hiking with kids

FAMILY TRAVEL, INFORMATION, NATIONAL PARKS
Tips for a COVID-Safe Roadtrip with Kids
- June 29, 2020
Traveling looks much different right now than it looked last summer. With the COVID-19 pandemic still happening across our country (and the world), there are more restrictions on travel and lots of precautions and considerations that must be taken before leaving, along the way, and while you’re at your destination. Today, Nichole, a homeschooling mom of 2 and road-tripping expert, is here with some COVID-safe roadtrip health and safety precautions that families should consider in order to keep themselves and others safe.

Please note – any decisions to travel are highly personal and we encourage you to take note of the risks, do your research, consider your doctor’s advice, assess your family’s health and make your own informed choice. Do not travel if anyone in your family is sick or running a fever. The information shared here cannot guarantee anyone’s health or safety and is not meant to be divisive or comprehensive. Please do not travel through Indigenous communities at this time. This post contains affiliate links.

Making the decision to travel during a pandemic

Summer started months ago for many of us. Usually, by this time of year, the kids and I have been on the road for several extended trips already. As states began to reopen, we made the tough decision to drive from Arkansas to Arizona to surprise my Mom for her birthday. We hadn’t seen her in nine months and she lives two states away (one of those states is Texas). My husband and I talked for a week before we made a decision about the trip and it was not an easy decision to make. We decided to go with the idea that we’d be diligent, overly-cautious, and not take any unnecessary risks.

Road-tripping during a pandemic is a scary prospect, even more so to do it with children. There are a lot of things to consider and a lot of things we’d need to do differently for this trip. However, I found that by taking some protective measures, along with a few changes to our typical routine, we had a great COVID-safe roadtrip experience! Today, I’d like to share some of the steps I took to make our trip safe and successful.

Laying the plans and making tough decisions

I’ve made this drive at least five times already, but this time would be different. Normally, I am not one to stress over road trips, but if I’m being honest, this one made me worry. I approached our road trip planning (which is also a foreign concept to me as I rarely plan these shenanigans) with an overabundance of caution. We talked about all the options for overnights: camping versus hotels versus AirBnB‘s versus sleeping in the car.

After seeing if my kids and I could squeeze in the back of our Subaru Outback (not really), we decided against that option. I prefer more remote, dispersed camping, so public campgrounds with shared bathrooms were not an option for me during this trip. We don’t have an RV (though renting one may be a great solution!). After looking into the status of forest lands, I decided we would avoid them. Some lands are still closed within New Mexico and Arizona, and it is advisable to avoid Indigenous communities entirely due to the COVID outbreak. That left hotels and vacation rentals – both of which have their own issues and restrictions, but they were the best and safest option for us.

COVID-related safety precautions while roadtripping

Our final decision was to make the drive in two days rather than three, to minimize exposure. After careful research, our opinion was that hotels were probably the cleanest they’d ever been and I felt okay about staying in hotels. I picked a Drury Inn in our destination for day one (Albuquerque) and we left at home at 6 AM.

We are no strangers to long days in the car, but this one was different. Most of our favorite stopping points were either closed or not the best idea to visit. Palo Duro Canyon and Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. The Blue Hole in Santa Rosa and Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. Not everything was closed – the Texas State Parks are open but require advance tickets purchased online and there are capacity limitations in place.

One of the great things about traveling out west (or anywhere) with a highly capable vehicle, is the ability to roll down unknown roads to find a breaking spot. We took several rest breaks along back roads and side roads. We avoided people and got the chance to experience some beautiful countryside.

COVID-related hotel safety precautions

After a long 13 hour day of driving, we finally pulled into a familiar Drury Inn (we’d stayed there two times before). I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised upon our arrival to find the hotel very quiet with hardly any cars in the parking lot. The check-in process was smooth, all the employees and guests wore masks (my children and I included; it was required in the lobby). I was impressed with their social distancing measures in place.

To minimize any exposures, I carried one backpack into our room with what we would need for the night, plus our electronics. I wiped down any surfaces we would touch and we all relaxed for a moment while I ordered Panera for pick up. The restaurant was in the parking lot for the hotel and was incredibly convenient. Our hotel room was impeccably clean and any blankets, throw pillows, or comforters had been removed from the room so the beds only had sheets and pillows. We found that staying in a hotel and getting food to go felt perfectly safe with the excessive protective measures in place.

Roadtripping pit stops during a pandemic

We left Albuquerque the next day at 5 AM (mainly because my kids wake up ridiculously early). I stopped at a Starbucks because I know they require employees to wear masks and gloves. A few hours down the road (and every cheesy photo op along the way) we made a stop on a random dirt road off the interstate. That turned out to be a great choice because my kids got out to run free, I made some more coffee and even got their bikes down for them to burn some energy off.

When we needed to stop for gas, we took extra precautions. When pumping gas, I used a paper towel as a barrier between my hand and the gas pump. I wiped my card down after inserting it into the card reader. I brought my own hand soap to use in the bathrooms and sanitized my hands immediately after getting gas or going inside. If we went inside a gas station, we all wore masks.

The bathroom situation…

There’s one question that I know you’re wondering about, so let’s just get it out there. Yes, we also used the bathroom there. No, I didn’t bring a toilet along. And yes, we adhered to Leave No Trace principles. Yes, that kind of bathroom stop too.

I planned for roadside bathroom breaks and brought along toilet paper and a disposable bag to put used toilet paper in and planned to throw away at our next gas stop. Public bathrooms don’t totally terrify me, but we found it faster and smoother (less exposure) to use back roads and side roads for this COVID-safe trip. Depending on where you’re traveling, this option isn’t always possible, but it made us feel safer.

Here are few roadside bathroom break tips:
- urinate on hard surfaces;
- dig cat-holes for number two;
- bring extra toilet paper and/or flushable wet wipes;
- bring a disposable bag to store any used toilet paper with you;
- if you need privacy, open both passenger doors and hide in between them;
- if you are traveling with younger children, bringing a small, portable toilet for the little ones to use.
National Parks are re-opening…slowly

We also stopped at Petrified Forest National Park along the way, thanks to our Annual Parks Pass. I researched ahead of time to make sure the park was open and read about any restrictions or cautions. There were not many crowds and nearly everyone wore masks at any potentially crowded stops. Luckily, we had nearly every stop to ourselves. Most people were really great about keeping distance and being respectful of space. It also felt good to get out and stretch for a while.

When visiting a national park this time of year, it’s important to go early, bring sun protection, and carry plenty of water. We hiked the relatively short Blue Mesa loop and enjoyed the views of the Painted Desert along the way. If you plan on visiting a national park (or any park) along your way, do your research. It’s imperative that you check websites ahead of time for closures or capacity limits. Some parks are requiring reservations via advance ticket purchases. Please be respectful and obey city/state guidelines, especially within Indigenous communities. To learn more about recreating responsibly, please take some time to read this guide.

Things to bring on a COVID-safe roadtrip

Before heading out, we added a few things to our packing list to make this a COVID-safe roadtrip. I realize that wearing masks is a contentious topic (we’re not here to debate this), but they are required for some states. I am a practiced sewist, and made masks for my family with pockets for medical-grade filters. You can order masks from many different outlets now, depending on what your preferences are. My “clean all the things” bag contained: two kinds of hand sanitizer, a hand sanitizer in spray format, antibacterial wipes, baby wipes, Lysol spray, and extra masks.

I also decided to pack our food for breakfast and lunch. Snacks, drinks and a cooler are all a must. I’m okay with ordering food to go, but thought that eating out only for dinner would minimize any risks. Coffee is a necessity for me when I’m doing these massive solo road trips, and our backpacking stove is a great tool for making coffee on the road. Paired with my JavaDrip, it’s a fairly quick and easy process.

I would also recommend a backpack to carry things into a hotel for an overnight stay. Choose one that large enough to hold things for the whole family, so you’re not taking in multiple suitcases. My kids were not allowed to bring their stuffed animals into the hotel just to minimize any exposures. For more about my solo travel safety tips (and my backpack system) check out THIS post.

COVID-safe roadtrip recommendations & tips

Wherever you’re going, read ahead and do your research! Now is not necessarily the time for spontaneity and winging it along the way. Call ahead, check websites, ask questions, get suggestions and make reservations. Campgrounds are filling up fast due to more people camping and utilizing RV travel. Some parks are open, some are not. All of these things can be researched before you go to minimize stress, inconvenience and confusion. Also, bear in mind that the guidelines for masks vary from city to city and state to state. Bring them and be prepared to wear them (or make alternative plans if you choose not to).

Before leaving the house, lay out a tentative route plan, but allow for flexibility. We noted two small towns along our way that were closed to outside visitors. Knowing this let us plan ahead for pit stops. One of my favorite things I’d highly recommend is cheesy photo ops along the way! Say yes to these! You may not be able to get into the museums or attractions, but you can grab some super fun photos to commemorate your journey. Most of these are free from people and you don’t have to touch anything. Plus, it’s a great way to get out and stretch your legs. Atlas Obscura is one of my favorite resources for finding these fun photo ops. Just remember to be respectful of private property and follow local rules and guidelines.

The payoff

The main (well, and only) reason we made this big trip was to surprise my Mom for her birthday. She had absolutely no idea we were coming and I sneaky planned it with the help of my stepdad. My husband wasn’t able to come along due to work commitments, but gave me his full support for this endeavor. We could barely contain our excitement, nor could we wait for 6:30 AM, the decided-upon time to surprise her.

I hauled cardboard boxes with us from home. I bet my parent’s neighbors were very curious as to why I was assembling boxes on the corner so early in the morning. We tiptoed our way down the street and my kids hid in the boxes on the front step. I rang the doorbell then hid around the corner. It was without a doubt the BEST surprise of my life! I’ll never forget the joy and happiness when my Mom realized it was my kids in those boxes. We. Missed. Our. Family. Friends, I know you do too. I encourage you to take the trip. Do so with caution, but not with fear. For some extra-happy goodness, check out the full surprise video HERE. 100% worth it.

COVID-safe roadtrip resources

For a full list of the things we brought along to make this trip safe- click HERE.

For a list of helpful things to entertain kids on long trips – click HERE.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram at coleyraeh to see all of our adventures and shenanigans, including the return trip home.

You can read more about our family on my website.

Thanks for reading friends, if you have any questions please feel free to message me on Instagram or send me an email.

