Ep.114 Childhood is Created Outside with Linda Åkeson McGurk

2023-04-04

What’s the Scandinavian perspective on outdoor play? That you can’t have too much of it, and there’s no such thing as bad weather! Linda Åkeson McGurk, from Sweden, teaches us the essential nature of the outdoors in childhood. Linda Åkeson McGurk is a Swedish American writer and author of the parenting memoir There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather and The Open-Air Life. McGurk is a passionate advocate for raising kids in the outdoors and thinks that the best childhood memories are created outside, while jumping in puddles, digging in dirt, catching bugs and climbing trees. She is the founder of the blog Rain or Shine Mamma, a resource where parents ...

Linda Åkeson McGurk is a Swedish American writer and author of the parenting memoir There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather and The Open-Air Life. McGurk is a passionate advocate for raising kids in the outdoors and thinks that the best childhood memories are created outside, while jumping in puddles, digging in dirt, catching bugs and climbing trees. She is the founder of the blog Rain or Shine Mamma, a resource where parents and other caregivers find tips and inspiration for outdoor play every day, regardless of the weather.

Some Key Takeaways:

Kids need unstructured play for their emotional, social and cognitive skills. Play is different than activities outside. Play is chosen by the child and directed by the child and is intrinsically motivated
Outdoor life can be as simple as daily walks, green spaces, and utilizing what you have (even in a city)
Getting outside gets you in the rhythm of getting outside
We don’t know all the consequences of indoor time and screen time yet, but we do know all the benefits of outdoor time!!
Experiencing nature = gentle with it, versus consuming nature = using motor vehicles in nature

Other Episode Referenced:

https://kidswhoexplore.com/podcasts/ep-112-open-air-classrooms-with-amy-cornet/

Linda’s Books:

There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather

Open Air Life

https://rainorshinemamma.com/shop-2/

Other Book Suggestion:

Book: Slow Birding by Joan E. Strassmann

Follow Linda:

Blog: rainorshinemamma.com – sign up for newsletter

IG and Facebook: @rainorshinemamma

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/