This month I am getting serious about helping you connect your kids to nature!  Though it's the second annual 30-Day Outdoor Challenge, this year I am more committed than ever and am doing it differently.  My plan is to inspire you to connect your kids to nature by demonstrating how I do it every day.  And trust me, if I can do it, so can you!



But it's easy for me, I do it for a living. Not!
Sure, I am naturally inclined to spend more time outdoors because it's how I make a living, but I face as many challenges as you do to find the time in a day.  I am a wife and full-time mother of two young children, ages six and three, for whom I am the maid, chef, tour guide, activities director, nutritionist, health advisor (in other words, you name it and I do it).  I also manage our household, etc., etc., just like you!  When my first job ends at 8 p.m., after my husband and I put the kids to bed and the kitchen is clean, I make my way upstairs to work at my second job running my own consulting firm and blogging several evenings per week.  Where do I find the time?

Connecting Kids to Nature Takes Commitment - But You All Benefit
If you are committed to connecting your kids to nature like I am, you know all the benefits of doing so.  It just takes 30 minutes to an hour per day for your kids (and you!) to reap the benefits.  It might seem impossible to carve out the time, but it is possible and I am going to show you how.  Experts say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Let's work on creating a knew habit with our kids.

The Challenge
I am challenging myself and my readers to get their kids outside every day this month. It does not have to be complicated. A walk outside after dinner for 30 minutes qualifies in this challenge. Even some time out back playing in the grass with a ball qualifies. The key here is to make it matter and do it for 30 minutes or more.

"Every day you ask?" Yes, every day. "What if the weather is bad?" Well, rainy days are just as much fun for kids as sunny days. "But, we are so busy...where can we find the time?" Not an excuse!

Each evening over the next 30 days, I will post how we connected to nature that day. I will include my own ideas for activities, but I also plan to include those of my favorite blogs, Web sites and books.  I welcome your comments and ask you to share your activities with the group.

Be sure to sign up for my RSS feed or my e-mail list, follow me on Twitter of fan me on Facebook so you can follow each activity.

And I am going to take it one step further....  If you accept the challenge and sign your name in the comments section of this post you will be entered to win a free copy of the all new Gus Outdoors video Lizard Town compliments of yours truly!

Are you with me?