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

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