About the author

Nichole is mama to two incredible adventurers, an older boy and a younger girl, and they are on their fifth year of homeschooling. She has been married to her best friend for nearly thirteen years and they share a mutual love for the outdoors. An Iowan native now living in the south, she is happy to claim Arkansas as home. She is a wanderlust (and coffee) fueled, fearless, road-tripper who has been known to take off for epic adventures at a moment’s notice. Hiking and camping (of the backpacking variety) and crystal digging are a few of their favorite family activities. You can usually find her in the woods somewhere (probably up a creek and jumping off waterfalls), or on an epic road-tripping adventure with the kids.

You can find Nichole online in the following locations:
Website: http://www.luckeywanderers.com
Instagram: @coleyraeh
RWMC posts: Nichole
HIKE, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PHOTOGRAPHY
Tips for Photographing Family Hikes
- April 29, 2020
Hiking is one of our family’s favorite ways to spend time together outdoors. Along with our traditional outdoor hiking gear (backpack, water, snacks, etc.), I always bring my camera along to document our adventure. Some of my favorite photographs of my kids are from family hikes, as they explore and play. Today, we have the amazingly talented Kristen Ryan, Oklahoma mom of 2 and photographer extraordinaire, here to give us some tips, tricks, and advice for photographing family hikes. Whether you’re shooting with a big fancy camera or your iPhone, these tips will help you capture some incredible moments outdoors with your kids and take your hiking photography to the next level.

Hiking with kids
Setting out on a hike with the family can be a great way to get outdoors and explore together. It can be a way of getting exercise while also enjoying some great views. Sometimes we need to get a little creative to keep the little ones enjoying the moment and pushing forward, there are so many fun activities to keep kids entertained and engaged while hiking. The Run Wild My Child website has some great resources for doing just that, check out some of these great articles:
Family hiking photography tips

When it comes to taking hiking photos, sometimes it’s at the top of my to-do list and sometimes it takes a back seat to just keeping my kids going. Hiking with kids tends to be all over the place and you never know what each day and hike will bring. I try to keep my expectations low and go into our hike armed with my camera, but willing to wait for the right moment. Today, I want to share with you some tips for easily capturing beautiful photos from the day and still allowing everyone to enjoy the hike uninterrupted.

1. Let everyone forget you have a camera

If your family is like mine, they don’t want to have to keep stopping for photo ops. In fact, the more you ask for pictures the less likely they will be willing to pose for you. My way to work around this is by letting them forget I have a camera. I try to set myself up for candid photos so that they don’t have to be moved or directed or interrupted from what they’re doing.

To get the shot I want without interrupting, I will pause a moment on a winding trail and wait for them to spread out along the turn to capture them in a line. If they stop to enjoy a view I will make sure I’m ready to capture the moment quickly before enjoying it with them. I will run up a little further on the trail to be ready for them to pass by then join in at the tail. My family is much more tolerant of my photo-taking if they don’t have to be interrupted during their hike.

2. Take advantage of the breaks

The next best trick for capturing great family hiking photos is to take advantage of your breaks. Need to stop for a water break or did you find a beautiful view? Use these pauses to capture the full scene. If we find a beautiful view I love to stop and take a water break at these spots. It gives the kids a moment to rest and it gives me some time to capture the beautiful surroundings as they enjoy and explore. I will have the kids sit in a safe spot where they can sit and have a drink and I will walk around them snapping a few photos with the beautiful scenery in the background.

3. Use nature as a leading line to your subject

Getting a great family hiking shot is all about the perspective and the angles. You can change so much just by changing your own position or using the natural elements around you to frame your subject. There are lots of opportunities to do this when you’re hiking. I just love how nature can so easily frame my subjects and that trails make great leading lines. Using natural elements is an easy way to draw your eye straight to your family even with a busy background.

When capturing your family, let the trail be a natural leading line through your photograph. I love to get low and allow the trail to guide my viewer’s eye through the frame right to my family and the story I’m wanting to tell. If you are in a tree-covered trail, try using branches and logs to help to frame your subjects. When having a scene full of similar colors and patterns, your family will stand out among the crowd just by contrast.

4. Stand out with color

Another way to get great photos of your family hikes is to have them stand out from the background. I don’t mean physically, but visually, with bright pops of color. This takes a little forethought, but it can be really helpful in photos. When we’re getting ready to go hiking, I try to keep my kids in bright solid colors. This helps them stand out a bit from the trees and bushes along the trails and brings your eye to them in a photograph. It is also a bonus when my kids like to run further up along the trail away from me. They still stand out and helps me to keep an eye on them while also giving them some freedom. This lets them enjoy the hike even more, because they feel like they are in charge of it.

5. Let them climb

If your kids are like mine, then they love to climb. They’re fearless and I sometimes have to regulate what they want to take on. 🙂 But climbing, even the smallest of rocks, is actually a great photo opportunity. I love it when we come across a place for them to try it. This is another great way to get them to stand out from the background and set them apart from the scene. You can do this by allowing them to get higher than the horizon. This doesn’t necessarily mean letting them go rock climbing up a cliff, but even a small little hill or boulder will do the trick.

You can make any hill or incline look much bigger by bringing your camera all the way to the ground and tilting your camera up to them. This will bring your horizon line down and make them appear higher. It also makes them stand out from the background! This is a great family hiking photography tip because they’ll be so proud of themselves and impressed when you show them the photo later.
Family hiking photography

I hope these tips and tricks will inspire you to get outside and go for a hike with your family. Don’t forget to take your camera along and try taking some images of your kids while you’re out and about. Not only will you capture moments in time you’ll want to remember forever, but you will get a little better with your photography skills with every photo you take! So grab your camera and hit the trails!

More photography resources

If you’re interested in more photography resources, download our FREE guide with our best tips and tricks for taking better photos of your kids’ outdoor adventures with the camera on your PHONE! From creative composition tips to our favorite editing apps, this guide includes everything you need to know to make the most out of the camera in your pocket!

Do you take photos of your family hikes?

About the author

Hello, I am Kristen. I am a wife and mother to two kids and three dogs. We love to be outside as much as we can. Our family loves to go camping together and have made it a goal to visit all of the Oklahoma state parks. We are over halfway there! I am a hobbyist photographer who enjoys documenting my family in creative ways. You can find me on Instagram at @kristcx.
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
NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER
Winter Nature Walk Ideas for Kids
- February 20, 2020
Exploring nature outdoors with kids doesn’t have to stop when the weather turns cold! Winter is a great time to get outside, get active and create memories with your family. There are so many great benefits of getting outdoors with your kids during the cold winter months. We’ve got a huge list of great winter outdoor activities for kids, and today we’re doing a deep dive into one of them. The absolutely fantastic Jemma (UK mom and teacher) of Thimble and Twig is here sharing ideas for taking a winter nature walk with kids.

Winter is wonderful

Even though some of nature is sleeping, it’s fun to watch the changing seasons and there’s still so much to learn about nature during the winter. It’s fun for kids to think about why animals hibernate and what’s happening to the trees. And to top it all off, winter is really beautiful! Ice crackling underfoot, sculpted snowflakes and the little glimmers of green leaves and red berries beneath the frost. If you’re looking for ways to get your kids out and about this winter, here are some great ideas for a winter nature walks with kids.

Things to do on a winter nature walk with kids

There are so many great things to do while on an outdoor winter nature walk with kids. Sometimes our nature walks are completely unstructured, giving us the freedom to explore and play at our own pace as we want. But other times (particularly with younger kids), we like having planned activities to do on our nature walks. This keeps the little ones occupied and entertained.

Make a mandala

There are still lots of greenery around during winter to make some gorgeous mandalas. Making a winter nature mandala is a lovely outdoor activity for kids to create in our garden or whilst on a woodland walk. Use leaves, twigs/branches, pinecones, grass and anything you naturally find in your area. Try adding red berries or moss for some added extra color.

Penny hike

A penny hike is a good way to keep kids interested on a long hike and actively looking forward to your progress. Before you begin, assign heads to left and tails to right (or visa versa) and then every time you arrive at a junction – flip your penny to decide whether you’ll turn left or right on your walk. Kids will love being in control of your destination and not knowing ahead of time which way you’ll go!

Hansel and Gretel walk

Remember how Hansel and Gretel used breadcrumbs so they didn’t lose their way? Kids will love leaving a trail for themselves so they can follow their way back! You might want to use flour as opposed to breadcrumbs because any dogs may ruin your route back otherwise!

Matchbox challenge

Do you always have pockets full of sticks and stones that your kids collect? A sweet activity for little ones that helps them observe nature more carefully is to give them a matchbox to collect their nature treasures. Having to choose only tiny things to pop into their matchbox helps them examine nature with more of a keen eye. Plus, you won’t end up with a backpack full of huge rocks or giant branches!

Cloud chart

Winter has some spectacular sunsets and the cloud formations in the sky during the day can form in beautifully interesting ways. Kids will enjoy examining the clouds and making a few observations. Try at different times of day to identify the following:
- Height: Where in the sky the cloud typically occurs (low-level, mid-level, or high-level)
- Color: The color of the cloud
- Shape: The form the cloud typically takes
- Weather: Draw the weather that occurs with the clouds
Start a nature journal

Nature journaling for kids is a lovely activity that helps expand your child’s creativity and curiosity by helping them record their observations. They can write, draw or even paint their nature adventures and nature finds. Here are loads of great ideas and tips on how to start a nature journal with kids.

If you’re unsure of what kind of nature journal to use with kids, here’s a lovely nature journal for kids that’s easily printable and includes 21 activities to help your kids explore nature and have magical outdoor adventures.

Examine snowflakes with a magnifying glass

If you’re lucky enough to have snow in the winter, let the kids see what the snowflakes look like up close. They truly are magical and unique! Catch them on a dark cloth or dark glove and observe them up close and personal. The kids could even draw them in their nature journal. Another idea is to study icicles. Have the kids figure out how and why they form? Measure them over the course of a few days and see how they change.

Take a footprints walk

Going on a footprints walk is all about being observant of the things around you. This one is great on a snowy day. All you need to do is look for footprints in the snow or mud and try to identify who/what made them. How many can you spot? Use an animal identification book to track them back to their owner.

Go on a senses walk

What does winter sound like? How does winter feel? What smells do you smell in winter? Can you paint winter? Can you taste the snow? What sounds remind you of winter? Go on a walk and see how many senses you can engage.

How to warm kids up on a winter nature walk

Kids can get chilly on winter walks, which makes them unmotivated. In order to keep them moving, one of my favorite things to bring with us on a winter hike is a flask of hot chocolate. This is great for warming kids, up but also for motivating them to the next stop.

