Ginny Yurich

  • ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, FARM, INFORMATION, SUMMER

    Summer On the Farm with Animals

    Everyone loves springtime on the farm – baby animals everywhere and they’re so cute and cuddly! (Even baby vegetables are adorable!) By fall, many farm animals are fully grown – or at least close. What you may not realize is that there is a magical time between spring and fall which seems like animal childhood. Summer! This is when the animals develop their distinct personalities, find their tribe, and learn whatever it is they are supposed to learn. Just like children, animals often learn through play. Today, we have Ginny Yurich, founder of the 1000 Hours Outside challenge, here to walk us through the growing up months of farm animals! As a first-year farmer, she’s been fascinated to learn so many new things she was never expecting to learn. Are you curious about summer on the farm with animals is like? Read on!

    Summer on the farm - raising and learning about animals with kids

    Little farm animals have big personalities

    Springtime on a farm is so exciting, everything is bursting forth with new life. It can also be a challenging time as new farm babies don’t always make it. There are high highs and there are very low lows. However, once springtime passes into the summer months, there are a lot of new little animals to take care of and I was surprised to see all sorts of individual characteristics emerge. Summer on the farm with animals is a really magical time of year – particularly if you get to experience it with your kids.

    Prior to living on a farm and being around farm animals, I would’ve thought there wasn’t much distinction from one goat to the next. Who knew chickens had such distinct personalities? Turns out, farm animals have all sorts of personalities and unique characteristics. Summertime is when those personalities start to emerge and you get the opportunity to meet your new crew and learn all about them.

    summertime animals on the farm with kidsChickens and Turkeys

    Birds of a feather flock together

    Fun fact: There are over 20 billion chickens in the world. Beyond chickens, there are other birds in the same animal order (technically called “Galliformes”) that include turkeys, quail, pheasants, peacocks, guineafowl, and more! Often the chicks can be raised together in the same incubator; a space where they are kept warm for the first several weeks of life.

    As they grow older, even though they don’t know what they look like, they gravitate to the birds of their own kind. It’s incredible. The turkeys hang out with the turkeys. The guineafowl run with the other guineafowl. And the chickens all roost together at night. Sometimes, a few chickens may team up with a guinea or two, or any other combination of these chicken-like birds. But by the end of the summer, they all have separated on their own to be with birds who have the same characteristics. Summer on the farm is when important decisions are made in the life of a bird. 

    summertime on the farm - learning about animals

    Learning about chickens, turkeys and guineafowl

    We’ve learned so much about our birds this past year and summer on the farm has been a great time to observe them. As chickens, turkeys, and guineafowl grow up they are busy establishing a pecking order. If you have a lot of poultry-type birds you can watch this sophisticated process unfold. The birds start to group together almost like little gangs! There always tends to be one who leads the pack when they run around the chicken run or when they free range. How do they keep this all straight? Well, chickens are able to differentiate between more than 100 chicken faces of their own species! It helps that they can see in full color. It’s remarkable.

    The personality of chickens

    Some chickens like to stay put near their coop. They are satisfied to have food and water brought to them daily like royalty. Others are foragers, doing what they can to escape their confines to explore nearby property. They look for bugs and dig small holes to sit in to stay cool. At night, some birds will enter the coop like clockwork, ready to roost and rest to prepare for the next day. Others try their best to get into available trees, also roosting but in actual branches instead of on poles in the coop.

    One thing we didn’t know when we first got chicks is that it can take up to six months before they actually begin laying eggs. Some will lay eggs a little earlier depending on breed. Even once they begin laying it takes them a while to get into a groove. The first eggs can be small and may not even have a shell! Where will you find the eggs? Possibly in a nesting box in your coop. But, if your chickens are free-range, there is no end to where they may lay them. In fact, one of our hens was hiding an entire clutch of amongst some long grasses for three entire weeks! We only found them because they hatched and six little chicks were out following their mama around.

    Mama hen and her chicks - learning about baby animals on the farm

    Oh, the life of a pig!

    Summer on the farm with pigs has definitely been interesting! Before we got pigs I had read that they don’t smell all that bad. In my opinion, that turned out to be false. Pigs definitely have a distinct odor and most would find it quite unpleasant. Piglets themselves are very strong. At just 30 pounds they are hard to control, imagine when they grow ten or more times that size! Some pigs can grow to over 700 pounds. 

    During the summer pigs do what you would expect them to do – they eat. And then they wallow in the mud to keep themselves cool. And then they sleep. Oh, the life! Pigs are extremely intelligent animals. Ours have escaped their pen more than once by lifting the gate entirely off its hinges. You’ve gotta be quick with pigs around. If they are out for long, they will root up your entire lawn. You’ve also gotta be quick with pigs because pigs are fast runners! On those short little legs they can run a seven-minute mile!

    Three piglets - summer on the farm with animalsBaby goats

    Raising goats

    There isn’t anything much cuter than a baby goat. Did you know baby goats can be up and walking within minutes of birth? As they grow, goats develop unique and distinct personalities. Some are calm, while others are more active and wily. Some try and escape time and again, while others are fine to stay put. Eventually, if you breed a female goat (also called a doe or a nanny) and she gives birth you may be able to milk her. Certain goats are fine with the milking process while others kick and jump the entire time.

    Just like humans, goats need companionships. Unlike dogs, where a family could own just one, it would be unhealthy to own just one goat. A group of goats is called a herd (ok, not that surprising), but if you’re going to have goats…go with the herd mentality. Get a bunch!

