, too exciting to discovering new things. Can you blame them? Visiting a farm is entertaining, especially when you spend most of your time in an urban landscape.

So, before leaving for a day of rural explorations, you want to set some clear rules for everyone. Farms, especially petting farms, can be confusing as they have large areas that are fully open to the public. Nevertheless, you want to prevent some unfortunate accidents that could be caused by curious little hands sticking in places where they shouldn’t. As a rule of thumb, anything that is working equipment, from tractors to diesel tanks, is a no go. People rely on their tools and machinery to be in working conditions, so you want to keep kids away from those. When it comes to animals, remind children to be cautious. Approaching an animal from behind could result in scratches, bites, or kicks. 

Pack a few snacks for Outdoors Fun

Seriously, do. You might have planned to stop at a local gourmet pub or tea shop for lunch, but you never know how the day might turn out. If other visitors have the same schedule, you may have to wait for a long time before you can get a free table. As nobody likes cranky and hungry kids, it’s a good idea to always have a few healthy snacks in your bag. You don’t need to prepare a full lunch box. Yet, some snacks such as apple crisps or coconut and cocoa energy balls can keep everyone satisfied until there s a free table. 

A quick change of clothes

So, we’ve mentioned that kids have a unique talent to get dirty in a record time. They are also likely to stain their clothes. Mud, grass stains or even wat patches from falling in a puddle of water are some of the most common incidents on a day out. If you’ve planned a full day of exploration with some delicious breaks for food, it’s not fun to stay in muddy or wet clothes. A quick tip that can make a great deal of difference: try to plan most of the “dirty” visits in the morning. You can pack a change of clothes for the afternoon, so little ones stay fresh and warm all day long. 

Are you ready for some outdoors fun? The next bank holiday is the perfect opportunity to plan a day away from the city, to relax in the countryside. You’ll be away from the crowds, and you can relax in a peaceful rural environment.