RUN WILD MY CHILD

Reconnecting families through outdoor activities and adventures.

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Getting Families Outside, One Adventure at a Time

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  • CRAFTS, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, URBAN NATURE

    Plein Air Painting With Kids

    • May 2, 2022
    plein air painting rustic easel

    As the weather warms up, we start looking for any excuse to take our everyday activities outside. We love having dinner outside, reading outside, and playing games outdoors. Taking art and crafts outside is another fun way to maximize your outdoor hours while doing something fun and productive. Today, Michelle Garret, California mom and founder […]

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  • BEACH, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, SUMMER, WATER

    How to Get Started Skimboarding With Kids

    • April 21, 2022
    boy and girl skim boarding

    Skimboarding is a fun, active, and affordable way to keep your kids entertained on the beach. Skimboarding is gaining in popularity, and for a good reason. It’s a safe way to introduce your kids to the ocean, challenge their abilities, boost their confidence, and let them have fun! Today, Wendy Cox, photographer and California mom […]

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  • FAVORITE GEAR, GIFT GUIDE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Best Outdoor Toys for Kids

    • April 18, 2022

    Kids (and adults) need fresh air, sunshine, and time outdoors to play and recharge, but outdoor adventures don’t have to be far from home. Outdoor spaces like your own backyard can easily be turned into super fun play areas for kids with a few of these awesome outdoor toys, playsets, games, activities, and more. We […]

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  • OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, RECIPES, SPRING

    Wild Violet Foraging with Kids & Color-Changing Simple Syrup

    • April 14, 2022
    Boy in yellow holding violets

    Wild violets are one of the very first sure signs of spring and the warmth it brings. Seeing that first colorful sign of spring after a long cold winter is such a happy sight. While most people may consider violets as a pesky weed that commonly grows in yards, we’re here to change your mind. […]

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  • BIKE, FAVORITE GEAR, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Best Balance Bikes for Kids

    • April 12, 2022
    best balance bikes for toddlers

    Learning to ride a bike is all about good balance and coordination. Developing these skills is the key to getting a child to learn to ride a bike safely and quickly. Balance bikes are great for young kids just starting to learn how to ride a bike. Today, we’re talking all things balance bikes – […]

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  • BIKE, FAVORITE GEAR, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Make Biking Fun: 30+ Accessories for Kids’ Bikes

    • April 8, 2022

    Biking is a fun outdoor activity for kids and a great way to get kids active and support their independence. Riding a bike is also a great way to teach your child about their surroundings and make them more mindful of their neighborhood and location. If you want to take your biking fun to the […]

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  • CRAFTS, GARDENING, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING

    100+ Spring Outdoor Activities for Kids

    • April 4, 2022

    Spring is in the air! I’m so excited to officially welcome you to the season of green and growth! As the weather warms back up and the sun stays up later, it’s the perfect time to get those kids outside. After a long winter with bitterly cold temperatures and lots of time spent inside, we […]

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  • CRAFTS, HOLIDAYS, RECIPES

    Easter Nature Crafts for Kids

    • March 29, 2022

    Spring is officially here! And what a better way to enjoy the fresh air, sunshine, and warmer temperatures that spring brings than by getting outside and collecting some nature treasures! What you do with your nature treasures is up to you, but we have some fun ideas! Today, Hannah Martin, UK mom and co-host of […]

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  • FAVORITE GEAR, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR SCHOOLS

    Demystifying Outdoor Schools: The Next Big Thing in Early Childhood Education

    • March 22, 2022

    Outdoor schools are gaining in popularity and sprouting up across the US and Canada. Now more than ever, parents realize the benefits and importance of their kids spending time outside, in the natural world, and learning through hands-on nature-based education. But, what exactly is an outdoor school, where do you find one, and what do […]

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  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PHOTOGRAPHY

    The Importance of Storytelling with Photos

    • March 17, 2022
    Two children in face masks in New Orleans

    Capturing your family’s special moments (big and small) through photography is one of my biggest passions. Not many things make me happier (or more nostalgic) that looking at the photos of the trips, adventures, and outings we took together as family. The moments pass so quickly, but the photos will last a lifetime. Today, Chicago […]

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  • GEOCACHING, HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK

    Spice Up Your Family Hikes with Geocaching

    • March 15, 2022
    geocaching etiquette

    Do your kids moan and groan when you mention hiking? Are they bored with the same trails? Do they like finding real-life treasure? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we’ve got a fun activity for you! Geocaching is a real-life treasure hunt that you can do nearly anywhere (including on your favorite […]

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  • CHALLENGE, FALL, HOLIDAYS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PHOTOGRAPHY, SPRING, SUMMER

    How to Successfully Complete a Seasonal Spot Photography Project

    • March 10, 2022
    seasonal spot photo project

    You probably already know by now, but we’re pretty obsessed with photos here at Run Wild My Child. We know a photograph is more than a pretty picture – it’s a snapshot in time. Photography is a way to capture a moment in our children’s lives, a glimpse into the past, a fleeting memory forever […]

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  • OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, TEENS

    Finding Balance Between Organized Sports and Free Play for Kids

    • March 8, 2022
    high school baseball team lined up prior to the start of the game

    As our kids get older and start showing an interest in organized sports, many families struggle with finding balance. Organized sports have many positive attributes and benefits for kids. But, they are also a time commitment that can take away from time spent outdoors or with family. Today, Jen Barnes, South Carolina mom of three […]