    Baby goats jump and frolic and as they grow they become very good at climbing. Often farms will have small goat playgrounds for the goats to jump around on. Below is a photo of our only goat escapee, Spirit. She is constantly squeezing out of her pen to forage for new weeds while her mama (Willow) and brother (Spark) are fine to stay put. The good thing is that she’s still small enough to be lovingly carried back to the barn.

    Baby goatGoat on farmBarn cats

    The barn cats (and kittens) have been such a delight for us this summer! At birth, kittens weigh about the same as a lemon. For the first one to two weeks of life, they cannot see or even hear! Both their eyes and ear canals are closed when they are born.

    It takes about four weeks for a kitten to begin to play. Just like in children, this play helps them learn the skills they need to learn in order to survive. Kitten play looks like running, climbing, pawing, chasing, and pouncing. They often play with their siblings (some of whom may be half-siblings, see below). Kitten play will help them develop social skills as well as predatory skills, both of which are needed if the kittens remain outdoors.

    One of the most interesting things I’ve ever learned about kittens is that all of the kittens in a litter aren’t necessarily from the same father. Each egg is fertilized by one single sperm. And if there are several male cats (“toms”) around, each egg may be fertilized by a different tomcat. This may account for the variety of colors, patterns, and personalities that emerge from one single litter of kittens. 

    Barn catCat in a basketSummer on the farm

    Summer on the farm is like a sped-up version of childhood. It is such an exciting experience to watch our farm animals grow and observe their personalities and unique characteristics emerge and shine. Those individualities make it a little harder if a particular animal passes, which can be a common experience due to all sorts of factors such as parasites or predators. Still, the animals that do grow up on your farm can become like little family pets. Once the springtime rolls around again, many farm animals will be old enough to reproduce themselves and the beautiful process of life begins all over again! 

    farm kitten

    What is your favorite farm animal?
    Are there farms near you that are open to having visitors?

    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

  • INFORMATION, MCFAMILY

    Reflections on Quarantine

    While the pandemic has affected us all differently, it’s affected us ALL in some way. We’re more than two months into the thick of things here in the US and some stay home orders are finally starting to be lifted. While things sometimes feel like they’re trying to get back to normal, there’s still so much unknown about what’s to come. One of the things that’s helped me through some of these difficult times is reading about how other moms are doing and handling the situation. A few members of the Run Wild My Child Creative Team took some time to write down their reflections on quarantine and documented the good and the bad about their COVID-19 experiences thus far and how the pandemic has affected their homes, heads, and hearts. 

    reflections on quarantine with kids

    Leslie

    @c_l_allofus

    When the Covid-19 threat first became real here in Ohio, things shut down with astounding speed. Our heads were spinning with the new information coming out daily, the threat of how this would impact our families and communities, and the frustrations of major restrictions. From the outside, though, it didn’t seem to change our lives that much. I’m a homeschooling mom to four kids. My husband works in an essential job. Our daily schedule remained much the same, and we realize how blessed we have been. Even so, the increasing closures and restrictions made an impact.  Art and music lessons were canceled. The libraries closed. Our church moved all services online. We couldn’t get together with friends and family. Even grocery shopping became a challenge. And, thanks to the weather, outdoor adventures (my favorite way to have fun with my kids) were more of an ordeal than a fun outing. After a long and cold winter, our Ohio spring remained cold, wet, and windy. In fact, if you had told me at the beginning of the quarantine that it was going to snow clear through Mother’s Day weekend, I might have crawled under my bed covers and not come out until Memorial Day!

    But despite the challenges, I have so many things to be thankful for during this quarantine. We’ve spent even more time than usual together as a family—and as you all know, that comes with both challenges and blessings. But without anyone else to turn to, my children have become better friends with each other.  All our needs have been met, and I know that isn’t the case for everyone during this time. And even though the weather hasn’t been ideal, we have repeatedly turned to the great outdoors for adventure, excitement, and fun. Right before the pandemic hit, we moved into a rural farming area and we’ve been thankful for that every single day. We haven’t had to fight through park closures or social distancing for outdoor time, because we can step outside our door and wander through woods and fields and up and down our quiet country road. And we have…every single day. When the monotony of life within the walls of our house feels overwhelming, we’ve gone outside to explore. When winter has felt never-ending, we have searched the fields and woods for those sure signs of spring. And when our indoor entertainment has run out, we’ve gone outdoors and found endless new things to play and enjoy.

    A mom's reflection on quarantine

    Nichole

    @coleyraeh

    The bad. It’s been a long two months. My daughter turned six almost RIGHT before the Covid-19 pandemic hit American soil. We were lucky to have her birthday party with friends the first week of March. That next week we made the decision as a family to self-isolate. My husband worked from home for one month, but then had to return to work. Nearing the end of two months at home, and we are feeling it. Workouts are interrupted with requests for snacks, writing sessions are at best, sporadic. Though we are a homeschooling family, we rarely stay home. In fact, I think the hallmarks of our homeschool are our field trips and shenanigans. Typically we are done with school at the end of April and we spend May visiting my Mom and Step-Dad in Phoenix, using their home as a base for farther explorations. Staying home hurts. Our family is so far from us and we miss them dearly.

