I think that without help, lots of kids will be left not able to play outside. Just as getting cyber was foreign and difficult for many older folks, smaller children with little past outdoor play, won’t be able to put their minds into an outdoor groove.
They don’t know how to use a stick to draw a town in the dirt, and play with cars and trucks to drive around doing stuff. They get restricted from running indoors, so outdoors it may need to be encouraged by some.
While playing with my son one day in a california park, I noticed a Japanese couple picnicking with their toddler daughter.
The couple was watching us almost like we were television. I realized later that the couple must have come from very traditional families, and our type of play was new to them. They began to attempt to play with their daughter imitating things I had done with my son, like taking his hands and swirling in a circle, “flying” him, until I stopped and left him giggling on the ground. Everything they tried went stiff and awkward, but I loved that they were trying. The funny part was when the father was standing in front of his little girl, trying to demonstrate rolling down the grassy hill, without actually getting down. She gave it a go, but found it less exciting than my boisterous son.
He actually noticed the attempted demonstration, and started rolling again to help.
So, remembering that day, I have to believe some children will need to be encouraged and probably demonstrated a few things. Others will naturally have ideas of their own.