It starts with a muddy knee. With a bug crawling on a little hand, a puddle just begging to be splashed in, and a cloud that looks exactly like an elephant riding a bike. It starts with kids simply being allowed to be themselves outside – wild, curious, loud, quiet, brave. That's where healthy childhood development really takes off: with dirt under fingernails, bold first steps, and the kind of stories that can only happen outdoors.
And that's exactly why we created the namuk Outdoor Challenge 2025. In late 2023, we conducted a study on kids' outdoor habits. The results? Pretty sobering. Kids in Switzerland are only spending about 1.5 hours a day outside – and that includes walking to school, recess, and weekend time. Adventure time? Not much. Nature time? Barely any.
Two-thirds of the parents we surveyed said they spent way more time in the great outdoors when they were kids. The other third said they spent about the same amount of time outside as kids do today, but definitely no less. A whopping 83 percent of parents believe screen time is a major culprit.
“These findings didn't just surprise us, they were a real wake-up call. We had to do something. It's clear we need to give kids more opportunities to experience nature to support their development,” says Franz Bittmann, Founder and Co-CEO of namuk.
Adventures big and small
We didn't just want to talk about it. We wanted to do something. That's how the namuk Outdoor Challenge was born – a movement to inspire families to take their everyday lives outside and into nature. From May 16th to August 23rd, 2025, families all over Switzerland can join in 100 days of adventures, both big and small – in the woods, at the playground, in the park, on the way to school, hiking, or just running around barefoot in the rain. It all counts. “Kids need nature to grow up healthy,” Franz explains. “It's not just about physical fitness; it's also about creativity, imagination, and self-confidence. When kids are outside, they learn to challenge themselves and discover new things.” And those adventures don't always have to be huge, planned-out expeditions. Sometimes, it's as simple as packing some snacks, grabbing a piece of string that can double as a fishing line, and just following the nearest stream. “There's so much to discover there; it'll keep them busy for a whole afternoon,” Franz says.
In our “From-Dad-to-Dad” series, Franz chats with other fathers about the impact of outdoor time on their kids. “The responsibility clearly lies with us parents to introduce our children to the outdoors, get them away from screens, and give them something valuable that will stay with them for life,” says Johan Olzon Åkerström, Founder of Soeder. Jens Jung, Founder and CEO of John Baker, points out that kids can quickly go from tired after school or daycare to overstimulated. “But if they spend time in nature afterward, that tiredness turns into a peaceful, happy kind of exhaustion that's good for them. Those experiences can be really helpful for them later in life, too.” In general, it helps to embrace nature as it is and turn it into an experience. A simple rain shower, for example, can become a fun game of trying to catch raindrops on your tongue. “When you spend time outside, kids never get bored – that's the great thing about it.”
The outdoors is a way of life
At namuk, we believe the outdoors isn't just a place – it's a way of life. It's about discovery. It's about wonder. It's about growing up with muddy shoes and sparkling eyes. And that doesn't start in the mountains. It starts at the neighborhood playground, with the roots of a tree, with that next jump over a puddle. “Being outdoors grounds you, it's fulfilling, it sparks creativity – being outdoors builds resilience,” Franz is convinced. “Sure, sometimes spending time with the kids can be tiring, and you don't always have a ton of energy. But time outside flies by, and one thing's for sure: they'll fall asleep fast and sleep soundly at the end of the day.”
We're deliberately going screen-free with this Challenge. No app, no online tracking. Instead? A Challenge poster where kids can record their daily adventures – with pens, stickers, paint, and tons of imagination.
“We intentionally avoided a digital solution and wanted to give kids the chance to capture their experiences creatively on paper,” says Franz. “It's not about performance; it's about the experience. Everyone who participates is a winner.” The poster grows with each day, with every step taken outside. It becomes more colorful, wilder, more personal – like a nature journal. For explorers of all ages.
Nature as the favorite playground
What drives us isn't a short-term campaign. It's a deep conviction: that kids should spend more time outdoors. Not because they have to, but because it's simply good for them – physically, mentally, creatively.
“What if, as a society, we talked less about what kids shouldn't do and more about what they could, are allowed to, or should do? Outdoor time! We're convinced that a child who spends a lot of time outside is simply more engaged and happier,” says Franz. namuk's vision is a world where kids love and cherish the nature around them as much as their favorite playground – a place where they can experience freedom, adventure, and growth. “My hope is that kids will build a relationship with nature, that a love for nature will be ignited, and that they'll want to protect it in the future. Because you can only protect what you love.”
The best part? You can be a part of it. Grab a poster. Stick it on the fridge or right in your kid's room. And then: shoes on, get outside, and go! Experience adventures. Discover the world. Create memories. Be brave. Be creative. And above all: Get outdoors.
