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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    10 Kid Friendly Adventures in NW Arkansas

    • March 13, 2023

    Northwest Arkansas is an amazing destination for families. The area (consisting of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, and the surrounding area) is packed with lakes, rivers, hiking and biking trails, parks, and other fantastic recreation areas for families. Today, Executive Team member and Arkansas mom of two, Nichole Holze, is here sharing her family’s favorite kid-friendly adventures […]

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  • FAMILY TRAVEL, HIKE, LOCAL GEMS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Best Hikes for Kids in Central Europe

    • March 6, 2023
    Best hikes With kids

    With the weather getting warmer and thoughts of vacation on everyone’s mind, we’re in the mood to explore! If Europe is on your bucket list for exploring, then it’s your lucky day! While most people may think that Europe is mainly just big historic cities and stuffy museums, that’s not the case. Europe is filled […]

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  • BEACH, CRAFTS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Seashell Crafts for Kids

    • February 24, 2023

    Seashells are nature’s treasures, and they’re so much fun to use in crafts and projects. Today, Lea Reynolds, Florida mom of two, is here sharing three fun and easy seashell crafts for kids. Not only will hunting for seashells get your kids outside and on the beach for hours, but the colorful shells will help […]

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  • FAMILY TRAVEL, INFORMATION, LOCAL GEMS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK

    Best Parks in San Diego

    • February 22, 2023

    Being active outdoors doesn’t have to be complicated or require a lot of gear or planning – it can be as easy as exploring a local park or playground with your kids. Checking out a new park allows parents and kids to be adventurous, without needing to leave the city or spend a lot of […]

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  • BIKE, FAVORITE GEAR, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Mountain Biking Basics & the Best Mountain Bikes for Kids

    • February 15, 2023
    Kid riding a mountain bike

    Mountain biking is a great way to get kids outside, active, and taking healthy risks. Mountain biking has become a very popular sport, which can be done nearly anywhere. Today, Michelle Garret, California mom and founder of Wonder Club Explorers, is here with all the basic info you need to know to get started mountain […]

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  • BEACH, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK, PRINTABLES, SPRING, SUMMER, URBAN NATURE, WINTER

    Free Outdoor Scavenger Hunts for Kids

    • February 8, 2023

    As a mom to young children, I have always looked for quick and simple activities that keep my kids engaged, occupied, and moving. Scavenger hunts are an excellent activity for kids of all ages, are low-cost or even free, and include items you can already find in your home or backyard! Today, Lissy Perna, founder […]

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  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PHOTOGRAPHY, URBAN NATURE

    Hearts in the Wild Project

    • February 1, 2023

    Hearts in the Wild Project Run Wild My Child is hosting a fundraiser and awareness campaign we’re calling “Hearts in the Wild” for children born with congenital heart defects (“CHD”). During the month of February (“Heart Month”), we are asking families to get outside and find heart-shaped objects in nature. Post them to your social […]

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  • FAMILY TRAVEL, LOCAL GEMS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK, URBAN NATURE

    20+ Best Outdoor Kids Activities in Chicago

    • January 23, 2023

    Chicago may be known for its big city attractions, but there is plenty to do outdoors in this lovely Midwestern city, too! From exploring the shore of Lake Michigan to biking through the many parks and gardens, Chicago offers something for outdoor lovers of all ages. Today, long-time Chicago resident and mom of two, Tiana […]

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  • ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, BEACH, FAMILY TRAVEL, FISH, INFORMATION, LOCAL GEMS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Outdoor Adventures in Destin-Fort Walton Beach with Kids

    • January 12, 2023

    It’s no secret that we love showcasing fun and unique outdoor adventure destinations and locations here at RWMC. We often write about the importance of adventuring together as a family and how much that benefits everyone and solidifies family bonds. But even better than writing about it is getting to experience those bonding moments with […]

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  • CANOE/KAYAK, FAMILY TRAVEL, HIKE, LOCAL GEMS, NATIONAL PARKS

    Exploring the Ozark Scenic Riverways with Kids

    • January 8, 2023

    The Ozark Scenic Riverways is a hidden jewel of the National Park system tucked along the backroads of southern Missouri. When this park was established in 1964, it became the first federally protected river system and provided the inspiration for the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. While this region may be more […]

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  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER

    100+ Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids

    • January 6, 2023

    Brrrr! It’s cold and snowy outside, so that means one thing…winter is officially here! The short days and cold weather usually mean that kids aren’t spending as much time outside. We’re hoping to change that! Kids need time outside in the winter, just as much as they do in the summer. Time spent outdoors during […]

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  • FAMILY TRAVEL, NATIONAL PARKS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    10 Ideas for Outdoor Family Vacations & Adventure

    • December 23, 2022
    two kids at the trail sign for Oooh Ahh point in the Grand Canyon National Park

    If you’re looking to bond with your family and have amazing outdoor adventures together, where should you go for the best family vacation? Here at Run Wild My Child, we get asked about outdoor family adventure travel a lot! And we have a lot of ideas on how to plan the perfect adventure for your […]

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  • FAVORITE GEAR, GIFT GUIDE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK

    Best Outdoor Swings For Kids

    • December 8, 2022
    Ground up point of view of child swinging

    From simple and small to complex and engaging, there are so many options out there for kids’ swings. However, not all swings are equal and there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a swing for your kids. Finding the best outdoor swing for kids can be challenging. Luckily for us, Illinois mom […]

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  • CANOE/KAYAK, FAVORITE GEAR, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Tips for Kayaking with Kids & the Best Kids’ Kayak

    • November 29, 2022

    If your kids love the water as much as mine do, a kayak is a great addition to your outdoor adventure gear. Not only are kayaks easy for kids to use, but they’re also a great way to get outside and explore! Whether you’re kayaking on a lake, pond, river, bay, or open ocean, kayaking […]

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  • GIFT GUIDE, HOLIDAYS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Best Outdoor Toys for Boys & Girls

    • November 22, 2022

    We all know how good outdoor playtime is for kids. Running, jumping, swinging, throwing, and especially using their creativity and imagination are imperative for their physical and mental development. Outdoor toys can spark their imagination and get them excited to play. Also, we all want to get them off cell phones and cut back the […]

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🌿 Helping busy families connect through OUTDOOR activities, adventures & travel!
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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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