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TIPS FOR WEANING CHILDREN
OFF SCREENS

Written by Children and Screens

For much of the pandemic, screens provided a lifeline for children, helping them socialize and learn, so it’s understandable that both kids and parents may have grown more attached to their digital devices and connectivity than ever before. Now that some parts of the world are beginning to open up, families may need support as they navigate the transition back to “real life.”

“Asking kids to put their screens away cold turkey, even for a highly-anticipated week of summer camp, is a tall order. It can be even harder for parents to give up the ability to reach our kids at any given moment or to hear an ongoing report of our kids’ days,” says Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra, president and founder of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development. “Depending on the age, it is beneficial for children to have (safe) space to make their own decisions, solve their own dilemmas, and foster new relationships. Reducing screens this summer can help our children and teens transition to face-to-face interactions and real-world experiential fun and learning.”

Summer camps, which may have rules limiting screen use and/or require children to be away from home for perhaps the first time in over a year, represent both a challenge and an opportunity for young people who might not feel ready to cut back on their digital media use. With that in mind, the folks from Children and Screens have invited distinguished researchers, clinicians, educators, and parenting experts to share their tips on the best ways for children (and their parents) to deal with the sudden drop in screen time. Check out their 10 pieces of advice for weaning children off screens below!

1. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Sometimes, the fear of the unknown is worse than the experience itself, so practicing what it’s like to go without screens before kids leave for summer camp—or head back to school—can help ensure a smooth transition. “Try out a screen-free afternoon and encourage fun, screen-free activities at home,” says Sarah E. Domoff, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Central Michigan University. “Parents and other caregivers may also find it tough to go without instant contact with their children, so do a trial run of no phone contact for a day or so.” Domoff recommends writing postcards or drafting up letters or emails to send at a later time as a way for families to still feel connected during sleepaway camps, and suggests downloading any appropriate music or podcasts kids might want to listen to in advance of extended periods without WiFi.

2. OUT-BUSY YOUR SCREENS

After a year of constant connection, it’s natural for kids to feel like they’re missing out by unplugging, but parents can help their kids find ways to work through this fear. “Encourage your kids to focus on activities they can do with others that can help take their minds off any negative thoughts,” says Elizabeth K. Englander, PhD, Executive Director, Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center, Bridgewater State University. “Suggest that they take a walk, read a book, or play a board game. Remind your kids that when they occupy your brain with sights and sounds, it forgets to worry!”

3. BUILD BETTER BOUNDARIES

The ubiquity of screens over the past year can make the process of disconnecting seem like a particularly daunting one, but it’s essential for kids’ development. “In order for children to re-establish face-to-face social skills, they need the space to do so without the distraction of a device,” says Meghan Owenz, PhD, Assistant Teaching Professor, Rehabilitation and Human Services, Penn State Berks. That means parents need to have frank and open discussions with their kids about what will and won’t be allowed as they move forward. “With clear boundaries around device use,” says Owenz, “children know what to expect and develop other skills.”

4. TAKE A VACATION (FROM YOUR SCREENS)

Sometimes you just need to get away from it all. “If your family can take a screen-free vacation for a week or more (ideally, 2-4 weeks), it will provide a period when your child’s brain can start coming back to more normal functioning and new, healthier patterns can be established,” says Hilarie Cash, PhD, LMHC, CSAT, WSGC, Chief Clinical Officer of reSTART Center for Digital Technology Sustainability. “Alternatively, if such a screen-free period is not possible, then a slow, steady cutting back on screen-time can be conducted, with alternative activities introduced and encouraged, all the while discussing with your children why this is important and engaging with them as you figure out the new limits.” Cash reminds parents that kids are always watching and learning, so it’s important that you follow the same rules when you’re together.

5. TIME TRAVEL TOGETHER

The slower summer months can provide families with important, real life bonding time that the busy school year might not allow. “Bonding in real life should be the priority for all of us—even if it’s just a trip to the store or the local library—so that when summer is over, we will have strengthened relationships and support systems as we pick up our technological tools again,” says Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov, J.D., a digital parenting expert. Milovidov recommends sharing stories with your kids about technology and entertainment in the “good ol’ days” and encouraging them to experience what life was like in different eras by playing with everything from classic board games and jump ropes to marbles and Polaroid cameras.

