Any parent with kids older than five knows how difficult it is to get them outside to play. In today’s technology, they main way of entertainment consists of video games, social media, online browsing, and chatting, or posting.
The average teenager is more active online than he is in school, at home, or with real friends. This is considered unhealthy behavior by specialists because they lose the connection with Mother Nature – a connection we fully embraced and explored when we were their age.
After all, how many kids you see playing outside and communicating with each other? And if they are outside, they spend most of their time checking their phone. So what is there to do?
In my experience, if you find an activity that is more interesting than their phones, your kids will ditch their indoor lifestyle and move outside. For my kids, it was the passion for remote-controlled vehicles that did the trick, and below you can read the steps you need to follow if you want to get your kids interested as well.
Find Interesting Cars
The first step is also the most difficult one! The market is saturated with lots of models, each with amazing features and designs. That’s why I recommend doing your research first. Sites like RC rank reviews can help you understand the technical terms and can help you choose the best car for your child.
The most interesting cars I could find are off-roaders like the Traxxas Summit or the RedCat Racing Electric Volcano. These are big trucks with lots of features and intricate inner workings that will keep most teenagers busy. Such toys run fast, but they will also dig a bit deeper in your pocket.
For smaller kids, I recommend smaller cars (1/18 or 1/24 scale) that will still work outside but at a slower pace.
Get them to enroll in Competitions
While driving your new, cool RC toy car around the neighborhood is amazing the first few days, after a while it becomes boring. So, if you don’t want to see that new, expensive car sitting around, gathering dust, you must find a way to motivate them.
RC competitions are a lot of fun and open the door for new friends with the same passion. The best way to start is at the local RC track, but if you can’t find one, you can always start a DIY project and organize one.
It will be something that will keep the kids involved and can end up by getting the entire community to work on it. If not, you can always organize a special track in your backyard with obstacles and all sorts of interesting features.
Support their Hobby
If you reached this third step, you are on the road to success. It means the kids are spending time outside and they like their cool RC cars! But, before you congratulate yourself, make sure you fuel the passion.
The cars need maintenance from time to time and, if the kids like to race, they may need parts to improve their rigs. Create a special fund for these situations and help them work on skill improvement by keeping their toys ready for the race. Some kids even like to collect RC vehicles, which may prove a bit expensive (but it’s worth it).
