For years, we have enjoyed nature-focused science curriculum that essentially required that we spend time out of doors each day. However, this year, we are working on more project and experiment-based science which is totally fine. But it turns out that if my curriculum isn’t constantly insisting that I head out of doors … well, I don’t do a great job at it.

We are fortunate to live on land in a rural area, which means I do have the luxury of sending my boys outside. Sometimes, this is necessary. I have a house to clean, calls to return, and so forth. But it also means I miss being intentional in my time outside as well. “Outside time” is not just beneficial for my kids. Time outdoors as a family is beneficial to our family relationships and culture as well as everyone’s health. I think Charlotte Mason also had a thing to say about sending our children out of doors (and not taking the time to join them).

So with all that in mind, we have decided to undertake the 1000 Hours Outside™ Challenge in 2025!

You have probably heard of Ginny Yurich, her podcast, and this amazing challenge. It’s certainly not new. But this is our first time intentionally taking part in it. Since I am nothing without a plan, I wanted to share some plans and tools we will be utilizing in 2025 to make this lofty goal into a reasonable reality.

Here’s our plan:

#1- Have a plan. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the huge “1000” goal.

For me, it must be broken down by the month, and on top of that, I need ideas. I mean - what exactly are we going to do to fill all those hours? I am a huge fan of resting in a hammock, reading a book, and looking at birds and cloud formations. My kids enjoy a good picnic and solid lounge on a perfect day as well. But not every season or every day lends itself to that kind of “outside time.” Sometimes, they want to do something.

Not to be outdone by this challenge, I’ve created a plan. I even went a step further and expanded the plan to help those who don’t live on acreage to brainstorm as well. I made a pretty printable out of it, which you can download by entering your email below. I promise - it’ll be worth it!

In this printable, we break the 1000 hours down into monthly chunks, then we include multiple ideas for both urban and rural/suburban families to hit their monthly goal. Not all ideas will work for you - which is totally fine. Think of this as a springboard for brainstorming what will work for you!

#2- Don’t get discouraged.

There will be seasons where the weather is just beyond what my sensory-sensitive self can bear. Or maybe we all get really sick (2024 was like Contagion around here). Life can happen, and while I may cast an ideal vision for our outdoor time in 2025, I can go ahead and plan on those plans being interrupted … on multiple occassions.

But that doesn’t mean we will “fail” or that it’s even possible to fail. First, you can’t fail at improving. Sure, we might not hit the goal, but any moment we are out of doors, engaging with one another and God’s Creation, we are winning.

The second thing to keep in mind is that maybe February and March end up being flu season for us, and we “get behind.” That doesn’t mean that July and August won’t be perfect for making up for lost time. Enjoying any time in nature is a WIN. Go ahead and plan on giving yourself grace and being flexible in advance. It’s not a competition and nothing will go perfectly.

#3- Have the right tools.

I’m starting the year off with not just a plan but an arsenal of tools so that no matter what we are doing, where we are going, or what we want to experience, I already have the materials on hand to make that go.

Here are a few things you’ll want to have on hand for outdoor explorations:

A quality first-aid kit. We’ve carried this one for years. It’s rugged, well-equipped, and my boys love that it feels “military.” We also tuck a few packets of BleedStop inside for big uh-ohs and this emergency splint as well. They all fit inside and can be carried anywhere.

Proper clothing. I can’t say what is best for you because we live in the deep south where it snows once per decade, so, needless to say, we don’t have woolen under-layers. But we do have a LOT of wet weather. We have bought size after size of these Croc kids boots. (These are for wet, not for cold.) And when my boys were younger, we absolutely loved these Tuffo suits for keeping them dry in cold, wet weather. Wherever you live, invest in the best clothing you can so that being too cold or too wet doesn’t trap you inside.
Knowledge. Like most homeschooling moms, I want us to BLAT (Be Learning All the Time). A Nature curriculum is a phenomenal way to be equipped with everything I need to know in order to drop those little, juicy, knowledge-nuggets whenever I get a chance. For years, we’ve followed and enjoyed Gentle + Classical Nature. (You can head HERE to grab the FREE Teacher’s Guide if you want to see all that’s covered in the full year curriculum!)

I hope you’ll join our family in 2025 with the 1000 Hours Outside™ Challenge - however imperfectly we do it! I’m sure we are all going to have a blast!