NDSU Extension Parent Education

See what Chelsea has to say about playing outside this summer!

For many of us, summer has begun. Why is it important to spend time outside?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 60 minutes a day of unstructured outdoor play. They report this to be an essential part of a child’s physical and mental health as well as a contributor to their social development. With unstructured play, children are more likely to explore the world around them and play for a longer period of time.

Children who play outside more tend to have better distance vision than children who are always indoors. Also, outdoor play improves children’s sensory skills. When playing outside children are activating their sense of smell, touch, hearing, and sight more often than when playing inside with an electronic device.

Stress and depression are reportedly lower for all people who spend time in nature. Playing outside promotes curiosity, creativity and critical thinking, and focus.

How do we get children outside more?
*Spend time outside with them. Shoot hoops. Play badminton. Go swimming.
*Make outside fun. Bubbles, chalk and running through the sprinkler are all age fun activities.
*Visit a new park, or several. Make a chart and rank them against each other.
*Make dinner a picnic. Lay out a blanket and enjoy an evening in the grass or on the porch.
*Go on a nature walk. Play eye spy, collect pictures to look at later, and get curious of the world around you.

Questions? Reach out to Chelsea Hammond at [email protected] or 701-241-5700.

There are lots of opportunities to grow your parenting toolbox over the summer! Check out our upcoming June programs and sign up at ndsu.ag/parenteducation

We are so excited to offer Conscious Discipline ONLINE with the amazing Ms. Heather of Chatty Learners! Heather will lead six sessions through June about the brain science behind social emotional learning and how to regulate ourselves and our children. This class is free to ND residents and offers ND Early Childhood Workforce (Growing Futures) credits. Register at https://forms.gle/fn772PPCUW8FEn3HA

Small moments of connection have BIG impact. Find those moments enjoying the new buds on trees, in the moments of sunshine we hope to see this weekend, while reflecting about the school year, or making plans for summer! Our programs have a lot of strategies for connection, check them out at ndsu.ag/parenteducation!

We have a few in-person classes coming up in Minot and New Town as well as some online offerings. Hope to see you there! Save your spot at ndsu.ag/parenteducation

We love Erin's take on using curiosity rather than judgment with your teens!

Young people are turning to mental health TikTok for guidance, understanding, stigma busting, and - sometimes - diagnosis and self-treatment.

How should we respond? Rather than brushing off concerns with “you only think that because of TikTok,” we can stay curious and encourage reflection. We can also help young people evaluate what they’re seeing online and share additional resources that offer critical support without dismissing their experiences.

Read more: https://bit.ly/MentalHealthTikTok

There are some great summer courses coming up! Keep an eye on our website as new classes are being added all the time! ndsu.ag/parenteducation

Parenting is hard, whichever generation you're in. We're here to help! Check out ndsu.ag/parenteducation for upcoming programs to fit your busy schedule.