SPRING

FALL, GOOD FOR NATURE, HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER
How to Have Adventure Days with Kids
- October 1, 2021
Connecting with our children isn’t always easy. Finding the time for special adventure outings can be even more of a challenge. Life is busy and, as we all know, life with children is even busier. But, what if we told you that elaborate adventures aren’t necessary? Getting outside with your kids doesn’t have to be a challenge. You just need some simple ideas and an adventurous mindset! Today, Angie Mahlke, photographer and Minnesota mom of three, shares all about how to begin and plan simple, connection-building adventure days with kids. Get ready to turn your simple outings into big adventures!

Adventure days with kids

When I became a professional stay-at-home-mom over a decade ago, I didn’t realize the job position really translated to Chief Entertainment Coordinator. We’ve all heard the dreaded “I’m bored” whine enough times to evoke a Pavlovian response to the statement. Over the years I’ve created tricks out of necessity to survive the long days. One of them is to take a seemingly mundane activity and wrap it up in a pretty package presented as an Adventure Day. Today, I am going to share this mom hack with you to get you outside adventuring with your children.

How our adventure days started

What sprouted out of COVID restrictions turned into a new beloved tradition. Because things were canceled or changed to accommodate safety concerns, my daughter and I found ourselves bored at home. A lot. There was no more storytime at the library or mommy and me classes at the school. No more dressing up in leotards and tutus for dance class. No museums to explore, shopping trips, or indoor activities.

What we did have was the great outdoors.

We decided to embrace it. I started by making a comprehensive list on my phone of all the free or relatively inexpensive outdoor things to do in our area. Some were big, some were small. Some were locations and others were activities. I included places nearby and a few that were a bit farther out. Lots and lots of opens.

I decided we would cycle through them to entertain ourselves. Each day that we needed an activity, we’d pick one from the list. I called them Adventure Days.

(I also instituted Adventure Days this summer when all my children were home from school. Summer days have the potential to feel long and tedious without new and fun things to explore.)

Creating adventure days with kids

The activities themselves are rarely anything overly special or glamorous. But by simply giving it a special title of “Adventure Days,” the outing suddenly seems more exciting. My kids may not get all that excited about going on a hike. But, tell them we’re going on a grand ADVENTURE and they’re all in!

Plus, the label is also a cue to me that I should be fully present. On Adventure Days, I put the phone away. Work gets paused. They get my attention. I truly exist in the moment with my children, which means more to them than I ever expected.

If I had to wager a bet, I’d say the Adventure Days with my kids became more special because of the undivided attention that was given to them, not so much the activity we are doing together. Kids crave attention from their parents and being fully present for our adventures made them ten times as special for all of us.

Simple and intentional activities

So what do these outings look like? Simple. They look simple.

We often think our adventures must be grand affairs. I know I’m guilty of this. An outing doesn’t have to be EPIC to be an adventure. It is something I’ve had to train my brain to relearn. We worry our children will be bored unless it’s expensive and extensive. But that’s so not true. I promise.

Small things can make a big impact. Especially when they’re done with love and intention. The whole “less is more” mindset is accurate when planning daily or weekly activities with your children. A lot of it lies in the presentation and the delivery.

If you’re attentive and enjoying the experience, your child will follow your lead. (Did you hear that…YOU have to be having fun.) I know it’s a taller order than that. We’re busy and distracted as we juggle all the things. I’m right there with you.

I can say, though, I am grateful for those few hours during our Adventure Days when I sign off and truly tune into the present moment. It takes some practice. Give yourself grace for the times you’re distracted. Children innately know how to have fun. Adults need to relearn it sometimes.

Adventure day activities

Here are some simple ideas to illustrate the simplicity and connection building of Adventure Days with kids:
- Bike rides into town to buy a treat at the gas station and play at the nearby playground.
- Throwing rocks into the river.
- Filling a bucket with nature treasures (rocks, leaves, flowers, pinecones, etc.).
- Hiking a new trail.
- Exploring a new park or playground and creating a park tour guidebook together.
- Riding bikes or walking to a dinner or lunch date.
- Enjoying warm tea or hot chocolate and a book while on a hike.
- Taking the dog to the dog park.
- Ice cream dates.
- Picking wildflowers.
- Finding a tree to climb.
Low maintenance, low-cost activities mean a lot

Your adventures don’t have to cost a lot of money (or any money), don’t need a lot of planning, and don’t require any fancy gear. Some of our favorite Adventure Days are the ones that came up naturally when I said YES to adventure and exploration.

An Adventure Day that sticks out in my mind is a scooter ride along a Mississippi bike path one spring day. We discovered puddles along the way and stopped often for my daughter to splash with her new rain boots. She also befriended many dogs that day.

The outing cost zero dollars. The bike path was close to home. It was convenient and free and simple. But, it was so much fun! It just took both of us saying yes to adventure and making the time to get outside.

How to have successful adventure days

Your Adventure Days will be more successful if you typically keep them small and simple. They’re easier to manage and less stressful. This often means staying close to home and choosing free activities.

It’s important to keep realistic expectations. Oftentimes we are disappointed when plans don’t go as anticipated. We all know children are infamous for throwing wrenches in plans. Keep an open mind and be ready to veer when necessary.

A lot of factors can determine the day’s outcome: weather, moods, temperaments, hunger, health, etc. Prepare for as many scenarios as possible to keep the day on track. Here are a couple of ideas that may help your Adventure Day be successful:
- Bring snacks. Lots and lots of snacks.
- Wear appropriate clothing.
- Dressing in layers is always a good idea.
- Bring extra clothing if your activity is messy or maybe always have spare clothing since children enjoy full sensory exploration.
- Plan the outing for a time of day where your children are ready to play versus when they’re hungry and tired.
- Put your phone down/away.
- Say yes to things you maybe usually don’t say yet to on Adventure Days (e.g. puddle jumping, getting dirty, ice cream, etc.).
How to prepare for adventure

Another tip I’ve learned over the years is to prep as much as you can the night before. Set out clothes. Pack up snacks. Get water bottles ready. Also, don’t forget to talk to your children about your plans. I find things run smoother when my kids know what to expect. Then remind them again in the car or on the walk to your destination.

Most importantly: let it be fun!

This seems so simple, yet it’s the hardest one for me. When the whining and bickering set in, an alarm in my brain automatically blares at me to jump ship. We can’t control every scenario in every situation. Kids are hard-wired to react to unpleasantries (hunger, irritability, bugs, weather, etc.). Sometimes all it takes is a moment to hit the hypothetical reset button to reframe the activity in a way that everyone can enjoy.

And sometimes things will go wrong. You’ll get lost, you’ll forget something, you’ll get somewhere only to find it closed. Don’t worry about it! Sometimes, those misadventures are the ones that make the best stories and memories! Try to turn it into a positive experience and you’ll be laughing about it for years!

When to spice things up

I’ve been preaching simple, but some days can be grand! Throw in a more elaborate one from time to time. Mixing in some extraordinary with the ordinary can spice it up every so often.

Travel a little further from home once a month, once a season, or however often you feel is manageable. Research nearby cities for free or cheap things to do. Explore new parks, find nature centers, check out orchards or new hikes.

We give these Adventure Days a special title of Field Trip. They are typically educational in nature, so the title is appropriate.

The small zoo near us is a favorite. It’s an hour away (but, as a bonus, it’s free!). The drive adds a level of anticipation that makes it feel bigger than it truly is.

Occasionally, changing your scenery is key. A playground 45 minutes away is more exciting than the playground two blocks from your house that you frequent regularly. The hiking trail you visit sporadically is bound to entertain your children longer than the one you walk often. A new (to them) creek may provide hours of entertainment as they explore.

How to get started with adventure days

Now that you’ve heard the benefits of Adventure Days, how can you get started?
- Create a running list of possible things to do in your area. Continue to jot ideas down as you discover or think of them. Make sure there’s a little bit of something for everyone and a wide variety of big and small, near and far.
- Scour your area for things to do near you. Facebook community groups are a great resource. Your local library may have programs or information on area activities. Don’t discount word of mouth. Ask other families where they like to adventure.
- Explore. Sometimes you wander upon hidden gems, like trails or creeks or a neighborhood playground you never knew existed. When you’re driving, take note of “brown signs” in your area, which usually denote unique hidden-gem destinations.
Incorporating the seasons

It’s also fun to incorporate the seasons into your Adventure Days. Find a hiking trail or park that has obvious seasonal changes. Make it a point to return to that spot season-after-season and note the differences each time you visit. How have things changed? Every outing is an opportunity for learning.

You can also use the seasons to brainstorm ideas. Each season has its own built-in activities. Find an epic sledding hill in the winter. Go berry picking in the spring. Discover a small town festival in the summer. Visit a pumpkin patch in the fall.

Creating multiple activities from one

Want in on a little secret? You can stretch one activity into multiple ones. Want to find out how? Here are a few examples.

Go on a leaf hunt in the fall to find as many different colors and kinds of leaves as you can. You can collect the leaves to use for other purposes later, like a leaf crown or a leaf collage. One of our favorites is to make leaf monsters by gluing leaves onto a piece of paper, adding googly eyes, and drawing arms and legs. This is a great way to turn one activity into several.

Another example of creating multiple activities from one is with rocks. One day go on an adventure to find unique rocks. Then another day you can set up a painting station on your driveway and decorate them however you want. Create rock animals or transform them into pretty flowers—you name it! Then yet another day, set out in your neighborhood to hide the rocks for others to discover.

Hit up a farm or orchard to pick fruit, veggies, or wildflowers. Once you’re home, turn the fruits and veggies into tasty treats together. Or make little bouquets, corsages, or bookmarks with the flowers.

Can you think of any other activities that can be multiplied into more fun for later?

Adventure Day ideas

If you’re stuck thinking of Adventure Day ideas, I created a list to get you started. I have them organized by categories: your simple, everyday ones; seasonal; and the grander affairs I like to call Field Trips.

Simple
- Skipping rocks
- Scavenger hunt
- Nature bingo
- Neighborhood bike ride
- Parking lot scooter races
- Homemade obstacle courses
- Hiking trails
- Stick fort building
- Rock hunting
- Floor is lava at random locations
- Kite flying
- Informal sports games (tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball, etc)
- Dog park
- New playgrounds
Seasonal
- Berry picking
- Pick your own flower farm
- Puddle splashing
- Dandelion wishes
- Splash pad
- Swimming pool
- Beach
- Fishing
- Bug/frog catch and release
- Parade
- Wildflower bouquets
- Apple orchard
- Leaf pile jumping
- Corn maze
- Pumpkin patch
- Leaf collecting
- Sledding
- Snowman building
- Ice castles
- Snowshoe hikes
- Skiing
Field trips
- State park
- Nature center
- Zoo
- Farmer’s markets
- Museum
- Botanical garden
- Golfing (mini golf, disc golf)
- County fair
- Festivals
Don’t forget to include your children while brainstorming. Sometimes they come up with the best ideas! Now get outside and start adventuring with your children!

Who do you think will enjoy the Adventure Days more, you or your children?

About the author

Angie is a wife and stay-at-home-mom of three wild hyenas. She resides in rural Minnesota, where there are more cows and cornfields than people. She is an introvert with a creative itch that needs to be scratched, whether it is photographing her children in their daily lives or coming up with fun ways to explore nature in their backyard. Messy hair, dirty faces, mismatched clothing, wild and free children—all these things fuel her creativity and the desire to preserve these fleeting moments. Angie and her family can be found camping, biking, and sitting around a campfire during the summer months and sledding and ice fishing in a million layers during the winter.

You can find Angie online in the following locations:
Instagram: @angie_mahlke
RWMC posts: Angie Mahlke
CRAFTS, HIKE, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, RECIPES, SPRING
How to Make Foraged Tree Tip Syrup with Kids
- September 13, 2021
Are you curious about foraging? Have you ever made anything edible with foraged materials you found in nature? Well, today’s post just may inspire you to get outside with your kids, collect a simple item from nature and then take it home to create a delicious simple syrup. Today, Sarah Warburton, photographer and mom of 2 living in the Swiss Alps, is here sharing advice on how to collect fir tree tips and make a forage tree tip syrup with your kids. She’s included the recipe, plus everything you need to know to get started on your foraging adventure!

Foraged tree tip syrup

If, like me, you like to find simple but fun activities to motivate your kids to go hiking, then this tree tip syrup is for you! From foraging the fresh spring growth of fir, spruce or pine trees to making the syrup, the process is so easy that kids can do it all by themselves. Although traditionally used to soothe coughs and sore throats, the syrup also tastes amazing in both sweet and savory dishes and makes a useful and original gift.

Since discovering the recipe a few years ago, making this delicious, tangy syrup has become an annual tradition. My kids get excited and remind me of our activity as soon as they spot the bright green tips appearing on the trees in spring. They are always excited to scout out the best trees for harvesting, and armed with just a few basic supplies the syrup can even be prepared straight after foraging for the tips out on the trail. As the tips are generally plentiful and the process so simple, even younger children can proudly make their own jar.

What you will need to make the syrup
- Something to collect the tips in – a tub, small basket, bag, etc.
- A glass jar with a tight-fitting lid (we use screw-top mason jars)
- Brown sugar
- Spoon
- Sieve
- A bit of time and patience!
Foraging conifers

Conifers are widely found in the forests of the temperate and sub-arctic climates of the Northern hemisphere. Did you know that spruce, fir, and pine trees all have edible needles, each with a slightly different taste. However, before eating anything wild, ALWAYS make sure you know how to identify exactly what it is that you’re foraging. This article on how to recognize the different conifer species will help you if you’re not sure what’s what!

Where to forage the tree tips

The tree’s new spring growth is used to make the syrup. As the weather warms up after winter the trees grow fresh needles at the end of each branch. The new growth is easy to spot – it’s bright lime green and much softer than the mature needles. This is the portion that you’ll forage to make your syrup.

How to choose trees for foraging

As with any kind of foraged food, select trees that are away from roads (at least 100m is best) and other sources of pollution. Also, be sure to check that you are outside of any protected zones and not on private land. Also be sure to spread out your foraging and not to collect everything you need from the same tree, in order to ensure you don’t put too much stress on the tree.

When to collect the tree tips

Here in our alpine region of Switzerland new growth starts to appear in early May, but latitude and altitude have an important role in determining the timing of this. This past year I left it a bit late to collect the tips in our immediate area, so we had to take a gondola up the mountain to find them. We were still able to find lots of tips at higher altitudes as late as the end of June but they were starting to get quite large. As a general rule, the younger the tips the better for this particular recipe.

Harvesting the tree tips

Now comes the fun part! My kids LOVE to have a ‘mission’ while they are outside and get really excited about finding the best trees and the nicest tips. If you are planning on making the syrup once you return home (rather than while out hiking), all you need to pack is a container to put them in.

Before we get started, I make sure to remind my kids how to forage responsibly. Removing the tree tips is essentially pruning the tree so aim to collect tips from several trees rather than one, and choose mature rather than young trees. It’s especially important to avoid removing the top tip of a young tree as this can stunt its growth.

