Growing Food and Kids

Don’t worry, this has nothing to do with Sarah Palin. Whether you like her or not, we can all get on board with getting outside. And in Palin’s home state of Alaska, both dogs and people are taking to the outdoors this week for the opening of the Iditarod, the iconic dogsled race. The race starts tomorrow, March 6, in Anchorage, and will end in Nome on March 20.

As the mushers and their dogs brave mountains, forests, frozen rivers, and tundra, with fierce winds and temperatures far below zero, at least one group of Alaskan children is joining the athletes for a challenge of their own. According to the Children & Nature Network, preschool students in Homer, Alaska, have been challenged to spend one to one and a half hours outside each day of the Iditarod race.

By the time the race is over, children who meet the challenge will have spent at least 1,150 minutes in nature — the same number of miles traveled by Iditarod competitors. I checked the weather for Homer and high temperatures aren’t predicted to get out of the 20s until next Thursday, when the high will only go up to 32 degrees. In my town, however, we’re looking forward to several days in the 50s and 60s over the next week.

If those Alaskan preschoolers can spend at least one hour in nature for the next two weeks, by golly, we can do it too. My kids are itching to get out and fly a kite, ride their bikes and dig holes in the dirt. So starting tomorrow, it’s an hour a day outside — at least. Anyone care to join us?

And for the mushers and their talented dogs, happy trails!