Why Outside

 So, as a new mommy, I’ve had a host of information poured in my direction about the importance of different aspects of child development.

Your baby needs to see different color patterns and contrasts of light and dark.

• They can get that outside!

Your baby needs to feel lots of different textures.

• They can get that outside!

Nature sounds are soothing for babies.

• Where I live, you can get that outside!

Toddlers need a full array of sensory development.

• They can get that outside!

Toddlers should have a space where they can build their muscles through running, uneven surfaces, climbing, rolling, spinning, swinging, crawling, etc

• They can get that outside!

For healthy eye development, children should have the opportunity to gaze far away.

• They can get that outside!

The list can go on and on. You can buy products and services to help you with these arenas. Or you can just go outside. It’s so simple!

And I’ve met families with neurodiverse children who were a lot happier because of the indescribable ways that “simply being outside” helped them develop. It’s made me think that we really weren’t meant to live sun-up to sundown in the bounds of four little walls.

Now. My ideal has been created. How do I implement this with my own baby?

When she was tiny, I simply looked for opportunities to be outside with her.

• Sometimes I laid a blanket on the ground and set her on it so she could breathe in the fresh air and look around while she kicked her legs.
• Sometimes I put her in my tummy pack and went for a walk — I needed to get back in shape anyway!
• Sometimes I found a task I could do outside — like folding a basket full of laundry
• Sometimes I didn’t accomplish much of anything — and this was the hardest part…convincing myself that being outside was so important that it, in and of itself, was an accomplishment for the day. But it really is.

Then we hit a time where we weren’t outside much at all.

I was not motivated.

Other things took precedence.

It was cold.

“Outside time” ended up being the length of time it took the dog to potty. Which isn’t that long in the winter.

But nagging in the back of my mind was this thought: I need to give my baby toddler the opportunity to be outside more. How am I going to do that?

Fast forward to a few months ago. My TODDLER became the driving force getting us outside. She brought me her shoes and pointed out the door. And how could I say no to that?

She loves being outside. Sometimes she runs around, or practices a skill (like going up and down the stairs). Sometimes she settles into a small area to sort rocks. At first, I hovered closely. But, as she slowly gained skills and proved them to me, I could back up and let her explore her world on her own.

(I still do an initial sweep for dangers, like spiders and snakes and sharp objects. And I make sure she stays in my sight. But I no longer crouch one step below her with my arms ready to catch her when she’s on the stairs!)

I love watching her grow and develop and enjoy God’s creation! And the outside time makes me feel like a good mommy.

What’s your story? Do you think outside time is important? How have you and your family gotten outside recently?