How To Get Reluctant Kids Outside
One of our readers here at Nature For Kids emailed me a question that I think many parents have, “How do you get reluctant kids excited about the outdoors?”
#1 Make them think it’s their idea. Give them a choice. Say, “We’re going outside today. Do you want to go to the park to play or go to the lake to throw rocks? This way it becomes a question of WHAT you’ll be doing outside, rather than IF you’ll be going outside.
#2 Everyone enjoys getting new things.Take them to the store with you and have them pick out their own bike helmet or climbing harness. It’s like when you take them school clothes shopping, it gets them excited for the first day of scool.
#3 Go out with them. Don’t just say, “go outside and play”. Go with them and make outdoor time a family bonding time. After the outdoor experience you can talk and laugh about it helping each other keep it to memory.
Our family is active in the outdoors but that doesn’t mean my kids are never reluctant to go outside. We battle the same electronic entertainment battle that everyone else seems to be fighting these days. But these are some of the things that seem to work for us. Have a great day everyone. Spring is almost here!
Nature For Kids, outside, kids, outdoors,
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Education | Comments (4)Little Life
Nature For Kids showed up at the Outdoor RetailerWinter Market in Salt Lake City a couple weekends ago. It was an interesting experience taking our 5-month-old with us. By the time we left he managed to slobber all over a demo child-carrier pack and we accidentally threw a dirty diaper in one of the many recycling bins. He was a great conversation piece however, while mingling with new people!
One of the main products that stood out to us here at Nature For Kids was the LITTLE LIFE
products. While browsing all the exhibits, like I said, we were able to demo a child-carrier made by them.
I know I talk a lot about our Kelty child-carrier here but I have to say I was really impressed with this carrier. Little Life allows the child to ride a lot higher, giving them more of a view than just Mom or Dad’s head.
The buckle system is very easy to fasten as well. You don’t have to bend their little arms back to get the straps around, the straps come over the top rather than from the side.
It seemed a lot more cushioned to me as well, and had a colorful and super soft spot for little ones to rest their heads forward on.
We used a lot of the storage pockets during our trial run and it held a lot more than I thought it would.
Our little guy spent two uninterrupted happy hours in it. And he only got restless if we stood in one place for too long.
Little Life also makes small themed packs for toddlers to carry. They are very appealing with their butterfly wings and shark fins And they also allow you to attach a safety rein so you can keep your little one close by. They have packs out this year for older kids too.
They also make travel pop up playpens that are super light and compactable …something all parents on the go would appreciate. Just think how convenient it would be to have at the beach, in the backyard or at the park!
Overall I was impressed with their products and can’t wait to see them start showing up on hiking trails, campsites and everywhere else outdoors!
nature for kids, outdoor retailer show, Little Life, child carrier, baby backpack, backpack, kids, kids backpacks, outdoor gear
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Equipment | Comments (4)Create Your Own Outdoor Movie
Whenever winter rolls around we like to cozy up to a good Warren Miller movie to get us excited for the snowsports ahead. Outdoor movies like those stir up the adventurer in all of us, so why not make your own?!
Our kids have some fun cousins in Idaho that starred in their own home-made outdoor adventure movie. Their dad filmed and edited it to make it look amazing! Take a look.
That movie inspired our kids to make their own movie outside as well. They chose costumes, worked up a story line and then headed outside. Here it is.
We hope these movies have inspired you and your kids to create your own outdoor movie. Send us a link of your movie and we’d love to post it!
Nature For Kids is on Youtube. Don’t forget to subscribe so that you can stay up to date on all our movies.
nature for kids, outdoor adventure, activity for kids, activities for kids, activities for children, outside, outdoors, movie
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (5)Work Hard, Play Hard
As our family has evolved over the past 10 years we’ve learned two things that bring us together like nothing else can…work and play.
Nature For Kids is extending a challenge to you and your family for 2010…Work Hard, Play Hard!
After a recent snowstorm we went out as a family with shovels in hand to clear our driveway. It took quite a while and there were some mumbles and grumbles here and there but when we finished the kids were very proud of their efforts. They were even more proud of hitting dad with a snowball the size of a bowling ball. That launched our Work Hard into Play Hard… we had a snowball fight which ended in a massive dog pile and laughter.
When working as a family: Let everyone participate, even the little ones. Our 3 year old could hardly lift the snow shovel so we gave her a little brush to sweep the snow off the cars. She was a little busy body and enjoyed helping out in her own way.
When playing as a family: Forget the work and play hard. Take advantage of the valuable time together to get to know each other better and create lasting memories.
