I’m a big walker, and while I usually have my early morning walk all to myself, my afternoon walk seems to have become The Activity for the families in my suburban neighborhood. It is nice to see family groups out walking and talking, and I noticed even my 10 and 12-year-old neighborhood friends riding their bikes are abiding by the 6 feet rule. Another neighbor put up a badminton net and is often with his high school age kids competing in the back yard. Yesterday I saw some middle school girls, 6 feet apart, with laptop open Face Timing with a friend working on cheer-leading moves. This is the new normal during these stay at home days.

It seems parents are increasingly valuing outdoor play in ways that are new and different. Might this newfound appreciation extend to the kinds of summer camp parents select? Will traditional camps be in greater demand than “build resume” camps? Wilderness trips with hiking and camping out be chosen over focused sports camps? Will parents find summer programs with the goals of building relationships, fostering leadership, and appreciation of the outdoors become the most sought after? Perhaps this too will become the new normal, which would be a wonderful shift for our children.