As a parent, do you find the cold weather months and not-so-sunny days to be a damper? Cue a visual of your kiddos running wildly around the house, filled with unproductive energy. And what’s that? It’s only ten a.m. Sentiments to stay inside abound, whether it be too rainy, windy, snowy, cold, or hot. It can feel like a rarity to actually be able to have the weather that warrants getting outside.
So here is your invitation to get outside (regardless of the weather!).
I recently read There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather, and it really made me think about the amount of time I spend outside for myself and my kids. As a nature lover, I like to think I get outside often, but this winter was filled with a lot of sentiment around; it’s too __ (insert cold, windy, rainy, icy). As the indoor days went on, I found my boisterous three-year-old filling with more unproductive energy, no matter how much activity we packed into the day.
So I decided to make a change. I set the goal of getting intentional outdoor time every day, and here’s what I found.
1. Calmer Energy
On the first day, I wrangled my three-year-old and baby into their snowsuits, and within five minutes of being outside, my older kiddo complained about cold hands and wanted to be inside instead. Honestly, the time it took to wrangle both kids into their snow gear just to hear whining didn’t feel worth it, but I kept with it.
I found that my three-year-old quickly adjusted to the weather, and when he came inside, he was calm. The more I pushed to get outside, the more I noticed his calm, relaxed energy upon coming inside. The more I noticed his wiggly, ants-in-pants energy when we stayed in, the more I also noticed that the kids seemed to sleep better on days we got out.
On the days we got outside, I felt calmer and better able to manage the stress of the day. Things seemed to get to me less, which was a win for everyone. This is backed by science, too. Outdoor play is associated with lower anxiety and stress levels and improved mood and sleep.
2. Independence and Exploration
I love playing with my littles, and I can acknowledge that sometimes playing the same game for the hundredth time that day can get pretty old. Inside, I find that my three-year-old’s willingness for independent play can vary quite a bit, and he’ll often vacillate from neutral to utterly uninterested in playing by himself. Outside, I found that he naturally plays so much more independently.
He is happy to wander around the yard and discover what’s there, whether it be a pine cone, a rock, or animal tracks. He is much less dependent on the adults around him to lead an activity and much more comfortable exploring the world around him. Providing unstructured outdoor play can allow more space for children to build upon independence, confidence, and problem-solving skills.
3. Curiosity and Creativity
Along with independence and exploration, I found that my kiddo’s curiosity and creativity blossomed when we got outside. A stick transformed into anything he could imagine, and suddenly, he’d be playing in his own fantasy world with unique goals and objectives. He also became curious to learn more about what he discovered in the world. This gave a great opportunity to learn about native plants and animals, what happens to wood when it burns, or how snow melts and refreezes depending on the temperature.
Instead of feeling like I had to push or teach something, everything flowed organically. Again, the unstructured outdoor environment allows kids to use their imagination. Instead of relying on a premade game with rules and instructions, children can create their own world, experiment with making new structures and creations, and learn about nature.
4. Takeaways
While my outdoor winter explorations weren’t always a crowd favorite (for me or the kids), I am so grateful for the time we spent outside. Doing so felt like the break we needed to disconnect from the stress of the world and reconnect with nature and with each other. I have always worked to incorporate outdoor time into my children’s routines but found that the cold, rainy, and snowy days always felt like a barrier.
