Why is it important?

When kids have downtime, they reach right for Mom or Dad’s iPad or their Nintendo DS. While playing an ‘educational’ or fun game for 15 minutes or so is considered healthy, this is a trend that’s keeping kids from playing outside.

There are a few reasons this happens:

1. Mom and Dad may be too busy to supervise their children outside.

2. Children today lead busier lives than some adults! With dance class, basketball games and piano lessons – kids are running from one scheduled event to the next!

But, the outdoors remains the ideal setting for children to play. This is where they can master physical skills and freely experience their motor skills of running, leaping and jumping!

And, kids are most likely to burn more calories outside than relaxing indoors on the sofa! Childhood obesity is currently at epidemic levels. Getting our kids outside paired with nutritional eating habits can help change this devastating trend.

How to Create an Outdoor Play Space

Here at Fifthroom.com, we have a Kids Korner filled with outdoor play sets, toys and furniture geared towards encouraging our children to have fun outside!

Whether you are a parent or grandparent, purchasing a play set is a wonderful investment. A play set’s durability makes it last for years and the kids will want to slide down it and swing on it for years to come. This isn’t a toy they will play with one day and forget about the next! We have a handful of play sets to choose from. We recommend the Hideout Play Set.

Look how many kids can play on this set at once — Six! It comes with two swings, one trapeze, a slide, and playhouse with an entrance ladder. And, the best part is that it only takes about an hour and a half to assemble!

If you have children who are at least 8 years old, we have five fun games to choose from! We recommend our Cornhole Game. This is a favorite at any outdoor party for children, teenagers and adults!

If you haven’t played yet, you are in for a treat! The game is almost like horseshoes, but a little easier. It’s a 4-player game played with beanbags and two boards with holes in them. Each team of two has to toss the beanbag into the opposite hole — the first team to get to 21 wins!

Fifthroom.com’s edition is handcrafted in beautiful maple and arrives to you fully assembled so you and the kids can immediately start playing!

Looking for more ways to have fun outside? Fifthroom.com’s Kids Korner has everything you need to turn your backyard into an outdoor play space!