500 Hours Outside This Summer

Many parents are aware their kids are spending too much time indoors using electronic devices. A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that the average eight to eighteen year old spends 7 hours and 38 minutes of electronic screen time per day.

Let’s go outside! Outdoor play time helps to balance a child’s day and provide mental and physical health benefits. Did you know that most experts agree that 4-6 hours of playing outside each day is optimal for child health?

Here are 25 fun ideas to get you going!

1. Ride your bike
2. Visit all the public parks in the valley
3. Street hockey
4. Join a nature hike at Wasatch State Park
5. Swim at the lake
6. Build sand castles at Jordanelle or Deer Creek
7. Take Fido to the dog park or offer to walk your neighbors dog
8. Clean up the river banks
9. Grow a garden
10. Try stargazing
11. Take bread to the duck pond at Wasatch State Park
12. Visit the Market on Main in Heber or the Midway Farmer’s Market
13. Play pickleball or tennis at one of the Wasatch County Recreation courts
14. Learn to fish
15. Make a lemonade stand
16. Get artsy, and create sidewalk chalk art
17. Paint in nature
18. Try geocaching
19. Visit each of the area’s lakes and reservoirs
20. Drive to the Uintah Mountains and walk around Mirror Lake
21. Hop on a scenic train ride. Did you know Monday night is family night?
22. Visit the friendly animals at Rundown Ranch
23. Gather up the neighbors for a game of Capture the Flag or Kick the Can
24. Grill outdoors
25. Discover outdoor picnic spots