Synopsis: “In order to to prepare our children for the future and enjoy our lives with them today, the key is to step back to a slower pace, leaving margin for play and exploration so that we can go forward.” Ginny Urich, the founder of @1000hoursoutside, brings a book that is all about the importance of childhood play. You’ll learn about topics such as technology, education, and extracurricular activities in light of how society views them today and how we as parents can view them better. Ginny comes with a ton of research as to why childhood play is important, but she also keeps it fun and conversational. This book will inspire you to put your phone down, slow down from the busyness of life, and get your kids outside.

Analysis: This book right here is one that I wish every parent would read. Ginny’s extensive research provides solid evidence for why childhood play is so important for kids. I found myself in shock over some of the statistics and inspired to make better choices for my kids when it comes to free time. Ginny gives both the educational side and the fun, practical side as you read the book. I felt like I was sitting down to listen to all her wisdom over coffee! I highly recommend this book (and her podcast) for all parents. You’ll find yourself eager to put down your phone and get your kids outside right away.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Until the Streetlights Come On is a layman accessible and interesting monograph on outdoor play and positively counteracting kids' screen time, by Ginny Yurich. Released 14th Nov 2023 by Baker Publishing, it's 224 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

The author has a lot to say about play, and its importance to development and quality of life. She has a frank and open (often vulnerable and very honest) voice in writing and the end result is a readable, accessible, encouraging, and *real* book about play and development and how (and why) everyone needs more of it.

The book is fairly well annotated throughout and the chapter notes and references will provide many hours of further/specific reading for engaged readers, educators, and parents. This would be an excellent choice for public or home library acquisition, for educational curriculum, and for activity group leaders and facilitators. The author/publisher have included sets of interactive questions at the end of each chapter for further learning and discussion.

Four and a half stars. The publisher is a Christian imprint, but there is no proselytizing at all in the book.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read!!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Until the Streetlights Come On by @1000hoursoutside (Ginny Yurich).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So many good thoughts and prompts to think about when raising kids, but also for ourselves. I felt No judgement- just facts and encouragement when it comes to getting out in nature and slowing down. If you only choose one nonfiction book to read next year, I highly recommend this one.

I received an ebook ARC from @netgalley in return for my honest opinion. #netgalley #1000hoursoutside #untilthestreetlightscomeon

This book is a great reminder as to why play, especially unstructured outdoor play, is so important to children! After following Ginny and the 1000 Hours Outside initiative the last few years, this book felt like having a conversation with a best friend. Not only does it feel like having a chat with a friend, but it is full of facts, references to many of her podcast guests and her own personal experiences. I appreciate her raw honesty on her own experiences with motherhood and the challenges we face in all aspects of parenthood - not just getting kids outside. This book leaves me filling refreshed and reminded I'm doing the right thing by simply letting my child play outside.

This was a great read to reconnect you to your nature roots. Ginny does an excellent job of balancing real world situations (like screen time) with balance. She incorporates a ton of quotes and references to other books (added to my TBR). I also loved the journal prompts at the end of each chapter!

When I first started reading this book, I was much more into it than I thought I was going to be originally. However, as the book went on, I thought it got a little more "out there" and a little more repetitive. I still really like the concept behind the 1000 Hours Outside movement though!

Until the Streetlights Come On was an exceptional
Book that really brings awareness and insight into our society today that is so enamored with electronics and social media. Ginny Yurich has done a great job researching studies that show the benefits of being outdoors and how this impacts a person mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Substantial efforts were made in showing the vast amount of positive impact there is in spending a good amount of time outdoors on a daily basis. She shares many ideas on how to incorporate this mindset into daily life, no matter the age of the person. I highly recommend this book to anyone, as it will really impact you and have you reassess how you spend your time throughout each day, and how those choices affect you in emotionally, mental, physical, and spiritual ways. Thank you to NetGalley and Baker books for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

"On average, kids play outside four to seven minutes a day but use screened devices for four to seven hours each day."