    Without the road trips, day trips, and shenanigans to seek out I’ve found myself slipping into the grips of Mom guilt daily. I’ve been shorter with my fuse and sharper with my words, stemming from all this togetherness without an outlet. My typical routes of self-care are no longer accessible and alone time is a precious commodity that looks like sitting in my car in a parking lot with a latte from home. (which is actually just left over coffee mixed with chocolate oat milk). Anxieties have reared up from where they were buried and at night when I’m trying to sleep, perceived failures and shortcomings intermix to keep my brain firing. I feel like I’m drowning. But then, when I’ve taken a moment to pause, I realize that my kids are standing in that water I think I’m drowning in. They are fine. They are thriving. And what they most need right now is our family. And we are right here. 

    How moms are handling quarantine with kids

    The good. I have never been so grateful and appreciative of our home. I’ve never been more aware of how absolutely privileged we are as a family. My husband had the ability to work from home for a while. He has a job to continue working steadily, and regularly brings our groceries home after work. Our fridge hasn’t been bare and our bellies have been full. Our back porch has become a sacred space. Our children rediscovered how much fun our backyard can be. We do not live in a major metropolitan area that has been hard hit. As a family, we our weekends were typical non-stop adventuring, staying home all weekend had been a rarity for us. So, this time of turning inwards has been a blessing for us. No nightly tennis practice, no gymnastics, no running for the next activity. My husband and I, and our kids, chose to invest that energy into our garden. It’s a space that brings me so much joy and is a source of peace in the daily grind. This year, prior to the pandemic, we added four more raised beds. I threw myself into planting them. Then we added huge barrel planters for giant dahlia blooms. Then (thanks to Instagram) I got an idea for an arch. My husband made that happen, but he went above and beyond anything I could have imagined.

    This summer, we won’t be traveling like we used to, but we will have the most amazing arch tunnel, that you can walk under. It will be filled with morning glories, luffa plants, cucumbers, mini pumpkins and mini squash, sour gherkin cucumbers, nasturtiums, and whatever else I planted on it that I forgot about. Last weekend, we added a potting bench (built by my husband). We have delighted in picking fresh produce for our meals almost every day for the past two months. (We live in zone 8, so gardening starts in February). My kids enjoy our mornings outside and I enjoy my nightly garden stroll with my husband to show him what grew that day. Just yesterday, I was showing him the sunflowers that are starting to bloom. It’s been an excellent exercise in patience and presence. (#coleyraegardens). Our schooling may have been sporadic during this time, but we have read some wonderful stories, had more family dinners than ever before, played more board games, laughed together at Dude Perfect videos on YouTube, and enjoyed the gift of this slowed down time. 

    the good and bad of quarantine

    how we're getting outside during the pandemic

    Sara

    @sara_mccarty

    The bad – I first became aware of just how scary and devastating this pandemic could be while at work, listening to doctors, actuaries, and experts come up with a plan for social distancing. Things escalated faster than I ever could have imagined and only days later, we were officially home and self-quarantining (my daughter has a heart condition, so we took it seriously). We were working from home (two lawyers), schooling from home (2 school-aged kids + 2 year-old), and living socially distant from our friends and family. It was incredibly heartbreaking to drive down the street and see stores and restaurants closed. Friends started to get laid off; many had to close their businesses. The stock market continued to drop. The panic buying set in, the statistics got worse, the fear surmounted. Everything felt so overwhelming and scary. The kids missed their friends. We were overwhelmed with screen time and schoolwork. Nothing was getting done, the laundry piled up, the house was a wreck, there were so many meals and chores and snacks and Zoom calls. I was taking care of kids all day then working until 2:0o am every night and I still couldn’t keep up. Overwhelm set in and I lost it.

    I’ve been surprised by the sheer volume of how much and deeply I felt. Somedays, within minutes I could go from being so incredibly sad, scared, stressed, and helpless to bursting with love, joy, pride and gratitude for my little family. I’d throw myself a pity party about how hard this all is and then I’d consider how much harder it is for so many people and how lucky we are. Then I’d feel guilty about feeling bad in the first place. It’s been so confusing. Are we overreacting? If we let up, could I ever forgive myself if something happened? What really would happen? How long will this last? There’s so much to think about. My temper’s been short, my stress level through the roof. After full days with my kids all over me, the introvert in me wanted to scream and hide in a closet. Never (not even while pregnant) have I felt so emotional and exhausted. I withdrew from everything and it took me weeks to (very slowly and deliberately) get back into a headspace where I felt like I could function again. That’s so not like me and very unnerving. It’s left me very worried about what’s to come and if this will happen again.

    The good – Never in my life have I been more aware of how incredibly privileged, lucky, and blessed we are. The pandemic has made me fully aware of how much we’ve taken for granted and how grateful we need to be every day. We have a home that’s comfortable, a fridge that’s full, bodies that are healthy, and opportunities just a click away. Friends and neighbors have gone above and beyond with birthday parades, organizing virtual events and dropping off goodies like freshly baked pretzels, homemade jam and booze. After a few stressful weeks, I kicked my guilt to the curb and decided that homeschooling on a screen was just not going to work for our family. We found other ways to learn inside and out and it made it huge difference in our attitudes letting that go. Work’s been busy, but flexible enough that we can get out and do things together as a family. Ryan and I make a great team and work together so we can each get things done. We’re lucky to have friends with private land nearby so we can explore outdoors all day and never encounter another person. We’ve been camping, floating, fishing, hiking, and spending countless hours in our own backyard.

