Should We Force Kids to Go Outside?

Yes! A resounding yes because a significant amount of daily outside free play is imperative for proper growth and development. But I definitely think we should frame it up a different way. The way in which we structure the ins and outs of our family life impacts the future of our kids. Small changes in routine can add up to momentous gains for our children. 

Think about the way you currently format your days and your week. Do you make regular trips to the library? Do you often snuggle up on the couch and read stories? Do you try and stock your fridge with some nutritious food options? Do you assign your kids some chores? Do certain portions of your day have a pattern and a flow?

We can add in outdoor free play in just the same way! A few evenings a weeks you could go on a family walk after dinner. Once a weekend you could pencil in a new hike. For kids that are more resistant you may have to try out a few different types of activities. Especially for older children, the opportunities to get active outside are endless. You could try fly-fishing, skateboarding, rock climbing, hammocking, gardening, and the list goes on. Younger kids are usually content anywhere as long as the conditions are tolerable and especially if they have a few friends along.

Consider the impact of a weekly hike or a specific evening designated for frisbee in the front yard woven into the lifelong memory of a child. 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.