Fond memories usually involve climbing trees, watching your vegetable patch sprout, and childhood birthday garden parties. The more insular our lives become, and the more we’re able to simulate the outdoors on our phones and laptops, the less we’re connected to where we come from.

The lockdown life is challenging for everyone, but for children in particular. Here’s how spending time outdoors will impact their, and your, wellbeing.

Color psychology: Your child has just learned what red, amber, and green symbolize on a traffic light. They’re old enough to have a favorite color. They’re even choosing their own outfits. That’s color psychology in action.

Color psychology is the study of how colors affect human mood and behavior. Being in quarantine can adversely affect your child’s mental well being, all that energy and nowhere to unleash it can’t be easy.

Put your child at play in the garden and watch those creative juices come bubbling up. I’ve discussed the positive impact of the outdoors in a previous post but outdoor play is more than just about soaking in sunshine and fresh air. Green is a calming color, and being surrounded by it will relax your child.

Blue, another famously calming color, enhances creativity. Jacquemontia is a creeper with blue flowers – grow it over a trellis or pergola to see it at its best.

Yellow unleashes a surge of energy, cheer, and happiness. An instant mood uplifter, furnish your garden with yellow for great results. Consider sunflowers, yellow cushions, plant pots, an outdoor rug, or a statement painting.

Mental health and creativity: “Green therapy” is taking off around the world, with people prioritizing time in nature and plants in their home. Time in nature helps with reducing stress and anxiety, and is a fantastic way to bond with your child, without getting technology involved.

Taking on engaging projects like planting a vegetable garden or caring for your existing plants will not only help your family expend pent-up quarantine energy, but will also leave you with fond memories to look back on.

Developing an aesthetic sense from a young age: Our aesthetic environment has a deep impact on various aspects of our mind. From engagement and decision-making to creativity and calculation, look no further than your garden to help your child develop an aesthetic sense.

Regular outdoor play will send your child’s creativity soaring, and you’ll see its effect on their mood, engagement, and energy levels too.