May 13th, 2009

By Laura Elizabeth May
Green Right Now

Grandparents.com has launched a campaign to get grandparents and grandchildren off the couch and outside. The goal of the “Go Play Outside” campaign is to have 1 million hours of play logged by the end of the summer.

It’s an idea that encourages fun, introduces tots to turtles and toads and may help them (the kids, not the amphibians) stay healthier.

Fighting childhood obesity has become a struggle in this country. Alliance for a Healthier Generation reports that nearly one in three youth are already obese or overweight.  The World Health Organization says the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes and hypertension rises steeply with increasing body fatness.

Outside play has many different benefits for the younger generation. By getting outside, grandchildren can discover the nature they live in. They can explore in gardens and dig for bugs, while their grandparents show them the different kinds of birds living in their backyard. It provides a great bonding experience and a chance to appreciate nature.

Summer time is a great time to start a garden, too, and something about which grandparents may know a thing or two. Kids (and parents alike) will be amazed when they get to eat something that they helped grow. Adults can also take the kids to the farmers market to pick out locally grown fruits and vegetables. Take a walk down the local nature or bike trail. The hills provide for great exercise and you will get to see nature you can’t find in your backyard. Just in case you need more ideas, the folks at grandparents.com have made a list of 100 things to do outside

After coming back inside, grandparents simply log on to grandparents.com and register their hours. If 1 million hours are logged by the end of summer, grandparents.com will donate $10,000 to KaBoom, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing play into children’s lives.

(Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

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