Five Tips For Making Your Family Outdoor Enthusiasts
The weather will soon be turning and as a result people will start thinking about getting outside more and more. That makes this a perfect time to begin creating a plan for teaching your kids (of any age) the joys and benefits of spending time exploring the outdoors. We live in an amazing area, filled with so many options, that it's possible for parents and kids of all fitness and comfort levels to find something they can do together...and enjoy it! A lot of people get overwhelmed even thinking about taking their kids on a nature walk, hiking, biking, whatever the activity may be, and that is totally understandable. It's hard enough preparing ourselves for an adventure, let alone a tiny person with a short attention span and lots of needs! Here are 5 great tips and some ideas to go along with them, that will help make outdoor time fun and (almost) hassle free.
1) Be Prepared! This seems so obvious, but I can't stress it enough. The key to a wonderful and memorable (for all the right reasons) excursion is anticipating where the problems may occur and making sure you have all the necessities to nip them in the bud. Always check and double check the weather and be sure to pack extra layers, rain gear or a change of clothes. Snacks are KEY! Stopping frequently and taking a snack or water break will ensure that your day isn't cut short. It's amazing what a little food will do for a child's mood.
2) Start small. If you want to spend a lot of happy years getting outside with your kids camping, hiking, skiing, all of it, be sure to start small and build a solid foundation. It can take some time to get everyone up to speed, but patience is the key. Put in the time early on, and build the confidence and skills your kids need to take exploring to the next level, and you will reap the rewards. Maybe camp out in the backyard at first to get the kids comfortable with the set up, sounds and sleeping on the ground. A hike can start in a local park or forest; exploring the woods around your home or town; or marching along the beach or a pond or lake. Doing it frequently will make it a regular and comfortable part of your day-to-day life.
3) Make your time outside a game. We all know kids love to play. It's how they learn and what makes them joyful and attentive. Get them in tune with their surroundings by creating a game while you are spending time outside. Bring along some bubbles, play hide and seek, climb a tree. We loved scavenger hunts because you can do them anywhere with no "tools" at all. When our girls were little we spent hours in our backyard collecting different looking mushrooms. Sounds boring, but after a damp spell we came up with over 70! We laid them all out on the picnic table, and examined them picking the biggest, smallest, most colorful, silliest... any category we could think of. When we were done we made a small photo album that we still have to this day, and a lot of great memories to boot!
4) Get advice and tips from other outdoor families. These days sharing information is so easy, literally a click away. Before you start an adventure do your homework. Check online information and parent reviews. See what they say about terrain, time involved, amenities. What their successes and failures were so you can adjust accordingly. I have found three podcasts that are a HUGE wealth of information regarding outdoor family adventures. They are full of information,interviews with other outdoor enthusiasts, trials and tribulations, common mistakes, keys to success and lots of honesty. If you are looking to "up" your game (or start one) as a family of nature enthusiasts give a listen to: Outdoorsy Families, 1000 Hours Outside, and Kids Who Explore. They also have websites if that is more your speed.
5) Teach new skills. As I said earlier, kids love to play and in playing they learn. Use your outdoor time to teach them skills that will make them independent and capable outdoorsy people. Teach the importance of preparation, and packing food for energy and clothes for protection against the weather. Show them how to set up the tent and campsite and, as they grow older, how to collect wood and light a fire. Make them carry their own equipment (obviously age appropriate) when heading to the ski mountain and the importance of being a responsible and controlled skier. Explain the way a chain works on a bike and how to fix it if it falls off. Teach them how to read a map and be aware of their surroundings. Every little thing you teach your kids will find a place to live in their brain and help them to use those skills once they are adults and doing these things, hopefully, on their own with friends and eventually their own families.
Remember: The goal is to spend time together and to exercise our brains and bodies while exploring all of the wonders around us. There will be moments that aren't great, but having the tools to turn those times around will make them few and far between. Kids rebound quickly! Have patience and use diversions to get them out of their "funk". Do your homework before you head out and you will have endless hours of wonderful time together, I promise. So lace up those shoes, pack that bag, and get outside! Your family will thank you.