It’s all over my Facebook feed these days about how children do not get enough outdoor time. One article even said “The average American child spends four to seven minutes a day playing outdoors and up to seven hours a day staring at a screen.” That seems totally crazy to me. But then I look around and realize so many of our friends rarely go outdoors, even in Southern California where we have beautiful weather year round. For many families, it is not a priority to go outside, or perhaps they don’t feel they have the time or are just not inspired by the options for outdoor play.
During our summer trip to England, we found the answer to this family dilemma with the Forest Department’s Adventure play trails located in forests across the country. During our visit, we were lucky enough to visit two of these play forests. I am obsessed and would love to find out how to get one in the US. It is exactly what children need – safe places to push their boundaries, explore and learn while using nature as their playscape.