6. MAKE SIMPLE SUBSTITUTIONS

One of the easiest and most impactful ways to cut down on screen use is to substitute books for phones at bedtime. “This helps children cut down on overall screen time, improves their sleep, and keeps up their reading skills over the summer,” says Cori Cross, MD, FAAP. For parents who are struggling to get their kids excited about reading, Cross suggests developing fun goals as a family. “Keep track of how many nights they read before bed,” she says. “If they meet their weekly goal, the family can celebrate with a fun weekly dessert such as Friday night s’mores or mini root beer floats.”

7. EXPLORE (SCREEN) FREEDOM

Good weather is a great excuse to get the whole family outside. “Summer is a time to explore and go on new adventures, breathe fresh air, and be present without the distraction of screens,” says Cam Adair, founder of Game Quitters. Adair recommends turning screen-free time into a fun experiment. “Start by taking a break and spending more time offline. Be curious and notice what you enjoy about it. It can feel nice to disconnect and quiet the noise of social media, and this contrast can help us live a more balanced life.”

8. STAY FOCUSED

Living through screens all the time, it can be easy to miss the big picture, but it’s important for parents not to lose sight of the core ingredients that are essential for children’s growth. “We must teach our children to look within and develop the ability to express and verbalize thought, empathize with others, and express their own concerns, both positive and negative,” say Laurel and Norm Barrie of Camp Connection. They remind parents that truly caring for children means listening to what they have to say, even when it’s not what you want to hear. “And finally,” they add, “helping your children navigate all this will be your children’s reward, nurtured by you, the parent.”

9. STARE AT THE BIG SCREEN

There’s nothing like lying under the stars as a family, searching for shooting stars and learning how to identify the constellations. “We used to huddle together on our picnic table for what felt like hours with our children of all ages,” says Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdD. “Screens have deleted the time for daydreaming, for gazing at the real clouds, for solitude. Encourage your kids to read the wonderful myths from different cultures that tell stories about the constellations, and invite everyone to make up their own stories about what they see in the night sky. There’s something awe inspiring and cozy about staring at the big screen and sharing that vast space together.”

10. RIDE THE SUMMERTIME WAVE

Summertime presents an opportunity to reevaluate family media use norms that are established during the school year. “Parents can piggyback on natural and required shifts brought about by summer camp or family vacations to implement new patterns for media use,” explains David S. Bickham, PhD, of the Boston Children’s Hospital’s Digital Wellness Lab in the Division of Adolescent Young Adult Medicine. “Say things like ‘Camp starts earlier than school so we’ll need to put phones away an hour earlier each night this week,” or ‘We should leave our phones behind when we go to the beach so that they don’t get broken, lost, or stolen.’ Taking these opportunities can help reset your family’s use habits and move you all toward being more intentional users.” ​

Since its inception in 2013, Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, has become one of the nation’s leading non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing and supporting interdisciplinary scientific research, informing, and educating the public, advocating for sound public policy for child health and wellness, and enhancing human capital in the field. For more information, see childrenandscreens.com.

9 Ways To Help Your Child Discover More Hobbies And Interests

Some children may have plenty of interests while some struggle to find just one. Let’s find out how you can help your kids discover activities that truly inspire them

Children are born curious and have abundant energy. They see the world as an exciting place with a zillion things to explore. One moment they are asking us where apples come from, the next they want to know where the moon goes in the day! As parents, it’s our responsibility to help our children understand the world and let them discover their interests. And that brings us to the question: Why should we help our children find a hobby?

Here’s how hobbies benefit children:

• Allow them to learn about the world they live in

• Help them reach their full potential

• Build their problem-solving skills

• Reduce stress, help them relax, and improve their mood

• Enhance their physical well-being

• Help them develop self-esteem and confidence

• Enable them to bond better with their friends and forge new friendships

Despite these well-documented benefits, we have a laser focus on homework and grades and tend to downplay our children’s need for downtime—when kids can just be, without doing anything, or can indulge in some meaningful and enjoyable activity, led by their curiosity and creativity. A 2017 survey conducted by Pinwi (Play-Interest-Wise), a data-driven app for child development and smart parenting, showed that 25% of Indian parents found it difficult to ascertain their children’s interests while 31% of parents were unable to keep track of their children’s changing interests.

