How much outside time do very young kids need?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None. I hate nature, hate the sun, hate bugs, don't want to sit in grass, and have always been this way. Perfectly healthy.

You aren’t perfectly healthy if you “hate nature.” Study after study shows that time outdoors is beneficial to mental & even physical health in people of all ages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 hrs per day. More if the weather is nice.

Simply not possible with 2 under 2 in an urban area.

Not possible for you does not mean not possible for everyone. Stroller rides, balcony or yard time, playground time, walks, picnics in the park all can add up to 4 hours/day easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:4 hrs per day. More if the weather is nice.

I'm a SAHM of 2 and 4yo, and I honestly find it hard to meet this. Between naps, meal prep, various other indoor chores, etc. it's just hard to be outside all day long. I also do some freelance work during naptime - I guess we'd have more outside time if I did household chores during nap. I'd say my kids get at least 2 hrs ouside everyday, maybe sometimes 3, especially if we eat our dinner outside.

[Anonymous]

I don't know how much time young kids "need" but my own always behaved and slept better when they had lots of outdoor time. We had a tiny apartment when they were little and used the neighborhood park as our backyard for hours per day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 hrs per day. More if the weather is nice.

Simply not possible with 2 under 2 in an urban area.

I posted the 4 hr comment and we live in DC in adams morgan, can't get more urban! But I do see how scheduling would be so hard with 2 kids! It does get easier as they get older, especially if you are okay with outdoor stroller naps.

[Anonymous]

My 3-year old is out with his nanny for at least 4 hours every day, and has been since he was 4 months old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 3-year old is out with his nanny for at least 4 hours every day, and has been since he was 4 months old.

What do they do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None. I hate nature, hate the sun, hate bugs, don't want to sit in grass, and have always been this way. Perfectly healthy.

You aren’t perfectly healthy if you “hate nature.” Study after study shows that time outdoors is beneficial to mental & even physical health in people of all ages.

agree. Also, some of us didn’t use seatbelts as children and are still alive. That does mean it’s good for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 hrs per day. More if the weather is nice.

Simply not possible with 2 under 2 in an urban area.

Not possible for you does not mean not possible for everyone. Stroller rides, balcony or yard time, playground time, walks, picnics in the park all can add up to 4 hours/day easily.

I’d love to hear how a parent with an active 23 month old and baby who hates the stroller can be outside safely in public parks for four hours a day in the summer.

[Anonymous]

Our daycare has the toddlers outside for two 45 minute sessions a day.

Where are you guys getting four hours a day?! Even on weekends my two and a half year old wants to come inside from our yard at around an hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 hrs per day. More if the weather is nice.

Simply not possible with 2 under 2 in an urban area.

Not possible for you does not mean not possible for everyone. Stroller rides, balcony or yard time, playground time, walks, picnics in the park all can add up to 4 hours/day easily.

I’d love to hear how a parent with an active 23 month old and baby who hates the stroller can be outside safely in public parks for four hours a day in the summer.

+1. Parents misremember.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 hrs per day. More if the weather is nice.

Simply not possible with 2 under 2 in an urban area.

Not possible for you does not mean not possible for everyone. Stroller rides, balcony or yard time, playground time, walks, picnics in the park all can add up to 4 hours/day easily.

I’d love to hear how a parent with an active 23 month old and baby who hates the stroller can be outside safely in public parks for four hours a day in the summer.

+1. Parents misremember.

Do all babies hate the stroller? I don’t think so. Even so can keep baby in lap or wear baby while you do long walks, eat lunch/snack outside at a picnic table, have older kid play on playground etc. and if you have outdoor space as part of your home, it’s even easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare has the toddlers outside for two 45 minute sessions a day.

Where are you guys getting four hours a day?! Even on weekends my two and a half year old wants to come inside from our yard at around an hour.

Same. These are suburban SAHMs with the “four hours” or those with onlies. Impossible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare has the toddlers outside for two 45 minute sessions a day.

Where are you guys getting four hours a day?! Even on weekends my two and a half year old wants to come inside from our yard at around an hour.

Same. These are suburban SAHMs with the “four hours” or those with onlies. Impossible.

Yes all around the world, children are indoor all days except for 2 hours per day because it’s impossible to keep them out of doors. Impossible.

[Anonymous]

I'll bite: our tuesdays used to be like this: walk to school - 15 min outdoors, 2 outdoor recesses at school - let's say 45 min - that's one hour. Pick up at 2:30 - would stay and play at school playground/garden, i'd bring snack with me. Walk to Dupont's Stead park for soccer practice at 4:45 - 5:15, stay till 6 pm playing in the splash park, Mr. Yogato for frozen yogurt, walk back up to adams morgan - home by 7:15. That's almost 6 hours outside total. That's admittedly our best day, but on the worst days it's still 2-3 hours outside.