A prescription for outdoor play

Whenever we go camping with the scout pack, I lose my son to the woods. Actually, we lose all the campers to the woods. They find a tree or a pile of rocks to make into a fort and the adventure begins. We have to call them away from their play to do the scheduled activities like rock climbing and fishing. They like those things too, but as soon as we are back on site, they run back to the woods.

While we have woods near our home, there isn't a band of children for my son to go exploring with. I often wish that we had a park in our community to encourage him to meet more children from the neighborhood. Maybe I just need to do more research.

Or maybe the research has already been done. Doctors are using apps to recommend local parks for outdoor play as a part of overall wellness, so I am sure I could find something similar. I am not surprised that playing outside has become a prescription of sorts - the fresh and sunshine is good for the whole family.

On my part, I think I just have to schedule it into our free time. It feels a little funny to schedule time for outside fun, but it is better than missing the opportunity.

How much outdoor playtime does your family get? Tell me in the comments.