This week, I'm excited to welcome Ginny Yurich, a homeschooling mother of five and the founder of 1000 Hours Outside- a global movement reclaiming childhood and fostering family connections through nature-based play. Alongside her husband, Josh, Ginny is the brilliant mind behind the 1000 Hours Outside lifestyle brand, featuring an online store, app, podcast, a brand new book, and much more.

Whether you have kids or not, this episode is an absolute must-listen. We dig deep into issues that resonate, especially for those of us stuck behind desks and indoors all day. This conversation was deep, thought-provoking, and left me feeling challenged and convicted in the best way. It’s easily one of my top 10 favorite episodes of all time, and I’m so excited to share it with you!

3:36 – Ginny 101

• Struggles of early motherhood
• A playdate that changed everything
• Transformation through outdoor time
• Writing about this experience

15:07 – The Power of Outdoor Play  

• The challenges of modern parenting
• Making small, intentional changes in daily routines
• Building outdoor habits as a family
• The power of friends and community with outdoor activities

34:11 – Embracing All Seasons

• The magic of winter
• Leaning into the unique experiences each season brings
• Cultivating grit and resilience

41:55 – Parenting in a Changing World

• Balancing structured and unstructured activities
• Encouraging self-discovery and independence
• Rethinking the college-centric path

1:01:21 – Takeaways + Words of Encouragement

• The power of pre-ordering books
• The long-term impact of parenting choices
• Celebrating real-life, hands-on experiences

FEATURED QUOTES

“If all that time, all those memories, all that relationship building, all of that connection, all of those moments of exhale- if those had gone to screens, our life would be so much less full….This is about bringing balance back to childhood.”

“What I've learned over the past decade is that this is a step that you take as a family. And the step is awareness. It's about knowing that, when we play outside, it benefits every single member of your family, from your newborn to your grandmother to your great grandmother.”

“There are long-term effects to the choices that we make. And this is their life, this is their childhood. And it's important to understand, at least to a small degree, what self-directed childhood play does for kids. And it does an immense amount.”

Learn more about Ginny:

https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/

https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/about-us

https://www.amazon.com/Until-Streetlights-Come-Brightens-Uncertain-ebook/dp/B0BW11WHTN/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1703003496&refinements=p_27%3AGinny+Yurich&s=books&sr=1-1