Dog Days Of Summer
In one of my previous posts, Hydration For Kids I talked about the importance of keeping cool and well hydrated while playing outdoors. Unfortunately what’s sometimes overlooked are our pets. Dogs can suffer the same problems kids do, like overheating and dehydration.
To help your dog get through the dog days of summer try filling up a kiddy pool with water. 
Skadi, taking an afternoon dip!
Here are some other quick tips that I got from msnbc.com
- Always have fresh cool water available
- Bring your dog indoors during the hottest part of the day
- Provide a shaded area in your yard
- Never leave your dog in the car
- Be aware of hot surfaces like sand or asphalt, these can harm your pets paws
On the Hiking With Dogs post I mentioned the packable dog bowls. This is a great way to be sure your dog stays hydrated when on the go!
What are some things you do to get your pet through the dog days of summer?
Sign up for REI Gearmail and save 15%!
Skeeter Camelbak
For our son’s birthday we got him a hydration pack, the Skeeter Camelbak. He loves it because he thinks it’s a jetpack like Jango Fett wears on Star Wars…and I guess because he can get a drink whenever he wants.
The Skeeter Camelbak product description says it fits kids 5 and up but Corbin just turned 4 and it adjusts small enough to fit him just fine. It also has a lifetime warranty on the reservoir. And it has wicking mesh to keep his back dry and comfy. It also has reflective strips on it for when it’s dark out.
We got this for him mostly because we want him to get used to carrying something on our outings. It’s also nice because he can drink whenever he wants and we don’t have to stop, take off our pack, unzip it and hand him his water bottle. I think it will help him stay better hydrated in the future.
At first I was frustrated that the Skeeter CamelBak didn’t have a sternum strap because I didn’t want it slipping off of his shoulders. But after going on a short hike this morning I realized it fits him just fine. No slipping, it’s fairly secure. Overall I like the new CamelBak, but don’t take my word for it…take his.
Me: “Corbin, do you like your new CamelBak?”
Corbin: “Yes, cause I love it. And I maybe can uh…uh….drink out of the hose. And I look like a hiking person.”
Me: “Is it heavy?”
Corbin: “No”
Me: “Does it make you tired”
Corbin: “No, when I’m sweating I get a drink out of the hose”
And there you have it from a freshly turned 4-year-old! I think Corbin’s older brother, Cru, will be getting a CamelBak for Christmas. I’m thinking I’ll get the larger capacity CamelBak for him however, the Mini-MULE, which has a waist and sternum strap. The Kelty Starfish is also a great option as a hydration pack for kids.
Hydration For Kids
One crucial aspect of hiking and enjoying time outside during the summer is staying hydrated. As a parent it’s important that we stay conscious of our children and the amount of liquids they are consuming. WebMD describes how kids are different than us adults when it comes to hydration, “Parents… should know that active children do not adjust to hot temperatures as well as adults. Their body surface, as a proportion of their overall weight, is much greater than an adult’s. So they produce more heat during physical activity and they sweat less than adults. This reduces their ability to get rid of body heat.”
One of my children will drink anything on the planet if it has some kind of color additive in it. But when it comes to clean and clear water he won’t swallow unless I’m hovering over him like a hawk. He has gotten better with time though and I think that has to do with the way we’ve learned to present it to him. We let him pick out his own water bottle from the store and then had him decorate it with stickers. That little bit of independence seemed to make him more excited to drink from his very own water bottle. Now when we go on hikes or to his baseball games he’s more willing to stop frequently and take a couple swallows.
We went and explored Goblin Valley in South East Utah this last summer. It is an amazing place that makes you feel as if you’re on another planet, with mushroom shaped sandstone scattering the landscape.
We were visiting in August! If you don’t already know it’s unbelievably hot there during this time of year. We decided to go during the cooler part of the day but it was still roasting. This was our setup…
It’s a good rule of thumb to take 16 floz. of water for each hour you plan to be outside in the heat. And that’s just per person. So as a family of five we had to organize ourselves a bit. We took our Kelty Kids pack that we carry our youngest child in. There is a built-in hydration reservoir on the pack which holds 70 floz. On this particular day we filled that reservoir and then we took another daypack, our favorite Lowe Alpine, which held two 32 oz. Nalgene water bottles, a Powerade, a first aid kit and snacks. So that was enough for us to stay out for about two hours. Also, waiting for us back at the car, we had two gallons of water. We try to always keep two gallons available in case of emergencies.
