Tracking outdoor time vs. screen time a good way to combat kids' summer boredom

FOX 2 - We track a lot of things from calories to steps, but how about keeping track of time spent outside in nature? It's one way to help beat the midsummer boredom.

Beating mid-summer boredom is easier than you think

We track a lot of things from calories to steps, but how about keeping track of time spent outside in nature? It's one way to help beat the midsummer boredom.

Let's talk about the 1,000 hours Outside Movement. It was started by a local family and it is getting attention all over the world. The idea is to match your screen time with time spent outside.

July is National Anti-Boredom month and there are probably a lot of parents out there looking for ways to keep their kids entertained. A pediatrician from Cleveland Clinic Children’s who has simple suggestions.

"Now is a nice time to be outside, so you can paint outside. you can get bubbles, they are a fun way to engage toddlers, to get them to run around and watch their face light up when they realize they can pop or catch a bubble," said Dr. Gina Robinson. "Sidewalk chalk, drawing outside. just anything that is hands-on or experiential is great for kids."

Robinson says you don’t always have to spend money to keep your kids entertained - there are a lot of free educational events and activities out there.

For example, some zoos or museums offer free admission on certain days of the week. You could also lookup science experiments online that use supplies you may already have around the house.

You can set up a scavenger hunt or play the "eye-spy" game while walking. She is also a big advocate for reading. She says it can really help with a child’s development.

It doesn’t have to be a book for school but more so something they’d enjoy, like a comic book and limit screen time to two hours a day.

"I would compare it to being a chef and making a box cake that comes already prepared and all you have to do is add water as opposed to making a cake from scratch and you have to get all the ingredients together yourself," Robinson said. "Screens can give you a lot of entertainment and spoon feed it to you, but we want you to be able to entertain yourself."