As for warm clothing, thermals are really useful in winter. Separate layers are essential for trapping the air and keeping the skin dry and warm. Woolly hats are also an essential item on a long cold walk. With the majority of your body heat escaping from your head, the best way of ensuring that your kids are as toasty and comfortable as possible is to pop a hat on them. Gloves are also necessary for little hands. The best kind of ones are ski gloves that don’t get wet even when your kids are collecting treasures or playing around with snow. Usually, wool gloves get too wet when kids are playing, so it’s best to keep their hands snug with waterproof ski gloves.

Things to take on a winter nature walk with kids

As I mentioned, a flask of hot chocolate is wonderful on winter walks! You might also like to take a basket/bag to collect things, notebooks or nature journals; pens and watercolour paint tins are also good for making notes and drawing pictures. Kids might like binoculars or a magnifying glass to look through. A kids’ identification book for birds or bugs is also useful.

Happy winter wandering!
We hope this has helped you plan some fun winter walks!

About the author

I’m Jemma and I live in London, England with my husband and 4 kids. My all-time favorite thing to do is take photos and capture memories of my family. I’m on a mission to ensure parenthood doesn’t rush by so quickly by creating mini family outdoor adventures and hopefully some big adventures too one day! I’m a mum to four and an English teacher to many; my passion for storytelling, adventures and nature crafts is packaged up into my blog http://www.thimbleandtwig.com. You can also follow along on our adventures on Instagram @thimbleandtwig.
FAVORITE GEAR, HIKE, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Hiking With A Toddler
- January 27, 2020
Hiking with kids of any age is always an adventure. But, hiking with a toddler (age 1-3) presents its own set of unique challenges and obstacles. However, we believe that hiking with our kids, even in those difficult toddler years, is incredibly beneficial, rewarding and (dare we say) fun! Whether you’re hiking in national parks or on local trails close to home, making the extra effort to go hiking with a toddler is worth it and sets your family up for years of amazing adventures together. We’re here to help you get started and answer all your questions about hiking with toddlers.

How to go hiking with a toddler

Hiking has always been a favorite activity for our family. Long before we had kids, my husband and I loved to hike together. We like challenging ourselves, discovering new places, and that feeling of getting immersed in nature. Once we had kids, we didn’t want our adventures to end and decided to bring the baby on hikes with us. At first, we stuck to trails close to home and used a baby carrier. It slowed us down a little, but we didn’t mind. He slept in the carrier or happily took in the sights, kicking and cooing along the way. But then, he turned into a toddler and everything changed!

Toddlers have a mind of their own. They’re often assertive and stubborn, opinionated and demanding. They’re learning what they like and how to assert their independence. These are good things, but they can certainly make any activity much more difficult. After three kids (the youngest still squarely in the toddler years), we’ve learned how to hike with a toddler so that it’s enjoyable for everyone. In this post, we’re sharing our top tips and tricks for hiking with toddlers.

Choose the right trail

Choosing the right trail for your toddler is half the battle. Before you attempt a hike with kids, you’ll need to do a bit of homework to make sure the trail is safe, not too long and enjoyable for the little ones. Be realistic about what kind of hikes you can do with a toddler and what is safe/best for your little hiker. Not only consider the length of the trail, but make sure the hike’s not too steep or has lots of uneven terrain. Stay away from unprotected sheer cliffs, mud, swift rivers, etc. For your first few hikes with your toddler, try a short flat paved trail. As your kids get older and more experienced, you can add tougher and longer trails to your hiking adventures.

If you’re not familiar with the trails in your area, there are plenty of resources where you can ask questions and find answers. Travel guides and local websites are great. The AllTrails app is also very helpful and provides information such as trail length, elevation and difficulty. Plus, there are detailed maps and you can search your area for “kid-friendly” trails. If you’re hiking in national or state parks, ask the rangers and park employees for advice and recommendations for appropriate trails.

Dress for the occasion

When hiking with a toddler, make sure you dress them in appropriate clothing for the season and weather. If you’re hiking in the winter, we recommend layers. Start with a warm base layer, then add on from there. Your toddler may get warm if she’s running around, hiking on her own and playing. At this point, you can remove layers so she’s comfortable. However, if she gets tired and needs to be carried, she may cool off and need to put the layers back on. For winter hiking with a toddler, we also recommend a warm hat that covers ears, mittens, wool socks, and waterproof shoes. Toddlers can’t resist a good mud puddle and nothing will ruin a hike quicker than cold wet feet!

Shoes matter

Speaking of the proper shoes, they matter when hiking. Toddlers in particular benefit from wearing proper shoes when hiking. We know it may seem like a waste of money to buy hiking shoes for toddlers when they’ll outgrow them in a few months. However, sturdy shoes with good treads are essential for a successful hike. Cold feet, uncomfortable shoes or blisters will kill a child’s enthusiasm for hiking.

For winter hiking with kids, we love the waterproof and insulated boots from See Kai Run. They’re seam-sealed and waterproof, with thermoplastic rubbles soles for maximum grip on wet and snowy terrain. They have a 3M Thinsulate thermal lining to keep feet extra warm in cold weather. Because of the thicker lining, we recommend sizing up at least one full size (or even 2 sizes) for a proper fit with thick socks, allowing extra wiggle room for toes.

When investing in good outdoor gear for kids, we also recommend buying gender-neutral gear, so that you can hand down gear and clothing among siblings without issue. This has saved us a lot over the years, as kids tend to outgrow seasonal gear much quicker than they can wear it out. Particularly when you get good high-quality products like these See Kai Run boots.

Invest in a good backpack or carrier

And since we’re talking about gear, we also recommend bringing along a quality backpack carrier when hiking with toddlers. Very rarely will a toddler be able to finish a hike completely on their own. At some point, you’re probably going to have to carry him. When this inevitably happens, you’ll be super grateful for that carrier or hiking backpack.

When just getting started hiking with a toddler, we started out using the ErgoBaby carrier. For short hikes with small kids, this worked out great. However, as our toddler got a bit bigger and our hikes got longer, we upgraded to a structured hiking backpack. There are lots of options out there for quality hiking backpacks and you should definitely try a few of them out at the store to decide which one you like. We highly recommend the Osprey Poco AG carrier. It’s got an anti-gravity suspension system with a lightweight aluminum frame and a mesh harness and back panel to keep you cool and comfortable.

Make your toddler walk

While carriers are great, make sure you let your toddler down to walk and explore as much as they can! One of the best things about hiking with a toddler is watching them explore the area around them. For kids, hiking is less about getting somewhere than having fun and playing along the way. The more your toddler can walk/hike on their own, the stronger they get and longer they’ll be able to go the next time. And if you don’t rush them or force them down the trail at your speed, they’ll be much more excited about your next hike.

Pack a bag

When hiking with a toddler, you need to make sure you bring all the proper and necessary supplies for a successful trip. You’ll not only need to pack hiking supplies, but you’ll need regular “toddler supplies” like diapers, wipes, etc. Here’s what we usually pack in our bag when hiking with a toddler:
- Water (we really like these water bottles for kids)
- Diapers
- Wipes
- Snacks (see below)
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Bug spray
- Phone
- Plastic bag (for hauling out trash and/or dirty diapers)
- First-Aid kit (band-aids, tweezers, etc.) (hiking safety tips)
If your toddler is strong-willed and independent (aren’t they all?), try giving them their own small backpack to carry. Not only will they love feeling helpful and grown-up, but it’ll lighten your load. Put a few of your child’s essentials in their backpack, along with a small toy or lovely. Keep it small and light – you can add more once your toddler gets bigger and stronger. Pack the bag together so that your child figures out what he/she needs for hiking, knows where it is and will know what to pack for future hikes. This is also great for when your toddler finds a particular rock or leaf they love and can’t live without. If she wants it, she has to carry it!

For more info on what to pack when hiking with kids, check out our full list of hiking essentials for families.

Pro tip: Keep additional snacks, water and a full change of clothes in the vehicle for the return. You don’t want to carry it all, but there’s a good chance they’ll be wet/muddy/thirsty/hungry when you return to the car.

Don’t skimp on the snacks

You should never underestimate the power of snacks for a toddler! Just the word is magic and can get a toddler to do just about anything. When hiking with toddlers, use snacks strategically and wisely. Bring along some fun snacks that you normally give them. That way, when they need a little extra motivation, energy or excitement, you’ve got something special. Also, if they absolutely LOVE hiking snacks, they’re going to be much more willing to go hiking again! Stop often for snacks along the way and again when you get to your destination. That’s a good place to have a bigger snack or even lunch.

Some snack ideas my toddlers have loved are apple sauce pouches, yogurt melts, granola bars, fruit snacks or roll-ups, freeze-dried strawberries, pretzels, crackers with peanut butter, frozen grapes, apple slices with caramel sauce, cereal, bananas, Goldfish, trail mix, mixed nuts, granola, etc.

Play games

My kids love exploring the area around us when we hike, but when they (inevitably) get bored or need some extra motivation, we play games as we hike. Fun games have the ability to turn a boring monotonous activity (walking on a trail) into a fun adventure. You don’t need anything other than your imagination to come up with a fun hiking game.

Here’s a list of a few of our favorites:
- Follow the Leader – Young kids and toddlers really love Follow the Leader. We all take turns being the leader on the trail and everyone behind the leader has to do what he/she does. The leader chooses to do things like walking backward, whistling a song, skipping, weaving like a snake, flying like a bird, grapevine walking, hopping, etc.
- I Spy – We take turns “spying” something and give a clue (“I spy something yellow. I spy something that’s triangular.”) The person who spies the correct thing goes next.
- Scavenger hunt – Scavenger hunts are really fun for kids of all ages to play and work great on hikes. You can either print off a list/pictures of things you want the kids to look for on their hike or just tell them. Set them up for success by making sure the things on the list will be present on your hike. Include some hard and some easy to find items. They can be specific items (find a bee, red flower, mud puddle) or more abstract (find something soft, something that makes noise).
- Alphabet game – If you have older kids that know how to spell, you can go through the alphabet and try to find something that begins with each letter. A is for aspen tree. B is for branch. C is for caterpillar.
- Timed trials – Never underestimate the power of a timer for toddlers. They are all about doing things fast and faster. If your toddler’s having trouble getting down the trail, tell her that you’ll time how long it takes for her to get to the next bench/stump/marker. Then pick the next thing and try to see if she can beat her time! You may even end up with a record-breaking hike!
Geocaching

If you have a smartphone with you, try geocaching on your hike! There are tons of fun caches hidden along trails that give kids an extra incentive to keep going and find treasure. We’ve got a great beginner’s guide to geocaching with kids post if you’ve never tried it.