Watch for these signs of dehydration - dry mouth, tongue and lips, no tears when crying, sunken eyes and grayish skin, decreased urination, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, headache, fatigue, muscle cramps.
Other helpful hints
- Plan activities during the cooler part of the day.
- Have your children wear clothing made of a good wicking fabric that keeps them cool and doesn’t trap the heat.
- Kids can get the liquids they need from other things like popsicles, juice and fruit. Have them available for quick access.
Do you have any tips concerning hydration for kids?
Kid Powered Toys
Kids can accumulate toys really fast. After parents, grandparents and friends give birthday, Christmas and Easter gifts it’s hard to remember what came from who. And if your toys are like ours, they’re all running on semi-dead batteries, making that talking baby doll sound a bit like Barry White.
Well I came across these great toys called Sprig, by way of Treehuggingfamily.com. They’re not battery powered toys but kid powered, imagine that! The company describes their products like this, “kids power the fun which fuels their imagination! It’s where batteries stay out of landfills and kids get off the couch. …Active kids, happy parents, healthy planet.”
The line of toys include the Discover Rig, Rally Racer, Baja Scout and several little characters with headlamps that light up when put inside a vehicle.
Here are the main features of the toys:
- Push and pump action makes the lights and sounds work
- Made from recycled wood and reclaimed plastics
- Battery free (no more Barry White)
- Exapndable (mix different characters with different vehicles for new adventures)
I could totally see my boys outside in our gravel/dirt pit creating adventures for hours. I tried to get my hands on these early for my son’s birthday but no can do. They don’t come out until the Fall of this year. I’m so excited to see what else Sprig will come up with that encourages Nature For Kids.
Filed under education, equipment | Comment (1)Nalgene Water Bottles
When children play outside, usually the first necessity considered to bring along is a water bottle. With all of the talk about polycarbonate and other different types of plastics it leaves many parents wondering whether their child’s water bottle is safe.
Our three kids each have a Nalgene water bottle made of polycarbonate, which has a key element of a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA). It is said that BPA mimics the femal hormone estrogen and has been shown to cause defective cell division during development. Nalgene presents a wealth of information including the results of several studies done on this subject on their site. It’s really worth checking out if you have any questions.
Nalgene and many other manufacturers have decided to discontinue their polycarbonate bottles. At first I thought it was because they believed them to be harmful. But as I read into it further they are simply doing it because consumer demand is weakening for that product.
Nalgene says they have reviewed the studies and tests done by several agencies, administrations and councils and they claim to have proven BPA to be safe. These studies can be found on the site I linked to above as well. To keep in step with what consumers are seeking Nalgene has decided to transition from polycarbonate to Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, a BPA free alternative.
Overall the studies say that the amount of BPA leaching into the liquid inside a polycarbonate bottle is so minimal that there is no risk involved. As a parent it’s comforting to hear that statement ”no risk involved”, but the idea of even a minimal amount going into your child’s body is somewhat unsettling.
So it seems our choices when coming to polycarbonate water bottles are either over cautious parent or trusting consumer. Which one are you?
Find BPA-Free Water Bottles at REI
Containerized Kids
When you begin having children, the space in your home decreases because of a variety of baby furniture that’s been added. You have the swing, high chair, crib, pod, bouncer and the walker. And that’s just for inside. When taking kids out and about you have a stroller, bike trailer, backpack, sling and car seats.
This is the array of baby furniture we’ve accumulated over the past 7 years.
While raising my three kids thus far I have often thought about all the different items I set them in and how personally immobile they are, with the exception of the walker. I always tried to come up with a word to describe it and not until recently have I been able to do that. As I was reading Richard Louv’s book ”Last Child in the Woods” I came across the phrase “containerized kids“.
