Epidimic of No Outside Time?

[Country Kids]

Had my yearly inspection and the topic of the discussion from the inspector was "Outside Time". She said my program was great and she wishes more people were like mine and got the kids outside. I find it extremely sad we are having to have classes on outdoor time. I've actually attended two classes on weekends about outdoor time and now this one.

There are providers she has talked to that the kids are inside from October-March with no outside time-. So that means no outside time either with the parents because its dark at pickup time. Unless the parents are getting the kids outside on the weekends for a long time they are literally getting no outdoor time! This would mean about 6 months of not being outside except to go to the car and back. Also, if kids are inside during the summer because its to hot thats about 2 months, then if providers say its to cold/rainy that could be another 2 months equating to about 2 months out of 12 that kids might have outdoor time during the day.

This only makes me want to strive harder to have the most awesomest outdoor area for kids to play in! I recently bought an wooden kitchen set that needs some work-paint and knobs. I bought it though for $10 and it immediately went outside for the kids. It has a real little stainless steel sink and faucet that if I could find a way to hook the hose up to it I'm going to. It has vinyl counter tops for the top so it will clean up real easy. The burners are little wooden ones. It looks like someone made it but the price was right for outside!

I also scored a pallet that has four smaller squares on the corners and one large square in the middle. Think of how the old screen doors looked. Anyway I'm turning it into my dirt table. I'm going to build the base for it and put it on legs. The four smaller corner squares will hold the shovels, buckets, scoopers, etc. and the dirt will be in the larger square in the middle.

Also, my inspector said I can turn my sandbox turtle into a water table! She said there should also be no questions on it if I put it up on some stumps or cinder blocks! I can't wait to do this all!happyface

[laundrymom]

I encourage you to read
Last Child in the Woods
Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder
By
Richard Louv

[daycarediva]

LOVE IT!

I just got grant money (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and bought outdoor equipment too! A toddler playground, play grill, sand and water table, and marble/water run. SOOOO stinking excited to get them! We even have morning circle outside. We are outside from 9-11:30 and from 3:30-6:00, unless it downpours. If it sprinkles, we sing in the rain! ::

[Breezy]

My heart is broken every single day as my DS stares longingly outside and I tell him again... "Sorry honey, its 110 degrees out and there is no shade. Gotta stay in!" It is just so hot! I watch the weather channel like a crazy woman hoping it will storm and bring the temp down 20 degrees! Last night by the time it cooled down enough it was dark and bedtime.

This is the #1 reason I am so so so excited to move to North Dakota. Sure, it will be cold but I think its better to be cold than hot. You can always warm up! Grass, trees, leaves to jump in... Hes in for such a treat

[MizzCheryl]

We lost our big shade tree this summer. Bradford pear and the wind broke it. We had no morning shade and it has been hot. DH and I went to look at shade gazebos at Ollies. The manager comes over and offered to sell us the display for half price. I got a great hexagon gazebo with nets all the way around for $42.00. The kids love it. we set up a kitchen center inside and got babies and strollers and it creates shade in more of the yard. happyface happyface

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I had a peron who was looking to be licensed tell me she wouldn't take babies because she couldn't see taking them outside! I take a pack and play out plop it in the shade and cover the top from bugs and they are just fine!

We always take a walk and then play outside as much as possible. I have a great patio space and we often spend a good chunk of the day out there. So happy it is cooling down some! I love fall.

watch this-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp4Nny_rIiw interesting video

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecinNaR32Qs

[itlw8]

We live outside. my new license rep said it looked like an oasis... Yeah and my water bill shows it this summer. LOL The power company trimmed my big tree this summer. I lost 1/2 of my shade so not ai have to come up with some new ideas for shade. The kids planted sunflowers that mad enough shad for me to sit in... We made a tunnel fro cattle fence and planted cucumbers and morning glories. It is a great shady place to sit. unfrortunately not many flowers though we had lots of cucumbers this spring.

I bought snow suits last winter then only got one good snow. This year I will have a newborn but I plan on taking her out for fresh air also.

[Heidi]

Had my yearly inspection and the topic of the discussion from the inspector was "Outside Time". She said my program was great and she wishes more people were like mine and got the kids outside. I find it extremely sad we are having to have classes on outdoor time. I've actually attended two classes on weekends about outdoor time and now this one.

There are providers she has talked to that the kids are inside from October-March with no outside time-. So that means no outside time either with the parents because its dark at pickup time. Unless the parents are getting the kids outside on the weekends for a long time they are literally getting no outdoor time! This would mean about 6 months of not being outside except to go to the car and back. Also, if kids are inside during the summer because its to hot thats about 2 months, then if providers say its to cold/rainy that could be another 2 months equating to about 2 months out of 12 that kids might have outdoor time during the day.

This only makes me want to strive harder to have the most awesomest outdoor area for kids to play in! I recently bought an wooden kitchen set that needs some work-paint and knobs. I bought it though for $10 and it immediately went outside for the kids. It has a real little stainless steel sink and faucet that if I could find a way to hook the hose up to it I'm going to. It has vinyl counter tops for the top so it will clean up real easy. The burners are little wooden ones. It looks like someone made it but the price was right for outside!