Hearteningly, nearly 40% of the 800 respondents were keen on learning how to nurture their children’s hobbies. So, how do we facilitate our children’s interests? These tips can help.

1. Provide your child with fun  opportunities to explore  new interests

To help your child learn exciting things, expose them to a variety of learning opportunities. Limiting distractions, such as television and other gadgets, will help them observe the surroundings more and develop interest in activities that were previously ignored in favor of watching cartoons.

Next time your child wants you to play the same episode of ‘Peppa Pig’ for the 100th time, give them a Peppa construction set and watch them work creatively to build Peppa’s home. A simple activity like this one can introduce your child to the joys of messing with blocks, generating ideas, and making and building things with their hands. As they get older, foster their complex thinking skills by getting them more of the good stuff—they’ll relish the challenge of building robots and fortresses with LEGO bricks!

Do you want to introduce your child to the joys of reading? Then let them spend a lot of time in the school library, browsing, choosing and reading books—chances are they might fall in love with books. Similarly, if you get your child toys like jigsaw puzzles and musical instruments, they might get curious about them, and soon solving puzzles or playing drums may become their favorite pastime.

Another fun way to introduce your child to interesting things is to take them to museums, art galleries, zoos, botanical gardens, theaters, concerts and sporting events. Even a walk in the neighborhood will spark their desire to learn about what they see around them, such as nature, buildings, cars and bikes.

2. Observe your child to identify their innate talents/interests in several settings

Children are too young to understand what “talent” or “interest” means or to recognize their talents and interests. So it becomes our duty as parents to observe our children and identify what they are good at, and what they enjoy doing or making. Some children not only enjoy what they do but quickly become skilled at it, unlike their peers. On a biological level, their brains develop in ways to help them perform these skills exceptionally. The only way to recognize these talents is through keen observation.

Some questions to help you gauge your child’s interests and talents:

• Do they seem to play (and enjoy) badminton better than their peers?

• Does your little one clap their hands with glee when you gift them a paint set?

• Do they quickly finish their library books and borrow books from their friends? What kind of books are they reading?

• What do they get excited about—science experiments, beach visits, writing poems, or making jewelry/costumes for their dolls?

3. Make hobbies a part of your child’s routine

We all want our children to perform well academically so they can choose a “good” career and become successful adults. We pack their day with schoolwork, screen time, some playtime with the neighbors’ kids, and math or science tuitions. We conveniently forget that our children also need some amount of extracurricular activity, like a Spanish class or Odissi practice, to nurture their creativity and their interest in learning languages or dance.

Go ahead and make hobbies a part of your child’s routine. Consciously shape your child’s routine in such a way that they can devote some time to whatever interests them—making animals with play dough, solving a Rubik’s cube or drawing comic strips.

4. Sign them up for a language, sport, or instrument class

Over time you’ll notice that your child tends to stick to some activities while other hobbies fall by the wayside. For example, they may spend their after-school hours doing artwork or looking at famous paintings online or researching painting techniques, ignoring their once-loved hobby of solving puzzles. They may eagerly wait for you to get them new art supplies while the puzzles you got them on their birthday are gathering dust.

When that happens, consider signing your child up for art lessons so that they may enhance their skills and meet like-minded friends with whom they can exchange ideas. If your child is intimidated by the idea of art class, allow them to take it slow—maybe you can send them to an art workshop first, and if they find it fun, scout around for art tutors.

Enrolling your child in guitar or swimming classes will also ensure that they are exposed to healthy competition, which can inspire them to do their best and foster crucial life skills like resilience, perseverance and sportsmanship.

5. Keep track of your child’s interests

We must understand that children may not stick with something that they once found “interesting.” Your 8-year-old who enjoys performing magic tricks when guests come over may outgrow their passion and move on to yoga. Similarly, your child’s dream job too can change. For example, your child might have sworn to become nothing other than a world-class tennis player. But now as a teen they realized, after countless hours of tennis practice, that although they enjoy playing tennis with friends as a hobby, they don’t want to turn it into a career. Talk to your child to find out the reason. Is it because they feel they were forced into doing it? After hearing them out, respect their decision.

