Screens Are Rotting You & Your Kid’s Brains: Reclaiming Joy, Grit & Nature | 1000 Hours Outside’s Ginny Yurich

In this episode, I am joined by Ginny Yurich, founder of 1000 Hours Outside, to talk about what’s really at stake for this generation of kids. Ginny shares the shocking stats behind childhood screen time, why recess is disappearing, and how nature became her family’s greatest healer. We dive into the neuroscience of play, the toxic reality of persuasive tech design, and how spending time outside reshapes the brain, body, and spirit. This episode is a must-listen for parents, educators, and anyone longing to reconnect with the real world.

Ginny Yurich is a Michigan homeschooling mother of five and the founder and CEO of 1000 Hours Outside; a global movement, media company and lifestyle brand with a mission centered around reclaiming childhood, reconnecting families and helping people live a fuller life.

She is the host and producer of the extremely popular The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, a keynote public speaker, zinnia enthusiast, and published author. Her latest best-selling book, ‘Until The Streetlights Come On’, (Baker Books) was released in November 2023. Her forthcoming book, ‘Homeschooling: You’re Doing It Right Just By Doing It’ (Baker Books) releases May 23, 2025.

Holding a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Michigan, Ginny and her husband, Josh have been married for nearly 22 years and are lifelong Michiganders. They love raising their five children on their little hobby farm in “The Great Lakes State.”

A few of my favorite things we cover in this episode: 

• How Ginny went from overwhelmed mom of three under three to the founder of a global movement
• The moment that sparked her first joyful day as a mother - and how nature changed everything
• The origins of 1000 Hours Outside and the surprising stat that matched kids' average screen time
• The physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual benefits of unstructured outdoor play
• How time in nature helps regulate circadian rhythms, lymphatic function, eyesight, and the microbiome
• The dangers of persuasive screen design and how it targets kids' psychological vulnerabilities
• The dramatic rise in screen time and sitting for today’s kids - and its long-term impact
• Why more schools are cutting recess - and how it’s damaging development and resilience
• How to reclaim childhood through intentional, analog living and outdoor adventures
• Advice for parents who feel like they’re “starting too late” to make changes with screens

Links to things we talked about in this episode: 

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Happy listening and we hope you learned a little bit more on the art of being well!

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In Health,

Dr. Will Cole