I also scored a pallet that has four smaller squares on the corners and one large square in the middle. Think of how the old screen doors looked. Anyway I'm turning it into my dirt table. I'm going to build the base for it and put it on legs. The four smaller corner squares will hold the shovels, buckets, scoopers, etc. and the dirt will be in the larger square in the middle.

Also, my inspector said I can turn my sandbox turtle into a water table! She said there should also be no questions on it if I put it up on some stumps or cinder blocks! I can't wait to do this all!happyface

Hey! I remember when you struggled with the idea! I'm so happy you got your groove.

[spud912]

My heart is broken every single day as my DS stares longingly outside and I tell him again... "Sorry honey, its 110 degrees out and there is no shade. Gotta stay in!" It is just so hot! I watch the weather channel like a crazy woman hoping it will storm and bring the temp down 20 degrees! Last night by the time it cooled down enough it was dark and bedtime.

This is the #1 reason I am so so so excited to move to North Dakota. Sure, it will be cold but I think its better to be cold than hot. You can always warm up! Grass, trees, leaves to jump in... Hes in for such a treat

I am in Arizona too and it is HOOOTTTT lately! We didn't go out at all last week because of the high temperature warnings. By today, I was sick and tired of being inside so we went out for 15 minutes (it was 99 degrees at 8:30 when we went out ). I read on the news that the schools are doing 15 minute increments, so I figured I would try it out and it was just enough time for the kids to enjoy themselves without turning bright red and overheating.

I saw on the news that it should drop to 103 by Thursday and I can't wait!!! 103 is a cold front for us ::.

[Sunchimes]

I can usually work around the heat by going out early, but the mosquitoes are keeping us inside. I don't know why they are so bad this year. There is no standing water anywhere on my property. I even went to the vacant house next door and looked all over their yard. Shoot, we haven't had enough rain lately to have standing water. But, they are horrible. And there have been deaths from West Nile to the north and south of us. Maybe here, but they don't report things in our town. I don't care how much mosquito spray I put on them (and me), the blasted things still light. And then you have to come in and wash the kids down to get the mosquito spray off of them. I open up the house with the long hallway, and we run races and push strollers and go a little crazy. It's the best I can do for now.

[Country Kids]

From about May till October we are great for going outside. This year it was actually very cool through July. We have had temps into the 90-100's the last two weeks and we are loving it!

From October/November-May/June it gets cold and very rainy. We had 3 inches of rain in one day in March and 12 inches for the month. So this is where it gets tricky. Its either just misty and yucky or just a complete downpour. So I'm going to have to be pretty inventive for the winter time.

If anyone has any ideas please let me know! I want to be ahead of the game this year.

[quailsgarden]

I turned my turtle sandbox into a water table too, the kids just love it : ) I am big on a good amount of outside time too. We stay inside maybe twice a year and it is usually because it is too cold with an extream wind chill. Our summers are not nearly as hot as those with 110 or higher....yikes. We have been close to 100 for the past few weeks and it has been nice but the UV index is so high in the afternoon you really can feel your skin burning. I usually have the kids outside for about 3 hours in the morning and then maybe 1/2 hour in the afternoon in the shade. My kids would go insane if I kept them in from Oct to march that just seems crazy to me!!!

[Breezy]

I am in Arizona too and it is HOOOTTTT lately! We didn't go out at all last week because of the high temperature warnings. By today, I was sick and tired of being inside so we went out for 15 minutes (it was 99 degrees at 8:30 when we went out ). I read on the news that the schools are doing 15 minute increments, so I figured I would try it out and it was just enough time for the kids to enjoy themselves without turning bright red and overheating.

I saw on the news that it should drop to 103 by Thursday and I can't wait!!! 103 is a cold front for us ::.

My DH works outside on the flight line not his whole 9 out day. In steel toed boots and long pants. He has been miserable and comes home exhausted, sunburnt and feeling sick

[Country Kids]

I turned my turtle sandbox into a water table too, the kids just love it : ) I am big on a good amount of outside time too. We stay inside maybe twice a year and it is usually because it is too cold with an extream wind chill. Our summers are not nearly as hot as those with 110 or higher....yikes. We have been close to 100 for the past few weeks and it has been nice but the UV index is so high in the afternoon you really can feel your skin burning. I usually have the kids outside for about 3 hours in the morning and then maybe 1/2 hour in the afternoon in the shade. My kids would go insane if I kept them in from Oct to march that just seems crazy to me!!!

Did you put your sandbox on anything or just leave it on the ground? I'm actually thinking of maybe even putting it up on a pallet.

[quailsgarden]

Country Kids....I did see a post awhile back about really wet cold weather and the kids were in snow suits and water proof ponchos. Depending on your age group something like that could work....at least for a walk around the neighbourhood : )