Here’s the photo information: Photo Caption: Young children out enjoying a walk through a South Carolina county park in January.
Ali Charlton, ©2026, Clemson Extension
Why Outdoor Time Is Important for Kids’ Health and Development
Did you know that the average American child only gets 4-7 minutes of free play outside per day?
I was flabbergasted and sad when I heard that.
In contrast, American children aged 2-4 years get 2 hours of screen time on average, and children aged 3-8 get 3 hours and 38 minutes per day.
Our teenagers are getting upwards of 5 hours of screen time per day between TV, tablets, phones, and computers.
We know that excessive screen time is harmful to child development, relationships, and physical and mental health.
We also know that being outside can be great for all those things!
How to Encourage Kids to Spend More Time Outside
So, what can we do to flip the script?
The weather is getting nicer, and people are naturally drawn outside, but setting a goal to go outside and bring your kids (or grandkids, nieces, nephews, and friends) with you is an excellent way to get outside more.
How to Set SMART Goals for Outdoor Family Time
Setting a SMART goal for your outside time is the best way to go about it.
SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.
See the HGIC blog post “Make Smart Goals for the New Year” for more detailed information on how to set a SMART goal.
But a good goal for more outside time this year might look like this:
“I want to get my kids outside for 1 hour, every weekday, after school until summer starts.”
This goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.
What Is the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge?
If you’re up for a challenge, 1000 Hours Outside is a movement focused on spending more time outside and bringing childhood back to the outdoors.
The goal is to spend 1000 hours outside in a calendar year, which works out to just under 3 hours per day.
In rain, shine, snow, heat, whatever!
For more information on the 1000 hours outside challenge, you can visit their website and/or listen to their podcast.
Additional Resources
HGIC Make Smart Goals for the New Year
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics – Average Amount of Screen Time for Children and Young Adults
- “1000 Hours Outside” text in white, bold font on black background.
- Patchen AK, Edwards A, Rakow DA, Meredith GR. Supporting children’s wellbeing through outdoor time: opportunities to integrate consistent outdoor time into the elementary school day. Front Public Health. 2024 Dec 4;12:1483862. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1483862. PMID: 39697279; PMCID: PMC11652364.
- Child Mind Institute – Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature
