The 1000 Hours Outside Challenge: My 1st Quarter Takeaways

It was the last week of 2023: I was enjoying the newborn snuggles of my Christmas Eve bundle, but also getting antsy to share some fresh air and adventure with him. I recalled some of my friends sharing their journeys through the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge and figured it would be a great way to start our year (and life!) together with my not-yet-two-year-old. So I shot a few texts to some friends who either had or wanted to try, and I was inspired.

Now I’m not one to pay for apps, but I went ahead and shelled out the $3.99 for the mobile app so I could hold myself to this commitment. The amazing thing about this challenge is that it’s just enough to be difficult, but not completely out of reach. An average of less than 3 hours outside a day should be easy, right?

Child on a dock looking out over a pond with ducks and geese.

What is the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge?

Over a decade ago, Ginny Yurich had three young children and was overwhelmed by keeping them entertained all day. Then she was invited by a friend to spend a long morning at the park. Ginny was incredibly skeptical but finished the day feeling more refreshed than ever in her years as a mom. She knew there was something to this, so she started tracking her family’s outdoor time and a few years later, the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge was born.

Today, the movement has connected thousands of people around the world in the pursuit of outside time. In addition to the app, 1000 Hours Outside now has an inspiring podcast, free trackers, a nature curriculum, books, and even trips! The more I learn about this movement, the more I am in LOVE with it and so very thankful to the woman who made it all attainable for us.

Our Journey to 1000 Hours Outside

Father and daughter trudging through the snow in the mountains of Utah. They are bundled up and walking toward a snow covered hill.

Since January 1st, my family and I have been tracking our hours spent outside. 2024 will be our first year trying it out and I can honestly say we are HOOKED! We’ve been learning what it looks like to prioritize outdoor activities versus indoor play. As someone who already emphasized outdoor time with my kids, it has still been a challenge to get up, go, and stay outside. Sometimes I’m distracted by housework, or just the desire to be comfy on the couch. But when I push through the uncomfortable, I’m always so thankful we spent more time than not in outdoor play.

What I’ve Learned

1. If the house starts tidy, it ends tidy

I honestly don’t know how it took me this long to figure it out. As a mom of a toddler who’s passionate about rearranging the furniture, I never really know what the feng shui of our living space will be at the end of the day. So if we leave the house in some kind of organized chaos, come home for nap time, wake up for dinner, I have so much less toddler tornado to tackle.

2. Yes, there are still meltdowns — but so much fewer

Toddler sitting on the side of a trail looking down the switchback she just conquered as part of the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge

My toddler is intense. Always has been. In about 30 seconds, she can go from shrieks of joy to melty snowman on the floor and everything in between about 12 times back and forth. Some days, getting out the door with one shoe, matted hair, and a diaper on is a victory. I know many of you can relate — hugs!

The truth is it’s not easy about 82% of the time. But you know what is harder about 99% of the time? Staying inside.

Getting out the door every day is getting easier and easier by some kind of mathematical equation I don’t understand. There’s a growing familiarity and anticipation with our new routine. Learning how to help each other is getting smoother, but the days are now warmer and that’s real nice!

3. Screen time isn’t really a thing anymore

Before this year, we never spent much time watching shows. Up until recently, my toddler didn’t even find them interesting and now she’ll watch something very interesting for about 10 minutes…so it wasn’t really her thing in the first place.

But let me tell you: She still asked for screen time. A lot. Even when we didn’t have the habit of watching something every day.

After just a couple months of prioritizing going out every day, my toddler now wakes up and yells, “OUTSIDE!” “PARK!” “GO!”

Not a single peep about watching a show. It’s pretty darn beautiful.

4. You don’t need toys!

Little girl on a walking trail in the winter. She is pointing to something off of the photo. She's wearing sunglasses, a princess dress, and holding a stuffed animal.

Part of the challenge for me is I can’t just “throw” the kids outside for unstructured play while I make dinner. We live in a townhome where the patio is reserved for doggie doodoo and our shared grass area is next to a busy road sans fence. This house setup is keeping ME in the game too, which is hard, but oh so extra good to keep engaged with the whole family.

We also don’t have much storage space for extra toys, so we are keeping things extra simple (see my list below of how we’ve spent our time outside).

