THE 365 DAY NATURE PLAY CHALLENGE
Every January I half-heartedly make the same new year’s resolution: To get my daughter outside more. We fail of course. To be accurate we fail pretty much constantly till about May or June, then the summer sweeps us along. By September we’re enthusiastic outdoors types, living at the beach or in the woods and with a house full of outdoorsy sort of toys. Then Autumn comes and, bar a pumpkin pick or a woodland walk to see the trees, we head back indoors again. By the end of Christmas our outdoors hours have shrunk to near zero and I make the same resolution again.
NOT THIS YEAR! We are going to be serious. So serious that we’re going to make a blog. A year of outdoorsy adventures or THE 365 DAY NATURE PLAY CHALLENGE! My daughter turns 10 this year and I reckon if I don’t do it now, IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. So, I’ve half challenged and half bribed her (more of that later) and set in the stone that is today’s internet, a solemn vow:
Every day. EVERY DAY. We are going to have some sort of interaction with the natural world. It might be five minutes. It might be five hours. Even if it’s raining, or blowing a gale. Actually, especially if it is. Because that’s harder.
I’ve mentioned the idea to friends and family and their reaction is always the same. ‘Isn’t that just what kids do? Why do you need to write about it?’ I’m not arguing. My daughter can spend hours playing outside. She makes up stories about fairies, and adopts insects, and plays tag with the waves without any help from me. It’s more the other way round. But GETTING HER OUT THERE AND STARTING… that’s the challenge. And I’m normally too tired, or too tied in to something else to think of a way to do it. So, I give up and live with a little tag of parental guilt which says, ‘if you’d tried a bit harder, you’d have got her off screens and outside today. And you’d both be better for it’.
So, the challenge is for both of us. For her to do it and for me to make the time for it to happen and attractive ideas to make her WANT to go outside. And we’re starting in January which, in South Wales where we live, is grey, without much light and hovers between 4°-12°C. I’m planning to cheat by picking up as many ideas from other people as I can as well as using the old regulars that have done us proud. Fingers crossed, I will also get some inspiration and find some new ones. I’m hoping I’ll find a routine and have some success so that, by the end of January, she’s moaning less than she’s probably going to moan at the beginning. Maybe, by the time we get back inside each day – if she’s happy – after the first few weeks it will become a normal activity (as it surely should be). If she’s entrenched, bitter and hostile it will not be going well and I’ve run out of my bribery quota (again, more later). I’m hoping it will change us both for the better a bit and we’ll get some good new habits but who knows.
Each day, each thing we do or idea we use, I’m planning to post on Instagram and Facebook. A couple of times a week I’ll also post a blog here explaining what we did and whether it worked. Hopefully, as the year goes by, it will build into a treasury of ideas and thoughts that might help everyone else out there with a similar problem. It’s the website I wish I’d had to hand six or seven years ago when we started out. I’m also hoping I’ll pick up some readers as I go who might be willing to contribute as well, because while there are some great things about this on the internet, I don’t think there’s as much as there could be. After all, we’re talking about free ways to entertain kids which make them healthier and improve their mental health. What could be bad?
If this appeals to you, or you have a similar problem, do follow me on Instagram and I’d love to hear from you. Ideas and moans welcome! After all, there are few issues which don’t become easier by putting heads together and pooling ideas. I’m really excited about what might come up.
In the meantime, I’m not imposing rules on myself but I am setting myself a few guidelines.
- As much as possible, we’re looking for games, play ideas and interactions which aren’t based on man made items. Ie, we’re playing with sticks rather than kicking footballs (not knocking footballs, and I’m sure we’ll get there in some capacity at some point but there’s better resources out there for that.)
- Much as my ego would love it to be all about me, the best idea is going to be the one which start us off on an adventure where the kids are leading.
- My daughter’s 9 going on 21 but I’m hoping I can get her to revisit some of the things she loved doing when she was younger too and I’m sure we’ll pick up some different aged friends along the way.
- Bear with me but I am going to explain some things that some readers might think really don’t need explaining. I was an urbanite for many years and am amazed at how hard it can be to get instructions in some things. Like crab fishing! We had the string and we knew there were crabs but it took a very kind and patient mother to explain and demonstrate the logistics.
- We’re not the sportiest of people or the most tough. We’re probably not going to be climbing mountains or running a lot. Maybe we’ll get there? But we’re starting out small and local and probably a bit grubby.
So 2025 here we come! The start of one big adventure and lots and lots of little ones…
If you’re reading this in January do keep checking back. Hopefully it will be a bigger thing by Spring.
And if you’re reading it after 31 December 2025 hopefully it’s become an amazing 365 strong treasury of ideas, failures and fun!
Have a great outdoorsy year everyone.
