A few weeks ago, I started the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge with my almost two-year-old. The challenge is pretty simple: spend 1000 hours outside over the course of a year. That’s about 2.7 hours a day. Sounds totally doable, right?
But as I glanced at my tracker app after about a month of tracking my time, I quickly realized something… I am nowhere near where I “should” be.
At first, I was pretty discouraged. How will we ever hit 1000 hours? I know it’s not summer weather yet but we have had pretty good luck this spring in Colorado that has allowed us to get outside more than we normally would be. It feels like I make a huge effort, get outside for what feels like an eternity, but when I add up the time it’s a measly two hours.
After my initial disappointment, I had to step back and remind myself—this challenge isn’t REALLY about the numbers; it’s about the effort. My goal is not to obsess over the actual hours, but to get outside as much as possible, create a habit, and give my kids an adventurous, nature-filled childhood. We may not hit 1000 hours this year, but eventually I think we will.
That said, I have encountered some real obstacles along the way. Here’s what’s been making this challenge harder than expected—and what I’m doing to change it.
1. Bad Weather Is My Biggest Excuse
I like the idea of being an all-weather, outdoorsy mom, but when it’s cold, rainy, or just plain dreary, I’m quick to opt for time inside.
I’ve realized that if I want to improve in this challenge, I need to drastically rethink my approach to weather. Instead of seeing it as a reason to stay indoors, I just need to dress for it and embrace it. Rainy days dont have to mean screen time and quiet play inside: it can mean puddle jumping. Snowy days don’t have to mean it’s too cold for outdoor play: it can mean sleddin. Even very hot summer days can be spent at the pool, finding a shady spot, or splashing around in a water table.
How I’m Changing This:
- I’ve recently invested in better outdoor gear for my child and staged them near the door so we are always prepared (snow suits, rain boots, outdoor boots, better layers, etc).
- Making a list of activities to do in all sorts of weather and locations that we can do those activities. I don’t have to waste time brainstorming each day depending on the weather.
- Lowering my expectations—some days, even getting 20 minutes outside is just fine.
2. We Mostly Go to Parks (And It’s Not Practical)
Up until this point, I have been getting most of our outdoor time at parks, which is great—but also exhausting. Loading up the car, packing snacks, and coordinating around nap times turned what should have been a simple outdoor experience into a whole production.
The thing is, we have a backyard. We have a driveway. We have space right outside our door. I don’t necessarily always need to be driving for our outdoor time.
How I’m Changing This:
- Renovating our backyard – We are getting a jungle gym and adding grass to our backyard so our son can more easily and safely run around. We live in an open space with cacti and wild grass which isn’t as conducive to him running around independently. Hopefully these improvements will make it easier for us to be outside.
- Taking more neighborhood walks instead of always driving somewhere. I did this a ton last summer and my son loves it!
3. I’m Not Used to Being Outside This Much
If I’m being honest, I am not naturally an outdoorsy person. Before this challenge, I wasn’t in the habit of spending hours outside every day, and suddenly trying to change that has been a bit overwhelming. I am also 23 weeks pregnant and definitely starting to feel big, so this change has been pretty tiring.
But I’ve realized something important: if I want my kids to love being outside, I need lead by example. If I treat this outdoor time as a chore, they’ll see it that way. If I embrace it, they will too. And to be honest, I do really love it. I may feel tired by the end of the day but I also feel a great sense of accomplishment and feel so much healthier being out in the sun. I am hoping as I start to find more joy in being outside, my kids will see that and love it too (although my son already seems to love it 🙂).
How I’m Changing This:
- Finding ways to enjoy the outdoors for myself—bringing a book outside, listening to a podcast on walks, or having my morning coffee on the porch. This is hard with a two year old who never stops moving but it’s the effort that counts.
- Going on family hikes or outdoor days. I think the weekends are going to be key in developing habits where the whole family does something outside together for an extended amount of time.
- Giving myself grace—some days, I’ll love it; some days, it will feel really hard. And that’s fine. I don’t need to go from 0 to 100 overnight.
4. It’s Hard with a Young Child (But It Will Get Easier!)
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is that my child is still so young. At almost two years old, his attention span is short, he still takes long naps, and he needs constant supervision. That makes it much harder to rack up hours outside compared to an older child who can run off and play independently.
There are days when we get outside, and 15 minutes later, he’s over it. Other times, I have to work around naptime, meals, and meltdowns, which doesn’t leave much room for long outdoor adventures.
But a big reminder for myself—this season won’t last forever. As he gets older, naps will fall away, and his ability to play independently will grow. Eventually, outdoor time will feel less like something I have to facilitate and more like a natural part of our daily rhythm.
How I’m Changing This:
- Being patient with this stage. We may not be hitting high numbers now, but that’s okay—it will improve as he grows.
- Outdoor family dinners. This does depend more on good weather but we had family dinners outside last summer a lot. It was so fun to sit on our back porch, look at our view, and eat. I am looking forward to racking up some time doing this soon.
- Looking for easy wins. Taking snack time outside, reading books on a picnic blanket, or even letting him play in the driveway while I sip my coffee all count as outdoor time.
The Takeaway: Progress Over Perfection
At the end of the day, I might not hit exactly 1000 hours outside this year. And that’s fine. Because even if I get to 600 hours or 400 hours, that’s still hundreds of hours more than I would have spent outside otherwise.
This challenge isn’t really about hitting the perfect number right away. I have seen families do this for multiple years and make slow progress year over year. What this is really about is making outdoor time a normal, natural part of our daily life. And in that sense, every extra hour outside is a win.
So if you’re doing this challenge and struggling like me, just know—you’re not alone! Keep going, make adjustments as you go, and remember: every minute outside counts.