Don't Chicken Out On Nature Just Because It's Cold
We’ve all done it a million times, taken a look out the window on a dreary January day and decided that the walk in the woods, trek around the park or hike to the beach we had planned is canceled due to weather. Then, inevitably, the kids spend the day inside screaming and arguing, running around in circles and staying up until 8:30 p.m. because they just can’t get to sleep. Oh the whining! 
They look at you with those “If only we’d spent an hour running around outside today” eyes and you realize that the weather is just an excuse for busting out the rain boots and parkas, not parking the kids in the house. Not to mention they would probably be sleeping rather than staring you down as 9 p.m. closes in.
Getting outside is really one of the biggest favors we can do ourselves and our kids this time of year.
The double-digit minuses in the forecast for Coastal B.C. this next week are making us all shiver a bit and wonder how long we can keep from having to set foot in the freezing. But, as the OBE NeighbourWood Walks kick off this week and we get ready to hit the trails with 38 (wow) tiny people and their parents, we’ve seen time and time again why bundling up and heading out in the chill is super fun, a great adventure and (gasp) healthy too.
Did you know?…
1. Outside is actually the healthiest place to be in the Winter. While people hanging out inside are catching colds and flus, people marching through the park in weather-appropriate gear are way more likely to be cough and sniffle-free.
2. More birds live in Coastal B.C. during the Winter than during the Summer. Some of the most amazing birds including the rare and beautiful Trumpeter Swan overwinter in B.C., migrating from the Arctic. Birds are also very active and playful, making bird watching a wonderful Winter pastime.
3. Getting outside in the Winter is good for the brain. A dose of crisp fresh air can help the whole family combat the grumpies. (Maybe that should be #1:))
4. An hour of play at the park or a walk in the forest fosters a good night sleep. Studies have shown that kids and people of all ages who spend regular time outside sleep better.
5. Some of the most unique and interesting parts of the forest, wetlands and other open spaces are only visible during the Winter. This is the season for discovering things hidden by growth in the Summer or that are only around during the colder months – like cool fungus.
6. Ice and puddles. What could be more fun?
There’s plenty of space left in our NeighbourWood Walks, with everything kicking off at 10 a.m. Wednesday out at the Lazo Marsh where we’re going to feed the birds. You can register for the walks here.
Category: KIDS, NATURE & OUR HERITAGE, Outdoor Family Activities
About the Author (Author Profile)
Robin Rivers is Our Big Earth’s Publisher and Sr. Partner. Able to survive on coffee alone. Often can be found leaping tall buildings with the help of great friends. Predisposed to odd hats and the color orange. In love with imagination, her kids and that crazy guy who married her.Subscribe
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World Community is screening a film next tuesday which cexplores the topic of the importance of nature experiences as part of a complete education… press release copied below….
Join Word Community 7pm Tues, Jan. 24 at North Island College Theatre, Courtenay for the final screening in our film series before the World Community Film Festival.
PLAY AGAIN examines the consequences of the fact that most children play behind electronic screens more than they play outside. What are we missing when we are behind screens so much? And how will this impact our children, our society, and eventually, our planet? PLAY AGAIN explores the changing balance between the virtual and natural worlds. Is our connection to nature disappearing down the digital rabbit hole?
The average American child now spends over eight hours in front of a screen each day, can name hundreds of corporate logos, but less than ten native plants. These children are almost entirely out of contact with the world that, over millions of years of evolution, shaped human beings — the natural world. This moving and humorous documentary follows six teenagers who, like the “average American child,” spend five to fifteen hours a day behind screens. PLAY AGAIN unplugs these teens and takes them on their first wilderness adventure – no electricity, no cell phone coverage, no virtual reality. Through the voices of children and leading experts,
PLAY AGAIN investigates the consequences of a childhood removed from nature and encourages action for a sustainable future. The long-term consequences of this experiment on human development remain to be seen, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. By most accounts, this generation will face multiple crises — environmental, economic and social. Will this screen world have adequately prepared these “digital natives” to address the problems they’ll face, problems on whose resolution their own survival may depend? As we stand at a turning point in our relationship with earth, we find ourselves immersed in the gray area between the natural and virtual worlds. From a global perspective of wonder and hope, PLAY AGAIN examines this unique point in history.
Join us for a provocative film and discussion – Tues, Jan. 24th at 7pm at the North Island College Theatre.
Admission by donation – Note: This film will not be screened in the World Community Film Festival.