Love Your Yard, Outdoor Challenge Day ~ 1

... our young people are more aware of threats to the global
environment than they are of the natural world in their own backyards.

- David Elkind author of the NY Times article Playtime is Over,
in reference to Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods

This door leads directly outside. Now this may seem like a simple idea, but we live in a condo and there are three doors we must pass through to get out to ground and grass. This simple pleasure has been our way of life for the last two weeks while we house-sat. In honor of April being Children and Nature Awareness Month, a few reasons why I adore having a door that leads directly outside:

• Little Ita can walk the dog all by herself. She has never in her life been able to just walk out the door with the dog on leash, whenever she wants. A delightful independent pleasure indeed. Even if it's 6:30 at night and she wants to sit quietly for a while and watch the sun set behind the trees... while I do dishes at the sink. (I now fully understand the genius behind communities that design kitchen sink windows to look out at childrens' play areas.)
  
• Once outside, there is a yard. Not just any old yard, but a safe, fenced in, beautiful, large yard with room to play and run. If you have one, please give it some extra love from us today. Yards are good for children and we are loving this one all up for a few more days.
• Whenever the feeling arises, Little Ita can put her bare feet in the grass.
• There's even a cob pizza oven for the grown-ups to play with!

Take a picture of your child outside everyday this month (what's left of it) and join the challenge at 5 Orange Potatoes!