Watch this “Get Kids Outside” ad: interviews with 3 generations on "fun" kid activities

I don't generally post advertisements, but this video is kind of a must-watch (and the commercial but is only the last few seconds).

Nature Valley’s “Get Kids Outside” Ad:

via Free Range Kids. Lenore Skenazy has comments, including this:

The ad shows several grandparents reminiscing about their childhood fun outside — tobogganing, planting, fishing — and then several parents recalling that they’d build forts, or just head out to find friends to play with. Finally, their kids talk about their love of videogames and texting.

The ad then shows those same kids after what can only be called an intervention. We see them running outside (toward a waiting parent), carefully riding a bike on the sidewalk, or being taught by mom how to plant a flower. (That kid did not look psyched to me.)

It’s great that the ad has framed the issue we talk about here all the time: In just one generation, it has become almost bizarre to see kids heading out to find fun on their own outside. That’s why people call 911 when the see a child in the park. It’s like spotting a tapir escaped from the zoo. 

Plus this:

But as this note, uh, notes:

"One of the things I noticed is that in the previous generations memories there were no adults present and the children created wonderful memories. In the current generation’s outdoor play portrayed in the video there were adults present in almost all of the depictions. It pretty much says that outdoor play is necessary but must be supervised and lead by an adult". — Marcie

One more excerpt:

But beyond even the perceived need for supervision, the adults outside with their kids at the end of this ad seem almost as if they’re teaching a remedial class.

And with the renormalization of kids running around, the threat of CPS intervention disappears.

Go to Free Range Kids blog and read the whole thing. And I strongly suggest buying Lenore's book Free-Range Kids, How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry) - I gave copies to each of my kids when my grabdkids came along.