Growing Food and Kids

This morning my four-year-old and I were discussing what birthday gift to buy for his almost-five friend.

My Boy #1: “He’s really into dinosaurs.”

Me: “I thought he liked rockets.”

Boy #1: “Yes, he loves rockets and space too. And he’s into superheroes.”

Me: “What are you into?”

Boy #1: “I’m into fishing and hiking and farming. I’m more of an outside fella.”

I had to smile. While my boy also likes superheroes and Disney movies and inside games, he’s right; he’d rather be outside exploring than anywhere else. Maybe that’s one reason why gardening together has been good for our family (or maybe gardening together has helped him develop that interest in nature?). Either way, I’m glad that “go outside and play” is still a welcome phrase in our house.

According to national nonprofit KaBOOM, children spend 50 percent less time outside than they did just 20 years ago. And research from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that kids spend an average of six and a half hours each day on electronic media.

For many families, spending an afternoon playing outside is a thing of the past, says Bethe Almeras, online community/communications manager for KaBOOM and the blogger behind Grass Stain Guru. But  scientific research shows that play is not only educational, but it also provides physical, mental and emotional health benefits.

This September, encourage kids in your community to get outside and play by hosting a Play Day during the week of Sept. 19-27. KaBOOM’s Play Space Planner offers plenty of ideas and a step-by-step process for planning a successful event.

I think I’ll enlist the help of my own “outside fella” to plan a hike or a play date in the garden. If you plan your own play day, let us know about your plans in the comment space below. Have some fun outside!