It’s a good idea to speak to your child regularly so that they open up to you about their hobbies. You’ll get insights into their likes and dislikes and can offer support based on your child’s needs. You can ask your child questions such as “Why do you like tennis?” or “Do you want to paint this scenery?” and see how they react. Usually, questions spike interest and can be used to make your child learn more about a topic. Asking genuine questions is a wonderful way of showing your child that you care about them and the things they love.

6. Build anticipation

It’s Sunday afternoon and you are catching up on your Netflix thriller. Your child walks up to you and says the dreadful words, “I’m bored, and I’m tired of books and games.” What do you do?

Pick a hobby your child loves—or one that’s new to them—and build anticipation. How?

It’s really simple. Instead of saying, “Do some artwork,” say, “Today, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. we will draw and paint a mountain.” You can even show them some paintings of mountains and watch a couple of videos online and add, “Looks like fun, right?” This will get them excited about spending an evening doing an activity with you, give them something to look forward to, and trigger their imaginative mind to plan what they can draw and paint and to think about the materials they can use—sketch pens, crayons or water colors.

Trust us when we say they’ll be so busy anticipating the activity that you won’t hear the word “bored” for the next few hours! Soon they’ll learn there’s more to art than just doodling or coloring in pictures, or making art may become one of their favorite hobbies!

7. Encourage friend group-based interests

Was there ever a time in your life when you chose embroidery as your hobby just because your best friend was a skilled embroidery artist? If you said yes, you must’ve pestered your parents for sewing kits and embroidery pattern books. A few classes later, the magic of colorful spools of thread faded, and you figured out that painstakingly embroidering a rose bouquet with back stitch or chain stitch wasn’t meant to be your life’s passion.

Similarly, your child may get interested in their friends’ hobbies and want to explore them—they think the activity might be interesting, or they want to enjoy the company of their friends while doing the activity, or both. Have their friends signed up for football or individual/group chess classes? Then expect your child to follow suit. Talk to them and let them explore the hobby with their friends, if it works out in terms of logistics and family budget. Rest assured that your child will let you know if they no longer enjoy the hobby.

8. Share your hobbies with your child

Like peer influences, parental and family influences can steer children toward certain hobbies. Most of us had one significant person in our childhood who influenced our choice of hobby—a parent, grandparent or aunt.

Think about your hobby. What’s your hobby? If you said you are a railway enthusiast, who introduced you to trains as a child? Maybe you had an uncle who worked with Indian Railways and would talk to you about the history of railways and share his knowledge about locomotives, stations and railway timetables. Recognizing your fascination with trains, perhaps your parents got you toy trains and train model sets, and you spent your weekends building model trains.

So, how can parents kindle children’s interest in their own hobbies? Those who enjoy cooking and photography can ask their kids to prep veggies and to take photos whenever there’s a birthday or anniversary. If your family is awed by your kolams, rangolis or mehendi designs, why not help your child learn these skills? Is your sister an avid gardener? Ask her to help your child identify various plants and how to tend to them. Doing an activity together makes it more special, and your child will come to associate it with fun family time and happy memories. That said, if your child’s interest is waning, let them explore other interests. Your child is a different individual, so they may not enjoy your or your relative’s hobbies.

Siblings too can significantly help your child develop hobbies, especially if they consider their sibling a role model. Encourage your older child with an enviable collection of books on astronomy (and a telescope to boot!) to share them with their little brother or sister and to discuss their hobby.

9. Let them learn from their idols or super heroes

Ask your child to create a list of their idols from any fields—their favorite painters, scientists, musicians, sportsmen, writers or actors. Encourage them to learn from their idols, or find mentors who are willing to coach your child. A child who is inspired by a cricketer may play cricket, enjoy watching the sport on TV or at the stadium, keep track of major sporting events and statistics, want to learn the technicalities of cricket and may even watch old match telecasts on TV to understand the game.

So, help your child discover their interests, and nurture their passions—one of the things they’ll remember about you many years from now is how you let them explore the world at their own pace, without being a pushy parent.

Things to Remember

1. Your child may jump from hobby to hobby, and that’s okay, as it shows they are figuring out what really excites them. You can talk to them and find out what’s going on—have they stopped enjoying the hobby, or are they finding it difficult to learn?

2. Hobbies don’t always translate into careers. Don’t expect your child to become the next Raghu Rai or Henri Cartier-Bresson just because your child is mad about cameras and understands light and composition.

