By Leigh Mitchell
A recent study concludes that our children are not getting enough outdoor time. The study, of nearly 1,400 10- to 12-year-olds, found that 37 percent typically spent a half-hour or less being active outside.
Few were outdoors for two hours or more on a typical day. On the other hand, researchers found, many children devoted at least two hours per day to the TV or computer screen, with 49 percent of boys and 36 percent of girls doing so. (NEW YORK -Reuters Health)

Does this hit home with you and your family? It does with mine.

I could have been shopping, I could have been getting dinner ready - but instead at 4:30 pm
( after school yesterday), I went to a "new" park with my two sons.
I have to admit when we go to the park I am always trying to get Ronan (my oldest) to walk on the trails so that I can get exercise because if we go to the play structure I will just sit on the bench.

But recently a light went off in my head in a form of a question

- WHY DO I NEED TO SIT ON THE BENCH?

I can run, jump and climb with my son and get my exercise that way. It meets all my important objectives, number one is we are all getting out for exercise and number two is my son thinks I am the funniest mom around (mother of the year award for me).So the last few times I have been to the park I run around with him and I really do get a work out. Try it.

This adventure at West Deane started on the play equipment but then quickly led my son Ronan to look around him, first at the creek where he saw ducks swimming and then his eyes set sight on a big hill with a manhole (don't ask me why it was there) at the top.... he quickly ran up the "mountain" and decided that the manhole was actually a volcano... the next thing I know we are rolling down the hill on a volcano adventure.

We also got my four month old son out of the stroller and let him have a look around at the trees and water... it is amazing watching your baby look around to see something new for the first time... what must he be thinking about all that surrounds him? Our adventure ended with a story after our last climb up the hill. The sun was shining and we could hear the creek babbling and I was in pure bliss because I felt I had really connected with my family

Leigh Mitchell lives in Etobicoke in Toronto with her family. To read more about Etobicoke adventures as well as view many great resources on parenting visit www.etobicokesouth.com or www.etobicokefun.com