Nature For Kids wishes you all a wonderful 2010, full of hard work and outdoor play!
Share with us your experiences of hard work and play as a family…leave a comment or Contact Us.
nature for kids, playing outside, play, work, 2010, new year
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (3)Family Christmas Tree
Has everyone been as sick as we have this winter season? It’s been a battle to keep all six people in our household well. Thanksgiving day we sat down to a table full of food and unfortunately it went untouched. The 24-hour flu decided to hit us like dominoes.
A couple days later all was well again thankfully. We had some scrumptious left overs and we went out on a family outing in search of our 2009 family Christmas tree!
Usually we spend quite a while traipsing up and down the mountainside debating on this one or that one. This year was totally different however. We seriously parked the car and walked about 50 yards straight to ‘The One’. Dad had each of the kids take a turn with the saw and the boys hauled it back to the car.
Are you wanting to cut down your own Christmas tree this year? Well head to your local forest service office and read this Christmas Tree Hunt post that Nature For Kids shared last year. It will tell you everything you need to know and hopefully provide a little entertainment. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!
nature for kids, christmas tree, nature, kids, family outing, outdoor recreation, family
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (1)5 Dangerous Things For Kids
We just had to share this great presentation by Gever Tulley, “5 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do”. You can tell by the title that this won’t sink with everyone but Nature For Kids thinks Tulley is right on! He encourages playful and experiential learning. Take a look and then let us know what you think.
nature for kids, children, kids, dangerous, play, experiential learning
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Education | Comments (9)Family Outing - The Furniss Family
It’s been a while since Nature For Kids did a Family Outing post, so for your enjoyment here are the adventures of the Furniss family of Idaho.
These are some of the outdoor activities Katy and Kasey like to do with their daughter Sidney, and the benefits they feel each activity has for them.
KAYAKING- We’ll go down mellow rivers and some with very small waves. She loves to feel the water with her hands and she learns coordination while paddling with help from us. She hated it all last year, but finally this year she absolutely loves it!
CAMPING- This is one of her favorites. There’s lots of hanging out family time and she loves to play with life’s natural toys like sticks, mud, and rocks. She is just as easily entertained with those than anything from Fisher Price. This is where she learned what “hot” is because of the campfire. Now at home with the stove she knows right away without having to test it first that it’s hot because she can feel the heat, just like with the campfire. Sometimes our camping trips are very rainy, but we just put a poncho on her and let her go play outside. There’s no way she could stay in a tent all day! Camping has been a great way for her to use her imagination and spend real quality time together.
BACKPACKING- We did a 3-day backpacking trip when she was 1 1/2 years old. She did amazing! I carried Sidney and some of our stuff while Kasey carried the rest of the gear. It was 7 or 8 miles in, camped, spent the next day exploring, and the next day hiking back out. Sidney got to fish with Kasey for the first time and see and feel what a real fish is like. The sunblock and light covered clothing helped a lot for napping in the backpack and her youth sized mummy bag kept her snuggly warm in our 2-man tent.
4-Wheeling- This is probably her most favorite. She learned early on not to be afraid of the sound because the ride was so fun that it left a positive memory in her mind. She’s still too small to wear a DOT helmet, so she wears a toddler bike helmet and goggles if it’s dusty. She likes to point to things along the ride and more often than not is so relaxed that she falls asleep.
SLEDDING- We use snow tubes and she calls them “wees” because we say “wee” down the hill. She mostly goes down with us, but if it’s a small hill, we’ll put her on the tube alone. Luckily, that hasn’t scared her away from it. She’s learned to be very brave. She likes to feel like a big girl and haul the tube back up the hill while we hold her hand. I think giving her that job makes her feel like she’s the one sledding and that we’re not just dragging her along.
Not every activity goes smoothly without tears or frustrations, but if we had given up on the first try then she wouldn’t have come to love the outdoors like she does now. I think she’s very observant now because of the outdoor stuff we do. A lot of times she notices things before I do. She loves the outdoors, regardless of the weather, and is always a happier kid when she’s outside.
Thanks for sharing your adventures with us here at Nature For Kids Furniss Family. It will be fun to see what Sydney is like when she’s older…I’m sure she’ll always have a love for the outdoors because of your efforts of getting her out now. Your family is a great example for us all! To read more about families like the Furniss’ go to the Family Outing page and get inspired!
nature for kids, family outing, camping, backpacking, sledding, kayaking, activities for kids, activities for children
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)Get Outside Even After School Starts
I have a question for you… Now that school is in full swing do you feel like something is missing?
