Screen-Free Ways to Engage your Adult Brain while the Kids Outdoor Free Play

If you’ve ever given “outdoor free play” a try and it eventually worked, you might be wondering “OK, now what do I do?!” And I’ve had that same thought. As someone who enjoys learning or having something to do with my hands, just sitting around watching my kids play can be rough.

There’s plenty of information out there about how to initiate outdoor free play for children, but what about us as adults? How do we “cope” with this extra space that allows them to explore, learn, and imagine on their own?

Although I do believe it is good to practice (and model!) presence, attention, and just “being,” there’s only so many hours one can get away with it before falling asleep or going a little insane 😉 Plus, sometimes parents need to stimulate their minds beyond a 4-year-old conversation about the imaginary friend who painted his arms purple.

Doomscrolling can only go so far and I’d rather not be the person staring at a screen when fresh air is to be enjoyed. So as my family has embraced the 1000 Hours Outside lifestyle, here are 7 things I routinely do to keep my adult brain engaged in the 24/7 life of keeping young children alive.

1. Listen to audiobooks

This falls under the same category as long-form podcasts or just listening to music. The length of audiobooks keeps my mind engaged for days in a row and also gives me something to think about long after the listening is over. I love that I can listen while keeping eyes on my kids in case they need anything – it also communicates a little more presence.

Last year, I used a birthday gift card to get some bone-conducting earbuds and that really changed the game for me. Because of the open-ear, low-volume concept, I am even able to hear what’s going on around me. It’s helped me feel safer when out in public and also more aware of anything my kids have to say.

I recently wrote an article about the encouraging books I return to year-after-year AND how to listen to audiobooks for free. If that interests you, check it out here!

2. Doodle or work on meal planning

It’s as simple as bringing a notebook and pen. Sometimes I doodle, sometimes I meal plan, sometimes I just write ideas and dreams down. It keeps my brain engaged both creatively and productively. If you have a full schedule, this could be the perfect time to pull out that planner and get a grasp on what the days ahead will look like. I usually plan our days around meals, so it puts my mind at ease to write an outline of our meals and the grocery list.

3. Read

This might be obvious, but pull out a good ol’ book and enjoy it. If you’re supervising children, you might not want to get something that completely sucks you in to being unaware of life around you, but something light and enjoyable should work just fine.

I’ve tried to bring real books or read on my phone, but those never work for me. Paper books are easy to ruin outside and if my kids need me, it’s hard to keep my place. Reading on a phone or tablet is very challenging in sunshine and kind of negates the intention to stay screen-free. Instead, I’ve switched to using an e-reader and that has totally changed the game. Grab a classic Kindle off Marketplace or splurge and get something you can multitask with.

I recently invested in a Kobo Libra Colour and am OBSESSED. It is compact, allows me to take notes (see number 2: all the meal-planning and scheduling in one place!), and allows me to read free books from my local library. The waterproofness also gives me confidence that it can survive our frequent outdoor-toddler-mishaps. I have yet to do it, but you can also purchase audiobooks from the Kobo store.

4. Bring a chore

I know of many moms who will bring laundry outside to fold while their kids free play, but with my dogs who think a pile of clothes is an invite to a luxury nap, I have found plenty of other chores to work on. Usually it is cleaning up said-pups’ poop, but I have also found myself organizing the shed, vacuuming the car, or weeding the garden.

If kid’s work is play, there’s something kind about paralleling that play with our own work. Is exemplifies what I’d like to see in them as responsible adults: caring for the responsibilities God has gifted us.

5. Drag a friend along

This one cannot be overemphasized: just invite someone along! Whether your outdoor free play is at a park, on the trail, or in your backyard, just tell your friends where you’ll be and to come as they are, when they can. See what happens!

Yes, my whole mission with Unstuck is about getting others outside, but I’m telling you: by doing this, I’ve seen new hobbies found, stressful nerves healed, and deep friendships cultivated. It doesn’t matter if your friend has ever skied or hiked before, just GO! Do it together, learn it together! You don’t have to go far or high, let the children lead and encourage you that adventure is so much more simple than you realize.

6. Do a workout

You are probably aware by now that fresh air and sunshine are SO good for your health, and YES, moving your body is too. So why not put the two together?

My absolute favorite workouts are from Nourish Move Love, a FREE website that offers programs from pregnancy through to intense strength training. Most of the workouts can be done with just a set of dumbbells and take only 40 minutes or less. They are perfect for travel or taking outside!

7. Knit, crochet, or craft

If you’re like me and to keep your body moving but might not be able to do a workout for hours at a time at the park, try bringing a craft project along! My favorite things are to knit and crochet because the rhythm is easy to just do and also keep an eye on young children while they play.

A Little Bonus: my favorite piece of gear to bring along for outdoor free play

This may be a little off-topic, but you honestly can’t enjoy a good outside chill session without a good place to chill…enter the Crazy Creek: a little chair I bring EVERYWHERE. When I was a backpacking guide, it came. When I have an infant to nurse, it comes. When I just want to sit by the river and rock myself into blissfulness, this is what I sit on. It’s compact, lightweight, and easy to setup/tear down. Oh, and did I mention how COMFORTABLE it is to sit in?!

Whether you’re supervising children outside or not, all of these ideas should give you some inspiration to bring some life outside! If you’ve been looking for ideas on what to do to get more time outside, give one of these a try this week and let me know how it goes :Heck, all of these ideas are great whether or not you have children playing outside or not! If you’re looking to spice up life by bringing it outside, give these a shot – you won’t be disappointed.

What are YOUR favorite ways to pass the time while your children engage in outdoor free play?

Let me know in the comments below!