Have a destination in mind

Going on hikes with a predetermined destination in mind gives kids a goal for the hike and helps keep them going. When hiking with toddlers, start with easy hikes that have a fun destination for them, like a creek to explore, a waterfall, a pond where they can skip rocks or a meadow where they can see cows.

If there’s not a natural destination on your hike, create one! You can do this by choosing a spot to call the destination before hitting the trail. When you get there, break out a picnic lunch or a special snack. Your “destination” can be just a place to stop and play for a while or having a treat! The destination doesn’t have to be anything fancy or super exciting, but just knowing that they have a goal and something to look forward to at the end (or mid-point) of their hike will help keep toddlers motivated to move.

Choose the right time

Consider your toddler’s schedule before planning any day hikes. Most toddlers need at least one (if not two) naps a day, plus lots of frequent small meals and snacks. Try to schedule hikes around your child’s schedule to prevent meltdowns, hangry tantrums and over-tiredness. Make sure to bring snacks and water to fuel your child. If your toddler gets too tired, try putting them in your carrier. Our little ones loved napping in the carrier on hikes, which lets the rest of us spend more time on the trails.

Tired and cranky toddlers are a force to reckon with and can ruin a perfectly lovely outing at the drop of a hat. Do you best to choose the right time to hike with your toddler, but know that meltdowns are going to eventually happen, no matter how much planning you do. Give yourself (and your little one) grace and patience. If your toddler melts down on the trail, do your best to calm her down and get back to your car. Don’t worry, it’s happened to all of us! Hang in there and try again another time.

Go slow & explore

Whether you’re hiking to a destination or if you’re just hiking for the fresh air and sunshine, make sure you go slow and let your toddler explore along the way. When my kids started hiking, sometimes it would take us an hour or more just to go half a mile. While this was initially frustrating to me, I learned to embrace the pace and take pleasure in hiking with kids. Consider the trail from their perspective and find joy in the reprieve from going 1000 mph.

Before you even leave your house, be prepared to go SLOW and take your time on the hike. Little kids love stopping along the way to look under rocks, find the perfect stick or throw rocks in a puddle. Setting yourself up for a very slow hike will keep you from getting frustrated or antsy. Be prepared for a million questions, a very slow pace and lots of stopping along the way. While going at your toddler’s pace won’t get you very far, it will do wonders for your child’s imagination and give you the chance to answer questions about nature and connect with him/her.

End with encouragement

At the end of your hike (and along the way), make sure to give your toddler praise for doing such a great job. Compliment their pace when keeping up. Praise them for things they find/spot along the way. Celebrate when they finish a hike, no matter how long it took. Making them feel like a million bucks when they finish a hike is a sure way to get them to want to do it again. Toddlers love praise and a sense of accomplishment. Be sure to tell them how proud you are of them, how hard they worked and how far they went.

Winter hiking with a toddler

Winter weather adds a whole new complexity to hiking with a toddler. Winter hiking can feel a bit harder than hiking in other seasons, just because of the added gear, layers and precautions you have to take. However, we highly encourage you to push through those, because winter hiking with kids is so incredibly beneficial to them. Not only will they get the fresh air, sunshine and exercise they need in these long dark winter months, but they’ll see things they can’t see any other time and hopefully (eventually) develop a love for all seasons for their unique personalities.

A few safety tips when winter hiking with a toddler: (1) keep an eye on the weather and be aware of winter warnings and advisories; (2) always tell someone where/when you’re going and when you’ll be back; (3) bring extra layers, extra gloves and extra socks; (4) take your fully-charged cell phone with you on hikes; and (5) warm treats on a cold hike are delicious! Consider packing a thermos of warm chicken noodle soup, oatmeal or hot apple cider.

What’s your best advice for hiking with a toddler?

* Photos by the amazingly talented Tiffany, mountain mama of three (+) from Texas. Find more of her gorgeous images at @dear.wildlings.
* For more tried, tested and practical info on this topic, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Hiking with Kids.
INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER
Winter Fort Building with Kids
- January 10, 2020
Colder temperatures do not mean the fun of fort building has to stop! For many in the warmer climates, it’s actually the best time of year to head to the woods to build some forts! Winter fort-building is so much fun, with definite perks. In the winter, the risk for snake encounters goes down and the ticks (and mosquitoes) die off, leaving the woods much more pleasurable! There are so many different ways to build a fort with your kids. Today, we have homeschooling mom of two and outdoor adventurer Nichole of Luckey Wanderers here, walking us through how to build an eco-friendly winter fort with kids!

This post contains affiliate links.

Why build forts in the winter?

While we love adventuring outdoors year-round, winter fort building is our favorite. The winter provides a certain sense of freedom and ease to our time spent in the woods. The forest always presents certain inherent dangers, but for our very warm locale, the winter offers a bit of a break from constant awareness of snakes, ticks, wasps, mosquitoes and fire ants. (However, we do still check for ticks every time we return from the woods as a precaution.) The winter also gives us a chance to venture (respectfully) off-trail and explore the woods a little deeper without the oppressive heat and humidity.

Choosing the perfect fort-building location

When we head out for the day, we usually have some sort of idea of the type/style of fort we would like to build. Our plan for this winter fort was to make a tepee structure to enjoy a picnic under. That plan quickly changed when my kids spotted a fallen tree that seemed to be calling to them. Much to their delight, it was also surrounded on three sides by a creek and had the feeling of a moat. It was the perfect location!

What to look for in a location

There are always a few things we look for, no matter what type of fort we are building:
- Three or four long sticks to be made into the tri-pod structure
- Fallen bark to use for a roof or sides
- A clear, flat spot to build on
- A fallen tree to make a lean-to
- Ways to be minimally destructive when gathering supplies (take one stick/bark/etc, instead of all of it)
- Check to make sure the area you are building is not already inhabited by any animals, such as beaver or rabbits
Step back and watch them step up

The process of winter fort-building is a fantastic application of scientific method and hands-on exploration. While I love building right alongside my kids, sometimes it’s an opportunity to step back and let them run with their ideas. Sometimes it works out wonderfully, and sometimes I’m wiping away tears and playing master architect. I highly recommend that you let them experiment on their own. Let them build a tripod or lean-to, only to watch it tumble under the weight of the leaves they piled on top. This teaches them. Allow them opportunities to learn from mistakes and try again. Then, celebrate their victories with them! Share a picnic together in their fort, even if you can only fit your foot inside. They’ll always remember it, I promise.

A note about safety

It’s important to note that even when the cooler temperatures arrive, you should still always be aware of potential dangers outside. There are a few things that we do to help keep ourselves safe when scavenging for materials to build our forts. The rule that I enforce fast and hard is to ALWAYS roll logs slowly TOWARD you. Yes, that’s right. Roll it toward you. Here’s why: if there is a snake hiding underneath, by rolling it toward you, the log is a barrier and gives the snake an escape route that doesn’t end directly on your feet. We learned that tip from a park interpreter at one of the amazing state parks in Arkansas. We also use a stick to lift fallen bark, scatter leaves, and poke around the underbrush. Essentially, we touch anything first with a stick, then with our hands, just to be on the safe(r) side.

Fort-building supplies

Fort building is a simple activity that does not require much. However, there are a few things that we always bring along to make it more fun. I recently discovered a fort-building kit with rubber/silicone hooks that hold sticks together. While those are a great idea, we prefer to use an eco-friendly natural option so we’re not worried about leaving plastic behind. All-natural raffia grass is a great option for fort building. It is the most natural thing I have found to use to secure sticks and logs. Twine works well also, but the more natural, the better.

My kids love using the long pieces of raffia to hang decorations from their fort, or to secure the sticks together. I also love to surprise them with twinkle lights to string up once their fort is done. A durable, outdoor blanket or an old bed sheet or two are also helpful to bring along. These can serve as a roof, walls/dividers or a comfy floor to sit on inside the fort.

Don’t forget the snacks

Whether it’s lunchtime or not, when adventuring outdoors with kids, always bring snacks! There’s nothing better than a snack in the fort you built with your kids. If I’ve planned far enough ahead, I’ll pack a lunch with a fun surprise treat. If not, I throw whatever I have in my cupboard into my Stasher bags and off we go. I love those bags because they can go directly in the dishwasher when we get home. Peanut butter sandwiches for them and a salad for me are always an easy lunch to pack. Plus, while we are hiking in my salad gets nicely mixed. Always remember to pack out what you pack in and remove any trash or food remnants when you leave.

The fruits of their labor

When you plan your fort-building day, be sure to allow enough time for your kids to stick around and enjoy their fort after they build it. I have made the mistake of making the kids leave shortly after they declared their fort complete. Talk about anticlimactic. So let yourselves linger. Give them time to enjoy it. Let them play. Lie down in your fort and take some time to talk about what they learned and what you can observe from within:
- What do you notice when you look at your fort from different angles?
- What types of animals would like your fort?
- Do you think it would survive a storm?
- What could you do to make it even better?
Get out your nature journals and draw your fort. You could even start an art journal just for the forts you build with your children. The possibilities to expand this into a lesson are endless, including studies in physics and mathematics. Or, just have fun with it and enjoy the journey. Either way, fort building throughout the seasons is always a wonderful way to spend time outside.

Tips for winter fort-building in colder climates

If you live where snow and ice are prevalent in the winter months, there are still plenty of options for winter fort-building! You can still take the kids out into the woods to gather sticks and logs. Instead of packing leaves and bark over your fort to fortify it, let your kids experiment with packing snow. Help them dig tunnels in the snow to create an entrance or a moat around the fort. Or, if you’re building a fort around home, use sand toys and buckets as molds to make ice and snow bricks for building an igloo. The options are really endless when you let your (and your kids’) imagination and creativity run wild.