    We eventually hired help (a college girl home for the summer) to take the kids on socially distant outdoor adventures during the day so my husband and I could work (necessary to keep our full-time jobs – we know how lucky we are for our paychecks). My kids have spent nearly every day of the last two months in a creek, on a trail or by a lake and it’s been incredible for them. While they still fight constantly, I think they’re also closer than ever before and they’re thriving on all the time they get to spend outside and with us. Being outside has made a world of difference to us all and really solidified my passion for helping other families get outdoors together. I love being home and (while I don’t want to be here forever) I’ve truly enjoyed having dinner together as a family every night, doing house projects with my husband, adventuring with the kids and all the time together we’ve been blessed with.

    How outdoorsy moms are handling the pandemic

    moms reflect on covid pandemic

    Jemma

    @thimbleandtwig 

    Lockdown for us has been a mixed bag. I feel blessed to have extra time with the kids and to spend loads of time together as a family. We’ve done some fabulous crafts, had a garden campout, toasted marshmallows, and played board games. There have been some days that have been truly lovely. I’ve adored watching the kids develop a lovely bond and play more together – I’m so thankful we have 4 kids – they have entertained each other!

    However, the juggle has been oh so real and a struggle! Trying to work (teaching live lessons as a secondary school teacher or leading training whilst my husband takes a work call) has been super stressful. There have been days where I feel sad that the kids bickering and me as an impatient mum have dominated the day. It’s also been hard that the kids have missed out on seeing their friends and grandparents. My daughter was in the last year of primary so she won’t get to say goodbye to her friends, won’t have the leavers parties, and end of school play. Both my son starts school and my daughter starts secondary and they won’t have a transition period. Other things have been tricky – friends have had their babies and I won’t be able to meet them until this time is over. Parties and anniversaries have been missed…my 100k overnight walk with friends was canceled.

    But we’re thankful. We’re all healthy happy and safe – we’re intrigued how we’ll navigate the next period – longing for life to return to normal. I am worried about how the next part of the journey goes. Will our children grow up fearful of others? Will we always be crossing the road when someone walks too close? Will we turn into a germ-centric generation? Lockdown leaves all these feelings and although I know we’re so, so lucky – it’s still hard to think about how we’ll all be touched by this crazy period of time.

    the importance of getting outdoors during the pandemic

    Reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic from moms

    Ginny 

    @1000hoursoutside

    Sometimes I wonder “What if?” What if we would’ve known ahead of time? How would we have prepared? But the fact that we couldn’t prepare in advance forced our family to be creative and to learn new things.

    Just under a year ago we moved to a small hobby farm. Knowing nothing about farming, we figured we would ease into it. Coronavirus moved up our timeframe considerably. Having a little bit of land allows us to contribute to our local food system and since we were stuck home anyway we decided to go all in. We went from knowing nada to owning goats, chickens, turkeys, pigs, guineas, and barn carts in the matter of a few months. The cows come this weekend. One of our goats gave birth to twins in March and so we’ve added milking to our daily routine. Teats and udders are now a part of our daily vernacular. And of course, we set up a makeshift garden and are attempting to grow all sorts of things we’ve never grown before. All that to say, our family has learned an unbelievable amount in the last 10 weeks and I consider that a plus! Combine endless time at home with empty grocery store shelves and I transformed into “Farmer Ginny” :).
     
    One thing I’ve struggled with (and there have been many) was finding a new footing. I think we all settle into a routine that has a balance of inhales and exhales. These last 10 weeks have been extremely demanding as lots of plates have been added but without the regular things we do to relieve stress, like hiking with friends. Socially, emotionally, and physically the demands on mama skyrocketed and I didn’t rise to the occasion as much as I would’ve hoped. Overwhelmed and consumed with the news media, I took four weeks off of our seat work for school. I struggled with depression despite knowing that mostly we were okay. We are finally starting to come around but it’s taken a long time. 
    Thoughts on quarantine with kids

    How moms are dealing with quarantine

    Tiffany

    @dear.wildlings

    The good. What a time to be alive am I right? The circumstances leading up to the stay-home orders have tremendously affected everyone’s lives including ours, homebody Homeschoolers. While there have been challenging moments I can honestly say that this time at home has been and will remain one of my fondest memories of my children’s childhood for the following reasons. Time. Oh, bittersweet time. Our days were often filled with at least one errand or obligation we had to be at and with the stay-home order, they cease to exist leaving me with my children, distraction-free. Our conversations were enriched and I felt a sense of slow normalcy I have never felt before. I didn’t pay attention to what time it was and something about the constant slow days made me appreciate my time interacting with my children without the hustle and bustle of life even more. We all ate at the table every night together. I can’t say how much this has changed our lives.

    As a photographer, there are many nights that I am not home in time for dinner as I am chasing the sunlight and I miss that time. Lots of nights were wrapped up with mom grabbing something on the way home and dinners were rushed so we could keep our normal bedtime routine. Being home allowed me to cook (more than I ever have before) and enjoy dinner time with my children every single night, never missing a beat or moment or conversation I otherwise would have missed. It gave me more time with my children, my husband, and even myself.

    The bad. Negatively I would say that the hardest struggle any of us went through were the days we needed a change of scenery. We highly missed our outings to lunch, spur of the moment out of town day trips, book store, and coffee shop mornings…and just having the option of getting out of the house especially with how much it rained his spring season. You can only expect kids to be stimulated at home so much when suck inside. I think those are the days I struggled and the kids struggled too. I think I personally struggled too with my lack of working, being a photographer – I missed creating. This mentally made me feel worthless some days as a high functioning creative – it made me feel a bit in a rut. However, I did my very best to challenge myself in other ways creatively and come up with new ideas on how to create income. However, I would do it all again if we had to and have learned through this experience that its okay to have slow days and ignore the “real world”. I don’t want that to ever change or “go back.” The good completely outweighed the bad. 