Tree tips are easy for young children to harvest

Plucking the tips off the trees is a straightforward process and even little hands can manage it. You don’t need scissors or any special equipment.

Select tips from the lower branches and make sure that you only take as many as you need. I find that if each child loosely fills the jar that they will eventually use to make the syrup this works out quite well. Once we’ve finished collecting the tips, we say thank you to the trees for sharing them with us.

Storing the foraged tree tips for later use

If you can’t prepare the syrup right away, then the tips store really well in the fridge or freezer. I have kept tips in the fridge for up to a month but freezing is best for longer-term storage. When refrigerated, keep the tips in a tub or a bag with a damp paper towel to ensure that they don’t start to dry out.

How to prepare the tree tip syrup

If we can, I like to plan to do prepare the tree tip syrup on the same day as collecting the tips while we’re still out hiking. Often we’ll find a spot for lunch and do it there. Bear in mind that to do this, you’ll need to carry the sugar and glass jars with you. This is only really practical if you aren’t hiking too far!

Start by putting a good layer of tree tips in the bottom of the jar. Follow this with a layer of brown sugar, and then repeat the process until you’ve completely filled the jar. Use a spoon to really pack down the layers, and finish with a thick layer of sugar on the top. Screw on the lid and voilà, you’re done!

Combining the sugar and the tree tips is so simple that even small children can do it by themselves. Pouring or spooning the sugar is great for exercising their fine motor skills. Try providing a variety of different brown sugars for an even more fun and tactile experience!

The best tasting tree tip syrup needs time

Once you’re home, place your jar(s) somewhere warm and wait for the magic to happen! A bright windowsill is perfect, but a warm cupboard such as an airing cupboard would work well too. The jar can also be left outside in the sun.

As the sugar melts, it draws out the natural moisture from the tree tips and gets infused with their aromatic goodness. After a week or so, most of the sugar should have melted and the contents of the jar will have reduced by about a half.

This is a good time to give the mixture a stir to break up any remaining lumps of sugar and push any stray tips down under the accumulating syrup. At this point, the jar doesn’t look very pretty as the tips will have discolored. But don’t worry about this – it’s perfectly normal!

We then wait at least another few weeks for more of the goodness to leach out of the tips but some traditional recipes call for waiting months or even up to a year!

Bottling and storing the tree tip syrup

When you’re ready to bottle the syrup, simply strain off the tree tips with a sieve, using a spoon to squeeze out all of the beautiful, fragrant liquid. Discard the spent tips, and pour the syrup into clean glass bottles or jars.

You can also boil the syrup before bottling or can the jars in a water bath to increase its shelf-life. For ultimate freshness and flavor, store the syrup in the fridge. Failing that, a cool, dark cupboard is best. Reports vary as to how long it can be kept, but as it’s pretty much pure sugar it’s very shelf-stable.

How to use tree tip syrup

The first bottle of tree tip syrup that we made we used exclusively as a natural remedy to soothe coughs and sore throats. It’s safe to say we had no problem convincing the kids to take it! Soon I began looking into how else it could be used.

Here are a few suggestions on ways to use evergreen tree tip syrup:
- drizzle over cheese (my personal favorite – soft cheese and goat’s cheese were made for this!)
- pour a little over your favorite pancakes
- glaze or marinate meat, fish, or vegetables
- add a spoonful to a hot herbal tea
- sweeten cold drinks and cocktails – mix with still or sparkling water and add a splash of lemon juice for an easy summer drink
Small bottles also make an interesting homemade gift for friends, neighbors, teachers, or family members. Your children will be so proud to gift a bottle of something they worked to make.

The health benefits of tree tip syrup

There are so many amazing benefits of foraging conifers and evergreen trees. The needles and cones of conifers have traditionally been used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans and Eastern and Northern Europeans. The needles contain potassium and magnesium and are a potent source of Vitamins A and C.

Using alternate sugars for making the syrup

It’s entirely possible to replace the brown sugar with honey or maple syrup. The ratio of tips to sugar would need adjusting to account for the difference in water content. This is not something that I myself have tried but I have heard that the result is equally delicious!

Other uses for foraged conifer tips

If you have tree tips left over after making the syrup, don’t throw them away! The tips can be used to garnish a variety of dishes, eaten raw in salads, and even pickled! There are so many amazing uses for your foraged finds!

Have you tried making tree tip syrup?
What’s your favorite way to use it?

About the author

Sarah is originally from the UK but moved to Switzerland 14 years ago and never looked back! She lives with her Swiss partner and 2 children, aged 8 and 5, in a beautiful corner of the Swiss Alps. Together they run a large chalet and are kept busy looking after the groups and guests that stay there. Sarah enjoys anything that gets herself and her family out into nature. Skiing, hiking, and paddling on local lakes are favourite family activities, and annual camper van trips are always highlights of the year. Hugely inspired by the landscapes around her, she loves nothing more than taking her camera along to photograph or film their adventures and capture all the beautiful details of the natural world around them.

Find Sarah online in the following locations:
Instagram: @swissmountainlife
Website: http://www.sarahbach.ch
Chalet: @bnbvieuxchalet
BEACH, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, SUMMER, WATER
Tips for Sandcastle Building With Kids
- September 6, 2021
If you’ve ever been to the beach (or even played in a sandbox), you know that building a sandcastle is a fun and easy outdoor activity for kids. Making small structures out of wet sand is easy enough for even the smallest kids. However, building elaborate sandcastles with towers, details, bridges, and moats takes a bit more skill, patience, and expertise! California mom and founder of Wonder Club Explorers, Michelle Garret had the chance to meet up with local sandcastle building experts, San Diego Sand Castles, to learn the ins and outs of how experts build those amazing sand structures. She’s here today sharing all the tips and tricks you need to know to up-level your sandcastle building skills.

Sandcastles mean summer

Nothing signals summertime fun like sand, surf, and sandcastles! For many families, a trip to the seashore is not complete without building a sandcastle. If you’re like our family, then you might take along a bucket, a few shovels for digging, and brightly colored molds for making sandcastles. I don’t know about you, but we rarely form a complete structure without the sides caving in.

In search of wisdom and good advice, we did what all modern parents do and we googled how to make sandcastles like a pro!

Meet the sandcastle pros

This is how we came to meet the award-winning sandcastling pros behind San Diego Sand Castles. JT Estrella, owner of San Diego Sand Castles, first came to my attention through his amazing displays at my hometown’s annual Ocean Festival. Every year, sandcastle artisans and professional builders compete in this yearly competition and amaze festival-goers with their elaborate and gravity-defying sculptures.

In search of much-needed tips to fix our crumbling sand towers, we connected with JT’s team member Oona. We hoped that we might soak up some sound advice to level up our sandcastle game. We learned a ton! And now, we get to share the top 7 tips that anyone can follow to make a sandcastle like a pro with you!

So, are you ready to up your sandcastle building skills? Are you ready to wow your friends and fellow beachgoers? Here’s everything you need to know to get started sandcastle building like a pro!

Sandcastle building tools

But before we get to those tips, let’s talk tools. Fortunately, very few tools are needed for building sandcastles. You may already have quite a few of these basic tools at home. Here’s a list of what you need:
- A good size bucket for transporting water and mixing sand. If you forget one at home, don’t fret and see tip #1 below.
- A sturdy shovel makes the work of scooping heavy wet sand a lot easier. A larger size shovel makes it easier than trying to do it with smaller shovels or one’s hands.
- Carving tools are essential for intricate sandcastle work. If you’re looking for custom sandcastle tools you can purchase a professional sculpting toolkit from San Diego Sand Castles. To build your own kit, grab a plastic knife from your picnic basket or cake decorating spatula from the kitchen, both tools will come in handy when adding in all of the fun details to your sand creation.
Sandcastle building tip #1 – prep your sand

The first step to building amazing sandcastles is to prepare the sand, which is your building material. If your sand is too wet, it’ll be too heavy and sloppy to use. If your sand is too dry, it won’t keep its shape and crumble. You need the perfect mixture of sand and water, which means wet saturated cement-looking sand.

San Diego Sand Castles teaches all of their students a sandcastle building technique called hand stacking. The hand stacking technique is just like it sounds. With your bare hands, you take sand (very wet sand), scoop it and then stack it. The key to handling your sand is to add lots of water so that your building materials look like wet cement or really thick mud.

To get the consistency of wet cement, it’s helpful to use a good-sized bucket to transport water for your sand. If you don’t have access to a bucket, dig a 12-inch hole where dry sand meets wet sand and allow water to fill the hole. The hole will function similarly to a bucket and provide a basin in which to prep your sand.

Sandcastle building tip #2 – set the foundation

When building anything, you need to start with a good foundation. The super-secret technique that professionals use to build up the foundation of a sand sculpture is called “plop and jiggle.” Yes, it’s a very highly technical term!

The plop and jiggle technique is great for setting a very study foundation of sand on which you’ll build your sandcastle. Luckily, it’s an easy-peasy thing to do! All you need to do is scoop up a heap of sand, plop it down, and give it a jiggle. As the sand dries, scoop, plop and jiggle another heap atop the first one.

Sandcastle building tip #3 – stack it up

The trick to making a tall sandcastle tower is to build up your stacks. It’s easier to build straight up by plopping, jiggling, and stacking on one mound of sand. It is not advised to add additional stacks around the base or you might compromise the foundation of your castle.

Not sure on how high to stack? A good rule of thumb for kids under 10 is to plop and jiggle a stack as high as their elbow.

Sandcastle building tip #4 – cure and carve

Once your sandcastle structure has been created, you need to let it “cure” for a bit of time. This means that you let the moisture slowly evaporate from the sand. The length of time needed to cure your sandcastle will depend on a variety of factors, including how wet your sand way, how big your sandcastle is, how hot/sunny it is outside, etc. You don’t want it to completely dry out, but you do want to give it enough time to settle a bit.

Once your castle is cured, it’s time to add start adding detail. This is the point in your construction where access to carving tools makes the work of carving and adding texture a lot easier. Whether you want to add mermaid scales, diamonds, bricks, windows, steps, battlements, or other intricate details to your creation, the right tools can help you carve into the delicate sand with precision and ease.

Sandcastle building tip #5 – keep it tidy

After you’ve added detail and interest to your sculpture, it’s time to clean up loose sand from its seams and grooves. A plastic air pump, tube or straw are all great tools that can be used for clearing out extra sand.

A plastic microfiber feather duster is another tool that professional sandcastle builders use to clean out errant sand from their detail work. You could use a regular paintbrush for this. Regardless of the tool, this is an important step in sandcastle construction that helps to make the details in your sand sculpture really pop.

Sandcastle building tip #6 – add crenellation blocks

If you’d really like to embellish your structure, here’s a bonus tip: add crenellation blocks! What’s a crenellation block? Crenels are the rampart blocks you see atop medieval castles. Rectangular in shape, these blocks fortify a castle against would-be intruders.

To make a crenellation block, start with a fresh stack of wet sand. After it dries a little, square it off by slicing into it with your carving tools. Just like slicing a sheet pan of brownies, you’ll want to cut little squares or rectangles.

Next, slice the base and use your hand to support the block of sand while lifting it. Then, gently place it atop the tower. It might be tempting to try to carve the blocks directly into your tower, but don’t give in to that temptation! Cutting into the tower will likely cause it to collapse!

Sandcastle building tip #7 – how to build bridges

Let’s say you have two towers and you’re planning to go big with your sand fortress. You might find yourself in need of a bridge or two! Bridges are easier to make than you might expect (and really up the “wow” factor), especially when you have two sets of hands helping out.

To make a bridge, you’ll start with wet sand. As you shape the bridge, a second set of steady hands* can support its underbelly until the sand has dried. Once the sand has sufficiently dried, remove the hands. Voila! Your bridge is done.

*According to the pros, steady hands generally come from people 10 years of age or older.

The science and fun of sandcastle building

Following these tips, we hope your next sandcastle will be spectacular! Sandcastle building is a fun way for people of all ages to indulge their imaginations. For homeschooling families, sandcastle building is also an opportunity to learn about science. The Australian Academy of Sciences has an excellent article highlighting lessons in the fields of geology, engineering, and physics- all associated with the everyday act of building sand structures.

The next time you find yourself at the beach, we hope you’re inspired to incorporate these sandcastle building tips! Happy sandcastling!

SPECIAL THANKS to San Diego Sand Castles for sharing their tips and helping make our sandcastle dreams come true.

Do your kids love to build sandcastles?

About the author

Michelle spends her days working on projects to improve the quality of life for the citizens of her community and her nights reading books to her 6-year-old about every kind of dinosaur there ever was (there are 900 validated species, in case you’re wondering). Together with her son, Michelle created Wonder Club Explorers, a company to inspire wonder and curiosity in kids. She carves out time for herself on the weekends as an early morning exerciser and metalsmith of fine jewelry. She resides in Altadena with her husband and son amongst California Oak trees and a stone’s throw of the San Gabriel Mountains.

You can find Michelle online in the following locations:
Instagram: @wonderclubexplorers
Website: http://www.wonderclubexplorers.co
RWMC posts: Outdoor Etiquette & Nature Manners for Kids, Outdoor Resolutions for Nature Kids, How to Cultivate Nature-Inspired Literacy in Kids
CRAFTS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, SUMMER
DIY Pressed Flower Butterfly Wings for Kids
- July 6, 2021
If your kids are anything like mine, they probably love playing dress-up and pretend. Kids have the most amazing imaginations! We love finding ways to make fun costumes, accessories, and dress-up items from things we already have at home or can find in nature. Today, Megan Rigdon, Maryland photographer and mom of three is here to show us exactly how to make beautiful DIY pressed-flower butterfly wings for kids.

DIY butterfly wings

These DIY butterfly wings are not only beautiful and colorful, but they’re really easy to make, with just a few things. They combine two of my favorite things: spending time outside with my kids and making nature crafts together. Here’s what you’ll need to make your own DIY pressed-flower butterfly wings with your kids.

Butterfly wing supplies:
- Flowers
- Microwave
- Contact paper
- Scissors
- Tree bark (or driftwood)
- Hot glue
- Pipe cleaners
- Elastic
How to make DIY butterfly wings for kids

Butterfly wing instructions:
1. Gather your flowers. Because we’re all about getting kids outside, we highly recommend you send the kids outside and pick your own flowers. However, we know that might not always be possible. The great thing about these butterfly wings is that they can be made with any flowers, whether that’s wildflowers picked from a meadow or a bouquet of colorful flowers from the grocery store.
2. Place your fresh flowers between two paper towels with something heavy (and microwave safe on top) as a weight. Microwave the flowers for 1-3 minutes. This helps remove all the moisture from the flowers, but keeps their bright vibrant color. If you don’t have a microwave, you can press the flowers between the pages of a heavy book.
3. Draw/outline butterfly wings on the contact paper. Cut out 2 sets of wings.
4. Remove the backing from one sheet of the contact paper and arrange the dried flowers on the sticky side of the paper.
5. Remove the backing from the second sheet of contact paper and place it sticky side down directly on top of the first paper/set of butterfly wings. The paper will be stuck together with the flowers in the middle.
6. Use your hot glue gun to glue tree bark (or a piece of driftwood) to the middle of the wings to serve as an anchor.
7. Hot glue elastic bands (for arm bands) onto the other side of the butterfly wings/wood center.
8. Optional: Add pipe cleaners around edges for extra stability.
9. Wear your gorgeous DIY butterfly wings and enjoy!
DIY pressed flower butterfly wings tutorial

About the author

Megan Rigdon is a mother to three energetic children and lives on their family farm in Harford County Maryland. She is a lifestyle family photographer and a lover of joyful and colorful images. Megan has a degree in Early Childhood Education and taught kindergarten prior to having her own family. They spend as much time as possible exploring the farm and going on adventures together! Raising chickens, fishing, gardening, and crafting are just a few of her favorite things that she enjoys doing with her family.