About the author

Nichole is mama to two incredible adventurers. They are on their third year of homeschooling. She has been married to her best friend for nearly twelve years and they share a mutual love for the outdoors. An Iowan native now living in the south, she is happy to claim Arkansas as home. She is a wanderlust (and coffee) fueled, fearless, road-tripper who has been known to take off for epic adventures at a moment’s notice. Hiking and camping (of the backpacking variety) and crystal digging are a few of their favorite family activities. You can find her in the woods somewhere, (probably up a creek and jumping off waterfalls) or online in the following locations:

Website: http://www.luckeywanderers.com
Instagram: @coleyraeh
RWMC posts: Nichole

More from Nichole

As a family, we love gardening. It’s a wonderful way to ensure time spent outside every day throughout the growing season. This past year, we embarked on an adventure to grow our own luffa sponges. Did you know you could do that? It took us all year, but now we have the most wonderful gifts that came from our very own backyard. Here’s all the details about our luffa gardening adventure. We also grew some giant sunflowers that turned into a really fun hands-on learning experience at the end of the season. You can read about our sunflower dissection.

Have you tried winter fort-building? What was your experience?
Any tips for building ice or snow forts? We’d love to hear them!
BEACH, HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SUMMER
15 Water Activities for Kids & Ways to Get Active on the Water
- August 13, 2019
It may be back to school season, but there’s still LOTS of summer left! Temperatures have been soaring around most of the U.S. over the last couple of weeks. It’s only natural that many of us have been gravitating toward the water to catch a break from the heat! Today, we have the amazing Chelsea Furlong, photographer and mom of 2, here with 15 kid-friendly ways to get active on the water this summer! Not only will these water activities for kids keep them cool, but they’ll help with swimming skills, improve balance and coordination and wear them out! This post is sure to inspire you to get outside and into the water as soon as possible!

Get active on the water

Summertime is the BEST time to get active with your family and it’s extra fun when the activities involve water. With two very busy kids in our house, we’re out adventuring on the water almost every single day. We’re lucky to live in Virginia Beach where the weather is warm most of the year and the beach is nearby, but we’ve done lots of these water activities for kids on lakes and rivers all over the East Coast!

Benefits of spending time on the water

As my children continue to grow, our list of family activities to do on the water grows right along with them. Each summer we’re able to add a few more fun water activities to do together that we weren’t quite able to do the previous year. We love being able to create so many incredible memories with our children while also getting plenty of exercise! The more time we spend outside together, the happier we all are. And it doesn’t hurt that the kids are nice and tired when bedtime rolls around!

15 kid-friendly ways to get active on the water

Getting outside and active on the water doesn’t have to be hard. And it doesn’t have to be the same old thing again and again. There are so many ways to enjoy the outdoors and keep cool. Here are 15 different water activities for kids that will get your kids outside and active on the water this summer!

1. Stand up paddleboarding

Stand up paddleboarding has become one of our absolute favorite summertime water activities for kids. We started when our kids were young (ages of 4 and 6), so our kids are now great at paddleboarding alone or just sitting along for the ride. Stand up paddleboarding is a great full-body workout. While you’re balancing, your body is using your core, shoulders, arms, legs, and back. If you’ve done it before, you know that it’s even great for foot strength! You’d be surprised at how tired your feet will get from gripping the board to balance.

Our kids also love to play a game they call “Paddle Battle.” They stand on opposites sides of the board, facing each other, and rock the board from side to side to try to get the other person to fall off the board first! They can play this game for hours and never get sick of it! They enjoy climbing up onto the boards and jumping off of them as well. If you’re not comfortable heading out for a long paddle, your kids will have a blast simply playing around on the boards. They’ll come up with all sorts of fun games!

2. Kayaking

Another favorite water activity of ours is kayaking. Depending on the age/size of your kids, they can join you on a ride or paddle along in their own kayaks! Our kids have learned to kayak on adult-sized kayaks. However, there are wonderful kid-sized kayaks that you can use as well. You’ll be surprised how quickly children will learn how to use their paddles to navigate a kayak. And if they’re able to go a distance on their own (even in very shallow water where you’ll easily be able to walk to them if they need help), the pride on their faces from that sense of independence is absolutely priceless. It’s like learning to ride a bike for the first time!

3. Hiking or trail walking

Sometimes our favorite water activities for kids involve more than just water. Whether you’re near an ocean, lake, river, creek or stream, you should be able to find lots of great walking trails close to water to enjoy! Here on the coast, we have several boardwalks, as well as walking/hiking trails along the inlets. If you’re further inland, you can usually find great hiking trails in state parks or up the mountains beside rivers and waterfalls! If you have young children, it doesn’t even have to be a very long distance. Just a quick trail with water to toss some rocks into will thrill them!

4. Nature hunts

Along those same lines, nature hunts can be an amazing way to spend a few hours by the water! We often find ourselves out on a nature hunt during that rough late afternoon/early evening timeframe when it’s too early for bed, but the kids aren’t tired yet. You know what I’m talking about. That’s a perfect time to go out for a nature hunt if you have some water nearby. We’ll walk or ride bikes to the beach or inlet, and the boys will search for bugs, crabs, turtles, birds, snails, etc. They’re never disappointed.

Kids are so curious – they can find some kind of amazing treasure wherever they go. Even a new rock and a stick is enough to excite my kids. You can either come up with a specific list of items for the kids to search for, find a list online, or forget the list and just see what you happen to come across. No matter how you decide to do it, the exercise, fresh air, splashing, and nature treasures will always be a crowd-pleaser.

5. Pedal boating

Another great way to get active on the water is to cruise around on a pedal boat! I remember trying these out as a kid when we were on vacation at places like campgrounds with ponds or lakes. Sometimes local parks will have these for rent on the lakes. My kids are lucky because their grandmother happens to have one for them to play on at camp! And they love that thing!

Last year their legs were a little short so the adults ended up doing most of the pedaling. This year, however, both boys had both grown quite a bit and were able to reach the pedals on their own. Pedal boats are a surprisingly good leg workout and if you pedal around enough, you’ll likely feel it the next day! Our kids love cruising around where there’s lots of seaweed but still shallow enough for the sunlight to illuminate the creatures swimming below.

6.Yoga

While it may seem like a land activity (and it is), yoga can really be enjoyed anywhere, including on or near the water! You can do yoga on the beach, on docks at the lake, and even on a stand up paddleboard! We like to turn our paddleboard yoga session into a bit of a challenge. We’ll see who can get into certain poses without falling off the board or see who can hold specific poses the longest. There’s no shortage of laughter during that particular activity!

7. Skimboarding

Skimboarding is a fun outdoor summer water activity for kids that my boys have are just getting into this year! At the beginning of the summer, they saw some older guys using them at our beach and they didn’t stop talking about it until I finally broke down and got them a skimboard of their own. At 5 and 7, I wasn’t sure our kids would be old enough yet but they proved me wrong! They’ve had a ton of fun on that skimboard. It takes a lot of patience and coordination. Plus, it occupies them for hours.

8. Dock jumping

Those of you living the lake life will be very familiar with this one! This activity has been a people pleaser for decades and will never get old. My kids can spend an entire day doing this and never get sick of it. Jumping off, swimming back to the dock, and then climbing up the ladder over and over for hours. Such a great way to enjoy a warm day while also getting lots of exercise. Like most everything else in our lives right now, the boys turn this into a competition to see who can jump the highest, furthest, or do the best trick.

We alternate between using the life vests when I’m not in the water with them and no life vests when I’m right there to assist if they get too tired to swim back to the dock unassisted. This activity was probably the best activity we’ve done all summer to help them learn to swim better. They made massive improvements in their swimming abilities after just an hour of jumping without the life vests and swimming back to the ladder! And I was right there to catch them or lend a hand if they needed a little extra help.

9. Surfing

Surfing is something that’s only just now popped up on our radar as our boys are getting older. Now that they’re better swimmers and have a great sense of balance on our paddleboards, we’re ready to add surfing to our list of favorite water activities for kids! I grew up in the mountains so I’ve never tried surfing before, but since we live on the ocean it’s time to give it shot. If you live in a beach area or plan to vacation to one, you’ll likely have access to a few places that offer surfing camps for kids and private lessons. Since our youngest isn’t quite old enough for the surfing camps yet, we decided to do private lessons as a family! I have a feeling that surf boards will be on our kids’ wish lists in the near future!

10. Climbing

If you’re in the mountains rather than on the coast, I highly recommend taking some time to adventure near waterfalls! My kids are fascinated by waterfalls because we don’t live in an area where you can find them. Whenever we head to the mountains they insist on going out to find some! Usually, you can also find some great spots nearby to climb rocks! We stick to small falls with fairly easy-to-navigate rock areas, since we’re not well-trained in rock climbing yet. When we get hot and sweaty from our climbing, we just find a little pool without fast-moving water to plunk down in and cool off! Please be warned – there is no shortage of beautiful rocks to take home in places like this, so you’re pockets and backpacks will get heavy!

11. Canoeing or row boating

When it comes to being out on the water, you can really just assume that everyone will have a blast using any kind of boat. Kids love learning to paddle and are filled with pride when they’ve gained the skills to do it independently.

12. Go to a splash pad

For those of you who aren’t near nature-made splash areas, you can still have fun getting active in places like splash playgrounds or splash pads! More and more cities are building wonderful splash pads to run around in! These are especially great for families with babies and toddlers because you don’t have to worry about the water being too deep!

13. Go to a pool

Along those same lines, find a pool nearby! Both indoor and outdoor pools are a great way to spend some quality time with your family. My favorite thing about going to a pool is that I have to leave my phone behind! Once I jump in the water with the kids, they get some absolute undivided attention. It’s so refreshing and necessary!

14. Playing a sport

When you pack up your beach bag, add a soccer ball, football, or frisbee! Depending on where you’ll be and how many people will be there, you could also play volleyball or whiffle ball, too. Tossing a ball back and forth in the water is actually one of my very favorite things to do with my kids. We can keep cool by being waist-deep, connect with each other, and practice hand-eye coordination. You can purchase some fantastic frisbees and balls made specifically for water. We LOVE these. They soak up water and then splash it all over when you toss them. It’s tons of fun!

15. JUST PLAY!

My final suggestion is to just jump in and play anywhere there’s water! You can swim around, play on floats, use kickboards or boogie boards, or dive to the bottom to find treasures. Anything you do in the water together will be fun and your children will appreciate the quality time with you! You honestly don’t need to rent or purchase any of the fancy stuff I mentioned above to enjoy water activities with kids. Splash around with your family and make some summer memories that will last a lifetime!

What are some of your favorite ways to get active on the water?

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 possible! 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.