    Reflections on quarantine

    We’d love to hear how your family is doing through all this.
    Drop us a comment and let us know. 

  • ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, INFORMATION, NATURE SCHOOL, SPRING

    Hatching Chicks in an Incubator with Kids

    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!

    Hatching Chicks in an Incubator with 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.

    hatching chicks at home

    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!

    how to teach kids about hatching chicks

    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.

    best incubator for hatching baby chicks

    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.

    incubator features for hatching chicks at homechicken egg incubator must have features

    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!

    fertilized chicken eggs

    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!

    how to tell if a chicken egg is fertilized - candling(fertilized egg above – unfertilized egg below)
    canling chicken eggs to see if they're fertilized

    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!

    preparing for hatching baby chicks

    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!

    how to hatch chicks with kidschicken egg hatching process and incubationbaby chick emerging from eggbaby chicks in an incubator

    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.

    how to hatch baby chicks in an incubator with kids

    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

  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER

    Hidden Benefits of Outdoor Winter Play for Children

    As the old saying goes, “Variety is the spice of life!” And nothing provides quite a much variety throughout life as the changes of the seasons. When the seasons change, a whole host of new outdoor activities become available for families and for children. And winter is no exception. Today we have Ginny from 1000 Hours Outside, a homeschooling mom from Michigan (where it is a balmy 21 degrees outside, which may actually feel quite nice depending on where you live) sharing her perspective on the benefits of outdoor winter play. Instead of riding out the frigid temperatures and waiting for spring, we hope this post will encourage you to head outside for some beneficial outdoor winter play!

    Outdoor Winter Play is Worth Every Bit of Your Time - hidden benefits of playing outside in the winter for kids

    Benefits of Outdoor Winter Play

    Winter is worth it

    Depending on your location, there will be certain seasons that are more conducive to outside time than others. Winter is probably not too many parents’ favorite season for outdoor play. The gloves, the hats, the scarves, the snow pants, the layers, the whining! We know! We know! It probably takes longer for you to get everyone dressed in their layers than the time you actually spend in the open air. Am I right?

    Yes, you’ll have a pile of wet and melting gear afterward. And lots of muddy clothes to wash. But, instead of looking at seasons as good or bad we like to look at them as opportunities to try new things. Yes, winter brings its own set of challenges, but it also brings special magical outdoor activities you can’t do any other time. We promise you that getting outside in the winter months is worth your time and effort! Read on to learn just some of the benefits of outdoor winter play. We just might turn you into a fan of winter after all!

    benefits of outdoor winter play for kids

    Winter play enhances brain function

    Did you know that increasingly complex movements enhance brain function? We tend to think of movements becoming more intricate only through that first year of life. A baby begins by lifting the head and then pushing to all fours. Next, baby is crawling pulling up and finally walking, all within a relatively short span of time. But what then?

    After those initial milestones, the milestones continue though not as linearly. Think of the complexity of bike riding and swimming, pitching a baseball and climbing a tree. Children who are given ample time to play outside and try these activities will naturally progress to more difficult bodily movements, all while boosting brain function.

    In Smart Moves: (Why Learning is Not All in Your Head), Carla Hannaford, Ph.D. writes “Elderly people who dance regularly decrease their risk of dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease by 76% and those that play a musical instrument decrease the risk by 69%.” These statistics portray the importance of sophisticated movements.

    So what, you say. What does all of this have to do with outdoor winter play? Well, I’m so glad you asked! Consider the movements associated with outdoor winter play beginning with the simple act of walking in snow or on ice (in thick/heavy boots and clothing, no less). Immediately, the brain is fired up! This is a new experience – and a complex one. Legs must go higher, balance is tested. Throw in some other activities such as sledding, skiing, ice-skating, snow-shoeing, rolling and even throwing snowballs and you’ve got yourself a season that is filled with opportunities for children to challenge themselves in complex physical ways that benefit their brains and bodies.

    Running Through the Snow - physical benefits of playing outside in the winter months

    Outdoor winter play enhances creativity

    Winter brings all new possibilities for creative play, imagination and construction. Forget sandcastes, build a frozen snow castle! Or snowmen, snow mountains, snow towers, snow forts, snow volcanoes, snow lanterns, snow sculptures, snow cakes, etc. You can paint the snow, eat the snow, and make angels in the snow. Snow and ice offer kids a never-ending supply of elements for creative little minds.

    There are endless ideas floating around about using simple things you probably already have on hand like food coloring and bowls to create ice ornaments. Or mix food coloring with water in a spray bottle and letting the kids have at it. Interestingly, there is also so much variation between the types of snow that falls. Is it wet snow? Will it pack? Is it dense or light and flaky? Is it good for sledding? Building snowman? And then how should we dress the snowman? You get the picture!

    It can be easy to think of a season where everything seems monochrome as drab, one without possibilities. But the elements of outdoor winter play are so open-ended that we have at our finger-tips a literal blank canvas of endless opportunity! Creative opportunities abound during this marvelous season!

    Snow and ice offer creative outlets for kids - benefits of outdoor winter playCreative Play in Snow and Ice Makes for Stronger Healthier Smarter Kids

    Winter play enhances physical health and development

    Fresh air does a body good, but so does movement. A good romp in the snow will get the lymphatic system moving, helping our bodies clear out unwanted toxins. Additionally, these outdoor winter play movements involve muscles that may not get as much use in other seasons. The simple act of pulling a sled up a hill gives the legs a magnificent workout. In what other season would we go up and down hills over and over? This trudging through deep snow time and again does so much for a child’s physical development.