You can find more from Megan in the following locations:
Instagram: @meganrigdonphotography
Website: http://www.meganrigdonphotography.com
RWMC Posts: Blueberry Picking with Kids, Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt, Pumpkin Fairy Garden
BEACH, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK, SPRING, SUMMER
Kite Flying with Kids
- April 30, 2021
Springtime means warm breezes and sunny days – perfect weather for flying a kite. Children absolutely love flying kites and it’s easier to do than you think. Flying a kite is one of those activities that people often talk about, but never get around to doing. Today, we want to change that and challenging you to take your kids out for a kite flight! We’ll walk you through the steps of how to choose a kite for kids, how to launch, fly and land a kite, plus explain all the benefits of kite flying. Here are some great tips for flying a kite and ways to make your kite flying extra fun!

{This post contains affiliate links.}

Let’s go fly a kite… up to the highest height.” Mary Poppins

Benefits of flying a kite

There are so many great reasons to go fly a kit with kids and a lot of physical, educational, and social benefits. Kiting is a healthy and active outdoor activity for kids that is usually very low-cost and budget-friendly. Spending time outside means that kids get a healthy dose of Vitamin D from sunlight. Flying a kite also provides exercise for your child’s body as they chase. It’s wonderful for hand-eye coordination, kinesthetic awareness, and gross motor skills. Kite flying also helps strengthen the eyes, as they focus far and near observing and controlling the kite’s flight.

Fling a kite also provides social benefits. When kids are outside flying kites, they have the opportunity to interact and spend quality time with parents, family, and friends. Kite flying is a great bonding activity and requires coordination and communication skills with others.

Feature image credit: @susan.grimes

Feature image credit: @jenniferdonlevy

Kite flying is fun and educational

There are so many great lessons to be learned while flying a kite. Kids can learn about science, physics, aerodynamics, weather, and ecology. Kite flying also helps develop hand-eye coordination, kinesthetic awareness, and gross motor skills.

Once you have a kite, kids love the challenge and the thrill of launching the kite. Once they figure out how to get it flying they can begin to master the challenge of keeping the kite in the air, and maybe even learn a trick or two. The final challenge is how to get the kite down when you’re ready to head home.

Feature image credit: @ashleytheislander

Feature image credit: @fokys_pokys

How to choose the right kite

The first thing you need to do to get started with kite flying is to get a kite! There are more styles, colors, and sizes of kites than ever before – not to mention, kites are now easier to put together, get into the air, and fly. You can purchase a basic-shaped kite (diamond, triangle, prism) for not much money (under $20) that’s easy to assemble and easy for little kids to handle. Elaborate 3-D box kites or dragon kites may look cool, but the standard shapes are the easiest to fly for beginners. Once you’ve mastered the basics of kite flying, you can move up to the more creative designs and shapes.

Here are a few highly recommended budget-friendly kites for kids:
Make your own kite for a STEAM activity

If you have older kids and are up for a challenge, you can choose to make your own kite and turn this into a STEAM activity. Kids can learn a lot from designing, building, and decorating their own kites.

Feature image credit: @kristcx

The perfect kite-flying wind

The next step is to assess the wind. You will need to pick a kite-flying day with good wind, but not too much wind. Days with consistent light to medium winds are good kite flying days. Flags on masts should be extended straight out (good wind), but not rippling or snapping (too much wind). Too much wind could result in your kite looping and diving. It could be very difficult to control or keep a hold of. Too little wind and your kite may not be able to stay in the air. Make sure to check the weather and never fly a kite in a thunderstorm.

Feature image credit: @larissahollowayphoto

Feature image credit: @rachelkrausmannphoto

Look for a wide-open space

Next, you’ll need to pick the perfect location for kite flying. A beach or wide-open field is the ideal spot. Check out your local parks, ball fields, farms. The more room you have, the more fun you will have kite flying with kids. Avoid hills, because the wind will make kite flying difficult. Take note of your surroundings and avoid power lines and nearby trees.

Feature image credit: @desireemacke

How to launch a kite

The hardest part of kite flying is initially getting the kite into the air. Young children love to run to launch a kite. While this is fun for kids, it is actually not the best way to launch a kite. You can certainly let them try, though! If you would like to launch this way make sure your child is running into the wind with only a little bit of line. Once the wind catches it they’ll need to stop and let out more line.

The best way to get your kite in the air is to stand with your back to the wind, hold the line in one hand, hold the kite up in the other (with the nose pointing straight up). Let the wind catch the kite then let go. Don’t throw it into the air, just gently release it into the wind and let line out as the wind lifts the kite. If the wind lulls, pull the line in tight to make your kite gain altitude.

You could also let your child hold the kite about fifty feet away. Pull the line tight and signal to them to release it. Take a few steps backwards and the kite should shoot up into the sky, just like if you were running.

Feature image credit: @sixdegreesofchaos

Tips for keeping your kite in the air

Each different style of kite (design, size, shape, and material) will need different amounts of wind for successful flying. If your kite is new, try checking the package for wind recommendations. If that’s not an option, the best way to figure it out is through trial and error! You might have to try a few different times or locations to find the best wind for successful flying.

However, once the kite is flying high and smoothly, keep the string at a comfortable tightness and it will not be hard to keep it flying. If the string is too slack, reel some in. If the kite pulls hard, let some additional line out.

Feature image credit: @wildlyraised

How to bring your kite down

When you’re finished flying the kite, simply wind the kite string around the spool or handle while walking towards it to bring it in. Remind your child to wind up the string slowly and carefully so it does not get tangled or knotted. Easy peasy!

Feature image credit: @sara_mccarty

Kite flying tips & tricks
- The perfect length – Don’t let out too much line. It’s hard for people to see and enjoy if a kite gets too high. If your flying line becomes slack, bring in a little. If the kite begins to pull too hard or act unstable, let some line out.
- Teaching about turbulence – Turbulence is an irregular motion of the air resulting from eddies and vertical currents. Sometimes, as the wind goes around objects (trees, buildings, hills), it causes turbulence. Other times, turbulence might be in the form of updrafts over pavement or barren places and downdrafts over vegetation and water. As you’re kiting, you might feel your kite get bumpy. If you find this phenomenon, it’s a fantastic learning opportunity for children.
- Come up with challenges – If your child likes a good challenge, there are definitely ways to make kite flying more interesting. Challenge your kid to see how quickly he can get the kite in the air or if he can get the kite to dive and soar. When it’s time to leave, challenge your kid to bring the kite in without letting it touch the ground. He’ll have to pull it in quickly to keep it airborne.
Feature image credit: @eliza.flaska.mi

Have you flown a kite with your kids?
What kite flying tips do you have?
FAVORITE GEAR, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, SUMMER, WATER
Outdoor Rainy Day Activities for Kids
- April 29, 2021
It’s raining, it’s pouring! So, now what? When it’s rainy outside, you have two options: stay inside and let your kiddos run amuck, or get outside and enjoy some outdoor rainy day activities for kids! In my opinion, this isn’t a hard one – let’s go and play in the rain! We know that most rainy day activity posts are usually about things you can do inside, but that’s not our style! There is so much fun to be had when you play outside with your kids. Today, SarahRuth Owens, Creative Team member and Georgia homeschooling mom of three is here sharing her family’s favorite outdoor rainy day activities for kids (and toddlers, too!), as well as the gear and supplies you might need to enjoy these days the most!

Fun things to do on rainy days outside

While playing outside in the rain might not sound like a blast for parents, it’s so much fun for kids! Rain makes everything feel more magical and can turn ordinary adventures into extraordinary ones! Today, I’m sharing some of our favorite screen-free rainy day activities for kids. All of these rainy day activities have been tried and tested by my crew of adventurers and are sure to get your kids excited about the rain. Because there’s no such thing as bad weather!

Best rainy day gear for kids

When engaging in rainy day play, one might ask oneself: to be wet, or not to be wet? A lot of factors play into this. Things like…how much laundry is already sitting in piles on your couch. And whether or not there are currently any crayons melted to the inside of your dryer (just me, eh?).

If you don’t care how wet they get, then just send them outside to play in whatever they want to wear. If the weather is warm and your kids aren’t sweet enough to melt, let them out to play in the puddles and engage in rainy day play outside, getting as wet as possible.

Doing outdoor rainy day activities with kids sounds good, but maybe you just don’t want soaking wet kids? If you are in the not-to-be-wet crowd, there is a great solution! Rain gear has come a long way in the past decade. It can be found in a variety of sizes, patterns, and even price points. We’ve got a huge comprehensive list of the best rain gear for kids and toddlers, if you’re in the need of new gear.

When it comes to great quality rain gear for kids, here are a few of our favorites:
- Mk Nordika sells rainy day gear in a mid-point price range. It is high quality and includes adorable and cheerful rainbow stripes! They have sizes from toddler up to adult. We own this brand and it is so easy to care for. You simply wipe it down if it is muddy.
- Oaki also has a great full-body rain suit that easily slips over kids’ clothing. It is lightweight and you don’t have to keep up with multiple pieces. They have toddler-sized rain suits all the up through big kids.
Safety concerns playing outside in the rain

While outdoor rainy day activities are fun, here are some safety considerations to keep in mind:
1. Never encourage children to play outdoors in a thunderstorm. Lightning is real and does strike. Teach children to come indoors and speak to an adult if they hear thunder and are unsure about safety.
2. Be certain your children have on the right shoes for their location. If they are headed on a hike, the muddy trail is different than the puddles on the pavement. Choosing the correct gear for where your child will play in the rain is important.
3. No swimming in storms, please. Remember when the lifeguard had everyone get out of the pool for half an hour when there was thunder? There is good reason for that as water is a conduit for electricity and lightning spreads over the water, impacting anyone in it.
4. If you’re near running water (streams, creeks, rivers), keep a close eye on the water level, as streams can rise very quickly in rain. You never know if it may have rained much more higher upstream, so always keep a careful eye out and stay in shallow water, away from currents.
Be sure and keep safety in the forefront of your mind during outdoor rainy day activities!

You don’t need anything special to do outdoor rainy day activities with kids

There, I said it. You don’t actually need anything special or planned or extravagant to enjoy rainy day play. You don’t need Pinterest perfect crafts or any special rain toys. The rain itself creates so many fun things outside. Rain makes everything ordinary feel different. It’s a full-body sensory experience that kids can’t get enough of!

So, what do you really need for outdoor rainy day activities for kids? A smile is your best supply!

Go for a rainy day walk

One of my boys’ favorite things to do on a rainy day is gear up, bring umbrellas, and walk to town. Would you believe that they can walk miles in the rain? Without complaining! They can, and I bet your crew can as well. This activity requires absolutely no planning or prepwork. It’s something we could do at any time, but the rain makes it extra special and novel.

Things you can try if your kiddos do begin to get the rainy day blues on your walk:
- Sing songs (Singing in the Rain is always a fun tune)
- Jump in puddles
- Have a contest to see who can save the most worms (this means put them back in the grass and off the sidewalk)
- Collect nature items
- Watch water go into a sewer drain (I promise this entertains children)
- Cup your hands and see who can overflow their hands with rainwater
- Play “I Spy” as you walk
- Wave at passerby and vehicles
Outdoor rainy day activities for kids in the woods

Are you ready to unlock expert outdoor parenting level? Go play in the woods….in the rain! Let’s do this. Honestly, rainy day play in the forest is absolutely magical. Some special things happen when you visit the wet forest and see the changes happening as the flora and fauna drink in the rain. There is so much to do while in the woods on a rainy day.

I organized a forest playgroup for kids for years and rainy days in the woods were some of our favorites! Here are some of the best and favorite rainy day outdoor activities to do in the woods from our forest school excursions:
- Build a shelter – bring tarps, some twine, etc. and challenge the kids to build a dry shelter
- See if you can build a fire when it is wet outside
- Go on a mushroom hunt (fungi love wet conditions)
- Sketch the woods in the rain
- Get in the creek – hey, you’re already wet, right? (be careful and cognizant of rising water)
- Play rainy day hide and seek
- Bring a ruler and a clear glass or cup and measure the rainfall during your time in the woods
Outdoor rainy day activities for kids that use supplies

Ok, so you tried the rainy day activities without supplies (or maybe you didn’t…that’s ok, we won’t tell), but maybe you want to enjoy some structured organized fun like crafts and games. That’s great! I’ve got you covered!

Here are some fun outdoor rainy day games, crafts, and activities for kids and what supplies you need:

Rainy day bike ride

Clearly, you need your bikes and helmets. My sons like to have bike gloves because in the rain, your hands tend to rub the handlebars more. Try sloshing through puddles! We also like to have a manual bike pump on one of our bikes, and don’t forget to bring water!

Water-gun fight

This one is so much fun during Summer showers. Each person gets a water gun and you can go to town. I suggest having buckets of water on hand, or even a large rubber maid tub filled with water for refills.

Water balloon fight

Yep, let’s do this water thing all the way! About 100 balloons usually works for our crew of 5. We like to prefill and place them in the fridge in Summer. This means that humid, warm weather won’t be an issue! Swimsuits are smart gear to have on during this activity. Also, be certain to clean up any broken balloon bits; they don’t decompose.

Water table fun

You can create a simple water table at a mud kitchen, or even just at a table, by providing your kiddos with scoops, spoons, a colander, shovels, bowls, and cups. Sometimes simple is best.

Bob for fruit

This one is so much fun in the rain. I cannot explain it, it simply is! Add some apples, peaches, or whatever round fruit is in season, to a big bowl or rubber maid container filled with drinkable water. Now bob!

Paint with mud

All you need is some mud, a few paintbrushes and something to paint! This could be anything from a piece of paper or cardboard to your driveway. It doesn’t have to be fancy. If you want more ways to play with mud, check out this post with lots of fun and creative Mud Activities for Kids.

Boat races

Have your kids find natural materials (sticks, leaves, pinecones, etc.) and make a small boat. Then race them down the run-off water in the street or down a stream. This is a great way to also teach kids about engineering and what floats (and doesn’t).

What are your favorite outdoor rainy day activities?

