Last week I mentioned in a photo caption that we hit over 1,000 hours outside this year… This was a huge accomplishment for our family, but when we started the year, I didn’t tell anyone (even my husband) that I planned to do it!
A *lot* of our hours were accomplished thanks to our local zoo!
If you’ve not heard about 1000 Hours Outside, you can check it out via the link, but the basic idea is kids today log over 1200 hours of screentime in each year, so why not balance that with nature & intentional screen-free time by spending more time outdoors.
One of my favorite ways to log hours was the lake we live near, plus a few trips up to Lake Michigan!
The first reason I didn’t share my goal was because I wasn’t sure we’d make it… our kids do enjoy a lot of outdoor activities, but when I tried focusing on more time outside in 2021 it felt like I was walking backwards at times. (I also had four under 5 for part of the year, so didn’t help!)
The most hours we spent in one place where in our own backyard!
Another reason I didn’t make a big deal about it was I didn’t want pressure to finish- as a foster family we didn’t know what this year would bring (though I can HAPPILY share our adoptions will be happening sooner rather than later!!!) and I didn’t feel we needed to add one more thing to the “to do” list. So I just kept the log for my own curiosity at first. I kept a note on my phone, but I plan to get this tracker for next year!
As the year progressed, I found it easier & easier to come up with excuses & reasons to be outside, and the kids loved our adventuring.
We started sneaking in moments… doing school outside… Playing with the dog… making a mud kitchen… gardening… hiking… kayaking… and a few weeks back I realized we were actually going to make it, but still I didn’t tell the kids! I just told Sam, my husband, that we were really close to making it & we had a special trip planned, and wouldn’t it be really cool if we hit our 1K while doing that…
Every fall we take a trip to Jasper-Pulaski FWA, where San & I eloped, to see the Sandhill cranes migrate.
And, we did it! That day, we hit 1,003 hours outside while we hiked, and explored, and watched the thousands of sandhill cranes preparing to migrate fly in for the night. I couldn’t have planned it better! And even though it’s been cold & windy & snowy, we are still logging the hours (though I stopped keeping track) because being outdoors is so good for the kids, and me, and I’m just happy for every moment we can make.
~Naomi
PS- if you didn’t see the deals, the YL BF Sale is going on now… link to shop deals here!
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