When I was younger I used to spend pretty much the whole of summer holidays outside. Back then there was a lot less worry for our parents about letting us spend all day outside with friends, and a lot less to keep us interested inside like Dads and computer games (well, I had a mega drive but was only allowed on it for an hour at a time!)
My house had a green at the front with a path around the edge and through the middle and my best friend lived just over the road. There were fields and farms and general countryside just at the end of my road. As soon as we were old enough we’d be let loose to play wherever we wanted to… there was a huge pond about a 15 minute walk from my house (in my mind it was a lake but I think that’s just because I was a lot smaller then!) my friends and I would go home for food and then head back out again, spending our days making up games, climbing trees and exploring. I really hope that by the time Athena is old enough to do explore that we live somewhere where she will be able to do so freely! In fact there was a TV program on ITV this week about this very same thing, looking into if children really are more at risk if they play outside these days.
It was an unspoken rule that whichever mum could see the kids out of the window would keep an eye on them, and watch out for anything untoward. Parents never seemed to mind their kids being told off by other parents (when warranted of course) either, which people seem to reluctant to do these days! I think there was more of a sense of community, or perhaps that’s because I grew up in a fairly small village with a lot of families?
I also spent a couple of weeks a year on my dads farm in Wales, where I messed about trying to teach myself to herd his sheep, feeding chickens and goats and horse riding! The worst thing that could happen on that remote mountain was falling into a pile of sheep-poo! Since then I’ve loved going for hikes with Sam, and now with the kids, packing supplies and a camera in a hiking bag and heading off for the day!
Basically I loved (and still do) being outside! If you and your children do too then E-Outdoor have put together a printable 3 page activity sheet to help you get the most out of being in the great outdoors this summer!
You can download it here: E-Outdoor Summer Hunt, have fun!
Post written in collaboration with E-Outdoor.
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