3. Avoid overscheduling your child. Instead of shuttling them among dozens of activities, zero in on a few they really enjoy and help them make space for those.

4. Don’t be afraid to let your child explore new-age hobbies like coding. Allow them to join a coding class, or help them explore age-appropriate online coding activities.

There is an old Asian saying that roughly translates into “When dealing with children, you must speak their language.” It’s just easier for everyone if parents adapt themselves to their children’s needs and create a nurturing environment to allow them to be who they want to be.

Hobbies are a significant part of children’s world. These hobbies are, in fact, the most effective way for children to learn new things and develop new skills. Ignoring a child’s interests can have lasting detrimental effects on their development, which may continue into adulthood.

Understanding Children’s Interests

A child’s interest can be anything that grabs their attention. It can be a toy, game, or activity that brings out the best in them. These interests have different degrees. For example, your child is watching his/her favourite cartoon on TV when he/she overhears you talking about going camping. Your child will give up the cartoon and start asking questions about this out-of-the-blue camping trip.

Children’s interests can be divided into two main categories.

Children’s Personal Interests

Personal interests refer to the child’s favourite activity or toy. For example, they might be crazy about a bubble maker or go “vroom vroom” when controlling their RC car on the floor.

Children’s Situational Interests

Situational interests refer to the activities that emerge as the child is exposed to a new setting or experience. Let’s say candy is a personal interest, but trick-or-treating on Halloween is a situational interest.

Read more: Identifying a Child’s Interests

We have expanded on “What are your child’s interests?” and how to identify them in a separate post. I highly recommend reading the article before or after this one to have a clear understanding of your child’s interests. Here, we’ll focus on the instances that children find interesting.

Children’s Interests Examples

There is no concrete typology for children’s interests, but I’ve summarised them into four main groups based on the nature of the activities. You can do some of these activities at home with your children, but you need to sign them up for activities that require a special tools environment.Children’s interests examples

Interests in Arts and Crafts

These interests are observable in most children. Hobbies in arts and crafts allow children to be imaginative and creative. They can express their feelings and communicate with you in what they create. Moreover, creating something out of something else gives children a sense of accomplishment.

1. Painting and drawing: Children can visually express themselves and their grasp of the real world. They can also experiment with colours and shapes and gradually develop a sense of aesthetics.

2. Sculpting: Sculpting is a great way to familiarise children with 3D shapes and develop spatial awareness. It also takes lots of time and effort, which makes the children more persistent.

3. Photography: At a basic level, photography encourages children to pay more attention to their surroundings and appreciate details. Additionally, it develops digital competence.

4. Origami: It’s a good hobby for concentration and precision. Creating different forms or shapes with paper improvesfine motor skills.

5. Pottery: Working with clay is generally enjoyable. Pottery engages the tactile sense and enhances sensory development.

Performance-based Interests

Desiring attention is not limited to childhood, but it’s more evident in children. Performance-based activities give children the spotlight. These activities are healthy means of grabbing the attention of the people around them, particularly you.

1. Theatre and acting: It’s a great way to help shy children become more self-assured and comfortable in social situations. It also helps them develop a sense of empathy by playing different roles. Click to learn more about “How to build confidence in children.”

2. Musical instruments: Learning to play instruments is all about practice and dedication. It engages both the mind and the body, which improves motor skills. In addition, learning and remembering notes and rhythms enhances the child’s memory.

3. Dancing: It involves physical coordination and improves the child’s balance and agility. If they perform in group dances, they can also gain social skills.

4. Storytelling: First and foremost, storytelling improves speaking. Young children learn communication skills through storytelling. Furthermore, it improves the child’s vocabulary and leads to the composition of longer and more complex sentences. Overall, storytelling fosters imaginative thinking and language skills.

Science-related Interests

Although this isn’t a definite sign, a child’s interest in certain phenomena can predicate their interest in the respective science. I recall a time when I was crazy about anything related to paper. I was good at drawing, and later, I got excellent grades in literature and essay writing. And now, here I am, making a living out of a sophisticated way of playing with pencil and paper.

1. Astronomy: This is an exhilarating subject for all ages. Astronomy is a good subject for curious kids who want to know what’s out there in the universe.

2. Robotics: If your child is passionate about robots and creates good ones with the given tools, you may have an engineer in your hands. Robotics can teach children thebasics of cause and effect and promote logical thinking.

