As a child I remember growing up and playing outside on the regular. We would run through the apple orchards and play ghost in the graveyard. We did not fear getting down and dirty and sweaty. I could go on, but there was always a sense of adventure even about the little forested land behind my house.

I have seen some children become less adventurous or less inclined to join outdoor activities. I remember teaching in urban areas many parents were from dangerous foreign lands. Many did not let their children play outside for fear of something happening to their child. Many of my students wanted to explore the world around them, but were rarely given the chance. I think the desire to get out there and explore is in full swing, but if parents don't support this desire then the kids are in trouble. It is easier for a parent to know their child is "safe" watching tv, rather than outside playing around. I know  my mom lets my two nephews play outside all the time. Scrapes are a regular occurrence and my nephews love being outside and one with nature!

Hi Rose,

Sometimes I wish my two boys were a little LESS connected to nature ;-)  I'm kidding of course but it's always an adventure to empty my kids' pockets before they go through the wash (leaves, rocks, sticks, and once a wolly caterpiller...surprise!).

Seriously, I love when the come in from a "hard day's play" and are filthy and scraped up and exhausted and full of stories about all their adventures.  I agree with you that it's a really important part of childhood and contributes a lot to their physical and mental well being.

It can be a challenge living in an urban area to find safe outside play areas.  We try to take a few camping trips each summer and spend as much time as possible at playgrounds.  What do other parents do to encourage outside time if just running out your back door isn't an option?

Hi Rose,

There's no doubt about it that there tend to be a lot of captivating choices for kids in-doors these days.  Part of our approach to making sure our kids enjoy being outside has been to expose them a wide variety of outdoor activities from a young age - everything from a wide-variety of sports, to the beach and hiking.  It feels so important these days to helping your kids avoid the temptations of the couch.

I feel that kids may be nature-phobic. But I don't think in terms of it being gross or dirty. But in fact, they might not have the patience or understanding to go and explore nature when they are so used to technology around them.
I've seen many kids play sports and many of them get dirty and are okay with it. So dirt is not the problem.

I'm inclined to think it is the parents' influence on the kids more than the kids themselves.

I hear parents worry about child predators, cycling/skatboard accidents, snakebites, Lymes and/or Bubonic, allergies, heat exhaustion, fatigue etc... Rather than put a little effort into mitigating these risks with reasonable efforts, it is much easier to let kids 'grow' indoors with marginally educational computer games and television shows. It seems less risky, but deprives the kids of so many learning opportunities, not to mention a healthier life.