Tag: outdoor play
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The Argument for Gifting Your Child a Bow and Arrow
Get Pregnant Fast When my partner announced that the kids could each choose a toy for our upcoming trip to the mountains, I immediately felt hesitant. I generally oppose adding more items to our already cluttered home, which inevitably leads to more cleaning for me. While I blissfully roamed the hiking gear aisle, selecting some…
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Urban Kids Deserve Nature Too: Why Access Is a Growing Concern
Get Pregnant Fast It’s widely acknowledged that spending time in nature is essential for children’s development. Books like Last Child in the Woods highlight the importance of connecting kids with the wilderness, and numerous companies have embraced the “natural playground” movement, incorporating elements like rock climbing walls, sand pits, and gardens that enhance children’s learning…
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HOA Letter Urges Parents to Keep Kids Out of Front Yards
Get Pregnant Fast A homeowners association in a California community has come under scrutiny after sending a letter to a resident requesting that he prevent his children from playing in their front yard. The family, led by Mark Johnson, had only recently moved to their Granite Bay neighborhood when they received the correspondence, which contained…
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Things Kids in the ’80s Did That Could Land Us in Hot Water Today
Get Pregnant Fast As a child of the 1980s, I have vivid memories of the freedom we enjoyed during that era. Our parents permitted us to engage in activities that would likely result in serious consequences today. Back then, free-range parenting wasn’t a buzzword; it was simply the norm. We may have been blissfully unaware…
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5 German Parenting Styles Americans Should Embrace
Get Pregnant Fast Having spent six months in Germany, I’ve experienced quite a cultural shock—not just in language, cuisine, and lifestyle, but particularly in the realm of parenting. The approaches to child-rearing here are markedly different from those in the United States, and there are several valuable lessons that American parents can adopt. 1. No…
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The Countdown to Summer Break Is Here, and It’s Stressing Us Out
Get Pregnant Fast As summer approaches, there’s so much to look forward to: sun-soaked days by the pool, lazy beach outings, cozy camping trips, and evening barbecues. For many parents, the countdown to school’s end can’t come soon enough. Our kids are likely counting down the days—and even the hours—until they’re officially free for the…
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Engaging Activities for Your 18-Month-Old: Fostering Growth in Social, Cognitive, and Motor Skills
Read more As your little one approaches 18 months, you might have noticed that they are becoming more curious and adventurous. While they’re still your tiny baby in many ways, they’re also starting to walk, talk (in their own special way!), and explore the world around them. It’s a delightful stage, and you can encourage…
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Nurturing a Wild Child? Discover These Essential Reads
Get Pregnant Fast In today’s fast-paced world, it’s clear that children need ample opportunities to engage in unstructured play and embrace their wild side. But how do we facilitate this in our urban environments? How can we inspire our kids to appreciate nature rather than complain about its perceived dullness? And just how vital is…
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Friluftsliv: The Scandinavian Parenting Approach Worth Embracing
Get Pregnant Fast “Just go outside and play! Immerse yourself in nature! Get out of this house already!” For nearly two decades, I’ve found myself repeating (or maybe shouting) these phrases to my children. The truth is, it feels fundamentally unnatural to confine energetic little bodies within the four walls of our home. Yet, many…
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The Paradox of Possessions: How Excess Can Stifle Creativity
Get Pregnant Fast The beach has always been a playground for my children, but I’ve discovered that their best experiences come with just a bucket and a shovel—nothing more. No oversized shovels, no elaborate sea creature molds, and certainly no baskets filled with geometric shape cutters. We leave behind the Frisbees, kites, and all those…