Advice for A Winter-Worn Mom Who Wants To Get Her Kids Outside and Away from The Video Games
Judy Molland, author of "Get Out!: 150 Easy Ways For Kids and Grown-Ups To Get Into Nature and Build A Greener Future" has tips for a New Hampshire mother who is looking to spend more time in nature with her children.
Dear Judy,
My kids spend most of their free time playing their video games. Getting them outside is nearly impossible, especially when it is cold. Do you have any ideas for a winter-worn Mom who wants to spend more time outside with her kids?
Thanks Ahead of Time in New Hampshire
Dear Winter-Worn Mom,
First, you should take heart that February 2 is not only Groundhog Day, but also the traditional festival of Candlemas, falling midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and in many traditions considered to be the beginning of spring. Longer days and warmer weather are on the way!
I also applaud you for wanting to spend more time outside with your children. Enthusiasm is contagious, so if your kids see you enjoying yourself outside, they are much more likely to join you.
You don’t say how old your children are, but here are some ideas that can work for any age:
• Make a schedule with your kids for screen time and outdoor time, and do your best to stick to it. In other words, it’s not a good idea to try and take away those electronics, but instead you can create a balance.
• Start by introducing a “green hour,” meaning a certain amount of time that you will go outside every day.
• Try bird watching and discover which of our feathered friends like to visit your neighborhood. See if you can figure out when birds are most and least vocal. You can even take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count (www.birdcount.org), Feb 12 – 15, for bird enthusiasts around the country.
• Winter is the best time to track animals. Look for tracks of dogs, cats, squirrels, rabbits, birds, which are definitely easiest to spot in snow or mud, and at the edges of puddles, ponds, and lakes.
• Buy magnifying glasses for yourself and your children, so that you can really examine nature in detail. You’ll be amazed at what you see, and you’ll have fun!
• Once you’re back in front of the computer, or at the library, find out more about what you’ve seen outside. That way, you can combine a love of nature with a love of technology!
Hopefully, that’s enough to get started. And of course, as a mom, you know that it’s important to dress for the weather. Being cold because you’re wearing inadequate clothing will ruin any enjoyment of nature.
I’ll be back with more tips next month,
Judy Molland
To Purchase "Get Out!: 150 Ways To Get Out in Nature and Build A Greener Future" click here.
About the Author: Judy Molland earned a B.S. Honors from Hull University, U.K. and a Diploma in Education from the University of London, U.K. She is an award-winning teacher and writer. Her latest book is Get Out! 150 Easy Ways for Kids and Grown-Ups to Get Into Nature and Build a Greener Future (Free Spirit, 2009).
She is also the author of Straight Talk About Schools Today (Free Spirit Publishing, 2007) and is contributing education editor for Dominion Parenting Media, the largest syndicate of parenting magazines in the United States.
Her articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Parents, Instructor, New York Newsday, and the Web site Parenthood.com.
She was won a Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a Certificate of Appreciation from the California Department of Education, and a Gold Award for Editorial Excellence from Parenting Publications of America.
An avid hiker, backpacker, skier and rock climber, Judy is a high school Spanish teacher and a leader with her local chapter of the Sierra Club
