Can You Come Outside to Play?

Right now I have the door open and I am listening to my 3 children giggling together in our backyard.  The wind is blowing, rustling the leaves, the birds are singing, and here in North Carolina, it is a lovely 60 degrees.  All of a sudden I am 8 years old again, playing in the woods with my cousins in Cedarland.  Cedarland was our special hideaway in the woods that the grownups pretended they knew nothing about.   We created towns in the fall, where we raked out leaves to make houses and roads.  I was always the town school teacher.  In the winter we dared each other to walk in the creek with no shoes on.  In the Spring and Summer, those more adventurous than I, chose to catch and observe lizards and toads.  There were nights filled with catching lightening bugs in jars. Mud pies in the rain. Blackberries to pick that stained our already "filthy from playing outside all day" fingers. I remember this huge empty barrel we climbed inside of and rolled down the hill, and wagon races down that same hill, where we used the handle as our steering wheel.     We packed snacks and set off exploring in the woods. We brought books outside and read under trees. I directed my cousins and friends in plays outside that our parents enthusiastically watched  patiently endured.   I know it sounds idyllic, but it really was my childhood. We were sent outside after school, EVERYDAY! And all day long in the summers.  I am guessing that those of you who are my age, have very similar memories.

I have such happy memories of my childhood and playing outside, and I really want my children to have this as well.  This is why we bought our house with the big fenced in backyard  So why does it seem so hard to make sure my kids ages 6, 3, and 1 make it outside EVERYDAY? (especially the youngest).  There are lots of logistical challenges and these are things I plan on blogging about and confronting over the next month, but it really shouldn't be THAT HARD!  Should it?  I feel it is imperative for their development  and growth as a human being, I have read MANY books and blogs and articles on the subject.  We do try and play outside almost everyday, and usually we make it outside.  But still there are nights when I tuck them in and wonder where the day went?  Why they spent all day in the car or in the playroom instead of time outside.

Hence my challenge to myself and to all of you.  Let's play outside this month.  Every day. No matter the weather.  No matter how pressing our to-do list seems. Let's share fun ideas to do with our kids outside.  Tips for getting your kids to play outside WITHOUT you.  (Not all play should be structured).  Let's talk about where we play.  Share books and articles and blogs with each other.  And let's savor each and every beautiful spring day in April.  Whether it is rainy or sunny or snowy where you live, play outside. 

Can You Come Outside to Play?

*If you would like to accept the challenge to play outside EVERY DAY in the month of April, please comment on this blog post below and become a follower of this blog. .   Also share your FAVORITE place to play outside as a child. At the end of April I will ask you to post again if you met the challenge.  There will be a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card. 

*We will share ideas throughout the month of April on how to reach this goal.  We will include books and blogs about the benefits of outdoor play. If you have a book or blog you think we should highlight, please message me at daniellescribner at juno.com. 

*Each week I will also host a "Weekly Virtual Play Date."   Something that we all do in our separate locations.  On Sundays, I will add a link-up where you can share pictures and blog posts about your outdoor play that previous week, if you wish.  This isn't required.   

*For it to count, I think the playtime should be at least 30 minutes total that day.  (Although much more would be ideal). At the end of the month your child(ren) will have been outdoors at least 900 minutes!