Are screens, busy schedules, and modern life keeping your kids indoors? In this episode of Screen Less Play More, Cynthia talks with "Backwoods Mama" Josée Bergeron, author of Beyond the Front Door, about why outdoor play, nature connection, and even a little risky play are essential for raising happy, healthy kids.

It all started with a moment many parents can relate to: complete overwhelm. One evening, pregnant and exhausted, Josée walked out of her house and drove to a quiet lake- and jumped in the frigid water! That moment sparked a powerful realization that her family had become disconnected from nature.

In this conversation, we explore how parents and teachers can bring outdoor play back into everyday life, even if they live in cities, have busy schedules, or struggle with kids who prefer screens.

On this episode of Screen Less Play More parents and caregivers and educators will learn:

• Why kids desperately need outdoor play and nature time • The three biggest barriers keeping families indoors: cities, schedules, and screens • Simple ways to reduce screen time and get kids outside without adding stress • Easy nature activities for kids like seed bombs, noticing walks, dandilion playdough, and mud kitchens • How risky play and unstructured outdoor play build independence and confidence • Why nature connection improves kids' mental health, focus, and immune systems • Practical ways to encourage teens to spend time outdoors

Josée also shares creative spring outdoor ideas for families, including dandelion play-dough, gardening with kids, nature walks, and backyard exploration.

If you want your children to love nature, play outside more, and develop independence, this episode is full of practical ideas any parent can start today.

Tune in to the best mom podcast and best dad podcast to learn why nature is closer than you think, and small moments outside can change everything.

Welcome to the Screen Less Play More podcast — the best parenting podcast for raising balanced, confident kids in the digital age by reducing screen time, managing gaming and social media, and restoring play-based childhoods.

Hosted by Cynthia Dvorak of ScreenLessPlayMore.com, we share expert advice and research-backed strategies to help parents create healthy screen habits, set realistic tech boundaries, and build stronger family connection without constant monitoring or power struggles. Each episode gives you practical tools for reducing screen time battles, ensuring online safety for kids, and age-appropriate digital limits. We discuss if there is such thing as healthy screen time, and what are some good guidelines for screen time by age. It's the podcast for moms and the podcast for dads who care about keeping kids balanced and brilliant!

What's the best podcast about parenting, play, and screens? Check out the top 6 episodes from 2025 of Screen Less Play More : https://screenlessplaymore.com/top-rated-parenting-podcast-episodes-of-the-year-our-most-listened-most-loved-conversations/

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Why Kids Need Dirt, Danger, and the Outdoors (Even If They'd Rather Be on Screens)