This quote was enough to make me want to read this book. Prior to reading, I was somewhat familiar with Ginny Yurich via her 1000 Hours Outside movement. I have printed her trackers multiple years and fizzled out by mid-spring each time. I have an art print in my home that says "I'm what you call indoorsy" complete with a coffee mug, blanket, and houseplant doodles. I may not be the target audience for this book.

But then again, maybe I am. She crafted a strong argument about the importance of play in the life of our children. I especially enjoyed the chapters on "Light as a Guide for Our Bodies" and "The Art of Building a Family: Defining What You Want for Your Days." I finished the book inspired to try to be intentional with time outdoors (maybe 2024 will be our year!) and content with our decision to wait a while before jumping into extracurriculars for our girls.

Thank you NetGalley and Baker Books for the ARC.

I was given the privilege of reading this book prior to its release and it was every bit amazing as I anticipated it would be. It is full of facts, but retaining a charm and inspiring tone. The structure of the book flows from subject to subject and I loved the questions and prompts at the end of each chapter. If you are a parent who feels outside of the crowd or perhaps you want or need a change, then this book is a must read.

Children today need more. But what can we do? And what do they truly need? Begin to discover the answers in “'Until The Streetlights Come On”. Ginny Yurich will challenge your perspective on a variety of topics such as parenting, outside play, and building a healthy future for your children.

You will be surprised, touched, encouraged and challenged as you read this fantastic book. We have four children 12 yrs old and under. Our family has been following 1,000 Hours Outside for the last two years. In that short amount of time we have experienced many positive impacts on our family by implementing what Ginny has taught. New outdoor vacations, day-trip adventures and regular-daily outside play have given our children less stress, challenged their creativity and fostered a deeper level of connection for our family.

I expected "Until the Streetlights Come On" to highlight new facts that would build upon our commitment for outside time. However, I found myself surprised...and thankful for how Ginny not only highlighted new facts in this book, but included so much data and research, this really helped me connect to the content and exceeded my expectations.

To read that we can slow down and thrive, that boredom that generates creativity, sunlight helps us sleep better and that play enhances social skills has shifted every preconceived understanding I had as a mom. My paradigm has been altered from what my children can experience simply by spending more time away from screens and investing more time outside.

Ginny asks, "Think back to your childhood years. What was it like? What were moments that made you feel alive?" Could my children really experience the same joy, excitement and memories I had as a child? After finishing this book, I confidently know the answer is "YES!"

Ginny is a trailblazer and a cheerleader at giving parents and grandparents hope for our future generation. I would highly encourage you to purchase this book. You will be glad you did. Get out there, come alive and adventure until the street lights come on.

Ginny Yurich's Until The Streetlights Come On is a fantastic book, which easily makes it into my top five reads of 2023! Yurich, a proponent for 1000 hours outside, not only advocates for more time spent outdoors with our children, but more time spent playing, in general, for our children. Yurich's argument for more play time is well-supported with all of the current research on things such as mindfulness, happiness, and joy, and includes quotes from famous authors and researchers that kept me highlighting my book out of pure enjoyment and fascination. Yurich asserts, in part, that as parents, we cannot even conceive yet what the future will look like for our children in terms of work structures, as just one example, and as a result, our children's engagement in imaginative play sets the stage for what might be in the future. I can already see this with my own child, who, at 14-years-old, has taken an interest in artificial intelligence (AI) art-making -- imaginative play with the AI world is helping him create some beautiful masterpieces. However, Yurich writes that children need free time and space, away from technology and screens, in order to be present for this type of play. This book is a gift -- a gift to those of us, who are now parents, but who remember playing outside "until the streetlights come on" and who yearn for a simpler time for our children, a time for them to play and explore, discover and learn. I will be recommending this book to every parent I know for years to come! A great read!