3. Gardening: I still remember the beans I had to grow for science class. It was fantastic to see that I made a living organism. I looked after my plant until it grew and matured. It was an early instance of responsibility. So, you can encourage your children to do some gardening and make them responsible for a task they can accomplish, like planting a tree and watering it regularly.

4. Computers: You need little effort to get your child interested in computers. Even playing computer games can help them gain digital competence. So just put them near a computer, and they’re a couple of questions away from working with it.

Interests in Athletic Activities

To state the obvious, interest in athletic hobbies is good for children’s health. It’s a safe channel for them to drain their energy, which helps them sleep earlier and tighter (which means you can sleep better). Sports teach them how to handle wins and losses in competitions and give them an excellent opportunity to make new friends. More than that, sports or even simple outdoor activities like camping are a great way to bond with your kids and create meaningful experiences.

1. Swimming: Learning to swim is a vital life skill. That aside, children love playing with water and with the right instructions, they become professional swimmers at a young age. Plus, swimming is a full-body exercise that builds endurance and strength.

2. Martial Arts: Martial arts develop agility and stamina. It’s also a good way for children to defend themselves and not worry about being bullied. Of course, they should also learn to control themselves and respect others.

3. Soccer: It’s the number-one sport in the UK, and your child might be a future star player. The best thing about soccer is that it teaches teamwork. Additionally, it makes the children think strategically to win.

4. Gymnastics: The sport improves balance and flexibility. Also, it’s really beneficial to start gymnastics at an early age if your child shows interest in it.

Additional Resources to Find a Child’s Own Interests

It’s quite uplifting to have so many resources around to help you behave appropriately around your children. Still, not every parent can afford the time to benefit from all these resources. The below resources are excellent for busy parents who want to be involved in their children’s lives, explore the world, and discover new things with them.

Resources To Help Parents Find Their Children’s Interests

Common Sense Media

Reviews and advice on apps, games, and media, helping parents choose suitable content.

Parenting Science

Research-based insights into children’s development and hobbies.

What Do We Do All Day?

A blog offering creative and educational activity ideas for children.

Podcast

Brains On!

A podcast that answers questions your children might ask you.

Book

The Whole-Brain Child

A book offering insights into fostering children’s emotional and intellectual growth.

How to Raise a Reader

Advice on encouraging a love of reading in children, with book recommendations.

Mind in the Making

A guide to developing essential life skills in children through activities.

App

Toca Boca

A suite of fun and educational games, letting kids explore creativity and careers.

Building on Children’s Interests

Knowing your child’s interests can help you interact meaningfully with them. These interests are indications of their passions and talents, but more importantly, they’re learning opportunities. Observation is one way to find out what your children’s interests are. Their favourite games and toys can give you valuable information about their development.

However, it’s not merely an observation. You should participate in their hobbies but allow them to lead. You’re simply a figure in their story. Therefore, you shouldn’t tell them what to do or correct them.

You can also take a more direct approach and ask your children if they can communicate verbally and what their favourite activities are.

Trying to find out what your child’s interests are makes them feel valued and promotes a sustained learning process. Plus, it boosts their confidence and gives them a sense of self.

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Getting Your Daily Green Hour:
No Backyard Required

Today’s post is part of “Your Green Hour Survival Guide,” a series which I hope will provide you with inspiration to make getting outside every day a habit.

A very cool thing happened last week after a reader (code name: MADMommy ofMAD House) left me this comment:

“I would love to hear some tips on getting outside when you live in a apartment. We don’t have any parks without playgrounds in town and also with gas [prices] so high we just can’t be driving all over the place all the time. We live in an apartment to SAVE money not to spend it on gas but we definitely love the outdoors and would love to hear some tips on what to do.”

I decided to put the question to fans of Go Explore Nature on Facebook. The response was pretty amazing. I was so inspired by how helpful and thoughtful the ideas were, that I felt it worthwhile to put together the advice here. Something tells me MADMommy isn’t the only one trying to get in her green hour with little-to-no backyard space of her own.

Idea #1: Take a nature walk around the block.

Nothing beats a walk around your block and some quiet focus to see things you might not have noticed before. There are tons of ways to turn a routine walk into a nature adventure –

Here are 25 of my favorite ideas

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