The only toys my toddler uses weekly include playgrounds at city parks, their balance bike, and the occasional ball or balloon to throw around. Other than that, it’s free play at its finest: sticks, rocks, and mud are the BEST. I usually bring a stroller that holds all the snacks, water, chairs, and stuffed animals that HAD to come.

5. It’s SO much easier to spend 4 hours on my phone than outdoors with my kids

Once I started tracking our outside time, I began to pay attention to the time spent on my phone. Even with conscious avoidance and stashing my device away for dedicated chunks of time, the hours still rack up. Although I was aware of my habits before, taking a look at the numbers really convicted me. On days that feel extra rough in just getting out the door, my screen time is exceptionally high. Now I try to kindly remind myself to just put it on airplane mode.

Here are some questions I’ve had from friends and family about our journey to 1000 Hours Outside:

They think we’re crazy, but it’s crazy enough to cause intrigue, right?!

How many hours a day do you have to spend outside?

Three children running away from the camera on a small, paved trail. They are participating in the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge. There is grass on the sides of the trail with wispy trees and a blue sky.

On average, it would take a little less than 3 hours per day to hit the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge in one calendar year. So far, we’ve had many days with errands or weather that hinder hitting even a whole hour.

How many hours are you at so far?

Probably the most frequently asked question. At the 3 month mark, we were just shy of 120 hours. Yep, that’s pretty low. Even with spending time outside as our one daily goal! But the hours we’ve spent so far have already returned a million-fold and I can’t wait to see what the next 100 offer — however long it takes us to get there.

How many days do you stay inside a week?

This totally depends on weather and other commitments we have. We’ve had some pretty serious storms here near the Wyoming border, so opting for toasty activities by the fire works better on those days 🙂 As of the 3-month mark, we had 17 days with zero-logged minutes. I’d say that’s pretty good for 2 kiddos under 2!

Isn’t it cold?

Yes, some days are wildly cold. To keep warm, we bundle up and make it active! Speed walking and gloves are clutch.

How do you spend winter days outside?

Two little children in winter outfits standing in front of a playground.

Walks (I mean lots of walking), playground time, dog park adventures, eating meals right outside our door, skiing (more like watching friends ski), biking around town, and meeting up with friends for exploring.

Mom hack: if it’s a cold day and the kids are content being carried or pushed, I put in my headphones and listen to a podcast or audiobook!

How much does the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge cost?

The 1000 Hours Outside Challenge does not cost anything to participate! The only thing I purchased was the app. It was $3.99 and I did it to hold myself accountable for actually giving the challenge a shot. It has a built-in timer I hit when we start and stop our time. There are tons of other features as well, and I highly recommend it. You can check it out here.

There’s so much more…

Although I’ve already written a post on this, the benefits of outdoor adventure are endless. Not only for overall health and well-being but in connecting with our Creator. Even my toddler lights up with discoveries and excitement for this gift of nature. Instilling appreciation and gratitude for this giant playground we call earth is invaluable as it directly points to the love God has for us.

Bible verse for the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge: Isaiah 43:20 reads: "I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen." The background is a watercolor of a river scene.

I could literally go on and on about how this challenge has shaped my early days of motherhood. Even though I prioritized daily walks with my first kiddo, it’s no longer about checking the box of “outside time” anymore. Spending as much time as possible together outdoors has become a rhythm for our lives now. There are many days we want to spend more time outside than we can.

So far, our mental health is better, the family bond is stronger, and we agree on a common goal. The way my toddler tries to get outside before she’s had breakfast is really inspiring to me. I also think it has given us all a bigger appreciation for the time we spend inside our home.

If you’ve considered attempting this challenge, I’d encourage you to GO for it! There’s no right or wrong way to make it happen besides opening the door and stepping into fresh air. Don’t forget to give yourself some grace. Sometimes I can get down on myself when we don’t log any time outside, but that’s not the point. Life happens, but having a simple, shared objective enhances our existence.

If you’re struggling to visualize what spending so much time outside might look like for you, take my quiz! Learn your Adventure Type and how God wired you to spend time enjoying His creation. Spoiler alert: it’s not the same for everyone 😉