“One U.S. researcher suggests that a generation of children is not only being raised indoors, but is being confined to even smaller spaces. Jane Clark, a University of Maryland professor of kinesiology (the study of human movement), calls them “containerized kids” - they spend more and more time in car seats, high chairs, and even baby seats for watching TV. When small children do go outside, they’re often placed in containers - strollers- and pushed by walking or jogging parents.”
I love the ability to bring my children along with me where ever I go and I enjoy seeing them be a little more independent swinging, sitting up and bouncing in the door way. But I do realize that confining them to a small space may not be the best thing for them.
With that said, I hope we can all realize the importance of getting these little tots outside and letting them, for example, walk the last 100 yards home after riding in the stroller or army crawl as far as they can across the grass.
Any other suggestions? Leave a comment.
Kelty Duo Bin
Yesterday we went up our nearest canyon and had some rock-climbing and campfire fun with some friends. We each brought our own food to prepare over the cook stove and fire. As I grabbed my two limp grocery sacks filled with a conglomerate of food items I remembered why I wanted to purchase the Kelty Duo Bin. Later as I was cooking our dinner and the contents of the bags were spilling out onto the dirt, my previous thought sank in a little deeper…”we really need to get that Ketly Duo Bin”.
What is the Kelty Duo Bin? And “why” you may ask, do I want one so badly? Well I’ll tell you.
The Kelty Duo Bin was created to help keep camp food organized and make preparing food in the outdoors easier. It allows you to store dry and cold food items in the same unit. It also has an expandable wind resistant workspace you can use when you pull the two compartments apart. Which is always nice when your only other option is …well dirt! It’s freestanding and stackable so throwing it in the back of the car isn’t a problem. Here’s a recent review I found that’s entitled “a must have for every family”. Be sure to scroll down and click on customer reviews.
I have the Kelty Duo Bin available at the Nature For Kids Outdoor Store but I have to tell you, I found the best price at Kittery Trading Post. It’s nearly $20 cheaper and free shipping.
In my opinion it’s a must have when trying to feed a hungry family that’s been playing outside all day together. And it’s a unique gift idea for those who appreciate a yummy meal prepared outdoors. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge…My birthdays coming up Honey 
Tell Nature For Kids what piece of outdoor equipment you can’t live without.
Rock Climbing Toddler
Over the weekend at Nature For Kids a question was asked by Rebecca regarding her rock climbing toddler and the post Rock Climbing With Kids.
“We have a 23 month old daughter who loves the rock wall at the YMCA, up until last week she just went up about a foot or so (the bottom “rock”) and came back down. This week she has started really climbing, to the point she is almost over my head. We have to find a good harness for her since they don’t have them that small at the Y. We don’t mind at all buying her one ourselves. We don’t want to stop her in any way! I just don’t know one that is small enough for her little body. Is there a particular brand that you have found works with your little ones?”
Rebecca got me curious. So I went out and shuffled through our climbing equipment and decided to try our full body harness on my 20-month-old. Something I hadn’t done yet because I just assumed it was too large for her. It is made by Rock Empire and is called the Apache. To my surprise it fit her quite well.
There is a little gaping above her legs and chest but not enough to have her slip out. The point where the rope attaches to the harness sits high enough that I don’t think she would flip upside down. Toddlers are prone to be top heavy though so always be cautious.
When our oldest child first started climbing we tied a harness for him out of pieces of webbing. It served it’s purpose but was time consuming and not as comfortable as a harness. So I would recommend buying a harness, especially if you have more than one child. Harnesses allow you to quickly release and tighten straps for the optimum fit.
Most full body children’s harnesses are made for 4 to 9 year-olds so look at the harness description closely before purchasing anything. Better yet, try it on your child first.
Thanks Rebecca for giving me the opportunity to realize our harness fits our little rock-climbing toddler. I’m sure she’ll be very thankful too…no more sitting by and watching her brothers have all the fun!
Filed under equipment, rock climbing | Comment (0)
Forum
Watch Out! The Nature For Kids outdoor Forum is now fully operational. It’s a great place to share and recieve information. Login to share directions to a specific place you’ve explored, discuss gear you like or dislike, find out more about a specific outdoor activity or just to converse with people like you…people who make nature a priority for kids and themselves! We’re hoping that over the next few months we can have a good crowd gathered, so spread the word!
Subscribe in a reader
