Easter holidays: How your child can use devices to get outside and explore the world around them

With spring having just about sprung, we spoke to therapist Raoul Lindsay about how spending time in nature can help your child’s mental health. “Being outdoors is a whole sensory experience for children: smelling flowers, feeling the soil in their hands, or listening to birds chirping. These calm down your child’s feelings and help them be grounded, present and more mindful.”

Raoul suggests thinking about some activities you could do out in nature with your kids that implement the use of devices. “Tech is not an obstacle, but an aid,” he says. We've got some ideas to get you started.

You could go for a walk together and bring your smartphones with you to explore the natural habitat of your local park – there are plenty of tools out there to help make the most of your devices.

For a start, there are apps to help children better understand the plants and animals they see as they go. For example, The Woodland Trust’s tree ID app helps to identify trees and flowers using a phone camera, allowing children to learn something new about the flora in their surroundings. Another, Seek by iNaturalist, allows children to earn badges the more they seek out different species of plants and animals. The app uses information from the global iNaturalist database but is designed with kids in mind and doesn’t allow the sharing of personal data.

Alternatively, you could try the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home app, which allows you to set challenges and activities that your children can do from your garden. You could plant a flower, open a hedgehog café or take quizzes about the local wildlife.

“You could look for apps or video tutorials about gardening and get started with something simple to see the amazing benefits this has on your child’s wellbeing. It teaches patience to children as they understand that it takes time for seeds to grow and seeing nature in control of these phenomena will take a lot of emotional pressure off them,” says Raoul.

If your child is the creative type, nature can be a great artistic inspiration for them. “It’s always good to tap into your children’s interests,” says Raoul. “So, if your child is a budding photographer you could start with some challenges, for example by setting a goal of finding three bugs and plants in the park or the forest to photograph. The colours and textures found outdoors can really help to boost a child’s creativity, so let them experiment”.

If your child’s a YouTube fiend, maybe they could try their hand at vlogging their adventures in nature? Own It has tips on how to film the perfect video and edit and upload clips.

A fundamental part of being outdoors is getting involved with the community. Raoul suggests looking for birdwatching local groups to join, “so that your child understands phones are a great way to meet people in real life (under your supervision!).”

They could also contribute to real science projects and make a difference with their phones by taking part in citizen science projects. Take a look online for research projects that you and your child can contribute to, whether it's run by a charity, university or research council - the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology has details on projects and apps to help monitor local wildlife.

Maybe your child is more of the sporty type? Their phone can help them with that too. “Physical movement is essential to unwind and regulate emotions. Spring is the perfect time to get outdoors and soak up some vitamin D, but keep up these activities all year long,” urges Raoul.

It could be a simple family step count goal on a movement tracking app or you could head out together on a geocaching adventure. Geocaching is a family-friendly hobby involving treasure hunts around the countryside or town looking for hidden items in different spots. Geocachers sign the log books at each location or even replace the hidden items with something of their own. This is a fun way to go walking together with your child, with the added incentive of the game. It also develops their orientation skills and can provide a great family weekend activity as the weather improves. Just remember to keep your wits about you as you go - make sure children keep their eyes up from their devices when approaching any roads or other hazards.

“Kids can learn a lot from nature, so use this time outdoors as an opportunity to level up,” suggests Raoul. “Let them lead and take ownership of the activity and try to find their way back from where you’ve started: they’ll develop their orientation and decision-making skills and will be much more motivated to leave the house.”

Geocaching usually involves allowing location tracking, so you may want to use your own phone as opposed to your child’s device or turn this off afterwards.

“As parents, we tend to encourage our children to do things, but it’s when we engage in the activity that it becomes more meaningful. That’s why you should always make sure to be present and involved to show them it’s important,” says Raoul. “Don’t just download the app, otherwise your child could lose their motivation. Why not talk to them about what they like to do with their phones and try to bring that outdoors?”

For more tips and advice for your child, show them Own It's collection on making the most of the world beyond their screen.