    Winter is also a time for advancing core strength. All of the balance work, keeping the body upright while sledding down a hill or slip-sliding across a frozen pond, engages the core. Shoveling helps in the exact same way and is considered “heavy work; that is, any type of activity that pushes or pulls against the body. Heavy work is crucial for developing body awareness.

    And while this is great for your child’s physical health, there’s another perk of outdoor winter play you may not be aware of! All of this intense physical activity will inadvertently help your child in academia! Students who have a strong core don’t have to expend energy or constantly think about sitting at a desk. It is a well-known phenomenon that this is something many young people struggle with these days, to the point of even falling out of the chairs at school. There’s such a cross-over between all of these benefits!

    Hidden benefits of outdoor winter play for kidsWinter play strengthens relational bonds

    Outdoor winter play engages all the senses. This is one of the reasons time in nature is often so memorable. Some of my favorite childhood memories are shoveling snow with my dad in the early mornings when it seemed that all the world was fast asleep. I remember the dark, the biting cold, and the rhythmic sounds of the shovel against the cement. I can still recall the huge piles of snow that would accumulate along the edges of the driveway, the bit of observation needs to shovel in the right direction so the wind wouldn’t bring it all right back, I remember that indescribable feeling when you’re all finished and you head inside to warm up.

    Isn’t this one the simplest things in life? Shoveling with my dad. Just me and him. It doesn’t seem like the kind of exciting memory that a child would value above so many other super fun and exciting activities, but it mattered. It stuck.  Think about it…how many of your fondest childhood memories and moments happened outside? The connections and memories you make outdoors seem to stick with you much longer than others. The magic of childhood can be found in the most ordinary places, most of which are outside! 

    physical benefits to kids of outdoor winter playHave we convinced you to get outside this winter?
    What are some of your outdoor memories from childhood?

    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

  • FALL, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    How to Have a Screen-Free School Week

    In our fast-paced world, it can be challenging to set screens aside and engage full-on with the things and the people right in front of us. Kids are bombarded with a plethora of fun games, shows, videos and apps designed to suck them in and keep them in front of a screen. As parents, we know that screen time can be detrimental to kids and we’d all like to be better about getting our kids off screens. Today, we have Ginny Yurich, founder of the 1000 Hours Outside challenge, here to encourage us to take a week (or two or three) this school-year and designate them as screen-free weeks! Ginny’s sharing some tips and advice on why it’s so important for kids (and families) to take an intentional screen-free school week and how to do it properly.

    Tips & Advice for Parents on How to Have A Screen-Free School Week for Kids

    Borrow a Waldorf lesson

    When I was growing up there seemed to be two main options for school: public or private. These days the list is much longer. In addition to public or private, you can choose charter schools or forest schools, Waldorf or Montessori, homeschooling or worldschooling, just to name a few!  Though some of these options have been around for a while, the diverse approach to education today is prominent.

    Of the options above, many Waldorf schools have an interesting philosophy that really appeals to me. It is common practice for parents of Waldorf students to sign a contract agreeing that students will not have screen time from Sunday evening through Thursday evening. No screens all week, every week the kids are in school. I know what you’re thinking. . . “What’s a child to do after a strenuous day of school work? What about those witching hours when nerves are frayed and dinner needs to be prepared? Aren’t screens a good choice for decompressing?” 

    how to plan a week without screens for kids

    The importance of screen-free time

    What we have found in our home is the more screen-usage we allow, the more enslaved we become to it. While some screen time can be seen as “educational,” too much of it may have a negative effect on a child’s development and overall well-being. An excess amount of screen time can affect sleep, increase the risk of childhood obesity, lead to poor eyesight and physical coordination, and problems with behavior or attention.

    Kids need time off of screens to develop the skills that will serve them in life. They need physical activity and face-to-face social and emotional connections. They need time to explore their environment and discover new interests. There is great freedom in taking an intentional screen-free school week because it gives children the opportunity to re-engage with their surroundings and most importantly, their own inner resources. 

    The Importance of Screen-Free Time for Kids & Benefits of Unstructured Play

    How to have a scree-free school week

    Childhood is when humans soak in the mystery and wonder of life. Kids need time off screens, just to be kids. As parents, we know that living completely screen-free lives is not always practical or desired. However, we can make small changes here and there to give our kids a digital detox from screens and give them back an important part of childhood. Make the choice to shut off the devices for a mere seven days and watch your kids thrive! Observe their creativity and thoroughly enjoy the moments where you can all be present together.

    This time of year is incredibly busy. It can be easy to fall into the trap of using screens as a way to entertain and occupy kids. But it’s also a great time to take an intentional break and reset your screen habits. You’ve made it through the back-to-school transition. It’s not time to capitalize on family time together at the end of the day. Make the commitment to take a digital detox. Here are some tips on how to have a screen-free school week.

    Plan a screen-free week for your kids

    1. Know the importance of unstructured play

    When we are tired and busy, it can be easy to forget the value of unstructured play. This is an easy time to hand your kids a screen or turn on the TV. However, unstructured play could benefit them so much more. Unstructured play benefits every phase of the development. While you’ve probably heard this before, knowing how crucial unstructured play is for your kids will better equip you to say NO to screen time when you’re exhausted or need a break. 

    What is unstructured play?

