Q&A: 5 Ways to Enjoy Shorter Days with Less Light
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
Now that the days are getting shorter, do you have any ideas or suggestion on how to get the kids to enjoy outdoors even with less light?
Community recommendations from our readers include:
- Head Lamps
- Glow Sticks
- Explore the Night Sky
- Listen for Night Sounds
- Games
- Audrey Nystrom Anderson writes, “Getting dark at 5pm gives you the chance to experience the dark in the eyes of a 3 year old. My son and I donned our head lamps and went outside into the dark…we first did a hunt for dinosaurs, then chased our cat around the yard, then just yelled and listened to our echos. It was pretty fun, and I look forward to doing it again tomorrow. Who says you have to be stuck inside when it’s dark out?!”
- Jenna Lyn writes, “Glow sticks!! Lots of glow sticks!!”
- Shoshona King writes, “That sounds like a great way to teach kids not to be afraid of the dark.”
- Abbe Laine Schiowitz writes, “Take the outside inside and go to the rock climbing gym in Hadley, Central Rock Gym. They even have a mini rock wall upstairs for the littles!”
- Theresa D Lafer writes, “Get your star map and explore the heavens; lie on a blanket and just look up… And while there are no more lightening bugs, there are plenty of night sounds; practice holding still and listening together… is there a neighborhood owl perhaps?”
- Andrew Varady writes, “That never made any difference to us and I grew up in Canada where we get the short days a lot sooner.Hide n’ Seek, Kick the Can, Red Rover, Relieve-Le, Simon Says and other games too numerous to mention. The closest pole with a street light was always home base.
[Photo credit: (ccl) SPH]