Gaining Confidence in the Great Outdoors: A Guide for Toddlers

The outdoor world is a place of wonder, discovery, and growth for little ones with endless opportunities for exploration and play but it’s a whole new world for toddlers and babies.  Family walks where roaring wind flicks your hair, or hot summer days where staying in the shade is essential, are all new experiences for little ones to share with you.

Building confidence in the outside world can be fun with lots of different activities that can be undertaken as a family, simple walks can turn into a learning journey where children discover the environment around them – Forestry England have a great range of downloadable nature sheets  that allow you to guide outdoor adventures for children.

To help develop motor skills and confidence, outdoor toys can be used to enhance outdoor play and to provide a tasks for kids to focus on mastering

Start with the Basics: The Trusty Trike

A tricycle is often a child’s first step toward independent movement. With three stable wheels, trikes offer a safe and steady introduction to pedalling and steering without needing to balance! Mastering a trike builds co-ordination and strengthens leg muscles while allowing children to navigate their surroundings independently.  For parents there are trikes with a parent handle so while children can feel some independence, you still have control.

Confidence Boost Tips:

• Choose a trike with an adjustable seat and handlebars for comfort, control and longevity.
• Begin in a safe, open space like a park where the surfaces are flat and even before moving on to challenging hills or muddy paths.
• Celebrate small victories, like learning to pedal or steering in the right direction, with positive reinforcement.

Transition to Toddler Bikes

As children grow in confidence, and size, they may be ready to tackle bigger challenges, like toddler bikes. Balance bikes, which do not have pedals, are effective in teaching young children how to balance on two wheels while maintaining control of a bike. They’re an excellent precursor to traditional bikes and help kids develop core strength, coordination, and confidence.  Balance bikes also introduce speed awareness as once kid’s master the technique they can whizz so be ready to run and catch up and it’s a great opportunity to tech children about responding to instructions.

Confidence Boost Tips:

• Opt for a lightweight bike that’s easy for your child to handle.
• Let them practice at their own pace—some kids take to balance bikes quickly, while others need time to adjust.
• Offer encouragement as they experiment with balance, avoid holding the bike too much—letting them wobble and recover is part of the learning process.

Add a Dash of Fun with Ride-Ons

Ride-on toys like tractors with scoops and trailers, pedal cars or electric cars, introduce a playful way for young children to explore their environment.  Pedal ride-ons are great fun for moving around and role-play.  Electric ride-ons give an added element of realism to play but remember electric ride-on toys can only be used on private property with the landowner’s consent so it’s important to think about where your child will be able to use their ride-on safely.

Confidence Boost Tips:

• Encourage imaginative play, like pretending to “drive” to a destination
• Get children involved in the garden, a mini-tractor is a great way to get the leaves collected!
• Introduce simple instructions and teach children the expected response, think about the words you would use in situations like crossing the road, running in the park
• Start to teach about road safety
• Ride alongside them (on your bike or a matching scooter) to create a sense of camaraderie and shared adventure.

Safety First, Always

While fostering confidence is key, safety is non-negotiable. There are options like helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads, to prevent injuries and build a sense of security but it’s also important that adults are identifying potential hazards and looking ahead of younger children until they learn this vital skill.

Safety Checklist:

• Ensure all equipment fits properly and is in good condition.
• Supervise their activities, especially in public spaces or near roads.
• Teach them basic rules, like stopping at crossings or staying on designated paths.
• Keep to simple instructions and teach children the expected response for example: STOP, WATCH, SLOW and don’t forget GO!

Consistency builds confidence, make outdoor time a regular part of your child’s day and watch them become more comfortable and enthusiastic about outdoor activities.

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