    It’s a type of play where children engage in open-ended play that has no specific learning objective. Unlike “structured” play, unstructured play is not instructor-led. Parents do not give directions. Unstructured play is often referred to as simply “letting kids be kids” or “just play.” Sounds easy enough, right? But why is it so important? 

    • Unstructured play benefits kids academically. Play helps their brain connections become quicker and stronger. If you include some outside nature play, children will naturally be drawn to complex movements that will contribute to brain growth. Additionally, kids learn so much through hands-on experiences. Knowledge flies to the mind of a child who can hold and observe something in his or her own hands!
    • Unstructured play builds social skills. Invite a friend over for the afternoon and observe the conversations, compromises, and creativity. Kids are naturally motivated to keep playing and so they utilize extensive social skills to maintain whatever play scheme they have invented.
    • Unstructured play develops emotional support. Children work through significant life issues through play. Taking kids outside helps calm them through the gentle sensory integration of nature. Flashing screens actually stimulate the flight or fight response. After a long day of standardized tests, adult-directed activity, and social pressure, it’s so important for kids to have some moments of true calmness.

    Screen Free School Week Tips & Ideas - Playing Outside After School

    2. Prepare some alternative activities

    If your child is in the habit of having screen time after school, spend a few days breaking that habit. Until they can come up with their own ideas, consider offering some different options to choose from during your screen-free school week. Screen time is often the result of boredom or lack of creativity in coming up with something to do. It’s the quick and easy choice, but not the best one. So having an arsenal of options and activities at the ready makes it much easier for you to say NO to screens by giving kids ideas and choices of what they can do instead.

    The activities we utilize the most are ones that are open-ended and lead to lots of fun unstructured play. Things like mud kitchens, mad libs, paper dolls, magnet toys, play dough, jump ropes, tangrams, string games, felting, puppets, stamps and stencils, origami, baskets for nature-collecting, or finger-knitting are some of the screen-free pastimes our kids enjoy. Set up a slackline in the backyard or a tent for the kids to play in. Give them some sidewalk chalk and have them create a masterpiece. Give them a shovel or a net and go on a minibeast hunt. Have them build something with blocks, sticks or whatever they can find. Or task them with writing and acting out their own play or favorite storybook. Let them get creative! 

    Tips & Advice for Having an Intentional Screen-Free School Week

    3. Be ready to say…

    “It’s okay to be bored.” Boredom truly is a gift. It is the bridge between nothing and creativity. When properly encouraged, bored kids can come up with some ingenious ideas for things to do! We know that it can be incredibly annoying and irritating to listen to the complaints of bored kids that have absolutely NOTHING to do except play on screens. Being prepared for this is half the battle and will help you stick to your guns about staying off of screens.

    I’ve found the best way to deal with the whining is to have a short and sweet comeback. I’ll choose my response and repeat it over and over again like a broken record. Besides, “It’s okay to be bored.” I sometimes use “That’s okay. I know you’ll figure it out.” And finally, when all else fails and my patience has been tested, my response of last resort is “Great! I have some chores that need to be done!”  That response works every time! The kids scatter and find something to do! 

    Engaging Screen Free Play - How to Have a Screen Free School Week

    All things in moderation

    Children thrive when they are given ample time and space to play both inside and outside. Since much of their day is already accounted for (school, sports, extra-curriculars, etc.), kids greatly benefit from screen-free time. It is very possible that someday our kids may ask us why we didn’t limit their screen time even more. Screens are not evil. Technology provides amazing benefits. However, for children the passive time spent using screened devices takes away precious childhood time that could be devoted to other worthwhile pursuits. So as parents and caregivers, we need to protect the afternoons, evenings and weekends, giving our children hands-on experiences that will profit them in the near future, but also for a lifetime. 

    Lifelong Benefits of Screen Free Play

    Do you find it hard to build screen-free time into the school year?
    What are some of your favorite screen-free pastimes?

    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

  • CAMP, FAVORITE GEAR, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Pop-Up Camping With a Large Family

    Camping is a summertime essential activity! If you haven’t gone camping with your kids yet, what’s holding you back? Does it sound intimidating? Do you not think you have the right gear? Don’t know where to go? Have more kids than fit in a tent? We’re here to help! Camping might sound overwhelming, but it’s always worth it. Seasoned campers will tell you that sometimes even the most disastrous camping trips are the most memorable and fun. Today, we have the absolutely wonderful Ginny from 1000 Hours Outside here to share her best tips and advice on how to do pop-up camping with a large family. Ginny has 5 kids, an old pop-up camper and a great sense of humor. That’s the perfect recipe for a great adventure! Here’s how their family does camping. 

    Pop-Up Camping with a Large Family

    Less stuff, more fun!

    We live in an age where we celebrate minimalism. Less is more! If it doesn’t bring you joy, pitch it! As it relates to parenting, we are encouraged to own fewer toys, fewer clothes, and to have less clutter. You either own your stuff or your stuff owns you, as the old adage goes. There are certainly many benefits of a more minimalistic approach to life, but one area of childhood that we should not want to have less of is experiences. Why? Because experiences equate to learning and they bond us together as friends and as family.

    Today, I want to encourage you to build as many outdoor experiences into childhood as you possibly can! Outdoor play provides significant developmental benefits to children. One way our family has substantially increased our yearly outside time is through camping. Camping can be done in a myriad of ways such as tent camping, hammock camping, car camping, staying in a rustic cabin, or even sleeping directly under the stars. With five young kids, we have tried several of the options above (hammock camping hasn’t happened yet). We found that pop-up camping with a large family is a great way to get out and see the world!