We want to see you and your kids having fun doing rainy day play. Use the hashtag #runwildmychild for a chance to be featured on our Instagram account!

About the author

SarahRuth is a homeschooling mother of three boys. She was raised in cities across the East coast, but now resides in the Appalachian Mountains of Georgia where her husband grew up. Passionate about inspiring others to shift from the status quo of Western indoor life, she launched a local Free Forest School chapter in 2017. Her family clocked over 2k hours outdoors in 2019 and believes that outside time as a family is vital to a joy-filled life. She collects books, stray children, and as much coffee as her body will permit. When not foraging, chasing waterfalls, or camping with her crew, you can find SarahRuth crossing the globe from her laptop, teaching English full time online! She has two bachelor’s degrees in Education and is passionate about teaching children to love learning through outdoor adventures.

You can find more from SarahRuth in the following online locations:
Instagram: @kindle_togetherness
RWMC posts: SarahRuth
BEACH, BIKE, CAMP, FAMILY TRAVEL, HIKE, LOCAL GEMS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK, SPRING, SUMMER, WATER
7 Family-Friendly Places to Explore in Illinois
- April 12, 2021
Illinois might not be on the very top of your family’s outdoor adventure bucket list. But, this Midwest state just might surprise you with some really incredible hikes and trails, amazing state parks, camping options, lake adventures, and more! Today, Creative Team member Meghan Garriott, Illinois mom of 2 (soon to be 3) shares 7 of her family’s favorite free family-friendly places to explore in Illinois! (try saying that five times fast!) If you’re in or around Illinois (or even just driving through on a road trip this summer), make sure you check out this post and add a few of these destinations to your adventure list!

7 outdoor places to explore in Illinois

Let’s be honest here, Illinois is not usually a top destination for scenic views or epic outdoor adventures. When most people think of Illinois, cornfields and Chicago are probably the only 2 things that come to mind. And while both of those are a big part of this state, you might be surprised to find that between the big city and miles of corn and soybeans, Illinois has some of the most beautiful landscapes and natural habitats in the Midwest. There are high waterfalls, deep canyons, enormous bluffs, and prairies and waterways that are full of life and beauty. Read along to discover some of Illinois’ most beautiful and fun-filled outdoor places to explore with your family.

1. Matthiessen State Park

Matthiessen State Park is in Northern Illinois, just about an hour or so outside of Chicago. It is positioned just south of the Illinois River and next to its better-known neighbor Starved Rock State Park (see below).

Thanks to the Vermilion River that winds and curves throughout Matthiessen, there is no shortage of waterways to play in or gape at during your visit. The most scenic of these waterways are the upper and lower dells. The lower dells is home to a towering 45 foot waterfall called Cascade Falls. This waterfall is breathtaking to view from the bottom, inside the canyon.

Favorite Matthiessen trails

Matthiessen State Park is broken up into two areas: (1) the Vermilion River Area, and (2) the Dells Area, as seen on the trail map. Dells area is where you will find the Cascade falls along with other falls and sights like “Giants Bath Tub” and “Devil’s Paint Box”. The best trail to see all the sights is the Dells Canyon and Bluff trail. Along this trail there are many stairs, bridges and wet crossings.

Both these trails are fun for kids of all ages. However, make sure you bring a change of clothes for everyone. The trails are often wet and/or muddy during the spring and summer. If you’re going down to the lower dells, be prepared for a lot of stairs. This is not a stroller-friendly trail and little legs may tire quickly.

When visiting Matthiessen State Park in prime season (spring and summer), I recommend going on a weekday. Due to its proximity to the city it can be a very popular destination for those looking to escape into nature. If you love chasing waterfalls put Matthiessen on your list!

Wet crossing at the upper Dells

2. Ferne Clyffe State Park

Ferne Clyffe State Park is an all-time favorite for my family. Its versatility in scenery and low difficulty trails make it an easy place to spend the entire day with little kids. Tucked right in the middle of the Shawnee National Forest, Ferne Clyffe has some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring rock formations. One of my children’s favorite rock formations has been named “Spider-Man Rock” (pictured below) because you can slide down like Spider-Man does on buildings. In addition to rock formations it boasts beautiful waterfalls and tons of fern-covered foliage.

Spider-Man Rock

Kid-friendly Ferne Clyffe trails

When hiking with children, especially young children, it’s nice to have some short trail options. Ferne Clyffe has 8 trails that are under 1 mile. While these trails are short, they definitely do not lack views. Many of short trails begin in the same area centered around a picnic area, which is great for resting, snacking, and potty breaks between trails. I love how different each trail is despite being so close in proximity to each other.

Rebman Trail, Hawks Cave Trail, and Big Rocky Hollow Trail all start from the same parking lot but boast very different views. Rebman Trail has high rock formations where rock climbing and repelling can be enjoyed. Hawks Cave Trail (pictured below) leads to and under one of the largest shelter bluffs in Illinois. Big Rocky Hollow Trail is a wide wheelchair accessible trail that leads to a 100foot tall waterfall. Learn more here about accessibility and exploring the outdoors with medically complex children.

Hawks Cave trail

Ferne Clyffe waterfalls

Nearly every time we visit this waterfall at Ferne Clyffe we have it all to ourselves. Even on the weekends, this stat park is relatively slow, which is great for being able to sit back and enjoy nature’s beauty. This waterfall is intermittent, however. It is usually flowing the most in the spring and dries up with little rain or during the heat of that summer.

The trail to the waterfall is easy and the water around the bottom is shallow and fun for kids to splash around in. With all the green foliage and the mini waterfalls that surround the big one, it is easy to forget you are in Illinois, as it feels much like a jungle.

3. Rock Springs Conservation Area

We are bringing things back to the middle of the Prairie State with our third favorite outdoor Illinois destination – Rock Springs Conservation Area. Rock Springs is one of 5 conservation areas in Macon County, Illinois. Their mission is to promote the conservation of natural and cultural resources by acquiring, maintaining, and restoring natural areas and cultural sites so as to leave them unimpaired for future generations.

At Rock Springs, there is so much to learn about native Illinois. You can easily spend a day learning, exploring, and enjoying without spending a dollar. Its many trails lead through historic prairies with native grasses and wildflowers. There is a paved bike trail as well as many grass and dirt trails.

One of our favorite places to hike through is the old Christmas tree farm, which now boasts tall pine trees and an open forest floor. If hiking is not your thing you can still spend the whole day here learning at the historic prairie house, fishing from the ponds with borrowed equipment from the nature center, or exploring the nature center itself.

Pine Forest at Rock Springs

Rock Springs Nature Center

The Rock Springs Nature Center is a great place to hang out on hot summer days or cold winter days. There are many fun and educational exhibits that focus on habitat and history in Illinois. The Ecocenter is a hands-on and interactive museum exhibit inside the nature center. This exhibit features life-sized native wildlife inside their habitat, and shows how the environment in Illinois is ever-changing.

The other part of the nature center houses live animals like turtles, snakes, fish, and salamanders. The nature center also has a free-to-the-public library, which is great for curious kiddos when that weather doesn’t allow outdoor exploring.

One of our favorite rooms in the nature center is bird viewing window. There is a big comfy couch in front of a wall-sized window that allows you to comfortably enjoy many birds as they come and go from the many feeders. If you are going to be in the area be sure to check out their website, as they often have educational events for children year-round, making it one of the best family-friendly places to explore in Illinois.

Bird Viewing Window at at Rock Springs Nature Center

4. Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods is definitely one of those places that you cannot believe is in Illinois. The views year-round are breathtaking. Garden of the Gods is said to be one of the most photographed places in Illinois. It’s not hard to see why. Garden of the Gods is one of the best family-friendly places to explore in Illinois.

The Observation trail leads you high above the treetops looking over unique sandstone rock formations. This trail is only about .25 miles long but there are many stops and observation lookouts along the way so it can take up to an hour to finish. While short, the Observation Trail can be dangerous because of the high cliffs. You will want to make sure children walking this trail have a good safety awareness and stay close to the trail itself. While the Observation Trail is the most popular trail there are many other trails to explore. There is also a campground and picnic area so that you can stay a little longer. If coming through Illinois Garden of the Gods is a must-see site.

Garden of the Gods from the Observation Trail

5. Allerton Park and Retreat Center

Allerton Park is unlike any of the other locations on this list of family-friendly places to explore in Illinois. Allerton Park started out as a private residence, then was donated to the University of Illinois. According to their website, the property is used by the University as an education and research center, as a forest and wildlife and plant reserve, as an example of landscape gardening, in a public park. U of I now oversees its 14 miles of hiking trails, 1500 acres of woodland and prairie, a 10-acre meadow, it’s many many gardens. The gardens include sculpture gardens, annual and perennial gardens, a conifer garden, and many more.

One of the gardens are Allerton Park

Allerton Park garden trails

While Allerton Park has lovely woodland trails, but when we visit, it’s usually for the garden trails. You can spend a lot of time walking and enjoying the gardens through many different seasons. In the spring the peony garden has many different varieties of peonies and is one of the most pleasing smelling gardens. One of my kids’ favorite things to do at Allerton Park is to walk between the arborvitae where small trails allow kids to walk along the main trail (pictured below).

If you were looking for somewhere to stay in the area, the Allerton has many overnight options, including guest rooms in the Allerton historic mansion or 3 different guesthouses around the property. You can plan your visit or look at lodging options here.

Arborvitae trail that runs along the main garden trail

6. Giant City State Park

Giant City State Park, in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest, is one of our top family-friendly places to explore in Illinois. Like Ferne Clyffe and Garden of the Gods, it has beautiful rock formations. Giant City’s rock formations differ from the other two though, in that many of the trails take you through rock formations that look much like walls of a city for giants! This is where the park gets its name. The Giant City Nature Trail is a favorite for viewing the scale of these large rock walls as well a heap of plants, animals, and insects.

Giant City Nature Trail

Giant City camping and lodge

The campground at Giant City is one of my family’s favorites. We have camped here in both the summer and fall seasons and thoroughly enjoyed both. Each time we’ve stayed we’ve eaten one meal at the Giant City Lodge restaurant, which is great. In addition to 85 campsites, they also offer 34 cabins with heating/air conditioning. Just down from the Lodge and restaurant is a Nature Center, which is a great place to start your day and learn about all that you may see while hiking the trails of Giant City. If you are looking for a one-stop place to camp/stay, hike, eat, and learn, then Giant City should be on your list!

Giant City Nature Trail

7. Lake Shelbyville

Our final place to explore in Illinois is back in the heartland of the state. There is no shortage of outdoor activities to be done on and around the banks of Lake Shelbyville, making it one of the best family-friendly places to explore in Illinois. This man-made lake which runs along the Kaskaskia river is made up of 11,100 acres of water, and 23,000 acres of land.

There are over 50 miles of developed multipurpose trails. The bike trails are a favorite for our family. Our favorite bike trails are: (1) Camp Camfield, outside Sullivan, Illinois, (2) The General Dacey Trail, and (3) the Pumptrax at the head of the Dacey Trail. Both of these last two trails are located at the southern part of the lake in Shelbyville, Illinois.

General Dacey Bike Trail

Water fun at Lake Shelbyville

While most of the places on this list are most enjoyed during the fall, spring, and summer seasons, Lake Shelbyville is definitely your go-to place for summer fun. There is not a better summer day than hanging out with the family in the hot sun and splashing in the cool water.

Whether it be by boat or beach, there is no shortage of family-friendly outdoor places to explore along this lake for outdoor fun. If you don’t have a boat, both Findlay Marina and Lithia Springs Marina have rental options for fishing boats, pontoon boats, or houseboats. While out enjoying the lake you will see all kinds of water sports, from water skiing to tubing, to fishing and everything in between.

When visiting Lake Shelbyville, don’t forget to visit the 108-foot high dam that allows water from the lake to flow into the Kaskaskia River. Down the road from the dam is the Lake Shelbyville Visitors Center. The visitor center includes aquariums and terrariums, a library, an art exhibit, an education room, and expansive views of the lake and dam areas. It’s a great place to learn about water safety, wildlife along the lake, and the building of the lake itself.

If you are interested in spending a fun-filled week in the water, check out the many campground and cabin rental options.

Playing in Lake Shelbyville on a summer day

Budget-friendly outdoor family fun in Illinois

Illinois may not be at the top of everyone’s vacation bucket list, but there is no shortage of beautiful views and fun adventures to be had. And because everyone isn’t flocking to see the views, all of these adventures are budget-friendly and almost always less crowded than well-known tourist destinations. Each of these family-friendly places to explore in Illinois can be visited for free, all you have to do is get there! If you are looking for a fun adventure getaway for the whole family, without breaking the bank, make sure you put Illinois on your list. You never know…Illinois might surprise you with its beautiful views and outdoor adventures to be had.

About the author

Meghan is a country living, mom of 2 boys in rural central Illinois. She is a Physical Therapist Assistant by trade but spends most of her time outside with her family. At home, she has large flower, herb, and vegetable gardens to tend to and 3 large dogs to play with. As a family, they enjoy hiking, camping, boating, fishing, and helping her in-laws show and raise livestock. Photography became a hobby while in isolation after her oldest son’s bone marrow transplant. It has since become a passion to capture her family’s daily life. Throughout her family’s journey with rare disease and transplant, the outdoors have been a safe space for the whole family to grow, learn, and thrive.

You can find more from Meghan online in the following locations:
Instagram: @meghangarriott
RWMC posts: Meghan Garriott
BOOKS, HOLIDAYS, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING
National Let’s Laugh Day Done the Nature Way
- March 18, 2021
To all the jokesters, punny people, pranksters, and lovers of laughter…your day is here! This is snow joke! There really is a day 100% devoted to enhancing the laughter in this world and this post is all about sharing laughter with others! Run Wild My Child is all about getting families outside, so together let’s celebrate National Let’s Laugh Day the nature way.

{This post contains affiliate links.}

National Let’s Laugh Day

What does it mean to celebrate Let’s Laugh Day the nature way? It means I’ve focused my brainstorming powers on finding the best ways to get your family chuckling, chortling, giggling, guffawing, loling, and laughing outside together. Everything in this post has an outdoor or nature spin on it. That’s right, the activities, jokes, puns, and books all are related to the great outdoors in some way.

You didn’t think I forgot about making you laugh though, did you? While this post may be geared toward helping you find ways to bring laughter into your outdoor adventures, there are specific puns and jokes added especially for your reading pleasure.

In laughter, the ‘L’ comes first,
and the rest of the letters come ‘aughter’ it.

Photo credit: Katie Fox @familyinwanderland

The benefits of laughter

Before you dive into the chuckle-filled content below, take a moment to browse through the amazing benefits of laughter. Seriously, whoever coined the adage, laughter is the best medicine, was really onto something.

1. Laughter stimulates organs

As you laugh, you naturally bring more oxygen into your body. This increased oxygen supply stimulates vital organs and increases the endorphins sent to your brain.