Personal Instagram: @dimples.and.the.blonde
Client work: @chelsea.lyn.photography
Website: dimplesandtheblonde.com
HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, URBAN NATURE
Neighborhood Hiking with Kids
- June 19, 2019
Hiking with kids doesn’t have to be daunting or intimidating. It doesn’t require fancy gear or long miles. All you need to do to get started is step outside your front door with the purpose of having fun and a sense of adventure. Today, we have Maggie (Nimo), active mom of two from Sydney, Australia here sharing how her family got started hiking by going on local neighborhood excursions. She walks you through everything you need to know about neighborhood hiking with kids and how to start your own family tradition.

Benefits of hiking with kids

Hiking is not only fun, but it has many health benefits for kids and adults. Hiking is a great way to get kids outdoors and is a fun way to get them to love nature and foster their curiosity about the world around them.

When most people think of hiking, they think of an expedition that involves fancy gear from The Northface, hiking poles and a hydrating Camelbak with a straw into your mouth. While these kinds of hikes can lead you to some amazing places, they are not always possible to undertake with small children. However, hiking doesn’t have to be so intense. Kids can get outside and hike in their own neighborhoods!

The start of neighborhood hiking

When my son was only 20 months, I fell pregnant with my second child. I had such bad morning sickness that I spent most of my days laying on the floor, the TV on and my son entertaining himself around me. When my husband would come home from work, we would go for a walk to get some fresh air. This was the beginning of our neighborhood hiking adventures.

In the beginning, we needed to carry my son most of the time we were hiking, but in no time, he was covering the distance all by himself! That was 3 years ago. Today, he is an avid hiker and is always encouraging his little sister not to give up.

Neighborhood hiking with kids

Our hikes have since advanced from our neighborhood to National parks, but we still make time to walk around the neighborhood a few times a week. Most of our neighborhoods are rich with interesting things to make a group of children excited enough to get outside. If you want to get your little ones hiking around your neighborhood, here is where to start.

1. Start a weekly tradition

Pick a day (or multiple days) in a week and call it “family hiking day.” Pick a time that suits the whole family, when the kids are not too tired or hungry. Also, make sure you are not in a hurry so the kids can explore. Our hikes usually happen in the evening, after dinner. This is a time when my husband and I are not rushed, the kids are full and they have that pre-bedtime surge of energy.

2. Make it exciting

Make a big deal of your neighborhood hikes and show them you’re excited about going. Help them pack a little bag with items for the hike (my kid’s bags contain water, a magnifying glass, a neighborhood map printed off Google maps and a headlamp for winter walks). Our hikes are known as excursions by the kids and we have reached a point where they usually choose which direction to take.

3. Find interesting things in your neighborhood to mark your destination

When we first started hiking and our son was small, our excursion used to take us to a neighborhood cat. When he became comfortable with that distance, we discovered a friendly dog that was a little bit further and this became our destination. We have since discovered other interesting things around the neighborhood and we choose to hike to those destinations. This gives the kids a goal and helps set their expectations.

Some of our other destinations are a large tree with all sorts of interesting insects to watch. There’s a large rock where we practice our climbing technique and a local dog park where we have made friends. Sometimes we hike to a construction site so the kids can see the diggers and tractors. Most recently, a local community garden has become a favorite spot for my 2-year-old daughter because she gets to feed all my lettuce to the chickens. Kids find interest in so many things that adults tend to overlook. Use your neighborhood hike to discover things in a whole new way.

4. Find friends to hike with

There is strength in numbers. This could not be truer when it comes to toddlers and pre-schoolers. During our walks, I usually notice that my kids cover way more distance when we bring friends along. I like to ask other mothers in the neighborhood and their kids to join us on our hike. I find that the children get so busy with each other that they rarely ever ask to be carried or complain about the distance.

5. Don’t worry too much about the destination

Yes, I mentioned that having a destination helps keep kids motivated, but make sure you allow them to explore. Toddlers and pre-schoolers get distracted very easily. Sometimes, a rock or tree will catch their attention and they’ll want to stop to explore or play. You can try to gently encourage them to keep walking, but don’t force them or get impatient with them. This will only make you frustrated and discourage them from trying the walk again.

If it so happens that a child stops and refuses to move on, then stay there! Let the kids explore whatever they find interesting until they’re satisfied. If after a while they still don’t want to move on, turn around and go home, and try again another time.

6. Don’t combine the hike with a task

Neighborhood hikes should not be the time when you plan to stop at the grocery store and pick up a gallon of milk. Separate “tasks” from “hikes.” These neighborhood hikes are meant to get your kid outside and into nature and eventually increase the child’s stamina and endurance. If you tie it to a task, you shift the focus to your needs and it then becomes impossible to move at the child’s pace. Remember, these child-friendly hikes should be led by them, so don’t rush them.

7. Safety first

As always, when hiking, safety is high on the list. Put down some basic rules that are easy for the kids to follow. Our rules are:
- No running too far ahead of the parents
- When asked, you must stop
- All children must hold an accompanying adult’s hand when crossing a street
We also try to avoid main roads, as its more peaceful and less polluted. We always repeat our rules before leaving the house. If any child is struggling with following them after a few reminders, that child goes back home with one of the adults. I have had to do this to show the kids just how important it is to follow the rules. I’m happy to report that, my 4-year-old son knows them and follows them quite well. My 2-year-old has not gotten the grasp yet, but I am confident she will get there.

8. Leave the gadgets at home

When we do neighborhood hikes, we make sure to stay off our phones. However, one adult usually carries a phone with them for emergencies and safety reasons, but it stays hidden in a backpack or pocket and is not to be used. Our hikes are a time to connect as a family. You never know when a pre-schooler is going to hold your hand and tell you about their day. If you are distracted by your phone, they may move on to something else and you’ll miss out on an important piece of your child’s day. Our neighborhood hikes usually last around 45 minutes, and everything else can wait.

9. Don’t forget to have fun!

The main purpose of our neighborhood hikes is to explore, exercise, and, most importantly, have fun. Use your imagination on your hike and pretend to hunt for dinosaurs or escape from crocodiles. Let the kids’ imagination take them places like the jungle or desert, and go along with them. You will be in for quite an adventure.

Start your own tradition of neighborhood hiking

If you want to get outdoors more with your family but find life getting in the way, neighborhood hiking is a great place to start. Getting out the door and into your local neighborhood is the perfect way to start adventuring more with the kids. Before you know it, you will be online ordering that fancy gear from the Northface, ready for a hike off a beaten track! We hope to run into you out there. Happy hiking everyone!

About the author

I am Maggie (Nimo). I’m originally from Kenya but lived in the U.S. for over 10 years. While living in Pittsburgh, I met and married a Slovakian man. We decided to move to warmer weather, initially thinking California, but we kept moving and ended up in Sydney Australia. We now call Australia home and when we are not busy working, we like to get out and hike, camp and travel with our children ages 2 and 4.

You can find more of their family’s adventures in the following locations:
Instagram – @babystepslongstrides
Website – http://babystepslongstrides.com/
HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
How to Be Prepared when Desert Hiking with Kids
- February 26, 2019
Hiking with kids is one of our all-time favorite activities. It can be done nearly anywhere, doesn’t require fancy gear or weeks of planning and can be adapted for kids of all ages. No wonder it’s one of the first activities that most parents resort to when getting their kids outdoors. And while it may sound (and be) relatively easy, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared…especially when hiking in locations such as the desert. Today we have Chelsea Bowden from Las Vegas, NV here to share all her tips and advice on hiking with two little ones in the desert.

Desert hiking with kids

We live right outside Las Vegas, NV and enjoy finding beauty in the desert. I have two kids (four and three years old) who love to be outside exploring. They need their daily dose of fresh air and outdoor fun. Even on days when I feel too tired or overwhelmed to do anything or go anywhere, my kids encourage me to get out of the house, which is something I never regret afterward.

One of our favorite family activities is hiking. I use the term “hike” loosely, though. To us, hiking can be something as simple as a walk around our neighborhood or as complex as a planned adventure through the mountains. We love hiking along paths we discover while playing at the park and hiking middle-of-nowhere desert trails. There’s no one way to hike and so many great places to go, especially in the Nevada desert. Today I’m sharing some of tips, advice and recommendations on how to be prepared when hiking with kids in the desert.

What to pack

For any desert hike, water is essential. On short hikes at a local park or around the neighborhood, I typically just carry one large water bottle for all of us to share. Otherwise, a good size water pack (we use CamelBak) with room for lots of ice water and lots of pockets.

In addition to water, we always keep the following essentials in one pocket for hikes:
- a utility knife
- compass
- small sunscreen
- small first aid kit with baby wipes (for cleaning off scrapes or wiping hands before snack)
- medicine (such as Neosporin)
- Band-Aids
These are things we’ve kept in our pack ever since we bought it years ago. No need to unpack! Just replace as needed. I also like to keep a towel and an extra pair of clothes handy in the car for each kid. It’s hard to stop my son from jumping in a muddy puddle when he occasionally finds them.

For more info on what to pack when hiking with kids, check out our full list of hiking essentials for families.

Don’t forget the snacks

Kids constantly need to refuel, so make sure to bring snacks. If traveling on a longer hike, I use one pocket in our backpack dedicated to snacks. My kids love snacks, as do most kids. They would honestly eat snacks all day long and have no sit-down meals if it were up to them! I usually let them help pick one or two things that will go in the bag to get them more excited about our adventure.

We use snacks as motivation on our hikes and it keeps them going when they start getting tired (which will happen). Whenever they say they are getting tired, they want us to pick them up, or we hear any kind of whininess, we motivate them to keep going by saying something like, “when we make it to that bench (big rock, sign, tree, or whatever landmark we can point out ahead) you get to pick out a snack and have a drink of water. We save “treats” (like small chocolates or gummies) for the very end.

Here’s a list of the most common snacks we’ll bring with us:
- Clifkid zbars
- mixed nuts
- dried fruits
- fruit snacks
- apple sauce pouches
- Nature Valley granola bars
- Nutrigrain bars
- pretzels
Pro tip: Don’t leave home with an empty belly – make sure your kids have some food in their bellies before beginning any adventure.

Where to go

Know your kids, but still start small. Kids have a surprising amount of energy, but they still get tired quickly. We’ve gone on enough walks around the neighborhood to know our children’s limitations. They can handle around a 2 ½ mile hike on their own without us needing to carry them a lot. If we go any longer distance, I need to be prepared to carry someone at least part of the way. For those distances, I try not to go with the kids by myself. I’ve been using the app AllTrails for some time now and always look at the difficulty level and length of the hike before deciding where to go.