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  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Mental Health and Parenting Outdoors

    • February 11, 2022

    Parenting today is hard. Parents are feeling the weight of the world on them and every decision feels monumental. Stress and anxiety have been piling on top of parents over the last couple of years and we’ve been operating in survival mode, not taking care of ourselves as we should. We all know the benefits […]

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  • LESSONS, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WATER

    Skipping Stones with Kids: How to Skip Rocks and the Science Behind It

    • February 1, 2022

    Skipping stones is a super fun and easy outdoor activity for kids of all ages. It’s also a great way to begin teaching kids about physics and the science behind bouncing rocks on water! Today, Michelle Garrett, California mom and founder of Wonder Club Explorers is here with all the info you need to know […]

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🌿 Helping busy families connect through OUTDOOR activities, adventures & travel!
☀️ Tag #RunWildMyChild
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You don’t have to look like the internet’s version You don’t have to look like the internet’s version of “outdoorsy.”

You don’t have to homeschool.
You don’t have to camp.
You don’t have to live near mountains.
You don’t have to own expensive gear.

You can work full time.
You can love sports.
You can live in the suburbs.
You can hate bugs.

If you’re getting your kids outside in a way that works for your real life, you’re doing it right.

The outdoors is not exclusive.

It’s available.

Share this with an “outdoor mom” who needs to hear this and let her know she’s crushing it!!
Most nights I fall into bed completely spent... O Most nights I fall into bed completely spent...

Overstimulated.
Touched out.
Behind on laundry.
Sunburnt with bug bites.

I am tired.

But it’s the kind of tired that comes from full days.
From kids who ran hard.
From fresh air and late sunsets.
From trying.

And then I remember; there was a version of me who wanted this life so badly.

The kids.
The noise.
The chaos.
The responsibility.

What a privilege to be tired from the very life I once prayed for.

If you’re exhausted tonight, you’re not failing. 

You’re living.

📸 credit: @mrs.st.clair
We’re not raising bubble-wrapped kids. We’re rais We’re not raising bubble-wrapped kids.

We’re raising capable ones. Confident ones. 

Kids who know how to handle a little risk.
Who get dirty.
Who try, fail, adjust, and try again.
Who feel the heat of a flame and learn to respect it — not fear it.

At Run Wild My Child, we believe childhood should feel like childhood.

Less hovering.
More exploring.
Less scrolling.
More doing.

Not reckless.
Not careless.

Just brave enough to let them grow.

If that’s your vibe, welcome. 🌿
If your kids hate hiking… hi. 👋 Same. I cannot s If your kids hate hiking… hi. 👋 Same. 

I cannot say “let’s go for a hike” in my house without at least one child acting like I’ve suggested a 12-mile forced march across the tundra.

Immediate whining and collapsing onto the floor, refusing to leave the house.

And honestly...I kind of get it.

A “scenic 2.8-mile woodland loop” is just not a compelling pitch to a 9-year-old.

Kids don’t hate nature. They hate boring.

So I stopped selling hiking.

Instead, we take a nature walk to a creek, go looking for waterfalls, explore the woods looking for rocks to climb, etc. 

We add missions, ask crazy questions, look for geocaches, hunt for treasures.
We let them lead.
We keep it shorter than we think we should.
Sometimes we bail early.

And sometimes… we just don’t hike.

We bike.
We fish.
We explore.
We sit by water and throw rocks for 45 minutes.

Raising outside kids doesn’t mean raising trail-loving robots. Once we’re out on the trail, they always end up having a great time, but sometimes I don’t want to deal with the effort required to get them there.

If hiking isn’t working right now, that’s ok. Change the destination. Lower the mileage. Add water. Add purpose. Call it something else. Or do something else entirely!

You’re not failing if your kids hate hiking. My guess is that they’ll come around someday (check back in with me in 10-15 years). 

Tell me... are your kids HIKERS or HATERS?
Your April doesn’t need to be jam-packed. It just Your April doesn’t need to be jam-packed. It just needs a little planning and thoughtful intention.

Every spring I see moms try to “do it all.” The festivals. The sports. The Pinterest crafts. The garden. The big trips.

Ideas are great, but what you really need is a plan to do just a few things and commit.

A few water days.
One memory-maker.
Short easy resets.
Age-appropriate adventures.

That’s how spring starts to feel meaningful instead of chaotic.

If this kind of seasonal planning helps you, this is exactly how we approach every issue of the magazine — realistic rhythms, not overwhelm. 

The Spring issue leans hard into that and is filled with “close-to-home” adventures and how to root your kids in nature. 

But for now, let’s start with one thing this week…

What’s going on your April calendar first? 🌷
Getting outside with kids takes effort. It takes i Getting outside with kids takes effort.
It takes intention.
It takes sacrifice.
It takes choosing it, over and over again.

And if you’re doing that...even a little bit? You’re doing something really special.

Because raising kids who love the outdoors isn’t about big trips or national parks or camping weekends.

It’s about the small, consistent choices you make on the days you don’t feel like it.

It’s the walk you almost skipped.
The park stop on a busy afternoon.
The “just 10 minutes” that turns into something more.

So if no one’s told you lately— you’re doing better than you think.

Keep going. 🌿 We’re here to help.

Be honest…how many times have you wanted to stay inside this week instead of going out?
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RUN WILD MY CHILD

Helping you raise confident, curious, capable kids… one outdoor adventure at a time.

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