On the first day of 2025, a mother from Penarth, Lisa, and her young daughter, known as 'B', embarked on a remarkable personal mission. They pledged to spend time playing outside in nature every single day for a year, with a strict rule: every activity had to be unique.
A Digital Detox in the Great Outdoors
Driven by a common parental desire to reduce screen time, Lisa's goal was to encourage her daughter to engage directly with the natural environment instead of tablets. What began as a New Year's resolution culminated on 31 December 2025 with a symbolic final act: casting a message in a bottle into the waters of the Bristol Channel.
The transformative effects of their year-long endeavour have been profound. Lisa reports that B's self-assurance has soared and her mental wellbeing has improved dramatically. Notably, B and her friends now favour traditional outdoor pursuits like hunting for conkers and catching falling leaves over fixating on their mobile phones.
From Apprehension to Unbridled Enthusiasm
Lisa initially worried that her daughter might lose interest, but the opposite occurred. "The more B went outside, the more she wanted to go," Lisa explained. The child's enthusiasm became so infectious that she was often the one urging her mum out the door. The pair documented their journey daily on Instagram and Facebook, while Lisa maintained a detailed blog.
Their repertoire of activities was wonderfully varied and inventive. Among their favourite challenges were:
- Beachcombing along the Welsh coast
- Mastering the art of grass whistling
- Hosting competitive snail races
- Playing 'nature detectives'
- Crab fishing and building woodland dens
- Creating a sundial and practising wayfinding
Other memorable highlights included flying kites, organising scavenger hunts, finding magical 'wands' in the woods, and witnessing both the sunrise in January and the sunset at midsummer. Their adventures also led to friendly encounters with local wildlife, as they made friends with numerous squirrels and pigeons by offering them food.
A Lasting Legacy of Joy and Discovery
Reflecting on the year, Lisa shared: "The aim was to try and get outside every day, because we agree that those days are often the best ones. I thought B would get fed up and we’d run out of ideas by the end of January but we found the opposite is true. The more we do, the more new ideas we've come across. We've both had a lot of fun."
B offered her own insightful perspective on the experience: "The thing about nature is that it's not predictable and you just have to go with it. Mum always wants to plan but the best challenges just happen."
The story of Lisa and B, residents of Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan, stands as a powerful testament to the benefits of unstructured outdoor play. It demonstrates how consistent engagement with the natural world can boost confidence, enhance mental health, and create cherished family memories far beyond the glow of a screen.
