Consider outdoor play time as important as a meal or a good night’s sleep

Finding time to play outdoors can be a struggle, so Katherine Martinko lists on treehugger.com some advice to get kids outside.  "Start thinking of it as a necessity. If you start viewing daily outdoor play as being as important as a meal or a good night's sleep, you'll start to find more time for it. Think of it as nonnegotiable; no 'extra' things should happen until outdoor playtime has been checked off the list."*  She suggests scheduling outdoor time the way you plan other extracurricular activities.  "If you only have a few minutes, take advantage of that. Send kids outside for five or ten minutes to blow off steam, run around the block, wrestle in the snow, or dig a hole. It doesn't take much to make a big difference."*  Plan family time time outdoors on weekends, whether far away, at local parks, or in your own backyard. 

*Katherine Martinko January 26, 2022, "How to Increase Your Kids' Outdoor Time  The key is to start thinking of it as a necessity. (Because it is.)" www.treehugger.com