Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary kit from The Outsideologist Project and compensation for this article, but all opinions are my own.
I’ve always been one to look for the silver lining in a situation, and over the course of the past 16+ months, when many of our usual activities have been cancelled, getting back in touch with nature has definitely been a bright spot. My children range in age from 6 to 14, so finding outside activities that appeal to all of them can be a challenge.
Apparently I’m not alone, as a new survey from the makers of Claritin® found that 72% of parents surveyed believe their family doesn’t spend enough time outside. But when they do get outside 49% of parents report that their kids find the outdoors boring. While this statistic makes me cringe, I think of my own kids and the cacophony of moans that I hear any time I say we’re going for a hike.
That is why the makers of Claritin® presented The Outsideologist Project, a multiyear initiative with the goal of getting 1.2 million kids to spend an extra hour outside each week. The initiative provides families with expert-guided activities to bust boredom and foster a love of the being outside. Studies show physical, mental and emotional health benefits of being outdoors, and Claritin® is on a mission to get more children and their families outside, exploring the wonders nature has to offer. After all, studies show that spending time outside helps build confidence in kids, promotes happiness and creativity and teaches responsibility. And with the warm summer weather, the best time to start is now!
 |
Equipped with our Outsideologist Project kit, provided to us from Claritin®, my son, Cooper, and I wasted no time engaging in some of our favorite outdoors activities! We have a creek near our house, and we stop by a few times a week to watch the tadpoles grow larger and track their metamorphosis into adult frogs. Following a rainy day, we love to look for worms on the sidewalk, too. Just remember to observe with your eyes only! Our other favorites include scavenger hunts and nature walks in the woods where we search for animal tracks and speculate which types of animals live in various different woodland habitats. However, as you might expect, these activities hold no interest for my teenagers.
 |
Fortunately, I found the activities on The Outsideologist Project Facebook and Instagram pages, and all four of my kids are having a blast! Our first project was to design our own sundial using painted rocks (my tween step-daughter happily embraced this project) and studying the position of the sun throughout the day to determine where to position the rocks piqued the interest of my teenaged boys. If you would like to try this yourself, click here.
 |
Enter to win an Outsideologist Project Kit from the makers of Claritin®. Each kit includes items to inspire your child’s outdoor exploration as well as samples of Children’s and Adult’s Claritin® so Outsideologists of all ages can get the powerful, non-drowsy allergy relief they need to embrace the wonders of the outdoors. Use as directed.
Click HERE to enter!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the United States who are at least 18 years of age at time of entry. Sweepstakes commences at 12:00AM ET on 7/16/21 and ends at 11:59PM ET on 8/16/21. Subject to Official Rules at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OKoHGMu9cg8htJrFilAV4UN8ydyvRki5mBEdRKfXLrs/edit. For prize descriptions see Official Rules.
