Everyday Outside

Last year I read this post from my favourite blog, A Cup of Jo. And I thought about it, and then went to work 5 days a week and didn't even have an extra second to think much more about the idea.

The post was about taking kids outdoors every single day. Joanna recently posted about it again and I found myself thinking about it more with winter around the corner.

Here is a few excerpts from Joanna's post and why I found it inspiring...


"In Scandinavia (the land of all things good and true:), parents take their babies and children out for ages everyday, rain, snow or shine, according to my lovely friend Lee, who grew up in Copenhagen. "

"In Denmark, you can't be afraid of the weather," Lee says. "Otherwise you'd wait six months to go outside again."

There's even an awesome Scandinvian expression that says, "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes,"
The most fascinating thing I learned from a baby book is that, for children, being indoors is both overstimulating and boring at the same time. Isn't that interesting? Throughout history, "children spent most of every day frolicking outside," writes Harvey Karp, M.D., in his brilliant book The Happiest Toddler on the Block. "Our homes are boring because they replace the exciting sensations of nature (the feeling of the wind on their skin, the brilliant sun, the soft grass, etc.) with an immense stillness (flat walls, flat floors, no wind)." Yet at the same time, being indoors is overstimulating: "It bombards them with jolting experiences that kids in the past never had to deal with: crazy cartoons, slick videos, clanging computer games, noisy toys, and bright colors everywhere...which can make many little children feel stressed."

I found that all so interesting! I have no idea if Denmark or Copenhagen get down to -30C, but I know I want to give it a try this fall and winter. Starting last week I tried getting outside with the girls everyday. I didn't. I blame that partly on potty training (I need a potty up my sleeve, I swear), but partly on pure laziness. 

I have taken the girls outside more often now, and you know what I found? (Besides the fact that convincing an almost-3 year old that going outside will be fun now get a pair of socks and YES you have to wear a hat and NO you can't wear those shoes anymore it's not summer now get out the door before I lose my MIND) 
That not only Wren enjoyed it...but I did too. At first she was mad that we weren't walking to the playground (I'm sorry, that is just too far from a potty thank you very much), but we just stayed in the park across the street from the house, and eventually she liked it. She didn't even mind that it was cloudy, windy and chilly. She ran through the grass, picked up leaves, hid under the huge spruce tree branches, and rolled down the little hill until she was dizzy.

In fact, I was the one under-dressed and needing a pair of mitts. That line, "There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes" is so true! I bundled us all up in winter coats, hats, mitts, and then it was fine and we stayed out for almost an hour (which is a record for us) It reiterates to me the importance of not buying crap outdoor clothing. I think we all tend to buy clothing to get us from the house to the car, but not to actually be outside. Have you ever noticed how Edmontonians are pretty much the worst dressed bunch for cold weather?? It's like we are constantly shocked at how cold it gets every.single.year. 

We only went across the street so I stuffed Ellie (literally, stuffed!) into a baby snowsuit and into the Ergo carrier on me which was an unbelievable undertaking in itself. Trying to close the top buckle behind my neck which is pretty much the most essential part to hold that entire carrier on your body, was a challenge with my thick coat and Ellie being 3 times her normal, uh, girth in the snowsuit...while screaming her protest and overheating. But once that's over she pretty much likes the change of scenery outside and eventually relaxes and catches a snooze. 

I am just hoping that instead of arguing, bribing, and practically begging Wren to get dressed to go outside will turn into her wanting to go out and play the more we do this...especially now with the fluffy snow out there!
(Okay, maybe not every day, but as many as possible. Both girls are under the weather right now and I feel something coming on. My solution...pumpkin loaf, forts and movies.)