I've followed Ginny for over 2 years now and I just love everything she teaches and practices. There is so much good in spending time outside, especially with your kids. The book reminds us of a simpler time, when kids used to play outside until the streetlights came on and encourages us to try to find our way back to that. I was inspired and enthralled by her writing. Ginny is brutally honest and doesn't shy away from the truth of how hard motherhood can be. She is raw and open, and invites you to find some peace by taking your kids outside. I love how based in science and facts her teachings are. My kids and I track out time outside through her easy app, and usually have a chart on the wall as well. We haven't done as many hours this year as I'd hoped by Ginny reminds that there is never any failure in spending time outside.

"In a world where most of us feel overworked, overburdened and worn out, respite is available now, and it's in a place society rarely seems worthy to look: child-directed play."

I adore the 1000 Hours Outside podcast. Not only does Ginny have on the most interesting guests to talk about diverse topics - she is a wonderful, humble engaging host. It really is a joy to listen to her show, and if you haven't yet I encourage you to do so! If you're not the podcast type though (or even if you are!), I definitely recommend picking up her new book, Until the Streetlights Come On.

Ginny's approach to life will really appeal to the non-fiction readers out there 🙋‍♀️ It's one of the things I admire most about her! She is a voracious consumer of knowledge. (Those are my favorite kinds of people.) And then she just sort of nerds out, and shares the most interesting facts! This book is like that. Ginny covers everything from really specific science like light and brain function, to broad philosophical ideas behind why we parent the way we do. I found myself blabbing so much of this to my husband 😂 it's sooo interesting! And, wow if you're looking to expand your TBR this is the place to do it - book recs abound!

I recommend this book, the podcast, and the app to easily track outside hours. You cannot go wrong! Outside wins are just so easy!

I first found Ginny through her 1000 Hours Outdoors instagram and have been following her podcast as well for a year or two. This book discusses the drastic change in how children are currently being raised from the generations before technology became rampant and having a constantly filled schedule was viewed as the road to success. (Myself) being born on the border of millennial and Gen Z, I feel as if I grew up when this shift was occurring and thank my parents for keeping me outdoors! Ginny talks about how to slow down, the positives of boredom and being outside and so much more, all backed by research. Through it all Ginny was transparent about her own struggles as a parent, getting the kids outside, and fighting the culture we live in today that is fast-paced, constant busy-ness, and technology driven. I am so excited to implement what I have learned in the this book for my children and will be recommending to all my friends.

Written by the 1000 Hours Outside author Ginny Yurich, Until the Streetlights Come On continues to inspire parents in their quest for getting kids outdoors. This title is filled with practical tips as well as some of Ginny's own personal stories about getting outside. Yurich shares not only the how, but also the why's of this movement, pointing how important nature therapy is for all of us. So many take-aways built into this book, including a reminder that being outdoors builds leadership, cooperation, resilience, and so much more. I came away from this title refreshed and reinspired to not only get my kids outdoors, but to join them as well. This book would be a great read for new parents, old parents, homeschool parents, public school parents... really anyone wanting to preserve childhood and create margin in their family life.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Until the Streetlights Come On was exactly what I needed in my life right now! I am fully on board with the 1000 Hours Outside movement already, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn so many new things in this book. I absolutely loved the chapter on 'Light'. I also love all the personal and relatable stories Ginny spread throughout the book, and at many times, I felt like a friend in the same room as her!

This was a fantastic read. So many take-aways that warmed my heart. Ginny has such way with connecting with her audience. Making the most of childhood in a world that doesn't value play is incredibly important. Lessons from the heart that will carry into adulthood. So inspirational and encouraging.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but it was incredibly inspiring, at a time when I'm contemplating whether or not to send my child to kindergarten next year or homeschool so that she can take part in a forest school for some of the week. Lots of reminders about why it's important to be outdoors and what is truly important for children and families in this time of rushing to the finish line and filling our time with extracurriculars and consumerism.