Another Reason to Be Outside: Prizes!

Disclosure

It’s all over the news and Facebook and it’s getting tiring. If I hear one more person complain about Pokemon Go, I think I’m going to scream. Yes, it has a bunch of people with their noses in a device, but at least they are OUTSIDE.

Both kids and adults are voluntarily going outside.

You know, visiting parks and museums and churches. Going on walks and bike rides around neighborhoods.

Outside.

Meeting people who live nearby and in many cases, work with them. Why? Because they have something to talk about. Did I mention that much of this takes place… outside?

While many people see it as an exercise in reckless screen time, I see it as an invitation to remind people of all the great things to do, places to see and things that can happen when you walk out your front door.

If it took a digital app to get people excited about venturing out, then so be it. Once outside, there are a multitude of things to do. We actually put together a list of 10 Outdoor Games and Activities to help give you some ideas! Here are a few of the activities we do outsides:

Turn sidewalk chalk into paint

Everyone has bits and pieces of chalk that either fall to the bottom of the box/bin or get tossed in the garbage. Transform chalk pieces into paint and let your inner artist thrive. While sidewalk chalk might be something typically considered a child’s activity, some pretty amazing pieces of temporary art can come about when someone with artist talents uses them.

Get outside and garden

Both adults and kids can put their green thumbs to work by planting and maintaining a garden. Encourage kids to participate by letting them be part of the planning process as well as harvesting the produce when it’s ready. Not only is it a valuable life lesson in growing your own food, but it’s also an opportunity to introduce kids to new foods.

Go for a bike ride

We actually used Pokemon Go as an excuse to go out for a really long bike ride. Trips for ice cream are also a pretty good reason to set off on a long ride. Of course, you don’t really need an excuse. Just get out and ride and enjoy the fresh air! It’s a cool way to get exercise while seeing more of your city and surroundings.

Get active in sports

Whether your passions are running, soccer, baseball, golf or something else, get outside and get active. It doesn’t have to be an organized sport! It’s not uncommon for us to hang out in the middle of the street kicking a soccer ball, tossing a football or throwing a Frisbee around. It’s fantastic when neighbors join in the fun!

Play games

There are plenty of games that can be set up outside. Some board games transition just fine to picnic tables while others are designed for outdoor fun. We saw plenty of people at Geekway to the West playing all kinds of games on patio and picnic tables! Scott even decided to make Wonky even more challenging by playing it on an outdoor table that wasn’t very stable! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and anyone with an interest in getting fresh air will find a way to take their indoor activities outside.

Need a little more incentive to enjoy the fresh air? How about an opportunity to win prizes?! In an effort to inspire and encourage people to get outdoors, TruGreen has launched the #LiveLifeOutside 2016 Summer Sweepstakes! With children ages 8 to 18 devoting an average of more than 7 hours per day to entertainment media, TruGreen decided to help raise awareness for the importance of enjoying lush green grass under our toes while we can. From the time the school year ends until it begins again is only a small fraction of the year so use some of our tips for ways to enjoy being outside, focus some of those activities around a backyard barbecue or S’Mores around a fire pit. Invite the neighbors over, hang out and bond while the weather is still nice enough to do so.

Visit the TruGreen #LiveLifeOutside 2016 Sweepstakes page to learn more about how to share photos and videos and be entered for a chance to win weekly prizes. Find out more about TruGreen by visiting their website or connecting with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.

So next time you head outside to chase down elusive Pokemon characters, take time to discover the other activities you could be enjoying and enter to win some prizes! Fresh air, activity, bonding and the potential for prizes. That’s truly the definition of win/win.

What types of activities do you enjoy outside?