A Few Great Reasons to be Outside and Living with Less

"Of all the path you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt."

John Muir

Spending time outside brings my soul at peace. Did you know that there are many benefits to children playing outside including increased confidence and creativity along with decision making and problem-solving skills? In addition, hands-on outdoor activities have been shown to increase students’ excitement for learning and memory of the material.

Need proof? According to Dr. Ming Kou, a researcher studying child behavior at the University of Illinois at Urbanda-Chapaign, found that children are more engaged during outdoor learning and are better able to focus after time was spent outside. An additional study done by the University of Wisconsin, found that outdoor education improves performance on standardized tests and classroom behavior.

Outdoor learning is always an adventure. I challenge you this week to take the kids outside. Take reading time outside for the day, complete a science experiment on the picnic tables or have students, draw a picture of a cell with chalk on the sidewalk or do a group scavenger hunt around the playground. Your kids will love the fresh air and excitement of being outdoors. Giving children opportunities to play outside is key. If you have small kids, spend time teach day after school giving them time to play outside; jumping on a trampoline, swimming in a pool or flying a kite. On the weekends take them to the lake or the beach for a little time on the water!

WAYS TO LIVE WITH LESS

Teach your children that experiences are more fulfilling than material items.
Share fun outdoor experiences with your children weekly. Ex: Play in the pool or go to a playground with friends. Plan a trip to the beach. Go on a hike with the family or go fishing.
More friendships will result as you encourage your kids to play with friends outside.
At holidays request, to get experiences as a gift. Ex: Zoo memberships, aquarium memberships, museum and bounce-house memberships.
Encourage your kids to pick out items to play with that can be recycled for science experiments and art materials.
Having less toys will increase more creativity as children develop ways to play with old toys in new ways.
Teach your children to share their items with ‘friends’ at a local children’s organization. Ex: During the spring, have your children find items that they no longer use or wear and donate them to a local shelter. Then, around the holidays, go through your items again to see what you can make room for as your kids get new gifts.

Join a minimalist Facebook group and encourage you to live minimalistically every day.

As a teacher cleaning is a daily chore made simpler by classroom organization. As a parent, you may feel a sense of magic in your household as items just seem to appear!

Children bring home small trinkets they receive from friends and worksheets that they work hard on at school. Overtime, their favorite gifts start to accumulate from special occasions, birthdays and holidays.

As we learn to limit the items allowed on the refrigerator by being mindful of them, we often feel more fulfilled and less overwhelmed. It ends up being a positive trade-off!

Living minimalistically is a challenge for any teacher and parent, but teaching our kids about living with less is the first step. Less mess can bring about better moods, more time outside playing and a heart to share what we have with others! As a result, life will be full of more living!