Take charge during this sometimes scary season of life when we fear we might mess it all up but deep down we know kids need nature time. They need it now more than ever.

Whereas parents mere decades ago were content with hours upon hours of neighborhood play, parenting today comes with compelling pressure to enroll in extracurriculars and there is almost no neighborhood play at all.

We can build nature time into our lives just like how we build in other good habits. In this way we change the tone of the activity and time in nature becomes an exciting, dependable, and meaningful part of the landscape of childhood.

Movement during the day and throughout childhood is crucial. The importance here is monumental. Childhood is when children develop the vestibular sense and it's not happening while they sit still.

Throughout childhood there will be many voices encouraging you to enroll and each enrollment will certainly have some merit. What you probably won't feel is much pressure to play outside.

Children are naturally inclined toward the things in nature that are helpful for their development. Puddles are readily available! Nature doesn’t skimp!

Extended time outside provides children with the perfect environment they need for their growth, while simultaneously providing parents and caregivers with desperately-needed moments of reprieve and peace.

Yes, our world is full of incredible teachers (including parents) but the best teacher it seems, is our own personal feedback loop.

Our screens and screen culture have normalized the experience of having conversations with little or no eye contact. We’ve seen it in adults, and we all have certainly seen it in kids. Unfortunately, we are losing something vital and inherently human. -Nicholas Kardaras Ph.D.

We take over the learning process so young that we forget how much children bring to the table as it relates to their own advancement.

Many of our frustrations as parents arise simply from denying our kids the opportunities they desperately need, albeit unintentionally. The cherry on top is that nature time is good for adults as well so there really are no downsides here.

Since time outside provides multi-faceted physical, social, mental, and emotional benefits, we are intentional about scheduling nature time into our week. Research shows time and again that kids need quality nature time and they need lots of it!

When children go outside they naturally want to challenge their bodies. Challenge is integral to development. As physical movements grow more complex, so do the connections within the brain.

Playing outside is an inexpensive investment in the short term and long term health of your family! ​

75% of the time we spend with our kids in our lifetime will be spent by age 12.

As childhood has largely moved indoors over the past several decades,  The Little Farmhouse in West Virginia highlights the power and long-lasting impact of simple nature experiences for children.

For the most part we don't take toys with us when we go outside. One major exception is the beach! Kids love to use the endless supplies of sand and water to make exceptional creations.

In the sea of activities available to children and families the simple act of stepping outside to play can easily get lost. Who has time for playing in the yard when there are dances to be rehearsed, homework to be finished, music notes to be played, and soccer drills to run?

While we are totally supportive of whatever your outside goals are we do want to encourage you that a goal of 1,000 hours is an attainable goal for many. 1000 Hours Outside within a calendar year will absolutely change the entire landscape of childhood.

The best time to go outside is whenever can you do it!!