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Outside Time


I have my boots, Mom. Can we go outside?

This spring, we're going to be making a concerted effort toward more outside learning. When we began homeschooling in September, there were several warm weeks which made it possible for us to walk to the local conservation areas.

We have many, world-class nature areas here. For example, the oldest fossil reef on the planet is a 15-minute walk from our door. Scientists come from around the country to study our fossilized reef. How can you pass up a learning opportunity like that?

Today's kids are nature-starved. Even in our rural town, the lack of sidewalks makes it difficult for kids and families to walk to parks and fishing areas easily. In the winter, (especially this winter with weeks of below-zero temperatures and heavy snows), it was easy to stay inside watching documentaries and reading books, but our moods suffered for it. Everyone was more irritable. I even heard the dreaded B-word... "bored."

We did indeed go outside today. With the temperatures finally reaching the low 50s, Gavin even decided that the boots were optional. We played in the last of the snow and tidied up all of the detritus that ends up on the deck and around the house over the winter (like an old cardboard circle from a pizza buried under two feet of snow). If it's anywhere above fifty near you... see you outside!
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3 comments:

Liquid Rubber said...

Great reading, I just love your ideas, I will be also keep blogging in future too just to get the updated information, keep posting.

Anonymous said...

very cute lil child

Green Family said...

Great post! I just posted something of this sort on my blog. We home school and in a few days are going to a pond to do some field research for science! I can't wait and neither can the kids. Take care and great blog!

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