Some days its not always easy to fit in some Green Hour fun. Juggling errands, appointments, naptimes, and mealtimes make for a hectic enough day as it is, without trying to throw in some unscheduled outdoor time, right?  Today’s Green Hour post is about how to green up even your busiest of days!  You might not have hours on end of free time at your disposal, but everyone has a few minutes here and there – and if you plan it right, that’s plenty enough to recreate and restore your spirit before tackling the next big project.  Here’s how to make your Green Hours count…

C checking out the stream on a greenway pit-stop after running errands

1.  On the Way – Figure out where the local green spots in your neighborhood are – its easy to include a 15 minute stop at the park in the morning when its already on the way to the grocery store, and choosing to take a messy snack outside in the backyard rather than in the kitchen will probably actually save you time!

Enjoying some raspberries outside on a gorgeous spring day

2.  Keep it Simple – Don’t make things too complex by trying too hard.  A child has an amazing ability to imagine, and the best way to cultivate that ability is to allow him or her to use it without restriction.  Remember that children (and adults) benefit from Green Hours the most when the time is “unstructured.”

There’s tons of fun to be had for boys (both big and little!) in wide, open spaces!

A pair of sunglasses is much more exciting than the latest toy craze!

3.  On the Cheap – While the old adage of “You get what you pay for,” may be applicable to technical outdoor equipment, when it comes to Green Hours, a better motto is “The best things in life are free.”  While an expensive kite that needs an instruction manual to put together is fun to fly on a windy spring day, its just as much fun (and WAY less complicated) to run around in the open field chasing butterflies!

Cragbaby’s “pouting b/c Mommy won’t let me eat dandelions” face…

What are some of your strategies to get some quick and dirty outdoor fun in your life when your on the go?