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I have always loved being outside. I could  live my life outside. My earliest memories of being outside are with my dad in his garden. He was always outside either working, or just sitting in his chair enjoying just being there. Sometimes he would have his small transistor radio and listen to the Cincinnati Reds games. I inherited my father’s love for the outdoors, so I am teaching my grandchildren that same love. Katie is a natural, she has always loved getting out and getting dirty. Tyler on the other hand was a little dainty at first, not wanting to get his hands or shoes dirty. He’s almost 4 and has since learned to love a little dirt.

According to a recent survey conducted by TruGreen, it revealed that more than half the Americans surveyed want to spend more time outside, but about two-thirds say they are actually spending less time outside than they did five years ago. We need to turn off the electronics, go outside and make deeper connections with our family and friends.  Today I am going to share some of the things I do to get my grand kids outside.

1. Have a picnic in your backyard. The grand kids are with me 2 days a week so at lunch we pack up a picnic basket and head to the backyard. They love it. We spread out a big blanket, have sandwiches and drinks. Even the doggies join us. I sit and watch them run and play. Sometimes even papal will join us.

2. Play outdoor games. My husband takes great care of our lawn it’s great for playing games. We have an old croquet set that the grand kids enjoy playing with. We also play simple games like tag and hide-and-go-seek. It’s especially fun at night with glow necklaces.

3. Plant a garden. It doesn’t have to be a big garden, you can plant a container garden. Katie loves getting her hands dirty.

4. Water play. When the weather gets warm the grand kids want water. I sometimes fill up a plastic tub and they will climb in and have a blast. We use the sprinkler many times. It can do double duty. Fun for the kids and I can water the lawn and garden at the same time. When the kids are finished with the tub of water I have them carry the water to sprinkle on the garden.

5. Last but not least host a barbecue. The great American past time cooking our food on a grill.As soon as the weather warms up at my house the charcoal grill comes out. It’s easy to do, the flavor is amazing and clean up is a breeze.

TruGreen, America’s leading lawn care company wants to encourage us to live life outside more so they are giving away a Backyard Makeover. Enter here for a chance to win! You can also get more information about TruGreen on Twitte, Facebook, and YouTube.

Now you’ve read my post, turn off the computer and go outside! How does your family enjoy being outdoors?