2. Laughing relieves stress

Beleave it or not (this is not a joke, though the nature pun is chuckle-worthy), laughter lowers your stress levels. As you laugh, your heart rate increases and as the laughter subsides, your heart rate decreases. The result is a relaxed and calm feeling. Plus, a lot happens with the endorphins and cortisol (the stress hormone) levels in your body.

3. Laughter improves immunity

Positive thoughts, such as those that cause fits of laughter, are proven to help lower stress responses in our bodies. Since stress is actually linked to lower immunity, laughter helps lower stress and boost immunity.

4. Laughing increases personal satisfaction and decreases pain

Whenever we face a difficult situation, chuckling at ourselves or laughing at what is happening can actually make the situation better. On the flip side, laughter has the ability to help our body create its own natural painkiller. So, next time you fracture a rib, just laugh until it doesn’t hurt anymore. (This last part was a joke. Don’t do that. It will hurt A LOT!)

5. Laughter strengthens relationships with others

That’s right! When we laugh with friends, families, coworkers, and even strangers, we feel more connected to them. In turn, laughter enables us to form closer relationships with those we laugh with. And this is really what National Let’s Laugh Day is all about; laughing together and creating lasting bonds with those we love.

Photo credit: Carolyn @the.barefoot.babies

10 outdoor activities to bring out the laughter

One of the best ways to induce fits of laughter is through play and spending time together as a family. Here are ten simple ways to get your whole family holding their stomachs and laughing until it hurts while celebrating Let’s Laugh Day the nature way.

1. Random acts of silliness

While outside or while doing routine activities, randomly begin to act silly! Skip, speak in a goofy voice, play tickle chase, jump around like a frog, roar like a lion, pretend to be a robot, or follow your child’s lead and join in on their imaginative play. Your kids will be surprised and burst out laughing! And they’ll surely follow suit, followed by even more laughter from all.

2. Outdoor dance party

Turn on a family favorite, a classic dance song, or something totally obscure and then bust out your best and silliest dance moves. Even if goofy dancing, isn’t your thing try branching out (see what I did there?) of your comfort zone and dance like no one is watching!

3. Play “make a story” while passing a ball

This game is better for older kids, but with help, younger ones can absolutely play along too. The goal is to create a silly story together as a family! The person beginning the game (or whoever is holding the ball first) creates a really silly title, then passes the ball to someone else, who then begins the story. The game continues in this fashion; whoever is holding the ball adds to the story. You can add one word, or several sentences.

Pro Tip: when the ball is passed to you, make sure to throw in something your family finds hilarious into the story.

4. Read silly books together outside

Grab a blanket, cuddle up somewhere outside, and read a hillarious book together. Books have a magical way of tapping into our emotions and make for great bonding moments! Below is a list of 12 funny nature-focused children’s books to get you started.

5. Play “the floor is lava”

Create a fun obstacle course in your yard or local park. Use what you have on hand (large pieces of cardboard, chairs, playground equipment, park benches, logs, etc.) and make sure to play along with your children! Don’t forget, you can also just randomly yell “the floor is lava” to begin the game and watch as every scrambles for something to stand on. Laugh together as you all figure out how to survive, epically fall into the lava, or find hilarious new ways to use, balance, and be outside without touching the ground.

Photo credit: Kyana Miner @blackadventuremom

6. Harness your inner child

Remember elementary school? What were your favorite games? Two easy and fun games to play with your kids are Simon Says and Red Light, Green Light. Make them silly on purpose! For instance, you can say Simon Says put your finger in your nose or make fart noises (I give you permission to use this. I know my kids would be giggling.) Or in Red Light, Green Light, pretend you can’t remember the color green and keep saying words that sound like green. The sillier you are, the more laugh-out-loud fun you’ll have together.

7. Learn a new skill together

Maybe learn to juggle together or try your hand (I mean waist) at hula hooping. Be silly. Keep trying – cactus makes perfect, right? Fail epically and laugh at yourself. Show your children that laughter is the best medicine.

8. Watch the clouds

Find images in the clouds and make up silly stories to go along with them. Maybe you will also get lucky and see silly images too. No clouds? Don’t worry, this same activity can be done with all sorts of nature items. Go on a walk through your neighborhood or your favorite hiking trail. Find images in tree bark, tree trunk knots, boulders, tree branches, cracks in the mud, patches of grass, and more. Don’t forget to get everyone laughing will a ridiculous story about how that cloud turtle lost it’s shell and thought it was a hermit crab.

9. Roll down a hill

If you haven’t rolled down a hill as an adult, you are seriously missing out. Your body may ache more than it did when you embarked on this adventure as a child, but the aches and pains are totally worth the laughs and memories you will share with your children.

10. Outdoor charades

This is the same game as the indoor version, only done outside. Be over the top as you act out your word and don’t forget to laugh at yourself when you are struggling. Show your kids that it is okay to be awful at something and still have fun!

Photo credit: Nichole Holze @coleyraeh

25+ nature jokes and puns to share with your kids

Jokes are a sure-fire way to get people chuckling. Sometimes the laughter is because a joke was truly funny, and other times the laughter resembles a groan. This type of groan-laughter is perfect! It means the jokes you are sharing are so funny, laughter isn’t even possible. Don’t worry though, the jokes and puns below were specially curated for celebrating National Let’s Laugh Day the nature way. They are guaranteed to induce the true form of laughter and help form lasting memories and bonds between your family members.

Photo credit: @sara_mccarty

Hilarious nature jokes for kids

How do you cut a wave in half?
Use a sea saw

Why is the mushroom always invited to parties?
Because he’s a fungi

Why did the worm cross the ruler?
To become an inchworm

Why is grass so dangerous?
Because it’s full of blades

What kind of shorts do clouds wear?
Thunderwear

What is a tree’s least favorite month?
Sep-TIMBER

What type of tree fits in your hand?
A palm tree

What did the beaver say to the tree?
It’s been nice gnawing you

What kind of flower grows on your face?
Tulips

What did the limestone say to the geologist?
Don’t take me for granite

What did one volcano say to the other?
I lava you

What do you call a snowman in July?
A puddle

What do you call a bear without any teeth?
A gummy bear

What’s a tornado’s favorite game?
Twister

Why can’t pine trees sew?
They always drop their needles

What type of songs do the planets sing?
Nep-tunes!

What do you call an alligator in a vest?
An investigator!

What’s brown and sticky?
A stick

Photo credit: Chelsea Furlong @dimples.and.the.blonde

Inspirational nature-inspired puns

I lake you a lot!

I lava you!

Beleaf in yourself!

I lichen you very moss!

Lettuce do our best!

You are tree-mendous!

I fernly beleaf in you!

I love you a lily more each day!

We make a prickly pear!

12 hilarious children’s books that are sure to make your whole family laugh
Photo credit: @umaisreading

Finally (Pine-ally)…

Now you are prepared! You have the knowledge and the skills to embark on these shenanigans with your family. I’ll leaf you with these famous words of punable wisdom…

May the forest be with you!
Leaf long and prosper!

I can’t think of any more nature puns. Canoe?

About the author

Katie lives in a tiny home on wheels and travels full-time with her two mostly wild children, tech-minded partner, two well-traveled pups, and adopted pet snail. As they wander the North American continent, Katie explores as much as possible, with a particular fondness for the adventures her family enjoys in state and national parks. When not trekking through the outdoors, Katie enjoys baking, homeschooling, consuming mochas from local coffee shops across the continent, practicing her photography skills, and soaking up as much knowledge as she can.

As an advocate for families exploring the great outdoors, Katie co-founded a Hike it Baby branch in her hometown in Northern California and tries to encourage families to get outside whenever possible. Katie has a Master’s degree in human development from the University of Missouri, Columbia, but her passion is really history and humanities (which is coincidentally what her Bachelor’s degrees are in). She currently volunteers on the Hike it Baby National team as a contributing blogger.

You can find more from Katie online in the following locations:
Instagram: @familyinwanderland
Website: http://www.familyinwanderland.com
Facebook: @familyinwanderland
RWMC posts: Katie Fox
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING
Mud Activities for Kids: 7 Creative Ways to Have Fun with Mud
- February 19, 2021
As parents, we see mud and only see a mess. But to children, mud is an abundant and attractive medium for creation, exploration, and adventure. Mud is fun! Playing with mud engages all the senses, encourages creativity, and creates long-lasting childhood memories. Now more than ever families need ways to keep kids safe at home and entertained in our own backyards. What’s for more to a child than giving them permission to get muddy! Today, we have Brandi Markham, Maryland teacher and mom of 3 here to share her family’s favorite mud activities for kids with you and lots of ways your kids can have fun with mud!

The magic and benefits of mud

Mixing soil, water, and other natural materials like pebbles, leaves, or grass provide children endless possibilities for learning and fun. Many of us parents have fond childhood memories of creating mud pies, digging for worms, or making streams and valleys in the mud. But it’s not just about fun. Children benefit from messy play, particularly muddy play. Mud play has also been associated with a range of benefits including increased happiness, improved well-being, stronger immunity, and a deeper connection with nature.

Now more than ever, kids need fun, safe and easy activities they can do in their own backyard. Playing with mud is definitely one of them! It’s a simple concept with tons of adaptability and allows kids to get dirty and creative! Kids will love having permission to get messy and parents will love the endless hours of unstructured outdoor playtime these simple mud activities provide.

Creating a mud play space

If possible, consider setting up a dedicated mud play space for your kids. Maybe in a corner of the yard that you don’t mind getting really messy! With kids, the mud probably won’t stay contained to one location, so consider where and why they’ll be moving around the yard when choosing a spot. They’ll probably need access to water, so a nearby water spout or hose is ideal. This also helps for clean-up.

If you have a mud kitchen, all the better to create some really amazing mud confections! You can buy a pre-made mud kitchen or make your own from wood pallets or an old desk or shelving unit. You could even just set up a table – kids are creative and don’t need much. Stock your mud kitchen with all kinds of old pots, pans, utensils, mixing bowls, and kitchen gadgets. You can usually find these things second-hand very inexpensive, so you’re giving extra life to these items.

If you don’t have a dedicated spot in your yard for a mud patch or a mud pit, it’s easy to create one! You can fill a plastic kiddie pool with mud so the mud is contained and won’t get all over your yard. You can also create a mobile mud patch by filling a wheelbarrow with mud, which can be moved around the yard, as necessary and easily emptied and hosed out.

Mud activities for kids

But kids don’t need to understand why this type of play is important to their development. What’s important is that we, as parents, provide opportunities for them to do it – and give them permission to get dirty! Mud play was a huge hit with my kids and even earned me the title “Best Mom in the World” from my son. So, before we get to International Mud Day on June 29th, read on to find out some fun and simple and fun mud activities for kids.

1. Mud pies

If your childhood was anything like mine, you already know all about the most classic way to have fun with mud – mud pies. Making mud pies is perhaps the most simple and creative way to play with mud. In order to make mud pies, all that is needed is mud and some old cups, pans, pie tins, bowls, or containers. Simply send those kids outside to the mud and let them loose! Watch your child’s creativity shine. My kids have used sticks, flowers, leaves, and anything else they find in the yard to decorate their mud pies. The options are endless.

2. Mud soup

Another simple way to have fun with mud is to make mud soup. For our mud soup, we pulled out the witch’s cauldron from Halloween and some spoons for mixing. If you don’t have a witches cauldron, don’t worry! Buckets, large mixing bowls or a punch bowl would all work just as well. Sticks are great for mixing. First, my kids started with dirt and added water to make the mud. Then, they added all kinds of special ingredients to make their mud soup especially tasty. They added leaves, sticks, mulch, water, flowers, seeds, pebbles, and anything else they could find. Mmmm…delicious!

3. Mud sculptures

Mud sculptures were a new idea for our family. This was one of my favorite mud activities because it involved art, as well as science. My daughter quickly learned that she had to have a certain ratio of mud and water in order for her sculpture to stand. So building mud sculptures was as much a science experiment as it was creative play. If you have clay-heavy mud in your area, all the better for this one. You can also add some modeling clay to your mud to help with the consistency.

Kids can get as creative as they want with this activity. Mud sculptures can be anything from figures, shapes, mud animals. Try building a mud house using mud bricks. Feel free to add sticks, leaves, flowers and more to those sculptures to make them extra awesome! Older kids may be better at this activity, but it’s simple enough for even little kids. If you have kids in the early years, they’ll enjoy just squishing the mud between their fingers. Let the older kids make the sculptures and then let the little ones destroy them!

4. Mud painting

Another fun art project to do with mud is mud painting. This can be done in several ways. We simply took white paper outside and used our fingers to paint with mud. Handprints were a big hit, of course. The kids also painted pictures of houses and animals. This would but a fun activity to do on a light-colored sidewalk or wall outside if possible.

If you want to get extra creative, try adding some powdered food coloring to your mud to create mud paint. Then you could use paintbrushes or sponges to paint with your colored mud. Mud paints are a fun way to play in the mud and still be artsy and creative. Let the kids have fun and see what they make!

5. Muddy car wash

Creating a muddy car wash was a big hit for all of my kids. They enjoyed driving their cars around the backyard to cover them with dirt mud so they could visit the car wash. In order to create the car wash, we added some dish soap to a bucket of water. Then the kids used one of their doll brushes to scrub their cars clean. We even had to refresh the water a few times because they had so much fun with this simple activity.

This can also be done with larger cars (think Tonka Trucks) or even with bikes and tricycles. Let the kids ride their bikes through mud puddles and get as dirty as possible, then go through the mud car wash to get them clean! This is a super easy, fun and creative way to let the kids play in the dirt and enjoy outdoor play time.

6. Mud bath/spa

Ok, are you ready for the mother-lode last two muddy activities for kids? These next two mud play activities for kids may be a tough sell for some parents, but I guarantee they’re going to be a BIG hit with your kids. Both these activities require a LOT of mud and a LOT of clean-up, but they’re also going to create some epic memories, amazing opportunities for photos and SO MUCH FUN.

If you’re feeling adventurous, create a mud bath or mud spa for your kids. This activity is probably best saved for a warm day. You can create a mud bath/spa at home in the backyard or even at the beach in sand. For their mud spa, my girls dug a big hole in the sand and filled it with water. Next, they took turns covering each other with mud. This was great at the beach since they could run to the water to clean off afterwards, but it could be done just as easily at home with a water hose or sprinkler. If you’re at home, try filling a kiddie pool with mud and letting them take a mud bath. That way the mud is contained. This is sure to be a big hit for the kids!

7. Mud sliding/pit

Finally, one of the best, but messiest ways to have fun with mud is to create a mud pit or mudslide! If you’re playing in a big patch of mud for any of these activities, then this is probably inevitable anyway. The kids will enjoy running and sliding, digging and jumping in the mud. Don’t be afraid to let them go! Dress them in clothes that they can get as muddy as they want, so you’re not worried about them ruining anything. Just be sure to have a hose ready for clean-up and towels available to dry off.

Fun with mud

What are you waiting for? Now it’s time to head outside, let the kids go, and live it up…we have nowhere else to be right now. I promise the smiles will be worth it.

