5 Reasons Why Kids From Large Families Play Outdoors More

After telling (or more like yelling) the kids to go outside the other afternoon, I began thinking about the size of your family and time spent outdoors.  Now this is just my hypothesis and I have ZERO research to base this on except for everyday living as a mother of 6 children and from growing up as the youngest in a family of 7.  I think there are 5 reasons why kids from large families play outdoors more often than kids from smaller families.  When you add more and more kids into the mix indoors, the noise level and space constraints also add up!

Reason #1:  Mom needs a break from the cacophony of sounds (trust me 6 kids make a lot of noise) inside the house so she tells/yells “GET OUTSIDE”.

Reason #2:  Mom needs a break from listening to all the siblings argue so she tells/yells “GET OUTSIDE”.

Reason #3:  Mom needs a break from the house vibrating and shaking from all the kids running around indoors so she tells/yells “GET OUTSIDE”.

Reason #4:  Mom needs someone to nap or sleep good at night so she tells/yells (because she is exhausted) everyone to “GET OUTSIDE”.

Reason #5:  Mom looks outside and sees every ride on toys, ball, bat, shovel, etc. all over the yard so she tells/yells at everyone to clean it up and “GO OUTSIDE”.

So you can definitely blame me for my kids getting more outdoor time than most.  And finally, something I will NOT have any motherhood guilt about – blame away!

When the kids are stuck indoors due to bad weather and I can’t yell “GO OUTSIDE”, I yell “FIND SOMETHING TO DO”.  My kids know to interpret this to also include and make it something quiet.  That is when they will start playing school, doctor, veterinarian or grab some puzzles.  So, makes me also wonder, does my hypothesis hold true for other play time situations.  Do children from large families just play more in general?  Just wondering…