Can you imagine spending 1,000 hours outside with your kids in just one calendar year? It sounds incredible—and maybe a bit intimidating. That’s exactly what the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge dares families to do: swap excessive screen time for meaningful outdoor time.
Started by Ginny Yurich, a mom who was inspired by British educator Charlotte Mason’s recommendation that children should spend 4–6 hours a day outside, the challenge is about much more than just hitting a number. It’s a call to reconnect with the outdoors, with your kids, and even with yourself.
As Ginny says, “Even if you fail, you win!”
As a general rule, other than in the winter months, my kids always spent a lot of time outside. We live on a 3 acres…my parents next door have 2 and there is plenty of space for them to play, take care of animals and explore in the woods.
Several years ago, my sister introduced me to the 1000 hours outside challenge. I was definitely intrigued. I mean…I have never been able to maintain a rigorous strict schedule with anything, so this seemed interesting to me.
That’s why I created a free tracker you can download and customize for your family. It even has easy timer functionality and additional profiles for tracking each member of your family.
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What Is the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge?
The goal is simple: replace indoor time—especially endless scrolling—with intentional outside time. Over the course of a calendar year, the aim is to log 1,000 hours in outdoor pursuits. You can even keep a digital record of your hours, upload photos, and celebrate streak milestone badges along the way. There’s even a fun map feature and fun utility apps that let you track individual hours or create individual profiles for each family member.
If this is your first time hearing about it, you’re not alone! Many families start slowly and find that the experience creates some unforgettable memory keepsakes.
As a mom of nine, I loved the IDEA behind this challenge, but transparently, it is not one we completed in our family. I’m fairly confident my younger kids would hit 1000 hours outside without too much trouble. They spend 8-9 months of the year…outside most of the day. I’m terrible at tracking things for an extended period of time…so for me this “challenge” is more about making intentional choices whether they are tracked or not.
If you want to try the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge…there are definitely some things to consider. Some families start their first year of the challenge full of excitement, only to find that spending time outside for nearly 3 hours every single day is…a lot. If you have young kids, live in inner cities, or face bad weather for a good portion of the year, this challenge may feel impossible.
Others who have space for kids to roam outside may find that your kids complete this challenge quite easily because it already aligns with your lifestyle. I personally as a mom who works and shuttles kids here and there have never tried spending 3 hours EVERY DAY outside. In the spring, we spend a lot of time out there putting in the garden.
In the summer, I spent a lot of time outside pulling weeds! And in the fall…well fall is beautiful so its easy to want to be outside! I’m sure I don’t come close to 1000 hours for me personally. But that is ok. I think this challenge is a good reminder to know the pros and cons of doing something like this.
5 Pros of the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge
1. Improved Physical Health
From the department of parks to pediatricians, everyone agrees: outdoor play environments support movement, strength, and motor skills.
2. Mental Health Benefits
Spending time outside has been linked to lower anxiety and depression. Recent research even shows an incredibly strong correlation between nature time and improved mood.
3. Reduced ADHD Symptoms
According to the University of Illinois professor Frances Kuo, time in nature can reduce ADHD symptoms in kids.
4. Strengthened Family Bonds
You’ll find that whole family hikes, bike rides, and even backyard days create opportunities for connection and joy.
5. Connection with Nature
Whether it’s a big hike or a walk to a nearby park, the challenge cultivates awareness and appreciation for green spaces. The benefits of urban greening even extend to those living in apartments or inner cities.
5 Cons (or Challenges) of the 1000 Hours Outside
1. Time Commitment
Let’s face it—2.75 hours a day is a big ask. If you’re juggling toddlers, naps, or conference calls, it might be hard to fit in that much time.
2. Weather Days
Snow, rain, heatwaves…these can limit outdoor time depending on where you live.
3. Limited Access to Nature
Not everyone has access to a yard or park. Some families create a small nature group or look for outdoors companions to make it more doable.
4. Burnout
Going hard on day one of the hours challenge can backfire. It’s okay to take breaks!
5. Comparison Trap
Social media and the official Facebook group can sometimes make it seem like other families are doing it “better.” Remember: your family’s pace is the only place you need to focus.
My Encouragement to You
Start where you are. Maybe 1,000 hours seems like a long way off. What if you start with 30 minutes a day or shoot for 100 hours your first year? That’s still 100 more than before! Maybe you are like me and the idea of “tracking” anything is a challenge.
My encouragement is to start where you are and make small changes. Sit outside to drink your coffee on nice days. Go to park days with friends instead of staying home. Gather up some buckets and toys by the water spigot outside and let the kids play outside on nice days…and have a mud kitchen on cooler days.
Create a journal of your adventures, take photos, mark your progress, and track your favorite things together. Some families even find a great way to combine this with learning about tourism management or tracking data for school!
Download Your Free 1000 Hours Tracker!
To help make this doable, I’ve created a free simple tracker with…old school style. Simple pop it on the fridge color in one square for every hour spent outside.
Feel free to modify your goal too. Maybe your goal is to simply spend SOME time outside every day…I’ve included a tracker for that too with 365 spaces to track the days you spend time outside. There is no right or wrong way to do this!
- Space for individual hours
- Color bad weather days a different color if you can’t get outside
This challenge really does have numerous benefits—for your kids, your mental health, and your family life. Give it a try. And remember, even if you fail, you win.
Sarah McCubbin and her husband and 9 kids live in Ohio. She loves talking about all kinds of education topics and is passionate about helping families find the best education options in each season! After being very socially awkward growing up, she now loves to help families teach life skills, social skills and leadership to their kids!
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