And if you just can’t stomach the thought of your kids getting this mess and dirty, but still want to give them a fun sensory activity, try making this fairy mud from Happy Hooligans from toilet paper and soap!

What is your child’s favorite mud activity?

About the author

Hello, I’m Brandi! My husband & I live just outside of Washington, DC with our three littles. They are my favorite people in the world & my biggest inspiration. I am a full-time elementary teacher & a part-time photographer, but mostly I enjoy photography as a hobby. I love chocolate, animals, & nature! Summer is my favorite because we get to spend all of our time outdoors!

You can find more from Brandi in the following locations:
Instagram: @brandimarkham
RWMC posts: Brandi Markham
FALL, GOOD FOR NATURE, HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK, SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER
The Roosevelt Walk
- November 23, 2020
Hiking with kids is always an adventure. But, is it a challenge? Can taking a hike teach your children problem-solving skills, creativity, ingenuity, and grit? Have you ever purposely taken a hike to get off the beaten path in order to encounter obstacles? That’s just what today’s post is all about! Jared Ryan, Oklahoma dad of two is here sharing his family’s experience with Roosevelt walks. Inspired by President Teddy Roosevelt, a Roosevelt walk is an intentional hike where, when confronted with an obstacle, you must go over, under, or through it…never around. These walks can be quite an adventure and lead to teaching kids skills and values in new and creative ways.

A new spin on traditional hiking

Have you ever found yourself looking for ways to boost your kids’ enthusiasm for hikes? One of our family’s favorite activities, regardless of the season, is to go venture out onto a hike. Our kiddos always love it. They have tramped hundreds of miles and have worn through countless pairs of little Merrells. From hardpacked clay, tough granite rocks, or supple loam, they’ve hiked it all. Needless to say, sometimes my wife and I are tasked with trying to change things up on them in order to make sure they still experience that wonderful feeling of adventure when we step off the concrete and into the wild. Our favorite way to spruce up the average hike is by doing what we have dubbed as the ‘Roosevelt Walk’.

The inspiration behind the hike

The 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt is known for his deep love of nature and his establishment of our National Parks system. But, he is quite possibly equally know for his relentless pursuit to maintain a ‘strenuous life’. So much of a pursuit, in fact, that within his first year of presidency, reporters associated ‘strenuous’ with his name over 10,000 times. Yeah, for real.

When Teddy wasn’t rustling cattle in the North Dakota Badlands, leading expeditions through the Amazon, or lecturing lawmakers in Washington, D.C., he was leading his six children on walks around Sagamore Hill. (Six!) In true T.R. fashion, Roosevelt had one primary rule for the hikes though:

When faced with an obstacle in their way, the family could only pass it by going: over, under, or through it… Never around it.

What is a Roosevelt walk?

And so we started taking what we called “Roosevelt walks” – hikes where we could go over, under, or through our obstacles. When we hiked, nothing would stand in our way… or maybe it did, but we’d have to find a way over, under, or through it. Our kiddos (and my wife and I) quickly learned that these Roosevelt walks are, well, amazing. I mean, distance no longer matters, and the terrain hardly matters. In fact, the further away from a smooth, well-worn path, the better. I feel that I should also let you know that these short, adventurous hikes are often far more tiring and grueling than a longer stroll on your average trail. After all, you aren’t taking the easiest route.

Where can you Roosevelt walk?

Roosevelt walks can be done nearly anywhere. But, if you find yourself squirming a little at the thought of leaving a marked trail, no worries I do too sometimes. We have actually found ourselves doing our Roosevelt walks both on and off of trails. A lot of trail networks offer the same geodiversity on them as anywhere off of them. So if this is the case for you, your preplanning may have just gotten a lot easier. When the terrain surrounding the blazed trail is calling for you, there can be a whole new world (cue Aladdin theme song) opened up in even your most familiar parks and trails just by stepping off the beaten path and working through unfamiliar obstacles.

*Certain trails and parks do require that you stay on the trail, so make sure and check the trailhead or park office for guidance.

Why you (and your kids) will love it

To me, the dad, there is a never-ending search for ways to show my children how to navigate life. How to problem solve, how to persevere and overcome. To keep myself from inhibiting this process I simply:
- Allow my little teddys to come up with their own strategies
- Refrain from mitigating the difficulty of the situation
- Follow along with their lead and let them be in charge of the situation
Feel free to add additional wrenches to your hike as well. When we are exploring on our family land, I like to reach a point where the kids are not quite sure where we are and then allow them to navigate us back to the cabin. This has taught them new navigation skills along with building their confidence in making decisions. When coupled with our Roosevelt walk, these <1mi hikes can take several hours, but my kids have never complained. Sometimes they get lost on the way, and that is fine, but usually, they’re lost in their thoughts on the task at hand. And that’s perfect.

It’s absolutely satisfying to me watching them ascend a vertical rock wall that is tip-toe height for them or weave their way through the branches of a felled tree. It’s almost like their confidence is visible and you’re watching grow in real-time.

For parents: these obstacles usually bring the same feeling of accomplishment and a boost to our confidence. We all know how quickly and easily we all get so caught up in our infinite emails and our daily Teams meetings and that no matter how hard we resist the mundane. We start to lose that internal feeling of overcoming something, of perseverance, of strenuousness. So, when you have overcome that blocker on the trail or when you’ve faced your fear of what’s new and unknown, you also get to feel a little proud, just like your littles. Plus, you will most undoubtedly use muscle groups that you may not have used since the last time you played tag on the grade school playground.

Working through the barriers as a family always builds our team closer. Because we’ve overcome something together and we collaborated on it. Although, honestly, I usually let the kiddos give their input and I often just go along with their strategy. In my mind, it’ll either work, or it won’t. Either way, they’ve learned something new.

Keeping it safe

To be real, there are definitely times that we do come across obstacles that could put us into real danger. Not just thorn briar danger, but proper emergency room danger. This just is NOT what these hikes are about. When we’ve stumbled into a situation like this I simply explain it to the kids. The purpose of the hike and why it’s okay that we’re rerouting. I mean seriously, my son is far too willing to try and hurl his 4’0″ frame across an 8ft gap. So, I do have to reign them in.

To this point on dangerous situations, my wife and I try to plan ahead in order to find locations that will allow us to safely roam and ramble with consideration of the type of terrain and the time of year. When venturing out, we always have an idea of where we’re going, what we are getting into, and a sense of the severity of any situation.

Where we live, in the central United States, we know the following truths:
- There is a venomous snake in every brush pile during the summertime (at least in our heads).
- Loamy woods are much more forgiving after a rain than the slick sandstone bluffs.
- Creeks that are dry in February are deep and flowing in April.
- Poison oak leaves look a heck of a lot like normal oak leaves.
- In July, whatever water you brought isn’t enough.
Regardless of how intense or how chill your family’s version of the Roosevelt walk is, make it your own. Roosevelt walks are such an easy way to bring some fun and excitement to your short hikes.

Keep your eyes on stars and your feet on the ground” – Theodore Roosevelt

Have you ever heard of a Roosevelt walk?
Are you ready to give them a try?

About the author

Jared is a husband to a talented and beautiful wife, Kristen, and a father of two fun-loving and adventurous kiddos. He enjoys leading family adventures to both near and far destinations. Whether it is hiking, camping, climbing, bike riding, or playing in the backyard, he loves it all. He instills in his family the importance of nature and all the benefits it can bring to one’s life. Jared is a GIS analyst by trade, so he is naturally drawn to creating maps and all things trail related, whether it is creating new trails, recording family hikes, or teaching his kids land navigation, he loves to tie in his own work with family adventures.

You can find Jared online in the following locations:
Instagram: @bikeshikesbiners
RWMC posts: Jared Ryan
BIKE, FALL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, SUMMER
How to Get Started Mountain Biking with Kids
- July 17, 2020
Mountain biking with kids is not only a great way to get outside and immersed in nature, but the benefits go above and beyond. Mountain biking is great for kids’ physical and mental health, improves their coordination and balance, and helps instill confidence. Today, we have Creative Team member Jared Ryan, Oklahoma dad of 2 and avid cyclist, here to give us a primer on how to get started mountain biking with kids. He’s covering all the bases, from how to choose the right mountain bike, what to pack on your adventures, how to get the kids trail-ready and how to mentally and physically prepare for inevitable wrecks. Are you ready?!

Get out, get dirty

Let’s be honest, most of us are feeling pretty confined right now. As parents, we’re all looking for new (or any) ways to get our kids outside and soak up what’s left of this summer. This can be difficult with current social distance guidelines and park closures. However, there are options and lots of great ways to get outside away from it all. For me, it’s all about mountain biking!

Hold up, you say. It’s a 12-hour drive to your nearest mountain range? No worries! That’s not what mountain biking is…at least not all mountain biking.

The mountain biking gear shed

One thing about mountain biking is that you can spend your annual salary on gear. But, let’s not do that… While in some cases it’s really important to buy quality gear for your kid’s safety (i.e helmets), other times, it makes more ‘cents’ to purchase more practically. Let’s lay this out a bit.

Helmets for kids

First off, never ride without a helmet. Yes, you, the adult. This is about the only time I get strict on my little shredders when it comes to the bike. I stress the importance of helmets ALL the time. This often means that I’m wearing my helmet when we’re cruising on the neighborhood sidewalks or pedaling around in the yard. That’s fine, because I’m modeling the behavior I want to see. Now my kids never ask if they really need to wear one. They know my answer.

When shopping for a proper helmet I’d suggest going to your local bike shop or sporting goods store. This ensures that your helmet meets the proper helmet safety regulations in your country. It’s also helpful for getting the right fit and size for your child’s head. While buying online may be easier, it will not give you that same guarantee.

How to choose a mountain bike for kids

Oh man, the bike. This is where it gets fun. I get just as excited when my kids get a new bike as I do when I get my own… Well, maybe not quite, but almost. Depending on your budget, you can spend $100 or $1200+ on your kid’s bike. Each end of the cost spectrum has its validity. Bike shops are a great place to go for all the insight and wisdom that you seek. They’re always ready and willing to nerd out on bike topics and answer your questions. They can absolutely square your kid away on the proper bike and gear with no effort from you. This is the quick and easy way to get kitted up.

If the bike shop route isn’t what you’re looking for, online distributors or even second-hand bikes are both great options. It’ll require a little more homework for you and you’ll forfeit that lifetime maintenance program that so many shops offer, but both of these options can allow you to get that upper-level bike for a lot less cost.

When doing your research, ask yourself, “does this bike make sense for our trails?”. Most entry-level “mountain bikes” out there for kids are actually too heavy for the trails and have inoperable front suspension due to the rider being too light to compress it. They look the part, but when put to the trails they’re too rigid to absorb any rocks and too clunky to be pedaled up any hill. This will NOT do you any favors when introducing your kiddo to the trails.

Suspension and gears

Having made the mistake of buying my daughter’s bike with front suspension and narrower (1.75in) tires, I actually prefer my son’s bike. It has no suspension. Instead, a wider (2.6in) tire gives him the plush feel that a proper suspension fork would. As a bonus, not having suspension on the front also cuts down dramatically on the bike’s weight. Mountain bikes for kids with an air suspension fork (like the Woom OFF AIR recommended below), give you the best of both good suspension and lightweight.

A range of gears is an absolute must for the trails. Bikes with six to seven gears on the back and one gear up front are the most common for kids’ bikes and will work perfectly for most trails. You may see bikes with two or even three gears on the front, but this is not usually necessary and can add more confusion for your young rider learning to shift gears on the fly.

Mountain bike tires for kids

When choosing tires for your child’s mountain bike, you want a relatively wide (2.25in-2.6in) tire with a knobby tread (think of a dirt bike tire). This will not only help with the dirt/mud, but it will grip better in turns and provide more traction and confidence on the downhill sections. Confidence is key. When you’re airing the tires, you don’t need to max out the psi for the tire. Putting in about 5psi less than the tire’s max press rating can go a long way in providing your little rider with more traction on the trail.

Best mountain bike for kids

Woom OFF AIR

Woom has changed the sport of mountain biking for kids with their durable mountain bikes! The Woom OFF AIR bike delivers off-road performance in a lightweight package. Child-specific ergonomics bring comfort and added safety to each adventure. This bike is well equipped and capable of handling almost anything it encounters, from the bike park to gravel roads to singletrack. With its air suspension fork, the Woom OFF AIR provides off-road capability and ergonomics designed for growing bodies and developing skills. Stable, responsive, and equipped with high-performance components and tubeless-compatible rims and tires, it provides best-in-class value in its category.

How to dress kids for mountain biking

In the hot summer months, it’s relatively easy to figure out proper attire for the season. When riding in the cooler fall and spring months, I start my kids with a base layer of cooler clothing and then add layers according to the weather. It’s often cool or even cold at the beginning of ride, then within the first couple of miles, your body warms up pretty well. This is especially true for kids. I account for the storage of the extra layers in my pack so that there’s no reason for the kids (or I) to not shed a layer when it’s needed. Wearing too much clothing for the temperatures can be just as detrimental as wearing too little.

Lastly, get them some riding gloves. I prefer full-fingered gloves, but I can’t say that it really matters. Proper fitting gloves will really cut down on blisters.

Getting familiar with the dirt

After your kiddo gets that nice and shiny steed, go get it dirty! Assuming your rider has mastered the bike basics, you should introduce them to the dirt by finding a local dirt or gravel path. These paths are often unpaved walking/biking trails winding through the trees. No obstacles, no undulations, just smooth packed dirt. I find that this is an organic way of getting young riders comfortable with navigating through the narrow and confined space of the trees.

While a lot of single track trails are no more narrow than a sidewalk, the tunneling effect of the trees can be pretty intimidating to any new rider. Once they’re more comfortable on the dirt path, feel free to find little branches and rocks (smaller than 3in in diameter) to let them roll over and experiment with. They may get bucked around at first riding over these obstacles, at first. But soon they’ll gain more control and intuition over the bike. Your goal should is to get them used to the feeling of rough terrain and to trust their bike.

If you don’t have a smooth dirt path near your home, no worries. I often take our kids to a nearby park and lead them around hopping off and rolling up curbs, racing in the grass (as it’s often uneven ground), and riding up/down short little grassy hills. All for the sake of building up their handling skills. Kids get comfortable on their bikes far quicker than their parents, so if you’re not already familiar with mountain biking, jump in and take turns doing these with your little rider.

Leading or towing them into new obstacles can provide them more confidence before trying it themselves.

What to pack when mountain biking with kids

Okay, so your ‘little rider’ has now morphed into a ‘little shredder’ and they’re ready for the real deal…the Red Bull Rampage circuit. What should you bring on the trail? Some rides just require sufficient water and maybe a flat kit. But, for longer rides or for trails that I haven’t ridden before, I prefer to carry a hydration pack with our necessities in it.

While I have my own list of carry-on items that I take for each of my own rides, my list is a bit longer when my kids are with me. There is just more that can go wrong and I don’t really expect them to carry their own packs at this point in their progression.

