Tip #1:  Start

It is good for kids to be outside. Ask most anyone and you would likely get an agreeing nod. We intrinsically understand that “outside” is a good place and that kids benefit from being there. So why are so few kids spending unstructured time outside? Where are the ideas of exploration, self-sufficiency and a sense of something greater than yourself that are keenly on display as kids interact with the natural world around them?

The reality is our modern world, for all its advancements, has become an impediment to these simple concepts. Many of us live in urban and highly built-out suburban areas, and the once abundant opportunities to explore have been replaced with structure, schedule and technology.

As we explore in this series, Getting Kid’s Outside takes an intentional effort by parents and other influencers in a child’s life to make it happen. For most of us though, it is a daunting task to pack stuff, the kids and ourselves and go “outside” somewhere without the distractions of crowds or electronic stimulation. However, from one parent to another, it is worth the investment. And the investment can be much smaller than you might believe.

How then do we start? Just start. Everyone knows a “place” where they have been in the past where they connected to the outdoors. Go there and let your kids have an opportunity to feel the same connection. If you do not know of a place, ask friends, family or even your local Alabama Outdoors staff.  The point is not what you do, what gear you have or even how long it is done.  The goal to provide your kids an opportunity to engage with nature. Skipping rocks in a river, a simple walk down a trail or sitting around a camp fire and telling stories all count. The specific activity or place is not import. The key is intentionally exposing kids to the natural world around them and allowing them to explore and gain confidence in it and respect for it.