The Importance of Outdoor Play - Aby Rinella (Best of the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast)
"Outdoor play is a child's natural inclination and is crucial for their physical and mental health." ~ Aby Rinella
In this "best of" episode from 2019, Aby Rinella was back for her second episode ever! Aby and Yvette Hampton, discuss how we were created to be in the garden, and the importance of getting our kids, and ourselves, OUTSIDE! There are SO many benefits to the great outdoors, including dirt, sun, exercise, and especially, pointing our kids to their Creator through His creation!
Aby's first episode on the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast was "the Why of Homeschooling". Don't miss this episode if you haven't already heard it. It is excellent! She and Karen DeBeus also recorded a special 1-hour roundtable, "The Who, Why, and How of Homeschooling", which you can listen to here.
📚 Topics Covered:
- Benefits of outdoor play
- The decline of outdoor play and its impact
- Engaging children in less extreme outdoor activities
- Connecting outdoor play with biblical principles
- Addressing fears of outdoor activities
- Practical tips for incorporating nature
- Physical and mental benefits of outdoor play
- Practical ways to integrate nature into daily life
- Summer break opportunities for homeschooling families
Recommended Resources:
Healthy Homeschooling Series on the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast
Strings Attached: The True Cost of School Choice (Special Feature)
Ginny Yurich - 1000 Hours Outside - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children ~ Angela J. Hanscom
Hands Free Mama: A Guide to Putting Down the Phone, Burning the To-Do List, and Letting Go of Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters! ~ Rachel Macy Stafford
Picture Books
Miss Rumphius ~ Barbara Cooney
The Curious Garden ~ Peter Brown
The Gardener ~ Sarah Stewart
RoxaBoxen ~ Alice McLerran
Blueberries for Sal ~ Robert McCloskey
Make Way for Ducklings ~ Robert McCloskey
Chapter Books
The Swiss Family Robinson ~ Johann David Wyss
My Side of the Mountain ~ Jean Craighead George
Call of the Wild ~ Jack London
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain ~ Alice Dalgliesh
The Sign of the Beaver ~ Elizabeth George Speare
Hatchet ~ Gary Paulson
Discussion Questions:
1. **Reflection on Outdoor Play**: Aby Rinella emphasizes the natural inclination of children to play outdoors. How do you observe this natural tendency manifesting in your own children or childhood experiences?
2. **Screen Time vs. Outdoor Time**: Both Aby and Yvette highlight the decline in unstructured outdoor play due to the rise in screen time. What are some strategies you've found effective in balancing screen time with outdoor activities in your family?
3. **Facing Fears**: Yvette Hampton brings up common fears associated with outdoor play, such as ticks and sunburn. How do you manage and mitigate these concerns in your household to encourage outdoor activities?
4. **Creative Outdoor Activities**: Aby suggests non-traditional outdoor activities like painting or visiting a garden center. What unique outdoor activities have you tried or would like to try with your children?
5. **Homeschooling and Outdoor Play**: How does your homeschooling routine incorporate outdoor play, and what benefits have you observed from this?
6. **Encouragement for Teens**: Aby speaks about the importance of outdoor activities for teenagers. What are some effective ways to encourage teenagers, who may be initially resistant, to spend more time outside?
7. **Biblical Connections**: The episode links outdoor play to biblical principles and the opportunity for children to connect with God through nature. How have you seen nature play a role in your family's spiritual development?
8. **Mental and Physical Benefits**: The episode discusses the physical and mental health benefits of outdoor play, such as walking on uneven ground for mental equilibrium. What specific benefits have you observed in your children?
9. **Parental Influence**: Aby and Yvette emphasize the role of parents in fostering a love for outdoor play. How do you model and communicate the importance of outdoor activities to your children?
Sponsors:
Apologia is a Christ-centered, award-winning homeschool curriculum provider. Our mission is to help homeschooling students and families learn, live, and defend the Christian faith through our print and digital curriculum and online classes.
BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation
CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.
The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network. Our mission is to support and encourage the family by providing the very best podcasts on family, discipleship, marriage, parenting, worldview, culture, and education, all from a Biblical perspective. Visit the website for more great shows, like the Thinking Dad, Culture Proof, Homeschool Insights, and Made2Homeschool.