We’ve also found that a lot of parks we go to have trails within them, as well. These trails won’t necessarily be labeled a “hike,” but as I said earlier, we use the term hike loosely. A new path of any kind where we might discover new plants, flowers, animals, rocks, etc. is exciting for the kids. And it’s a bonus when I say we are going to the park and then we get to add on additional time there for a newly discovered hike.

As the kids get older, it will be fun to explore more challenging hikes. But for now, we are in the “easy zone” and try to make hikes pleasant for everyone. Hikes with little kids should be fun for them and not stressful or scary. Because if the kids are having fun, they’re much more likely to want to go hiking and exploring again in the near future.

How to make it fun

Walking to/from the park, climbing a mountain (or small hills), going through a tunnel, seeing a river, lake, waterfall (or any sort of water, for that matter) makes hiking a little more exciting! These elements make hiking trails more of an adventure and are a great way to keep kids motivated to keep going. My kids love exploring new places and are so excited to see what’s around the next corner. Along the way, we often find ourselves singing songs, looking for different colored rocks, pointing out what kinds of animals live along the trail, and finding “good picture spots.” My kids really like to run, so we often have races along the way to see who can make it to our next “benchmark” first.

Handling the weather

We’re very lucky in that 9-10 months of the year we experience pretty great weather. For most of the year, we don’t really have to worry about what time of day we are going to be outside. However, in the middle of the summer, it can become dangerously hot, with temperatures up to 118° F. If you want to do any outdoor activities during this time of year, its best to be up with the sunrise and get your activities in early.

Also if you’re adventuring in the summer, be prepared with lots of extra water, sunscreen, and shade. Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back. On the opposite end of the spectrum, it gets colder in the desert than people may think. You may need gloves, hats, and an extra jacket during cold weather, especially if traveling up to the mountains. Here in Nevada, Mt. Charleston is where we usually head each year to get our snow fix and go sledding. It’s only about an hour away with lots of good sledding hills for kids of every age.

Hazards on trails (cactus/critters)

Hiking in the desert comes with its own hazards in the form of cactuses and desert critters. My son once picked up a large piece of cactus that had broken off along a trail, which embedded spines into his hand. Thankfully, it was close to our house, so I was able to run home and grab a pair of tweezers to get all spines out. Needless to say, he’ll never touch a cactus again and tells everyone else not to touch them either. Lesson learned, I guess! Make sure to warn children of the dangers of cactuses before your little one makes the same mistake.

As far as critters go, we usually don’t see too many on the trail. However, if you venture a bit off the beaten path, it’s not unusual to run into snakes, scorpions, or spiders. Most of them tend to avoid main paths and trails, so if you’re hiking with little kids, keep your eyes open and stay close to the trails.

What we’d do differently

I think everyone probably has a story about an adventure that went wrong. While they can be very scary, they also teach us valuable lessons. Recently, we went on a hike without being too aware of the weather. As I mentioned before, our weather is usually good and doesn’t catch us off guard too often around here. We usually check the weather before leaving the house, but this time we didn’t. There were gusts of wind up to 40 miles an hour! They could almost blow my children over! Needless to say, we learned our lesson and called it a day. If you find yourself in a similar situation, know when to turn back and be ok with not finishing what you started. There’s always another time to come back and try that trail or hike again.

Also, when hiking with little kids, you’ve got to time it right. You know your child’s schedule best. If they have the most energy in the morning when they wake up, try going for a hike early. If they get afternoon antsy, then try going after lunch. Need to burn energy after being cooped up all day, try an early evening hike. However, always make sure to give yourself enough time to be done before it’s dark out.

Wrap it up

Hiking with kids is always an adventure and gets a little bit easier every time you go out. We have so many great memories from our family hikes and have such a great time exploring together. Hopefully, these tips and advice will help get you and your kids out the door and on the trail. Because when we plan ahead a little, it makes for a much happier hike!

About Chelsea

I was born in Orange, CA, but raised in the small town of Boulder City, NV (about a 30 min drive from Las Vegas), the youngest of 4 with older brothers. Early on I took dance classes but eventually turned to sports to be like my brothers. I played everything from basketball, softball, volleyball, and track and field. My parents always encouraged us to be active. I met my husband at 20 and we married the next year! Immediately thereafter, the Navy stationed him near Seattle, WA. We spent the next four years in the Pacific Northwest. I grew to love the different climate and all the hiking trails we discovered there.

In 2014, we had our daughter, Chloe. One year later, my husband was ending his career in the Navy and I was 6 months pregnant with our son Logan, when we packed up to head back to Las Vegas. We stayed with my parents while saving to buy our first home. After getting settled, I ended my 8-year career with Starbucks to become a full-time stay at home mom. We are now expecting our third child in September. Even though my energy is low these days (pregnancy wipes me out) we still love to explore the outdoors as often as we can, even if it can only be for 15 minutes some days.

You can find Chelsea on Instagram at @Mrschelseab
HIKE, LOCAL GEMS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Hiking & Creeking Little Missouri Falls with Kids
- July 31, 2018
If you know me and my kids, you know we love nothing more than exploring a good creek. Creeks offer so many opportunities for educational lessons, outdoor adventure and good old-fashioned fun. Which is why I’m super excited to share this post with you today from another creek-loving mama. Nichole Holze and her family spent some time exploring Little Missouri Falls in the Ouachita National Forest, near Hot Springs, Arkansas. She’s here sharing their adventure, recommendations on what to pack when creeking and her thoughts on raising outdoor children.

Creek stomping

I have nothing but fond memories of my sister and our stomping our way up a creek in a nearby county park. My mom took us there many times to play, climb, explore, and adventure. Then as I became a nanny for the summer I took the kids to that park nearly every week. And every week we returned home with sand in our shorts, mud between our toes, smiles on our faces and epic stories in our memory bank.

As a parent now with my own two adventurers, I have made it a point to continue with the creek stomp tradition. From a very early age, my husband and I exposed our children to the natural world and gave them the freedom to fully experience it with all of their senses. Dirt in the mouth was a common occurrence. That early exposure to the natural world allowed them to grow in their confidence and ability to navigate nature now as children. In addition, they are strong, bold, curious, but also with a healthy respect for the dangers that do exist in nature.

Little Missouri Falls, Ouachita National Forest

It is not uncommon for my kids and me to load up our car and head out to explore for the day. We are very fortunate to live within a few hours drive of some of the most beautiful places to be found in Arkansas, a state which is far underrated for outdoor pursuits. So a three-hour drive hardly makes us flinch for a day trip.

On one particular day a few weeks ago, we decided to chase down some waterfalls. It had just rained (heavily) the day before, which in Arkansas, means that the falls would actually be flowing. We quickly packed up some snacks, lunch, towels, goggles, life jackets and a camera. A short two hours later through windy mountain roads, which gave way to bumpy and dusty forest roads, and we arrived at our destination: Little Missouri Falls in the Ouachita National Forest.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the area, the Ouachita National Forest is located in Southwest Arkansas, about half-way in between Dallas, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. This national forest has over 1.8 million acres of wilderness and spans from Central Arkansas through Eastern Oklahoma. So it’s not only wilderness but mountains, bluffs, rivers, fields and streams for hunting, camping, hiking, biking, fishing and camping. If you’re in the area, this is definitely a place worth checking out.

Hiking into the falls

Strapping on my backpack filled with towels, my camera, lunch and loads of fresh water, we raced off for the trail. The kids were dressed in their swimsuits, sun shirts, life jackets and water shoes. They are both fantastic swimmers, but I always take life jackets when rivers or lakes are involved, until I know the water situation and depth.

A short hike gave way to steep stairs to head down to the river. At the sight of water, the screams and shouts of my excited kids filled the valley. Within moments we were scrambling over rocky riverbed to the falls. The water, which was actually cold (an impressive feat for hot Arkansas summers) cascaded from an upper pool into lower pools and quite literally took our breath away. My son quickly scampered over to the edge of the larger waterfall and begged to go down. I love that he shares my same thirst for adventure.

Navigating the terrain

I decided it would be best to work our way down to the lower falls first instead of going over. A quick scuttle through the woods and over large boulders brought us down to a pleasant rocky beach area where laid out our blanket then made for the water. The blue-green water, typical of this area of Arkansas, flowed into a deep pool with large boulders. A massive fallen tree laid in the perfect spot to climb back up to the top of the falls. We discovered a wolf spider hiding on the underside, but we let it be as it seemed to content to hide out under the log.

My daughter splashed and played, then grew bold and swam out to a rock island to perch. My son scurried up the log and was ready to slide down the waterfall. I stood at the base to catch him due to the large boulders just under the water in the deep pool below. He most likely would not have been injured, but when it comes to large rocks underwater, I prefer to not take chances. Over and over again my son giggled his way down the waterfall. And over and over again I dunked my head under the rushing falls; delighted to have found such a wonderful nook.

Break for lunch

A little later and ready for a little calmer pace, we hiked downstream to where the river opened up to a large shallow pool. I laid out our picnic blanket and we were all soon munching away on our still cold lunch. It was so relaxing listening to the sound of the waterfall intermingled with bird calls and the buzzing of insects. We all sat in contented silence, gazing around at the huge boulders against the blue-green water and the green trees against the azure sky.

Catch something!

After lunch, my kiddos took off their life jackets and headed into the water to explore. Within moments my son exclaimed that he had found a big fish. I splashed over and shared in his excitement, but it was not a fish — it was a tadpole! And probably one of the biggest tadpoles I had ever seen. A quick group effort ensued, my kids standing next to me to watch it move, and I caught it!

One thing I forgot to bring was a net. So we used a baseball cap as a temporary home for the tadpole as we examined it. My son was nervous at first, but his curiosity overtook him and he was soon gently handling the incredible creature in his own hands. The bullfrog tadpole had it’s back legs but had yet to grow it’s front. It filled up my son’s hands with its massive size. The magic of that moment will forever be etched in my memory.

Appreciate your surroundings

Hiking up a creek. A seemingly simply endeavor. But an adventure, for certain. As always, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings, especially in southern Arkansas during the summer. We were fortunate to not have any snake encounters on this outing. However, I have taught my children to always be aware of where they are moving and what is moving around them.

The natural world is a wonder to behold, especially when experienced alongside our children. Educator Charlotte Mason said it most wonderfully “We are all meant to be naturalists, each in his own degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things.”

