100 days of summer

John Bingham and Jenny Hadfield are hosting a 100 Days of Summer challenge, and I think it’s a fabulous idea!!  Get outside, get active, and play!  The idea, in short, is to commit to 100 minutes of outdoor activity every week for the 100 days of summer.  You can find out more about the challenge and register for it here.

This challenge is very in keeping with the goals I have for myself and my boys this summer.  We are, quite frankly, indoor people.  Yes, when I’m doing my power walking I’m outside when at all possible, and I love it, but most of our lives are spent inside.  The television, the PS3, the computers… all get far more attention than what lies out our front door.  I want to change that this summer.  Or, at least, I want to find a better balance.

I haven’t always been a good example in this regard.  I don’t watch too much television, and I barely even know how to turn the PS3 on.  But I spend way, way too much time sitting in front of the computer.  I have to be dragged into trying new things.  But in not  exploring new things, I’m limiting myself.  And I’m limiting them.

So I signed myself up for this challenge.  But, in doing so, I signed all three of us up for the challenge.  I want my kids to enjoy playing outside.  I want them to run and frisk and kick balls and throw frisbees and explore nature and collect rocks and try new things and jump in puddles…

love the look on Harry's face here!

Ironically, I started this before I even knew such a challenge was going on.  This morning I made up my mind that the kids and I were going to do something, anything, outside together that would be fun and interactive.  We went to a local park and we had a wonderful time.  We walked there and back (about a mile and a half total) and played for about an hour.  We fed some mallard ducks – I have no photos of that, as I was too busy trying to keep Harry from falling into the pond There was sliding and teeter-tottering.  There was racing between trees.  There was exploring and looking for different kinds of trees.

exploring

I hope to get much more adventurous this summer and try many new games and activities.  But this was a start!  The challenge starts today and runs through September 5th.  Won’t you consider joining us?