In my trail pack:
- Water – The amount is dependent on your planned ride, but usually 32oz in a hydration pack and a 20oz bottle per person is more than enough for our 1hr rides. You’ll need to figure this for your local climate and personal needs
- Flat Kit – I carry 1 tube per rider, 1set of tire levers, and a CO2 inflator w/one CO2 cartridge per rider. I often carry a hand pump too just in case we have a rough day.
- Bike Tool – It never fails that a seat is too high or a derailleur is not adjusted. There are a lot of options out there to fit you budget/needs. I’ve been really pleased with the Crankbrothers M-17
- Small First-Aid kit – Just a simple a kit with antibiotic creme, alcohol wipes, and bandages.
- Snacks – Um well, yeah kids and dads love snacks.
For after the ride I keep in my vehicle:
- Wet wipes – Quick easy way to wipe of the trail dirt and sweat.
- Lint roller – After the wet wipes are used, I find a lint roller to be a great way to get rid of ticks before they attach
- More Water
- Zevia – Because the kids definitely earned them!
Hitting the trail

At the start of your ride, review and even take a picture of the map at the trailhead to make sure that you know which trails are designated as “Easy” or “Beginner.” I recommend sticking to easy trails at first so that you can keep the rides short and simple. This allows your young rider to decide their own rate of progression. Roll out on these rides with ZERO expectations.

So often on the drive to the trails, my kids are so excited! They tell me all the jumps they’re going to “send.” All about how fast they plan to ride. I love it. However, that’s not always the case once we’re on the trail. Fatigue sets in and suddenly, without warning, they’re mentally and physically wiped. Or even (dare I say it) bored! That’s fine, it happens. If you set your expectations low, it’s easier to roll with whatever comes your way and to improvise on the ride. I’ll often let them hang out and session a trail feature. Or, sometimes, this means taking a LOT of breaks. But regardless, since I don’t have any particular goal for the ride, I’m able to fully embrace the outcome…even if that means we’re hitting the bypass trail back to the parking lot.

When they’re just not feeling it that day and want to head back early, I don’t force the ride. I want this to be a fun experience. I’m completely aware that some days they’re just not that into it. That’s fine, we’re not training for world titles…yet.

I’ve also found that with both of my kids, when they’re up front and leading the group, they tend to ride a little more confidently and are far more engaged in the ride. This is natural since the lead rider is forced to choose the correct lines and has to be alert for any obstacles. If you notice a kid falling behind, maybe give them the chance to lead for a while.

Let your kids lead – this will help them pick better lines and navigate terrain on their own, making them more well-rounded riders.

Prepare for wrecks

Be ready…wrecks are going to happen. Yes, they are GOING to happen. No biggie. Most mountain bike wrecks do not result in serious injury, but they can definitely hurt. Ironically, the first step to overcoming the fear of wrecking for any new rider is to wreck! Honestly. Once they get that first fall on their Pro Mountain Biker resumé, young riders nearly always conclude that it’s not really that bad. Or even that it was worth it.

My little shredders wreck A LOT. In a positive way. Usually, they wreck because they’re pushing their abilities or conquering a trail feature that has continued to best them. And I’m good with that! Once I’ve verified that my kid is okay, I usually become the hype man. For us it’s something like “Whoa! You alive, dude? That was incredible! Your bike did three flips off that rock!” Or “Dang girl! You good? You’ve gotta hit that one again!”

Sometimes the pain is real though and we make our way back to the trailhead. Usually, we talk through how the wreck played out and figure out what happened. Was it a bad line choice? Did they have too much or too little speed? We try to learn from the crashes so that next time they aren’t beat by the same feature.

The biggest perk

Mountain biking is SO incredibly rewarding for kids. They learn new skills with balance and coordination. Reach new levels of fitness and health. They will be exhausted, and dirty, and happy. They’ll face obstacles that previously made them tremble, and then they will conquer that obstacle! For us parents, we get to watch this unfold and have a front-row seat to their growth. We can sit on a rocky overlook while taking one of those frequent breaks and soak it up with our little shredders. To me, this is the biggest perk of mountain biking. Now get out there, go ride your bike.

About the author

Jared is a husband to a talented and beautiful wife, Kristen also a father of two fun-loving and adventurous kiddos. He enjoys leading family adventures to both near and far destinations. Whether it is hiking, camping, climbing, bike riding, or playing in the backyard, he loves it all. He instills in his family the importance of nature and all the benefits it can bring to one’s life. Jared is a GIS analyst by trade, so he is naturally drawn to creating maps and all things trail related, whether it is creating new trails, recording family hikes or teaching his kids land navigation, he loves to tie in his own work with family adventures.

You can find Jared online in the following locations:
Instagram: @bikeshikesbiners
CRAFTS, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, OUTDOORS INSIDE, SPRING
DIY Flower Suncatcher
- May 26, 2020
Looking for a fun and simple way to bring a bit of color and nature into your home? Want an excuse to go out and pick some beautiful wildflowers? Are your kids are bored and need a fun craft project! We’re here to help! Today, Kathleen White, Arizona mom of three shows us how to make a DIY flower suncatcher with simple everyday items you probably already have at home. This fun and easy craft will encourage your kids to get outside and enjoy nature and give you a fun way to display it at home.

Bring the beauty of nature inside

With all of us being in our homes a little more than usual lately, it’s more important than ever to bring nature inside to us. We’re always looking for ways to bring more nature into our indoor lives and fun ways to stay entertained. Flower suncatchers are the perfect combination. This is a fun and super easy DIY project that you can do with kids of all ages. It’s easy to get the whole family involved in the process. Let’s get started with what you will need!

Gather your supplies

The beauty of this DIY flower suncatcher is that you probably have all of these items sitting at home. No need to leave your house, except to go pick some flowers! And since we’re all about getting kids outside, this is my favorite part of the process! Here are all the supplies you’ll need:
- Paper plates (preferably the old school ones, not foam plates)
- Markers or paint
- String or yarn
- Press N Seal wrap
- Hole punch
- Scissors
- Flowers, leaves, grass, etc
Go flower picking

The first thing you need to do is to collect your flowers. Time to grab all the kids and get them outside to explore! Give them their mission to find as many flowers, leaves, foliage, grass, etc. as they’d like to use. Spend this time getting some of that energy out so they’ll be ready to focus on the craft when you get home! We chose to use a flower pot that was sitting around to put all of our treasures in. You can use whatever you have at home (bag, box, bowl, etc.)!

If you want to protect tiny hands, you can take along a pair of gloves. Not necessary, but may be a good option if you’ll be picking thorny flowers. Have fun with the flower picking portion of this project! Make it an adventure! Choosing different shapes, sizes, and colors will make each suncatcher unique!

Instructions for making a flower suncatcher

Step 1: Cut out the center circle from the paper plates.

Step 2: Once you have cut out all the circles, let the kids decorate the front of the paper plates. You can use colors, markers, paints, stickers or whatever else you have on hand.

Step 3: Place a sheet of the wrap paper on the front of the plate. Turn it over and add flowers. Next, place another sheet of the wrap paper on top and press the plate flat to allow the two pieces to stick together.

Step 4: Use the scissors to cut off any excess wrap around the edges.

Step 5: Punch two holes in the top and add your string so you can hang it up!

Show and share

See, I told you it was easy! Making DIY flower suncatchers is such a fun project for kids and a great way to display your nature treasures. The kids were so incredibly proud of their suncatchers. They added nature elements and fun color to our space and reminded us of our fun outing.

Are you ready to make your own DIY flower suncatcher? We want to see it! Post a photo of your suncatcher on social media and use the hashtag #runwildmychildDIY so we can see and share your creations!

About the author

I’m Kathleen, wife to my high school sweetheart and mama to 3 energetic littles. I’m a photographer in love with telling compelling stories of life’s beautiful chaos and photographing families authentically. I am slightly obsessed with window light, Saturday morning snuggles, and documenting our adventures. We recently took the biggest leap of faith of our lives and are currently traveling full-time around the United States in our RV!

You can follow our adventures in the following locations:
Website: http://www.faithboundtravel.com
YouTube: Faith Bound Travel
Instagram at @faithboundtravel
Other RWMC posts from Kathleen: Kathleen
ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, INFORMATION, NATURE SCHOOL, SPRING
Hatching Chicks in an Incubator with Kids
- May 12, 2020
Bringing nature inside is an excellent way to engage children, learn new things and make family memories. There are many ways to incorporate nature experiences into our homes and schooling. These are a great complement to outdoor nature excursions and adventures. One incredible way to teach your children about nature, caring from animals and life cycles is to hatch baby chicks! Today, we have Ginny Yurich, founder of the 1000 Hours Outside challenge, here to teach us about hatching chicks in an incubator with kids! The entire fascinating process takes just 21 days from egg to chick. Even if chickens are not in your future, this is a great read – share it with the kids!

Nature at home

I am writing this post in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are on shelter-in-place orders for a few more weeks and have been for quite a while now. Like many people, the plans for our winter and spring were significantly altered. These past few months were originally slotted for a speaking tour around the United States and countless adventures along our travel route. Instead, we’ve found ourselves stuck at home. We’ve had to find new ways to incorporate nature into our lives. New circumstances offer new opportunities and this slowed down pace has allowed us to try some brand new things. Caring for the animals on our farm has been an incredible experience and a wonderful way to get our daily dose of nature.

Learning new things

With this new lifestyle came new experiences for our family. For the first time ever we got to experience hatching chicks right in our house! This post details our second attempt hacking chicks because nothing happened the first time around (they weren’t fertilized, see below). True to form, I consistently fail at pretty much everything I try the first go around! The second attempt, however, left us with FOUR brand new baby chicks. What an experience!! It was so exciting that we cleaned out our incubator and set another batch of eggs in the very next day.

Since this experience is all brand new to us I probably won’t answer all your questions. However, we learned a tremendous amount about the process and that’s what I’m going to share with you here! This an excellent time in life to have some chickens around, if it’s allowed where you live. If not, this is still a fabulous learning activity for your school or homeschool. You can always find people to buy the chicks once they have hatched… or you could just give them away!

The incubator

I am proud to admit that I am now a part of several chicken groups on Facebook! Those are my go-to places for information on hatching chicks and raising chickens since these are the people who have already tried what I have not. The Nurture Right 360 Incubator was the top incubator choice in all of these groups, and so, that is what we went with. It holds up to 22 eggs! Its top features are heat and humidity consistency, egg turning, a countdown timer, and a candling feature (more about candling later). We love it, but this is by no means your only incubator option.

There are many sizes, varieties, and brands of egg incubators available. Some hold as little as three eggs while others can hold up to 250! An incubator is even something you can even make yourself, if you’re feeling crafty. If you search DIY incubator plans you can find countless articles and videos detailing different ways to make one! Another option to consider is calling your local school district to find if they have one you can borrow for three weeks.

Incubator must-have features

In order for the incubator to actually work, it must be able to keep the egg environment at a consistent temperature and humidity. Chicken eggs must be kept at a temperature between 99 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit is considered the ideal temperature. This is extremely important because temperature fluctuations as little as one-fourth of a degree can decrease the rate of hatching and/or cause health issues with hatching chicks.

Humidity control helps the developing embryos have the correct amount of moisture throughout incubation. Similar to the temperature, there is an acceptable range (50 to 65 percent humidity) with 60% being the ideal number here. Incubators have water-holding devices that help maintain humidity levels.

Some incubators turn the eggs automatically. In order for eggs to be viable, they must be turned three times a day every day until the final 72 hours before hatching. This keeps the yolk right in the center of the egg white so that it doesn’t stick to the shell membrane. If the yolk gets stuck, the embryo will die. If your incubator doesn’t have an automatic turning feature you will have to rotate the eggs by hand. Miraculously, mama hens know to turn the eggs they are sitting on! If you were to place a small line with a pencil on the outside of an eggshell that a hen has been sitting on you would find, by looking at your line, that at different times of the day the hen will have rotated the egg. Isn’t that amazing?

If you look below, you will see that our incubator shows temperature, humidity and the day of incubating we are on. D-10 means that there are 10 days remaining. A red light will show up if temperature or humidity is outside of the acceptable range.

Fertilized eggs

Biology 101 – in order for an egg to be fertilized, a hen and a rooster must mate prior to the formation of the egg. Hens can lay eggs with or without the presence of a rooster. The eggs you buy from the grocery store are not fertilized. They come from hens who live with other hens. If you want to hatch baby chicks a rooster must be involved in the process. A single successful mating session allows a hen to produce fertile eggs for around two weeks. You can use a process called egg candling to find out if your eggs are fertilized or not.

If you have your own hens and they live with a rooster, chances are you will have many fertilized eggs. If you do not have a rooster, you can also obtain fertilized eggs from hatcheries or even buy them in local groups on Facebook!

Egg candling

Egg candling is a fascinating process allowing you to partially see inside of an egg and watch the development of the embryo over time. It’s as simple as shining a bright light on the egg. However, the process must happen quickly, in just a few minutes or less, in order to avoid the temperature of the egg dropping too drastically. Be sure to handle the eggs with clean hands. Around day seven of development, egg candling allows you to tell which eggs are fertilized and which ones are not.

Some incubators come with a bright light you can carefully set your egg on in order to observe. Or, you could just hold the egg in one hand and use your other hand to shine a flashlight into it. Some people use an actual candle (hence the name).

By day seven you should be able to clearly see an embryo forming inside of a fertilized egg. It looks like a small black dot. Additionally, you may see the presence of veins. You can clearly see the difference between the eggs below. One shows the black dot of the embryo and emerging veins while the other is empty and not fertilized.

As your egg develops, through candling, you will be able to see the embryo grow and even begin to wiggle around. It will gradually fill the egg up causing the inside of the egg to look very dark. Once day 18 hits it’s time to leave the eggs alone and wait for them to hatch!

(fertilized egg above – unfertilized egg below)

Preparing for hatching

Hatching is wildly exciting! This is definitely our favorite part of the entire process! Chicks can begin hatching as early as 19 days. Although, occasionally the process can take as long as 25 days. Did you know that you can actually hear the chick chirping before it breaks out of its egg?! Amazing.

On day 18 of development, stop turning the eggs, raise the humidity to 70%, and begin to wait. From this time on, leave the eggs be and do not handle them if at all, if possible. One of the very last things to happen is that the chick absorbs the yolk. This allows the chick to go up to 72 hours without food and water after hatching. It’s also what makes it possible to order chicks through the mail!

The first thing you will see is a pip. The pip is the first crack in the shell that the chick creates using its egg tooth. Once the first pip happens your chick will be fully hatched within 18 hours (but often a lot sooner). From this point forward to do not open the incubator. A drop in humidity or temperature can gravely affect hatching chicks by drying up the membranes inside of the egg. Leave the eggs/chicks alone and just watch in utter fascination!

The hatching process

The pip will eventually turn into a crack that goes all around the egg. It doesn’t happen in the middle. The crack will occur towards the end of one side of the egg. While hatching, the chick will slowly turn its body around in the shell to extend the crack from the inside out. Hatching is an exhausting process and once the chick has finally emerged it may look limp and lifeless for a while.

