If you know anything about Kids Obstacle Challenge, you know that getting kids outside is one of our biggest priorities. We love working with moms and dads who feel the same way. That’s why we reached out to Laurence, a mom of 3 who runs a blog called Journeys and Jaunts. She’s passionate about getting her 3 kiddos outside and braves her own adventures on local, national, and global levels.
Read about Laurence and her family’s experience at Kids Obstacle Challenge here:
While there are many obvious benefits to encouraging your kids to get outside (like staying physically healthy and spending less time on digital devices), there are just as many long-term benefits. Here are three reasons why getting kids outside is a long-term investment, all of which are modeled by Laurence and her family:
1. Getting outside boosts their confidence. With so many stressors that contribute to a child’s growth and education these days, it’s important that we raise kids who are confident in their abilities. Outdoor play, and our courses especially, helps kids embrace their strengths, and pushes them to face their weaknesses. Your kiddo might discover that they’re a pro at climbing over hurdles, but will need to challenge themselves to climb through the Adventure Rig. Trying, and succeeding, at a skill outside of their comfort zones will encourage them to tackle bigger obstacles in the future, like trying a new sport, signing up for a challenging college course, or even launching their own company.
2. Outdoor adventures make them curious. While we all want kids who follow directions, it’s important that we raise curious kids who don’t spend their whole lives following the status quo. Our courses encourage kids to experience new things that they might not have thought of trying. The benefits of this habit are long-term: it will encourage them to seek out unique experiences that could take them far and help them grow. Curiosity could even help them become adults who visit 22+ countries and 43+ states, just like Laurence.
3. Outdoor play encourages them to become perseverant. When obstacles get hard, it’s important that our kids learn to carry on. Our courses encourage kids to keep running, climbing, and crawling until they accomplish their end goal of finishing the course. And if they’ve tried and find that an obstacle is just too difficult for them, they can set a goal of trying again next year.
Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you on course later this summer!