    Pop-Up Camping with KidsPop-up Camping tips and advice for large families

    Benefits of camping

    Life is hectic and no one can really prepare you for the demands that children bring along with them. Beyond the wants and needs of children, there are many other adult responsibilities to juggle. Sometimes it’s nice to get away from it all. Camping is an excellent choice for R&R because it’s affordable, accessible, and it completely removes you from the daily hustle and bustle. It’s a quick and convenient way to set all the expectations aside for a few days and to reconnect with family, friends, and with nature.

    In nature, children disperse and become engaged with their surroundings. In this way, camping is an ideal vacation when you have young kids because it’s not the type of vacation that you need a vacation from. When you camp, nature surrounds you and your kids! Nature deeply occupies any age child and so this simple change of surroundings can offer some desperately needed moments of reprieve for parents and caregivers.

    Why a pop-up camper?

    After many years of camping with children, we found that camping with a pop-camper made camping indescribably easier and more accessible. Because it’s easy, this means camping happens more often! Campers come in all shapes and sizes, but pop-up campers tend to be on the cheaper end of the spectrum and they can offer a notable amount of sleeping space. We bought an ‘experienced’ camper (15 years old to be exact). It cost about the same as a week or two of lodging at a summer cabin. In exchange for one week of luxurious accommodations, we purchased an item that has the potential to offer us years of adventures.

    Inside the Pop-Up Camper with KIdsCamping tips and advice for large families

    Vacationing as a large family

    No one talks too much about large family logistics. In fact, the only thing people told as baby number four was about to make her debut was that once we had four kids we would never get invited anywhere again. We still weasel our way into people’s lives, but the truth is there are some logistical issues once you hit the category of “large family.” Hotel rooms don’t accommodate large families well. Our vehicle choices are limited. Restaurant waits are much longer. Given these “obstacles,” camping quickly becomes an ideal way to see the world.

    Pop-up camping with 5 kids

    Our pop-up camper provided the answer to so many of our large family vacationing problems. To begin with, we all fit! We searched for the largest pop-up we could find. Double beds aren’t going to cut it but if you can find a pop-up with at least one king bed, you’ll find there will be ample inside space and storage. We actually found a camper with two king-sized beds that pull out on either end! Plus, there’s a bench that turns into a small bed, and a table that also turns into a small bed, fitting all seven of us comfortably inside.

    Our bedtimes in the camper have provided some of our favorite memories, all together laughing and telling stories. Additionally, camping is a vacation where you can easily plan your own meals and bring your own food. Most pop-ups have storage where you can leave kitchen items at the ready! We took a quick trip to a goodwill shop to originally stock up for what we needed. Finally, we can travel and explore almost any area of the country at a fraction of the cost! The savings for a nightly campsite versus two (or more) hotel rooms rings in around 70 – 90%!

    Pop-Up Camping Tips for large familiesget immersed in nature through camping

    Pop-up camping tips for large families

    Once your pop-up is packed with essentials, you are only a few outfits and a grocery trip away from some lifelong memories. Here are a few of our best pop-up camping tips that we’ve tried, tested and approved!

    1. Research your campground and your campsite

    Different campgrounds have different things to offer. Depending on the ages of your kids you might be looking for a campground that has a play structure, one with a great bike-riding trail, one with a beach you can walk to, or one with all of the above. There are typically so many options to choose from!  Some have pools and others have laundry facilities. We read about a campground in Virginia that had wild rabbits running all around! Once you’ve narrowed down your campground, think through your campsite. Do you prefer shade or sunny? Close to the bathroom or closer to the beach? At each campground we visit, we make a few notes about our favorite sites for if we book again in the future.

    2. Organize clothes by how they are used

    With a large family, we have found that it is easiest to organize our clothes by what we use them for. We pack all PJs together in a bag. Everyone’s swimsuits and towels are packed in another bag, while jackets and long pants also get their own bag. We pack complete outfits (including diaper or underwear) so getting dressed in the morning is never a hassle. We store the bags on the beds during the day and then place them on the floor when it’s time to sleep.

    Camping with kids - tips for large families

    3. Add a few special touches

    We have a few small things that always stay in the camper. A set of matchbox cars, one small stuffed animal and flashlight for each child, a pack of glow sticks, and a special tablecloth. We only use these items on family camping trips, so they hold special sentiment for the kids. In case it rains, we also always bring along some card games and some books.

    4. Think through your ideal restroom situation

    As a mom, sometimes the most stressful parts of the day (and night) is figuring out how to navigate young kids to the restroom. We’ve found that keeping a small potty seat in our camper has worked wonders (we use the actual toilet area for storage). As far as showers go, we purchased a few small bathroom caddies that we keep stocked with washcloths, soap, and shampoo. Buy an extra pair of cheap flip-flops to keep feet clean in the camp showers and keep the day-to-day shoes from getting soaked. If getting to the shower is too much of a hassle, remember that toddlers and preschoolers love a bubble bath in a plastic tub at the end of the day!

    Camping Memories and Experiences

    Bring on the memories!

    Our pop-up camper has given our large family easy accessibility to the grandeur of nature, from magnificent sunsets to breathtaking waterfalls. I often tell people it is the best thing we have ever purchased as a large family because of the multitude of foundational memories it has provided us. As our culture becomes increasingly screen-heavy, we are all in for anything that helps us increase real-life moments. 

    Are you a camping family?
    Share some of your favorite camping memories below!

     

    Ginny
    Michigan
    @1000hoursoutside

    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. She 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 her online at http://www.1000HoursOutside.com.