A newborn chick will be wet and slumped over. Resist the urge to attempt to dry them off. Within just a few hours they will fluff up and start looking super adorable. Moving them from the incubator too early could cause them to catch a chill. Remember not to take any of your baby chicks out until they ALL hatch!

And now you have chicks!

Now that you have baby chicks, what do you do next? Well, a photo shoot is definitely in order! Next, Baby chicks hatched in an incubator will need to go into a brooder once they are completely dry. A brooder is a heated area meant to keep chicks safe while they are small. Many people make a homemade brooder out of a plastic tub or even a plastic pool. The chicks will stay in the brooder for about 8-10 weeks. After that, you can move them to a coop. On average, chickens start laying eggs around six months old.

Hatching chicks with kids

And there you have it! Our entire experience hatching chicks from eggs and all the fun stuff we learned along the way. This was such an incredible experience for our entire family and we learned so much. If you ever have the opportunity to try hatching chicks from eggs, you should! And if not, make sure to share this read with your kids and explain the process so they’re aware. Kids (and adults) are fascinated by this and will learn so much.

Have you ever watched a chick hatch in an incubator?
What are some of your favorite ways to bring nature inside?

About the Author

Ginny is a Michigan homeschooling mother of five and the founder of 1000 Hours Outside. She is a thought-leader in the world of nature-based play and its benefits for children. Her 1000 Hours Outside Challenge spans the globe and many people from all walks of life look to her for inspiration as well as practical tips on how to put down the screens and get outside. Ginny has a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Michigan and is also a children’s book author and illustrator. Her book, The Little Farmhouse in West Virginia was published in February 2019.

You can find more from Ginny in the following locations:
Website: http://www.1000HoursOutside.com
Instagram: @1000hoursoutside
Facebook: @1000hoursoutside
RWMC posts: Ginny Yurich
BEACH, BIKE, CRAFTS, GARDENING, GOOD FOR NATURE, HIKE, HOLIDAYS, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, WATER
15+ Activities to Celebrate Earth Day with Kids
- April 14, 2020
Earth Day is next week and the world needs you and your actions! There are so many things parents and kids can do to help protect, preserve and restore our planet – from cleaning up, to recycling, composting, planting a garden or just enjoying the beauty of nature! Today, we have Chelsea Furlong (professional photographer and eco-conscious mom of 2) here with 15+ eco-friendly activities kids and families can do together to celebrate Earth Day. And bonus that all these activities can be done at or around the home, while socially distancing.

15+ Earth Day Activities With Kids

Earth Day 2020

April 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970. On that historical day, 20 million Americans filled the streets with protests to stop the destruction of our precious planet. This essentially started what became the planet’s largest civic event and an environmental movement. Since then, Earth Day has been celebrated annually worldwide on the 22nd day of April.

While this year is a bit of an anomaly and we’ll have to celebrate at (or close to) home and away from others (no marches or protests this year), there’s no reason why this can’t be the best Earth Day celebration ever! Use this as a way to avoid shopping/purchasing anything new (especially plastics) and use what you’ve already got on hand in new ways. Get creative and make the most out of the things you already own or can find in nature close to home.

Celebrating Earth Day with kids

Getting kids involved in taking care of the planet when they’re young encourages them to continue the tradition as they get older. It’s a parent’s job to teach kids to be good stewards of the earth encourages them to love and respect their planet and nature. There are so many amazing ways you can celebrate this day with your kids and family while being conscious of your carbon footprint. Here are some of my favorites!

1. Nature scavenger hunt

Make a list of things found in nature around your home, neighborhood or a local park. Then go out for a walk or hike with the family and see how many items you can find. In order to save paper, you could make the list on your phone or a reusable dry erase board or reusable writing board. We love our Boogie Board writing tablets for things like this!

2. Neighborhood clean up

Grab some gloves and garbage bags and beautify your neighborhood by removing all the trash humans have tossed around. My kids actually love doing this because they almost always find treasures they want to clean up and keep. Our oldest son keeps a whole lot of other people’s discarded items to use in creating art and sculptures, and we don’t mind one bit! We get to enjoy his creative mind while giving the trash a second life before it’s tossed into a landfill for decades, centuries, or possibly forever.

3. Family bike ride

Going on a family bike ride is a great way to get the family outside enjoying what Mother Earth has to offer while being active and adventurous! Head to your favorite bike trail or try a new one. You can enjoy your town or city without polluting the air and you’ll feel so great afterward!

4. Get out on the water

Spend the day observing nature from the water. Instead of using something motorized, try a kayak, rowboat, stand-up paddleboard, or other pollution-free water vehicle.

5. Make a bird feeder

There are TONS of ways to DIY a bird feeder using recycled materials. We made bird feeders using recycled toilet paper tubes, popsicle sticks, and even pine cones! We have a great post on making ec0-friendly bird feeders with kids using materials you already have at home! No need to leave the house!

6. Practice Earth Day yoga

My kids love doing yoga! Celebrate Earth Day with kids by doing a special outdoor kid-friendly yoga session. Stand barefoot in the grass so you can feel the earth under your feet and are grounded. Breathe in the fresh air and feel the sunshine and wind on your skin. You can pick some earth and animal-related poses to do. Tree, turtle, butterfly, lotus, and frog are some of my children’s’ favorite yoga poses.

7. Make seed bombs or seed paper

Another great activity to celebrate Earth Day with kids is to make seed bombs (with clay) or seed paper using recycled paper scraps you have lying around the house or in your recycling bin! You can bomb an area in your yard or neighborhood and see how they grow over the spring. Or give them out as gifts to friends or leave them on a neighbor’s doorstep as an Earth Day present. Feel free to use my seed paper valentine instructions as a guide, with a few swaps. Change the color (to blue/green) and shape (to a circle like the Earth) to match the Earth Day theme.

8. Start a garden

Kids love playing in dirt! Have them help you make a family garden. You can plant a flower garden or edible garden, and work together to take care of the plants. If you don’t have a lot of space or live in a city, you can always do a potted garden or patio garden! We don’t have a lot of space to plant edibles where we live, but we still try to grow some herbs and vegetables every year using pots and containers. Here are some recommendations for easy vegetables to grow with kids and a great post on how to make gardening enjoyable for kids.

Eco Tip: Be sure to buy the pots/containers pre-loved at a thrift store or from someone else!

9. Plant a tree

There’s no better time than Earth Day to plant a tree! Spring is a great time to plant and Earth Day is a great reason. Pick a special spot to plant a family tree that you all can visit for years to come! If you plant a fruit tree, you’ll also have the added benefit of beautiful blossoms and fruit you can enjoy once your tree is mature.

10. Make earth art

Doing an art project is always a fun way to celebrate and document any holiday. Making art from natural materials is so much fun to create. Plus, there’s a fun added benefit in that other people will find joy when they come across your artwork! You can use any kind of materials you find in nature to create a masterpiece on the ground. We like to use shells, sticks, rocks, leaves, flowers, petals, nuts and sand.

11. Start composting

Starting a compost is something that has been on my list to do for years now and I think Earth Day is when we’ll start! My oldest son has been bringing me food scraps daily, asking to put it in a compost instead of the garbage. I promised him we would do some research and begin one soon. We don’t live in a rural area and don’t have much of a backyard space so our compost will need to be small. However, there are plenty of great options for composting in small spaces and in the city! A friend uses this composting tumbler in their backyard and adds the finished compost to their flower beds. You could research composting with your kids and start this year, too! And when you start your compost project, make sure to include a few bins for little hands so the kids can help out, too!

12. Have a picnic

A great way to get outside and enjoy nature is by having a picnic. You can have a picnic inside or outside! But be sure to keep it earth friendly by:
- packing your picnic in reusable containers,
- bringing reusable utensils/straws/water bottles, and
- bringing cloth napkins/hand towels.
Bonus: Try to reduce your picnic carbon footprint by preparing a vegan meal!

13. Take a hike

One of our favorite outdoor activities is hiking. Hiking always inspires us to take care of our beautiful planet by reminding us just how impressive nature can be! This year, if you can safely get out to a place away from others, take a fun Earth Day celebratory hike. Bring along a bag to pick up any trash/litter you see and some binoculars to do some birding while you’re out!

14. Make nature crowns

Nature crowns are a really fun and easy craft you can make and wear in celebration of Earth Day! No need to buy anything, just use whatever you can find in nature. You can make nature crowns out of just about anything – flowers, grasses, clover, vines, sticks, dandelions or wildflowers! Be creative and have fun with it!

15. Make nature paint brushes

Head out on a nature walk and collect different materials to use as paintbrushes! Pick up things like sticks, leaves, long blades of grass, flowers, etc. Take them home and dip them in paint to make a family piece of artwork to hang up forever. It’s a great way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. You’ll be able to look at the art you made and remember the time you spent with your children for years to come.

16. Earth Day puppet show

Another fun way to celebrate Earth Day with kids is to make puppets with materials from your recycling bin. Or, you could make sock puppets from all those single socks you have lying around! You can have your children do some research online or read some books about ways to protect our planet. Then they can share what they’ve learned by putting on a puppet show! This is also an amazing activity to share with family and friends on FaceTime or other video chatting app during quarantine. You don’t have to leave your house and you can bring some joy to others in isolation from a safe distance!

17. Make sculptures, art, or robots using items in your recycling bin

My kids love making art from trash! It gives those items one more life before they get tossed into the recycling bin or trash can. Use materials you would normally throw away or recycle and repurpose them into art, a sculpture or a robot (or a monster or an alien or anything!). Let them paint and decorate their creation. Display it proudly!

18. Build a fort

Another great way to celebrate Earth Day is to head out into the woods with your family and make a fort together! Use materials found on the ground to design a shelter. (Do NOT take down anything alive! I’m sure you’ll have plenty of options that are no longer alive and that have fallen to the ground without the help of humans!) You could have a picnic inside your fort, read some books, or just sit in the quiet and observe Earth’s gifts surrounding you.

How will you celebrate Earth Day with your family?

About the author

Hi there, I’m Chelsea! I’m a photographer, mother of two busy boys, and sunshine and fresh air addict. We live in Virginia Beach and spend as much time outdoors as we possibly can! We spend most of our time exploring the beach, inlets, and nature trails nearby. Our family loves biking, hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, building forts, and playing in the sand! During the warm months, you can find us enjoying the Chesapeake Bay almost every night until long after the sun goes down. We’re doing our best to reduce our carbon footprint and always try to leave every trail cleaner than it was when we arrived.

You can find Chelsea online in the following locations:
Instagram: @dimples.and.the.blonde
Client work: @chelsea.lyn.photography
Website: dimplesandtheblonde.com
RWMC posts: Chelsea Furlong
CRAFTS, HOLIDAYS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, RECIPES, SPRING
How To Make Natural Dye For Easter Eggs
- April 8, 2020
Spring brings with it blooming flowers, rain showers, and Easter eggs! If you’re like us, you’re probably stuck at home right now looking for things to do with the kids (here’s a huge list if you need more ideas for outdoor spring activities for kids). Dying eggs with natural ingredients one of those activities (#88)! It’s also a super fun social distancing activity for the whole family. Today, Texas photographer and mom of two (with another on the way), Tiffany going to walk you through how to make natural dye for Easter eggs, using household, backyard and pantry items that you already have at home like spices, fruits, veggies, and foraged plants! Get ready for the fun!

Up your Easter fun without leaving the house

While lots of egg dying tutorials will use super colorful dyes made from fancy ingredients, we’re going to make this simple and easy for you. We want to show you how to use household items from your fridge, pantry, and backyard to make dyes. No need to put yourself at risk by going to the grocery store. And no need to purchase expensive store-bought Easter egg dyes. There are lots of items you can use to make all sorts of colored dyes right around your home. Your kids will be so surprised and impressed that dyes can be made from so many ordinary things! And this will surely elevate your Easter egg hunt to the next level.

Gather your household materials

Start by having the kids collect items that can be used to make dyes. For this tutorial, we used blueberries, beets, the tops of carrots, wildflowers, and turmeric. So many things you have on hand WILL work! Have some fun by searching your yard, pantry, and your fridge! Have some fruits or veggies going bad?! Perfect!

Some other ideas for items to use to make natural dye are: purple or red onions, dandelions, raspberries, spinach, paprika, kale, green onions, chili pepper, red cabbage, red peppers, or yellow onion skins! The options are endless, and super fun to experiment with!

Supplies for naturally dyed eggs
- hardboiled eggs cooled to room temperature (note: brown and assorted color eggs will dye differently)
- fruit, veggies, spices, foraged plants and flowers from the backyard
- water
- white vinegar
- glass Mason jars
- sheer pantyhose
- rubber bands
- scissors
- wildflowers/foliage for decorating eggs
- strainer (cheesecloth or a paper towel also work!)
How to make natural dye for Easter eggs

Put 6 cups of water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 2-4 cups of whatever natural substance/ingredient you are trying to pull color from to the boiling water. Make sure your ingredients are chopped up, which helps with the color extraction process. Add 3 tablespoons of white vinegar. Let the mixture boil for about 10 minutes, then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 more minutes. Remove from heat and strain the liquid into a mason jar(s). Repeat the process for each additional dyes and colors.

Naturally dying eggs

Place hardboiled eggs into each dye and let them sit. We HIGHLY recommend you soak the eggs at least 24 hours! The longer you leave them in, the more pigmented your eggs will be! After eggs are desired color, remove from dye and place on a towel or paper towel until dry. Please note these dyes WILL stain fabrics, so be extra careful.

Adding flowers and prints

We love to make our naturally dyed eggs a little extra fancy with flower and leave prints and added dried wildflowers. To do this, start by cutting pantyhose into 5-6 inch strips. Lay the small plants/flowers of your choosing across the egg. Carefully place pantyhose around the egg pulling them as tight as possible from the opposite side and secure with a rubber band. Repeat as desired. Place the eggs in the jars with the dye for at least 24 hours (as recommended above). Remove the eggs and let dry. Use scissors to cut pantyhose off off eggs at the base of rubber band and carefully remove the pantyhose. This is the fun part! You can leave the flowers/greenery pressed on or remove them for a print!

Natural dye for Easter eggs

And that’s it! Making natural dye for Easter eggs is easy as can be. We hope you’ll give this fun technique naturally dying eggs using household items and foraged materials a try. Make sure to tag us in your images if you post them online and we’ll be sure to share! We can’t wait to see how your eggs turn out and all your creative dyes. Stay safe out there.

Have you ever made natural dye for Easter eggs?

About the author

Tiffany is a homeschooling Mama of three earthside children (one baby boy on the way) and one baby girl that travels among the stars. She is a vintage obsessed, wicker collecting, tree-loving photographer, creator, painter, writer and loves to document her children’s childhood and is passionate about sharing her take on motherhood, raising children outside of the “norm” and in nature. You can find Tiffany on Instagram at @dear.wildlings.