Pre-order my new book HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD CLEAN UP THEIR MENTAL MESS here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mentallyresilientkids.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ +Pre-order before August 8 to get access to bonus content!  SHOW DESCRIPTION: In this podcast I talk about something great you can do with your children this summer: getting outside! This is part of my summer series on brain-building activities you can do with your children to help them build up their mental resilience and manage their mental health while having fun. We all know that getting outside is great for our mental wellbeing. Just think of how you feel when you go for a walk in the sunshine or spend time reading at the beach. Nature has a way of calming us down mentally and physically.   The same is true for our children. Playing outside is one of the best things they can do to boost their mental and physical wellbeing. This may seem obvious, but consider that the average American child spends 4-7 minutes a day in unstructured play outdoors and over 7 hours in front of a screen. This is a cause for concern, as research shows that that children should play outside for around 2-3 hours, or at minimum 20 minutes, a day for optimal mental and physical development. As much as modern technology has improved our lives, it should not replace the act of enjoying the outdoors and what nature has to offer.  Read the blog here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/one-surprising-thing-that-will-help-improve-your-child-s-attention-focus Sign up to Patreon to get access to full AD-FREE episodes, exclusive downloads, live Q&As, and more: https://www.patreon.com/drcarolineleaf OFFERS FROM OUR SPONSORS: -Chime: Start building your credit up. Open a Chime Checking account with at least a $200 qualifying direct deposit to get started. Get started at chime.com/drleaf. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:  0:37 Children don’t spend enough time outside   1:40 Why we should all be spending more time outdoors 5:00 How getting outside can improve attention & focus   8:40, 20:40 The many mental & physical benefits of getting outside 10:30 How getting outside can help children perform better at school   13:00, 22:20 Ways to encourage your children to get outside & improve their mental wellbeing  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: -Get my new book Cleaning up Your Mental Mess here: https://www.cleaningupyourmentalmess.com -Get a free Cleaning up Your Mental Mess workbook when you subscribe to my weekly email at drleaf.com! - Visit my website at https://drleaf.com for more free resources -Instagram: @drcarolineleaf: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolineleaf/- -Facebook: Dr. Caroline Leaf: https://www.facebook.com/drleaf -Twitter: @drcarolineleaf: https://twitter.com/DrCarolineLeaf -Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/drcarolineleaf *DISCLAIMER: This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.