Have your outdoor activities fizzled out along with your summer vacation?
Well don’t let it happen, The Green Hour Blog provides 10 ways to get outside - even after school starts. Here are five that we here at Nature For Kids particularly liked!
1. Scenario: Traffic made you late, there’s no time to cook dinner, so you drive the family over to the rotisserie chicken place to get a quick meal.
Tip: Keep a picnic blanket in your car for an impromptu picnic on any spot of grass you can find!
2. Scenario: Outside, it’s a perfect fall day, but you look at your child’s homework assignments and realize outside play-time isn’t a reality.
Tip: Take homework outside! There’s no reason math problems can’t be done in the fresh air. Set up a clean outdoor workspace for your child on a patio table, perhaps.
3. Scenario: The kids get home from school and immediately plop in front of the TV. You suggest going outside. They respond, “Indoors is more fun!”
Tip #1: Set time-limits for TV watching and video game playing. It won’t be popular, so make sure you have a back-up plan. If you have a backyard, kid-customize it with a homemade fort, dart boards, a trampoline, a craft table. Set up a bird house to keep wildlife visiting.
Tip #2: No backyard? Find your local parks using nwf.org/naturefind. For older kids, start stretching your child’s boundaries, allowing them to go for unsupervised walks in the neighborhood with groups of friends. They’ll love the feeling of independence.
4. Scenario: It’s 8 p.m. Dinner’s over, but not quite time for bed.
Tip: Keep flashlights near the door, and go for a neighborhood night hike. Kids will love the novelty — and you can challenge them to identify “night sounds.” Learn how to make a moon journal at greenhour.org/moonjournal.
5. Scenario: Your daughter comes home from school clutching new-found treasures: three crumbly leaves, two acorns and a dirt-encrusted rock.
Tip: Instead of putting them on the kitchen counter, a drawer, or — gasp — the trash, start a nature table. Set a limit of how many items they can have in the “nature museum” — so they’ll keep it to a manageable number. Other ideas: use an old tackle or sewing box, or a hanging shoe-organizer with clear plastic pockets. Have your kids decorate it!
Along with the Green Hour Blog be sure to check out the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There campaign. Like Nature For Kids , Be Out There inspires caregivers to spend daily time outdoors with the children in their lives.
nature for kids, Green Hour, outdoors, parenting, activities for children, activities for kids
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (7)Fall Rock Climbing
To me fall seems to be the best time of year to rock climb. Perfect temperatures mixed with the colors that the season brings makes for a wonderful day spent outside.
I’d like to share with you here at Nature For Kids what we did this past weekend. We decided to take the kids out for a hike up our local canyon. While roaming around we found a set of chains on a huge boulder. It had some great holds and a nice easy incline that was perfect for the kids. So we raced home and got the climbing gear. We spent a good three hours enjoying the sunny but crisp day while the kids climbed up, down and all around.
What did you do outside this past weekend? Share with us!
Other posts at Nature For Kids related to fall:
nature for kids, fall, rock climbing, rock climb, outside
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Rock climbing | Comments (2)Postpartum Depression
Since recently having a new baby I’ve been trying to be very mindful of the signs of postpartum depression.
From my three previous postpartum experiences I believe going outside regularly played a huge role in keeping depression at bay. There seems to be more and more research emerging to back that up as well.
After having my first child I distinctly remember going out for a walk by the river on a beautiful snowy day. I was overwhelmed by how refreshed and happy I felt.
That experience has stuck with me all these years and I often reflect on it when I’m feeling down, overwhelmed and reluctant to get up and out.
The healing powers of nature are only limited by man’s idleness.
With a three week old and a three year old my nights are sleepless and my days are frustratingly long. So today we put on our fall weather attire (I LOVE hoodies and sweats) and we went for a walk to the park. By the time we returned home the crisp air and falling leaves had us smiling and sane again.
Being outside helps mom but Nature For Kids is also vital. “A widening circle of researchers believes that the loss of natural habitat, or the disconnection from nature even when it is available, has enormous implications for human health and child development. They say the quality of exposure to nature affects our health at an almost cellular level.” - Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods. Here’s more related research.
In closing I encourage any new moms out there or anyone else having a rough go lately to incorporate a dose of the outdoors in your daily routine and let Mother Nature work her magic.
If you liked this post about postpartum depression you may also be interested in these Nature For Kids posts:
Recharge Your Batteries, Mother’s Day
nature for kids, postpartum depression, outside, nature, Mother Nature, research
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under Education | Comments (3)
