This is part of a compensated post with the National Wildlife Federation and The Motherhood.
Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives
-Thomas Berry
On those days when my son is playing T-ball or my daughter is out picking flowers from our backyard in the middle of winter, I’m reminded of how blessed we are to live in Southern California. Our relatively temperate climate means that we’re able to be outdoors while much of the country is still shoveling snow and warming their homes with firewood. Today marks the official start to the summer season, and with school out, we’ve got plenty of engaging activities planned to inspire my children to love the outdoors.
Advances in technology mean that many children are spending less time outdoors. I personally know older children who would rather spend their free time indoors watching videos about the outdoors rather than actually experiencing nature first-hand. In addition to fueling a higher rate of obesity (children who sit around most days are not moving their bodies regularly for weight maintenance), this indoor shift has contributed to declining creativity, concentration, and social skills. The NWF’s goal is to get 10 million American children to spend time outdoors and through this commitment, parents will educate, discipline, and spend time with their children enjoying nature as it was intended.
If you have committed to spending time with your child outdoors, you’re probably wondering what activities you can do together. The NWF is a wonderful resource and offers ideas for crafts and projects that inspire a love for the outdoors.
In partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, I will be co-authoring an e-book designed to help parents find solutions for getting outside with their children during the summer months. I have been thinking about writing an e-book for a few months now so when this opportunity arose, I jumped on it. This will be the first resource of its kind designed to help parents sift through all the barriers (weather, busy schedules, etc.) to spend quality time outdoors with their children.
In anticipation of the e-book’s release, I’d love to hear your ideas on how you beat the summer heat with cool, outdoor activities.
Images: National Wildlife Federation
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Congratulations on taking the plunge with an e-book. This is a fantastic topic and can’t wait to read it!
We just spend a lot of time at the beach and pool. Living in FL is wonderful.
We have lots of water play days at our home and also enjoy our community pool and all the splash pads Charlotte has to offer.
We are big outdoors people and love nature, family hikes are one way we connect! I can’ wait for your e-book!
My boys love nature and the outdoors, so I would love to check out this e-book. My boys enjoy days at the zoo and splash park.