Go Outside! Why Kids Need More Unrestricted Movement

03/19/20 • 30 min

With schools now closed for more than two-thirds of children across the nation because of the coronavirus pandemic, millions of American families are facing a brand-new reality: daily life without traditional school, organized sports and activities, and a nearly empty family schedule.
And while these monumental shifts are not without plenty of challenges for families, there is one thing that may improve for children in the coming weeks: they may finally have time to play outside again!
Back by popular demand (and one of our most popular episodes to date), host Stefanie Boucher, speaks with pediatric occupational therapist, international speaker, Timbernook founder, and author Angela Hanscom about how unrestrained physical movement and outdoor play are vital for your child’s cognitive and physical development - and why a lack of it may be (at least partly) to blame for today’s epidemic levels of attention deficits, as well as sensory and emotional disorders. Find out how much outdoor play kids really need, and get helpful tips for ensuring they get enough.
About Our Guest:
Angela Hanscom is a pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of TimberNook – an award-winning nature-based program that has gained international popularity. She holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy, and an undergraduate degree in kinesiology (the study of movement) with a concentration in health fitness. Angela’s book, Balanced & Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children, (New Harbinger Press, 2016) discusses the effects of restricted movement and lack of outdoor playtime on overall sensory and motor development in children. Angela keynotes conferences and conducts workshops for parents, educators, and clinicians all over the world. She and her work have been featured in Glamour magazine, The Washington Post, NPR, and Johnson & Johnson TEDx.
Don't miss these great resources from Angela Hanscom!
Hanscom, Angela. Balanced & Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children, (New Harbinger Press, 2016).
Hanscom, Angela. "The Real Reason Children Fidget - And What to Do About It." YouTube video, 25 Sep, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXLaoDucF0k.
TimberNook (outdoor/nature experiences for children), https://www.timbernook.com

Previous Episode

Extreme Picky Eating: Strategies to Support Your Child

Do you struggle to get your child to try new foods? Does your child prefer just a few foods, while avoiding most others? Are you frequently worried that s/he isn’t receiving the nourishment needed to grow and thrive?
If family mealtimes have become frustrating or miserable for all involved, join Exceptional Parenting Podcast host Stefanie Boucher for a heartening discussion with Dr. Katja Rowell, M.D. Dubbed “the feeding doctor,” Rowell believes that HOW children are fed is the missing piece in addressing disordered eating and feeding.
In this episode, Dr. Rowell has suggestions for dealing with a range of selective eating behaviors, including more typical “picky” eating, extreme picky eating, and disordered eating related to sensory challenges, disabilities, fear, or health conditions.
About Our Guest:
Katja Rowell, M.D. is a graduate of the University of Michigan medical school and served as a family physician in urban, rural, and university student health settings. During her time in practice, she was struck by the prevalence of disordered eating and feeding, and related health problems.
Rowell believes in establishing a healthy feeding relationship, and teaches about its importance to health care providers, family therapists and childcare staff, and consults with corporate clients, nutrition education and public health providers. She has appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Betty Crocker Blog, Parents Magazine, Kare 11 TV, Brain Child Magazine, The Utne Reader, Twin Cities Live and Mommy MD Guides, among others. Her writing has appeared in LiveWell Digest, Huffingtonpost Parenting blogs, New Moon Girls Magazine, and Adoptive Families Magazine.

Next Episode

Managing Screen Time & Distance Learning During the Coronavirus Pandemic

In the wake of school closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents everywhere are left wondering how to help their children navigate the new reality of distance learning. The good news? It’s the 21st century, and technology can help! The bad news? Remote K-12 learning is entirely new for most families, and trying new things can feel daunting even in the best of times (let alone during a crisis). You may be wondering, for example: Is the school doing enough? Should I be doing more to ensure that my child continues learning? Will using technology and/or electronic devices to learn and work help my child or create more distractions? And how do I manage this while I’m working?
Join Exceptional Parenting Podcast host Stefanie Boucher for a lively discussion with digital parenting expert Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov about how to use technology to enhance your child’s distance learning experience. In this episode, you’ll find out:
- How to find “good fit” online learning resources and apps for your child
- How to keep your child from getting distracted by technology during learning hours
- How to manage your child’s screen time when you’re busy working
- How to balance “educational” screen time with “leisure” screen time
- When to be flexible during these highly unusual times
About Our Guest:
Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov is a mom to two tech-savvy little boys, a lawyer, law professor, and eSafety consultant whose core work involves researching solutions for parenting in the digital age. She is a member of the Working Group of Experts on Digital Citizenship Education, an independent expert on Digital Parenting and Children and Internet for the Children’s Rights Division of Council of Europe, and an advisor on European Cooperation and International Projects for e-Enfance, a French online child protection association providing support to parents and children in the digital age.
Dr. Milovidov has authored several guides and workbooks for parents, moderates a Facebook community for parents (called The Digital Parenting Community) and is the founder of DigitalParentingCoach.com, a website and community with resources for parents.