TRADE SCREEN TIME FOR GREEN TIME!

What better way to kick off the much-delayed start to the Spring season and get out to enjoy some sunshine than by resolving to "trade screen time for green time!"  I came across this new favorite phrase the other day and I love its call to action!

During my summers off from college, I worked at a summer camp as the "Nature Activities Specialist."  I can honestly say that the highlight of my days spent there was "creek stomping" through the water with my eager troops, their eyes filled with wonder and curiosity as we discovered all the unique treasures offered by the environment.  From the sounds of the bugs and the birds, the frogs and the ducks, to the feel of the mud squishing under our feet and the water splashing up on our legs, it was the perfect blend of sensory integration and experiential learning!  

​While "creek stomping" may be a bit ambitious for some folks, there are lots of ways to easily trade your child's screen time for green time:

• ​​Go on a walk but make it a scavenger hunt . . . . ask your child to locate the items you name, whether it be something simple and concrete for young children (Do you see a ... "tree"/"rock"/"truck?") or something more challenging or descriptive for older children (Where would you look for a ... "caterpillar"/"weed"/"nest?" or What do you see that is ... "brown"/"bumpy"/"dirty?").  
• Plant some seeds or flower beds together ... include your child in the process and talk about the actions involved (dig, water, grow).
• Look at the clouds together and talk about the shapes that you see!
• Build a simple obstacle course ... you can use items you might have laying around the garage (a hula hoop, a ball, a tricycle) or simply use the great outdoors .... run around a tree, hop on and off a curb or over a line, crawl through the grass, etc.
• Draw with some sidewalk chalk - draw pictures of common objects, write letters and say the sounds or write a letter inside a large circle and find items that start with that letter or sound!

All of these activities are designed to promote your child's vocabulary and knowledge of concepts, such as description, positions, and categories.  The best part, though, is that the activities help you to engage with your child while moving, learning, and having fun!  So "spring" into action and start trading that screen time for green time!  

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