Summary: The benefits of 1000 hours outside<br> <br> Most of us understand intuitively that spending time outdoors – 1000 hours outside, in fact! – is important. But what does science say about the role of nature in our lives? How can we make the outdoors a staple of our children’s childhoods without tears?<br> The 1000 Hours Outside campaign seeks to match nature time with screen time, and that’s because kids spend approximately 1200 hours per year in front of electronic devices. I’ve dedicated my family to the lofty goal of spending 1000 hours outside this year in ways that are structured, completely unstructured, and everything in between. (Full disclosure: I’m a bit behind!)<br> Today I speak with Molly Ridic and Austin Rempel. Molly is a representative for <a href="https://b4adventure.com/pages/slackers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">b4 Adventure</a>; Austin is a Forest Restoration Manager for <a href="https://give.americanforests.org/ways-to-give/earthmonth1/?amount=50&source_code=2021EMAds_GS&gclid=Cj0KCQjw38-DBhDpARIsADJ3kjnA3M-r65cng4IceVavOgD4yV8abThHCxHLGSDd23WZQBq8muPKrV4aAiEIEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Forests</a>. Together b4 and American Forests have teamed up to plant thousands of trees across North America.<br> Molly and Austin are on the show to outline research-backed benefits of extended playtime outdoors for adults, children and even nature; they offer practical tips, too, to help you and me prioritize nature play in all kinds of weather.<br> <br> Here’s a preview of this week’s episode:<br> [6:15] Why is it important to spend time outdoors? Here’s what the research says<br> [10:30] The connection between fostering nature love and creating environmental stewards, plus an exploration on the benefits of trees<br> [17:30] Why adventure is an important component of nature love<br> [21:30] Pragmatic motivation for listeners with obstacles, including living in an urban environment, experiencing challenging weather, and more<br> <br> Resources mentioned in this week’s episode:<br> <br> * <a href="https://www.1000hoursoutside.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The 1000 Hours Outside Campaign</a><br> * <a href="https://b4adventure.com/pages/slackers-play-to-plant-tree-planting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Slackers Play to Plant Partnership</a><br> <br> <br> * This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://outrageandoptimism.libsyn.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outrage + Optimism</a>. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes every Thursday.<br> * Want more episodes like this one? Check out <a href="https://mamaminimalist.com/099/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#099: How to Raise Eco-Conscious Kids</a>.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br>
