{"id":28144,"date":"2022-11-22T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-22T05:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=28144"},"modified":"2022-11-22T00:15:34","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T05:15:34","slug":"room-for-another-challenge-1000-hours-outside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2022\/11\/room-for-another-challenge-1000-hours-outside\/","title":{"rendered":"Room for another challenge? 1000 Hours Outside"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you heard about the 1000 Hours Outside movement? It was created by Ginny Yurich to encourage people of all ages to spend time outside, embracing nature and setting aside screens. (For detailed information, visit the official site<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This movement has also been a game-changer for developing programming and partnerships at my library ever since a coworker (Thanks, Connie!) discovered 1000 Hours in 2020. By the first summer of the pandemic, families everywhere seemed exhausted by screen-time. 1000 Hours Outside offers the perfect framework for engaging families of all ages and adding a twist to outdoor programming that we were already doing\u2014and you probably are, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From story time and story walks to tie dye parties and chalk the walk afternoons\u2014during much of the pandemic, every in-person program we offered took place outdoors. Why not reinvigorate the classics with a challenge?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wait, another challenge? Between Summer Reading, Winter Reading, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, etc it seems like we are always planning, promoting, prepping, and running a challenge. But hear me out! The movement\u2019s premise is simple: purposefully spend time outside every day, in every season. Reap the benefits of matching screen time (most kids average 1200 hours per year) with time spent in nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We reached out to the Wapsi River Environmental Education Center<\/a>, a local conservation organization focused on educating the public about natural history, live animals, and so much more. After some plotting, we decided to offer a joint local 1000 Hours Outside challenge for Scott County, Iowa, with permission from Ginny Yurich. Participants can pick up a tracker log from the library or the Wapsi Center and the rest is simple: spend time outside!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are no milestone rewards for this program. Participants can start tracking anytime and return their tracker in late December\/early January for a chance to win an overnight cabin stay at the Wapsi Center. There are no rules\u2014you can even turn in your tracker with less than 1000 hours outside completed, as long as you make an effort. The challenge restarts every January. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides the easy set-up of this challenge, another great aspect is the ability to scale tie-in programs to fit every age group, from toddlers to seniors. Nature play and time spent outdoors is important at every age and the ideas for library-based programs are endless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some highlights from our 1000 Hours Outside-inspired programs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n