“I’m happier and healthier when I spend time outside; my kids are happier and healthier when they spend time outside.”
— Ginny Yurich, Founder, 1000 Hours Outside
HOW IN THE WORLD DO YOU GET THERE WITH THIS MODERN LIFE???
There’s so much that pulls us indoors — computer-based work, dishes, laundry, TV, and doom scroll on our phones.
And don’t forget the driving. Driving. DRIVING!
The idea of spending 1,000 hours outside a year felt totally out of reach… until I started meeting families who were actually doing it.
One day, I overheard a group of kids chatting excitedly about their camping trips and how many hours they’d spent outside the day before. No complaints. Nobody whining. Just joy.
As a mom, I started wondering: How can I encourage my kids to actually want to be outdoors?
As a person, I started wondering: How can I get myself outside more? Yes, I’m a farmer, but I’m a mother first — which brings me inside a lot — and had a huge fear of ticks and snakes when we started farming. This is something ANYONE can do!
Why Outside Time Matters
I bet you already know that time in nature is good for all of us, but here are a few proven benefits:
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Boosts natural immunity
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Provides Vitamin D and improves calcium absorption
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Decreases anxiety and depression
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Improves balance, mood, and digestion
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Improved academic performance
There are hundreds of reasons to get outside — literally! [Here’s a list of 100 reasons outside time is good for your health.]
The Simple Tool That Changed Everything
Once my kids had a little “buy-in” that outside was better than inside, I printed a free 1000 Hours Outside coloring tracker.
Our girls’ beautiful printable tracking sheets.
1,000 little sections to color as you log your time. You set your own rules for what counts as “outside” — at our house, even sleeping in a tent qualifies!
If 1,000 hours sounds daunting, start smaller. Try a 100-hour tracker and print it today. (A trip to Belle Isle makes a great kick-off. 😊)
This simple coloring sheet completely transformed our relationship with outdoor time.
Here’s a free 1000 Hours Outside coloring sheet link.
Or find success with a simpler goal. Here’s a free 100 hours outside coloring sheet link.
Head to the 1000 hours outside website for TONS of other coloring sheet options.
Peer pressure helps too — so grab a few friends and start your journey together. There’s even an app if you prefer digital tracking.
Watching the Change Happen
Each of my girls picked their own coloring sheet and got to work. Before long, we were planning camping trips to rack up 24 hours in one weekend!
They’d spend hours outside, then proudly color in their sheets to see their progress.
But the change extended BEYOND childhood…
Jon and I just had a weekend getaway, and for the first time, we did it mostly outside — a yurt in a campground. Slower. Calmer. Together.
Easy Ways to Spend More Time Outdoors
- Do homework outside (shade helps!)
- Eat meals outdoors or plan a picnic
- Take a family hike
- Go camping
- Attend an outdoor concert
- Send the kids outside while you make dinner (peaceful moments = priceless!)
- Head to a park, stay a few hours, and just see what happens
- Swap Girls’ Night for Girls’ Hike!
- Paint / create
- Take a nap
Are We Going to hit 1000 hours?
Honestly? Probably not in our first year.
But every family I’ve talked to says the same thing — even if you don’t hit 1,000 hours in the first year, your family will get outside so much more! And it’s worth another shot!
Our family has grown calmer, more connected, and yes — refreshed — without our devices.
So here’s to your total health, your family, and more time outside. 🌿
Want to dive deeper? Watch this inspiring video of Ginny Yurich chatting with Joel Salatin (Polyface Farm) and Dr. Sina McCullough about how the outdoors transformed her life as a mother.