Think about the amount of time you and your kids typically spend indoors, in front of a computer or whiteboard. Now think about how many more hours you spent doing that during the pandemic, breathing in stale air and taking in the same scenery.
Consider, too, how much time your kids spend in front of the TV, compared to the amount you likely did a generation ago. Children ages 8 to 12 in the United States spend four to six hours a day in front of screens, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Meanwhile, a chorus of experts agrees that children don’t spend nearly enough time outdoors anymore—green time has been replaced by screen time.
So what’s a parent to do? Here are some ways your kids can learn while enjoying the great outdoors.
Take story time al fresco.
Start by having everyone walk around barefoot for a minute or two—the feel of the grass tends to reduce stress and negativity. Then travel through a new tale together as you sense the crisp air and take in the leaves on the ground.
Older students can benefit from using the outdoors to understand the concept of ratios. Give your kids measurements—for example, the distances between planets in our solar system—and have them draw scale models in chalk. Or count the blades of grass in a small quadrant, then use that number to estimate the number of blades in the entire field.
Do roaming geometry.
Have your kids identify triangles, circles, and other geometric shapes in what they find walking around the yard or park. Measure angles you come across, and let your students sketch what they see.
Get messy with your science experiments.
Maybe it’s the classic build-your-own volcano, or the old egg-drop experiment. Outside is the perfect place to go crazy with them.
Look for patterns in nature.
Challenge your students to look for symmetry, spirals, waves, and other designs in plants or in the landscaping of a playground.
Start a garden.
Even just a patch. Your kids will learn about biology and the life cycle of plants, and have something to show for it in the end.