I have been taking part in the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge since Bear was born, but this year, with them both, I decided to make getting outside a priority for us. There are so many benefits to fresh air and sunshine, and we honestly feel it. I have always loved the outdoors, though in all honesty, I was very much a fair weather adventurer, and you'd find me curled up inside with a good book if it was miserable and raining outside.
However, I have noticed the benefits in my children from being outdoors too, and both me and Bear suffer when we are cooped up inside all day. So, I decided that I wanted to make getting outside and getting some fresh air a priority for us, and so far, at over half way through the year, we have spent time outside every day!
Some days, that only includes ten minutes in the garden, or a wander to the local shop and back. The days where it's cold and raining, or worse, windy! Both Bear and I hate the wind. Other days we can be outside nearly all day. Pretty much all of our adventures are outdoor based, and wherever possible I will choose outdoor activities and groups over indoor ones, choosing to use the indoor activities to fill the days when getting outside is harder.
The 1000 Hours Outside Challenge was something that I came across on Instagram while I was still pregnant with Bear, and I loved the idea. Ginny, the founder, based her idea on research that showed that the average child spends nearly 1200 hours a year looking at a screen. Her idea was to try and match that time with nature time, rounding it to 1000 hours, because we all like a good round number!
She provides free tracking sheets which we use, as I like to see them fill up as we spend time outside. This year we chose the new log slice tracking sheet as I loved how it looked, and I decided to track Bear and The Cub seperately as I knew that Bear would clock up more time than his little brother.
I have no idea whether we will make it to 1000 hours outside, in fact, I'm reasonably positive we won't. We haven't come close in the couple of years we've been taking part, but I do know that we are accumulating more time than we would have if I hadn't made it a priority in our days.
Back at the beginning of the year, I found it difficult to get us outside in the cold and wet weather due to The Cub only being very small, but I soon realised that actually, he was the easiest one to keep warm and dry! He had a lovely winter all in one suit and he went in his pram, under his raincover and was perfectly happy, warm and dry. It was Bear and myself that had to wear layers to keep warm, and stay out of the rain if we wanted to stay outside for long. But, encouraging outdoor time in all weather has resulted in Bear asking to play outside in the garden in all weathers. I often look out of the window and think that he'd be better inside where it's warm and dry, but if he is happy out in the cold and rain, then so be it. I can get him warm and changed into dry clothes when he's finished.
I wanted children that were happy in the outdoors, because it's where I'm happy. I wanted little explorers, adventureres that were up for anything, and so far, that is exactly what I have. Bear is more than happy to be heading out of the front door to spend time outside, whether it's a wander in the local woods looking for sticks, or heading to the caravan for a few days at the beach! And The Cub is no different; the pram or being worn, he is happy outdoors too and loves looking around. When let loose to explore he loves to get his bare toes in the grass or the sand, and is quick to try and get something he shouldn't into his mouth as he is sitll mouthing everything at only nine months old.
Ginny provides lots of support over on her Instagram page, and has both a blog and a podcast that run alongside it now, all of which support this idea, along with others that interlink. For example, the Sunlight Before Noon Challange which encourages 20-30 minutes of sunlight in a morning. The benefits include enhanced mood, a better night's sleep and a way to help regulate your body.
All in all, I cannot fault the theories, I find that my mood and general well-being benefits from getting outside, and I do find that Bear's sleep patterns, mood and behaviour, and his eating habits, are all better for getting outside every day.
Have you tried the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge yet?
I'd love to know how many hours you're at and how you plan outside time into your days. Drop me a comment below to chat :)
Momma Bear x
