1,000 Hours Outside :: Find Magic Outdoors
The weather is perfect. Warm, with a slight breeze. Five children play beautifully in the backyard in waves of togetherness and on their own. The children grind up chalk by churning it on the concrete and mixing it with water, forming a paint-like substance that will be used to paint the sidewalk. Nearby is a decent-sized hole in the ground that is slowly but surely being dug up (for no particular reason) with shovels, trowels, and hand rakes. The excess dirt is stored in various piles nearby and the bed of a toy dump truck. An orange plastic wagon goes to and from the hose to get filled up, emptied for a project and gets filled back up again. Each child totes around a spray bottle filled with water. One minute, the children use the spray bottles to turn their chalk paintings into watercolor masterpieces. The next minute, the bottles are used for bug spraying. The baby’s clothes eventually get so hopelessly wet and dirty that I settle with her wearing only shoes and a diaper, while the big kids are covered head to toe in chalk. But being dirty is fine right now. We have nowhere to be, except exactly here, soaking up these beautiful childhood moments.
Honestly, these are the moments that I’ve always dreamed of experiencing during motherhood.
I dreamed of watching my children play together, along with friends, in nature and total unity, with (almost) no fighting. I dreamed of watching my children play outdoors, with simple toys, and enjoying messy, imaginative play. Watching my dreams come to life on this perfect afternoon was a timely reminder that some of life’s most meaningful experiences cannot be found on a screen or within four walls. Instead, they are found within the human connection to the outdoors.
A global initiative called 1,000 Hours Outside aims to encourage families to reclaim childhood, reconnect families, and live a fuller life by spending 1,000 hours outside during the calendar year.
The founder, Ginny Yurich, encourages families to track the hours they spend outside throughout the year to fully realize how much time is being spent in the outdoors vs indoors. Tracking hours spent outdoors can be a helpful motivator in reminding ourselves to get outdoors more. (The 1,000 Hours Outside Website provides AMAZING free trackers!) My daughter LOVES to color in our tracker after we spend an hour or more outdoors!
Magic is created by spending time outdoors and away from screens. Getting outside allows us to receive Vitamin D, releases endorphins, and fosters physical and active play. The health benefits of being outside are not just limited to promoting our physical health. Spending time outdoors also promotes mental and emotional health and reduces screen time.
Here in Lafayette, many green areas can foster spending time outdoors such as Moncus Park, Girard Park, Jungle Gardens, the Acadiana Nature Station, the new inclusive playground downtown, and even our local zoo! However, do not overlook the ease and simplicity of stepping out of your front or back door! Our front yards, backyards, and neighborhood streets can provide the perfect opportunities to clock hours to reach the 1,000 Hours Outside Challenge!
