Let’s be honest for a second.

If screens disappeared tomorrow, most kids wouldn’t suddenly sprint outside, barefoot and joyful, like a 90s movie montage.

They’d probably look around and say, “…Now what?”

And that’s okay.

Screens aren’t evil. They’re not ruining childhood. They’re just very good at what they do.

Fast rewards. Constant novelty. Zero effort required.

The real issue isn’t that kids love screens.

It’s that the outdoors asks something very different of them.

So instead of trying to remove screens, what if we focused on something way more effective?

Side note: I think almost ALL of the country got some winter weather this weekend. Hope you all used it as a good excuse to stay home and relax for a few days!

Screens are predictable.

Kids know exactly what they’re getting the second they turn one on:

Outside doesn’t work like that.

Outside is uncertain.

It might be fun.
It might be boring.
It might take five awkward minutes before anything interesting happens.

For kids, that uncertainty feels risky.

So when we say, “Go play outside,” and expect them to happily choose that over a screen, we’re kind of setting up an unfair competition.

But here’s the good news:

You don’t need to win the competition.
You just need to tip the balance.

This isn’t about strict rules or dramatic screen limits. It’s about small shifts that change how outdoor time feels.

When screens come first, everything else feels like a downgrade.

Instead of:
“Turn it off, go outside.”

Try:
“Let’s go outside for a bit, then we’ll do screens.”

Even a short outdoor window—10 or 15 minutes—changes the emotional tone completely.

Outdoor time becomes the gateway, not the punishment.

You don’t need a big plan.
You don’t need crafts or activities or Pinterest-level ideas.

You just need a spark.

Something like:

That’s it.

Hooks lower the mental barrier to starting. Once kids are moving, curiosity usually does the rest.

Here’s the counterintuitive part.

You don’t need to drag outdoor time out.

When kids know it won’t last forever, resistance drops. They’re more willing to try because they don’t feel trapped.

Ironically, that’s often when they stay longer on their own.

This isn’t about replacing screens.

It’s about teaching kids that:

Those lessons stick.

Way longer than any screen rule ever will.

Keep it simple. Choose one day and try this:

That’s it.

No speeches. No battles. No guilt.

Just small, repeatable wins.

And here’s the thing about small wins:

They compound!

All you have to do is share our newsletter below with ONE other person and you will get the 30 Day Outdoor Family Fun Challenge PDF for free. It’s just a simple way to say thank you and provide something you can print out and hang in your office, post on your fridge or just keep in your phone files. It’s a very quick and easy document to check off adventures as you go. Just click the link below and we will send the pdf directly to your inbox.