'Go Play Outside' Guide!

Olivia becomes a different person in the great outdoors. She springs to life and is joyful in ways that transcend the barriers of enclosed spaces. (As seen in the jubilant photo above). I was the same way growing up. I LIVED outside from dawn until dusk, and was only lured back indoors by my mom yelling, "DINNER!" out the front door.

I think it's vital that we give our children the same experience we had in our youth of the outdoors and nature. While the days of innocence -- where we could let our kids roam free, unchaperoned in the neighborhood for hours on end may be gone, sadly, that doesn't mean we need to clip their wings to a childhood of remaining inside playing video games.

Grandparents.com has a wonderful guide: Go Play Outside featuring 97 ideas for outdoor fun. Go download this guide for simple, sweet ways to experience nature and the great wide open with your kids.

As evidenced today on a walk from our car to the library, a child had drawn a simple hopscotch chalk drawing on the sidewalk, and Olivia gleefully hopped on it and counted the squares. Kids love the simple things. Now get thee outside!