Get up close and personal with underwater species at the Manila Ocean Park.

These days, it’s becoming more difficult to claw children away from the computers. The days when we as children went skinny-dipping in the river, rode a bike to the abandoned lot down the dirt road, or climbed the mango tree seem so far away. This generation’s idea of “going out” is driving to the mall.

Like all parents, I’m becoming more concerned with my son Jacob’s addiction to online games and computers, so this summer, he and I have come up with a list of ten pre-digital-age things we can do outdoors.

1. Go on a picnic. Bring a blanket and a basket of food, be open to the idea of having fun, analog style.

2. Go birdwatching. If you’re a first-timer, it’s best to go with a club, such as the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, which has guided trips open to the public. You can also sign up with sports and outdoor shop Recreational Outdoor Exchange (ROX) at Bonifacio High Street, Taguig, for their weekend birdwatching trips at P700 per person.

3. Get up close and personal with underwater creatures. If you’re willing to brave the long lines, check out the newly opened Manila Ocean Park, which features 300 marine species indigenous to the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Entrance fee is P400 for adults and P350 for children. The park opens at 10 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends and closes at 9 p.m.

4. Teach your child to fish. We’ve heard that one can go fishing at the La Mesa Ecopark, so we’re looking forward to trying it out this summer. According to the Website, you pay P20 for the use of the fishing rod and P80 for every kilo of fish you catch. (Special rates apply to Quezon City residents.)

5. Go biking. You can also do this with your kids at the La Mesa Ecopark. If you live in a subdivision that offers a lot of space for biking, block off the end of the day for biking hour and watch the sunset with your child. It’s also good exercise for you.

6. Visit a museum. My son and I visited the Museo Pambata last year, and he enjoyed the wall-climbing facility as well as the mini marketplace. Go early so you can catch the 10 a.m. storytelling hour with the Alitaptap group of storytellers.

7. Go swimming. Did you notice how the mall seems to be taken over by inflatables? If you can’t drive to the nearest beach or pool, who says you can’t bring the pool to your backyard? Make some ice candy or fruit shake and enjoy it while soaking with your kids in an inflatable pool. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

8. Go kite flying. There’s nothing more exciting than building your own kite from scratch. If you’re in the dark on where to start, get some tips here. Go kite flying in an open field, and stay away from electric posts. The Cebu City government prohibits kite flying for children younger than 12 years old without adult supervision, and in open spaces smaller than 3,000 square meters, unless there are no electric or telephone poles in the vicinity. Inquire with your locality on kite-flying dos and don’ts. (We miss the pre-Serendra Fort, which was a good place to fly kites.)

9. Play outdoors. While I’ all out for a ballgame at the nearby Sunken Garden in UP Diliman, my son wants to learn how to play tumbang preso, and the mother is certainly very elated that he’s excited to learn something so analog and old-fashioned.

10. Visit the zoo. If the Avilon Zoo in Montalban seems too far off, there’s a nearby branch right in the city: Ark Avilon Zoo. (Read Annalyn Jusay’s and Anton Diaz’s posts about the place.)

Photo credit: Leon B. Dista
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