See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

I have been a proponent of nature play in and out of school time for twenty years.

But you all know this. I write about the benefits of nature, unstructured play, and reasonable risk for optimal child development all the time. In fact, it’s what The Grass Stain Guru blog is all about.

I stumbled on this lovely and powerful video that explores nature play in three schools in Scotland. It bares mentioning that the narrator states how the UK is far behind European schools embracing nature play. And let it said, the USA is far behind the UK in embracing nature play and reasonable risk for children.

Well, it’s time to play catch up!

Please watch this video for inspiration and ideas to bring nature to your school or center grounds.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Some of you will be wrapping up Spring Break/Easter Holidays this weekend, while others are just getting started. Either way, these activities will get you and your kiddos moving and enjoying the great outdoors.

5 Fun Things To Do With Kids This Weekend:

1. Set up a Bunny-Tastic Obstacle Course! Using hula hoops, cardboard boxes, 2 liter bottles, or whatever else you have around the house or garage, set up an obstacle course in your yard or nearby park/green space. Older children will delight in designing the course(s) themselves. Instead of running through the course, everyone has to “hop like a bunny” – which is actually jumping, because it involves both feet, not just one. But somehow saying,  jumping like a bunny just doesn’t sound right.
2. Go fly a kite! Head to your favorite park or green space and take your kite for a spin. No kite? No problem! Why not try making one with your kids? Younger children can make a simple kite out of a paper plate that they decorate. While it may not get very far off the ground, they will delight in “flying” (or dragging!) it around the yard, park, or neighborhood.
3. Go on a nature hike, looking for animals, insects, birds, and spring flowers! Each time you see a new animal, have the children move like that animal. Find a flower? How many petals does it have? Have the children jump the number of petals the flower has.
4. Build a fort with sticks and logs. Use and old sheet or tarp to help block some of the wind and keep dry and cozy in the spring drizzle. Help the kids pack a healthy snack to enjoy in their fort.
5. Is it raining outside? Why not go puddle jumping, make mud pies, or play catch the rain drops? Give each child a small container (an empty yogurt cup or margarine container will do) and run around the yard, neighborhood, or favorite play space and see how long it takes to fill up the containers. Change the ways you move (try skipping or walking backwards) to extend the play. When your containers are full, you can take them inside and make rain paintings using the water you collected with watercolor paints or to mix tempera paints.

Need help finding a park near you? Visit my friends at NatureFind. Enter your zip code to find parks, trails, gardens, and outdoor events near you.

Want to know what wildlife to look for nearby? eNature has great online field guides that are searchable by zip code.

No matter what you do this weekend, unplug and go play outside! It’s good for the body, mind, and spirit.

Happy Easter and see ya outside!  

~ The Grass Stain Guru 

Let’s call this a mini Public Service Announcement, shall we?

I love Pinterest just as much as the next person. In fact, I can get totally sucked in. (OMG, knitted frog dissection art. Who knew?!)

I especially love all the nature pictures that people share from around the globe.

But it does make me stop an wonder…

How often are all of these “pinners” actually getting out there and exploring and celebrating the natural world? Myself included — I do not get out as much as I would like to.

So let’s make a pledge — from pinner to pinner. Let’s get OUTSIDE more. Day by day and week by week. Come on folks, we can do it!

After all, life is made for living.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

7.5 = number of hours of screen time school aged children experience daily

32 = number of hours of television preschoolers watch weekly

19 = percentage of infants one year and under with televisions in their rooms

25,000 = average number of television commercials a preschooler sees

I’ve tried lots of approaches to talk about this issue. I thought I would try something different this time. And a bit cheeky.

As an advocate for healthy, happy childhoods I will do just about anything to get the message out — and to make people actually listen.

Unplug. Set screen time limits. Get your kids outdoors for unstructured play experiences.

Explore your green community spaces. 

PLEASE. 

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Look, squirrel-sized binoculars!

Oh how I love a bit of mystery!

Thinking cap. Check. Child-like curiosity. Check. Desire to stump my readers. CHECK! Come on kids, let’s play Mystery Critter!

OK, my nature detectives — let’s hop to it! Good luck. And no cheating!

CRITTER CLUES

• I am tall
• I am shaggy
• I am surprisingly quick on my feet
• My pregnancy lasts as long as a humans
• I have a long history on the American landscape

What am I? Make your guess, and then go here for the answer and more interesting facts. Did you get it right?! If not, no worries — you’ll have another chance soon!

Now, you probably won’t get a chance to see one of these this weekend, but rest assured, there is plenty to be seen. Just step outside with open eyes and a quest for adventure. Grab the kids, and see what you can find.

And let folks know about it! Join the Wildobs community, and report your wildlife observations.

Until next time, my nature detectives! Don’t forget to #playoutdoors.

See ya outside! – The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: steffy.

New Year’s resolutions are often filled with Do Less Statements (eat less, drink less…). This year, turn 2012 on its ear with Do More Statements!

What should you Do More of in 2012?

1. Laugh (to the verge if incontinence)
2. Play (like your life depends on it)
3. Dance (whether there is music or not)
4. Hike
5. Skip
6. Hop
7. Jump (for joy)
8. Frolic
9. Make time for your friends
10. Garden
11. Walk barefoot
12. Sing
13. Soak in a bubble bath
14. Stargaze
15. Camp
16. Make s’mores
17. Bike
18. Cook
19. Be kind
20. Travel
21. Try new things
22. Trust yourself
23. Shoot for the stars
24. Be fearless
25. Dust yourself off and begin again

And always remember, Danny O’Dare wants to dance with you. And so do I.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Danny O’Dare by Shel Silverstein

Danny O’Dare, the dancin’ bear,
Ran away from the County Fair,
Ran right up to my back stair
And thought he’d do some dancin’ there.

He started jumpin’ and skippin’ and kickin’,
He did a dance called the Funky Chicken,
He did the Polka, he did the Twist,
He bent himself into a pretzel like this.

He did the Dog and the Jitterbug,
He did the Jerk and the Bunny Hug.
He did the Waltz and the Boogaloo,
He did the Hokey-Pokey too.

He did the Bop and the Mashed Potata,
He did the Split and the See Ya Later.

And now he’s down upon one knee,
Bowin’ oh so charmingly,
And winkin’ and smilin’–it’s easy to see
Danny O’Dare wants to dance with me.

 photo credit: Elaayna

photo credit: celine nadeau

This year, instead of vowing to go to the gym more or give up caffeine, make a resolution that will impact your physical and mental health and that of your children – PLAY MORE!

Make a resolution to:

1. Get down on the floor and play with your kids more often.
2. Pick up a new hobby or dust off an old one.
3. Laugh harder and dream bigger.
4. Start a garden in your yard, on a balcony or in window boxes.
5. Get in the kitchen and cook with your kids. Start a family recipe book together!
6. Unplug and connect with your family. Substitute game night for another night in front of the TV.
7. Spend more time in nature – hike, ride a bike, camp, fish – whatever you and your family enjoy.

Need a little inspiration? Check out this beautiful video that will have you ready to head outdoors and enjoy a beautiful day with the children in your world.

Happy, happy 2012, my friends! xoxo

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Challenge Update:  I am excited to tell you all that the #XmasBoxChallenge now has prizes thanks to the nice folks at OgoSport! See below for details! Have a creative and happy holiday, all! ~ Bethe 

I have a challenge for you all. 

After the paper is all torn and the bows are tossed aside. After the stockings are empty, their booty blundered by skilled hands, no matter how small. After the buzz of Christmas fades into night and the hangover from all of the holiday excess kicks in (for kids and adults alike!), I want you to step back and get back to basics.

Here’s my idea…

Take the Christmas Box Challenge!

1. Gather all the cardboard boxes leftover from the holiday bonanza. Big, small — whatever you have.

2. For younger children, they should need no encouragement — just let them at the boxes and see what they get up to. Push them, build forts, create puppet theaters and everything in between.

3. Get tweens, teens and the adults in on the fun too! Make it a bit of a contest. Set a 60 minute time limit see who comes up with the most outstanding cardboard box creation!  Set up as many categories as you like — most useful, funniest, etc.

4. Share your Christmas cardboard box creations with me — and Twitter! Use the hashtag #XmasBoxChallenge — and post pictures if you can! If you have a blog, I would love for you to challenge your readers to join us and post about your family’s Christmas Box Challenge.

Prizes:

• 1st prize: $100 + an OgoBild POD set + 1 Mezo Disk Set
•  2nd prize: $50 + An OgoBild POD set
• 3rd Prize: An OgoBild POD set

Deadline: 

To be considered for the prizes, all entries must be posted by January 2nd. 2012.

How to enter: 

There are three ways you can enter The Christmas Box Challenge and enter to win great prizes!

1. Tweet pictures of your creations with the hash tag #XmasBoxChallenge

2. Post pictures of your creations to OgoSport’s Facebook page and tag them #XmasBoxChallenge.

3. Blog about how your family took the challenge! Post a comment with a link to this post and/or post a link to your blog post to OgoSport’s Facebook page and tag them #XmasBoxChallenge.

Want to see just how fun a box can be? Check out Simon’s Cat. And trust me, us humans find them just as entertaining when we give ourselves permission to PLAY like we mean it.

Look, even advertisers get the magic of a cardboard box!

I would love to see this idea really take off, and even become a holiday tradition. Help me spread the idea and don’t forget to use the #XmasBoxChallenge hash tag.

Happy holidays, my friends. You mean the world to me. xoxo

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Dear beloved readers and friends:

Thanks for spending this play-filled year with me. For every tree you climbed, fort you built, trail you hiked. For everything that required crayons, glue and glitter. For every Mystery Critter case you cracked. For every belly laugh and gasp of awe-struck wonder you uttered. For every minute of playful spirit you modeled for those around you, I thank you. Gold stars and grass stains to you all! 

Here’s a little fun I’ve cooked up for you this holiday season. xoxo Bethe

On the 12th day of Christmas TGSG gave to me:

12 perfect snowflakes
11 stones a skipping 

10 stars a twinkling

9 children giggling
8 frogs a croaking
7 kites a flying
6 rainbows gleaming
5 forts to build
4 scampering squirrels
3 trees to climb
2 box turtles

And a grass stain on each knee!

No matter what you believe, or don’t, the holiday season is truly special.

May yours be filled with much love and laughter, and warmest wishes for a happy, healthy 2012!

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

<— Little GSG with her trusty stick. (In case you are wondering, I finally grew into that chin.)

 photo credit: seelensturm