What to pack

Here are a few things to pack for a successful creek outing:
- Water shoes – (I have a pair of Teva sandals that I’ve worn each summer for 7 years and they still work great). Any waterproof shoe with a gripping sole will be great.
- Life jackets for children, especially if they cannot swim
- Goggles – for underwater exploration! Take your exploring to the next level by having a look underwater. We always have our goggles if there is any water involved.
- Swimsuits – rash guards and waterproof shorts work great for all day exploring and protection from the sun.
- Snacks and picnic lunch
- Sturdy lunch boxes – For day trips, packing lunches in reusable containers is important to me and highly recommend PlanetBox lunch boxes. They are made of highly durable stainless steel. They are a bit heavy but hold up well to all of our adventures. I have loved using Planetbox lunch boxes for the past few years. We have one in each size and they work great for us, including the “no food can touch” preferences of my daughter.
- A sturdy backpack
- Towels
- A net and maybe magnifying glasses
- Field guides to creeks in your area
- Plenty of fresh water to drink – perhaps take along a water purifier if you have one
- Sunscreen
- Sunhats – I really love the kids’ hats from Sunday Afternoon Hats
- A small first aid kit – I recommend Adventure Medical Kits
- Your sense of adventure and a childlike wonder!
Are you a fan of creek stomping with your kids?

Nichole is a homeschooling mama to two incredible adventurers, an older boy and a younger girl. She has been married to her best friend for nearly eleven years. An Iowan native now living in the south, she is happy to claim Arkansas as home. This is their 3rd year homeschooling, and after a rough first year, Nichole discovered the mash-up of styles that suited her, and the rest is history. She is a gypsy-hearted, fearless, road tripper who has been known to take off for epic adventures at a moments notice. Hiking and camping (of the backpacking variety) are their favorite family activities. She still swims competitively and enjoys showing her children what it means to live a healthy life. Coffee is her drink of choice (all day long, and black, please). You can usually find her in the woods somewhere, probably up a creek, jumping off waterfalls.

Follow her adventures here:
Instagram: @coleyraeh
Website: http://www.luckeywanderers.comSaveSave

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FAMILY TRAVEL, HIKE, LOCAL GEMS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Arches National Park – 8 Easy Hikes for Kids
- June 26, 2018
Arches National Park in Utah is one of those picture-perfect iconic places that’s destined to be on your bucket list. While hiking through the desert with kids might not sound fun or easy, we’re here to assure you that it is! Today, Stacy Bressler of The Crazy Outdoor Mama is sharing all kinds of wonderful info and advice on visiting Arches with kids, along with 8 Arches National Park hikes with spectacular views that little kids and toddlers can easily do. Happy hiking!

Arches National Park

Arches National Park is just north of Moab in the state of Utah. Bordered by the Colorado River in the southeast, it’s known as the site of more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, in addition to hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins and giant balanced rocks. This red-rock wonderland also contains a variety of hiking trails, many of which are considered easy to moderate. Trails provide access to outstanding viewpoints and arches not visible from the road. In some cases, trails travel under arches, affording quite a unique perspective on the park’s namesake features.

When to visit Arches National Park

Overall, the most ideal time of year to visit Arches National Park is probably in the spring or fall. I visited in early April and the weather was perfect! Cool in the mornings, and warmer but cloudy the rest of the day. Summer in Utah can get pretty hot and winters are very cold. If you’re going to do a lot of hiking with small children, I recommend you choose a season with more moderate temperatures.

In terms of time a day, it’s best to visit early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Again, it’s the desert, so it can get really hot in the middle of the day. Also, the line can be ridiculous to get into the park, so it’s not worth wasting your kids energy or time sitting in line all day. Particularly if you are only in the area for a short amount of time. I suggest getting there before 9 A.M, or choose to go later in the afternoon, after 3 or 4 p.m.

I personally liked going early as it wasn’t as busy. We were often in the park at around 8:00 a.m. and got a jump start on the hikes before they got busy and crowded. There is a decent amount of driving to get to most places, around 20-30 mins once you’re in the park. Don’t forget to account for this when planning your day!

Cost of visiting Arches National Park

The National Park Service website has a full list of prices for each national park, but for quick reference, the Arches entrance fee is $25.00 for seven day access (as of 2018). If you want to visit the nearby Canyonlands National Park, there is a Southeast Utah National Parks pass that is $50.00 and also includes entry for Natural Bridges National Monument. We decided to buy the “America the Beautiful” pass that gives access to all U.S. national parks for $80.00. It’s a great deal if you plan on visiting more parks!

To save time, buy your pass online. That way you just have to show your park pass at the entrance and move on instead of buying it there. I think that’s partly where the giant line comes from.

Park maps & Junior Ranger program

You can pick up a map of the park and all the trails at the Arches National Park Visitor Center, or download it here. As of 2018, the hours for the Visitor Center are 7:30 – 5:00 daily except for Christmas. Be sure to also get a guide to the park. This will include some fun facts about how the arches in the park were created, as well as more in-depth info about all the trails.

Don’t forget to pick up the Junior Ranger Guide so that your child can get the chance to earn a badge! Most national parks have a Junior Ranger Program, which allows your child to get an activity book from the visitor center and complete it as you explore the park. Return to the visitor center at the end of your visit to be awarded an official Junior Ranger badge from a park ranger. The activities are typically designed for kids 4 and older, but even younger kids can participate. It’s a really motivating way for them to have something to work toward as we hike and explore. Plus, it’s a great way to encourage your kids to learn about the place you’re visiting!

Here’s a little secret: even if your kids are younger than the recommended age for Junior Ranger, take them to the visitor’s center anyways to talk to a park ranger. They love to see little kids excited about hiking and will often give your toddler a badge anyways!

Arches National Park hikes with kids

With enormous sandstone sculptures in every direction, freestanding arches framing snow-capped mountains, precariously balanced rocks, Arches National Park is truly one of the most impressive national parks in the world! It’s also the perfect place to explore with the whole family. We especially love it because there are a lot of fun easy hikes for kids and each one has at least one great reward and breathtaking view. Some of the best hikes in Arches National Park are pretty easy, making it the perfect park for kids.

At the time I visited Arches National Park, I had three children under three. That’s right, a toddler and two twin 8 month old babies! We hike all over and got to know the area pretty well. I promise, it can be done. I’m going to give you the scoop on which arches in Arches National Park are the easiest to get to with young children, and which ones are worth the extra challenge.

Eight easy Arches National Park hikes for kids

Today I’m sharing 8 easy hikes that are all doable distances with big rewards to keep your toddler or little kid pumped about hiking! While we adults might enjoy longer and more challenging hikes to get away from the crowds, I found it very important to keep the hike distance minimal for the kids in order to maximize the fun! This might mean stopping a couple of times on a 0.5 mile hike; that’s ok! You’re setting them up to love hiking as they get older!

Though you should never step off trail (it ruins the very delicate bio-soil that takes years to form!) most of these hikes have many turn offs and rest areas since they are so popular. These areas make the hikes PERFECT for little ones – they can stretch their legs, climb on little rocks, play in the sand, and have a snack to recharge for the rest of the hike!

Just remember, hiking with kids is fun, but it’s also very SLOW. I always think we are going to have time to do more than we actually can accomplish. If you’ve got babies, toddlers or even preschoolers with you, plan to double (or triple) whatever amount of time the park brochure says a hike will take. Take your time and don’t rush everyone. You’ll enjoy the views and the hikes so much more. If all else fails, bribe them with snacks to keep going and you’ll be fine!

1. Balanced Rock hike (0.3 miles round trip)

At only 0.3 miles, this hike is a great hike to begin with and an excellent way to gauge how far the kids can go! It’s a big reward for little effort; what kid doesn’t love rocks?! You can see the giant balanced boulder while driving, but it’s worth getting out of the car and hiking out to look at it up close.

Balanced Rock’s off-balanced shape is something that you’ll need to see to believe! It’s probably Arches’ most unusual attraction! The rock is always eroding away, and one day Balanced Rock will not be balanced anymore! In fact, there used to be a smaller formation called “Chip Off the Old Block” that fell down in 1976.

There is a covered picnic area and some restrooms here so it’s also a great pit stop on the way in an out of the park, if you want to save it until the end.

2. Sand Dune Arch hike (0.3 miles round trip)

Sand Dune Arch hike is probably the BEST hikes in Arches National Park for kids of all ages! It’s surrounded by a giant sandbox! It’s only a 0.3 mile hike in, and it’s tons of sandy fun.

Sand Dune Arch is nice, but all the sand really is what makes this area a must for little kids. There were toys available that someone generously left there, and lots of easy climbing and exploring to be done. The babies got a nice break from the backpack, and our 2 1/2 year old got some much needed free time! (There was a lot of “Let’s go” and “Let’s keep going” on our hike! :P)

We spent probably around an hour in here, and easily could have spent more just letting the kids all play. There are some cool slot-y areas nearby and fun rocks to climb for the adults, so if there’s someone to watch the kiddos, explore around for yourself!

Bonus: If everyone is in a good mood, head over to Broken Arch, which is accessible from the same trail head as Sand Dune Arch. It’s about 2 miles round trip and takes you through some fun rock formations and includes slick rock scrambling! It’s really fun!

3. Skyline Arch hike (0.4 miles round trip)

A short, sandy hike through some cool fins bring you to Skyline Arch. This arch, framing the sky way high up in a tall red rock fin, can be viewed from a scenic half mile trail. A big moment in it’s history was in 1940, when a huge boulder fell out of the arch, doubling it’s size to what is is today!

While not as picturesque as some other arches, it’s a nice short hike for kids as they get their reward (the arch!) quick and easy!

4. & 5. Double Arch + Turret Arch hikes (1.2 mile loop)

This is one of the best “bang for your buck” arch viewing hikes in the park. Only a 25 minute drive from the visitor center, there are multiple arches to choose from here; North and South Windows, Double Arch and Turret Arch. Double Arch was one of my favorite arches in the park and the ENTIRE loop trail is only 1.2 miles!

There is a “primitive trail” marked by cairns that is much less traveled and very scenic you can take if you choose. This is a little longer (1 mile roundtrip) but it’s worth it if you want a more authentic hiking experience. We had our two babies in backpacks and our toddler in tow, and we all made it! I think our toddler only took 2 breaks the whole time this hike. There’s a lot to look at.

There is a staircase and some slight uphill hiking, but it’s pretty doable for everyone. The trail is gravel, so that makes for easy walking. Once you climb up into the base of the arch, the views become even more impressive. You will not want to ever leave this place!

Cool facts about Double Arch – it’s the tallest in the park at 112 feet and the second longest at 144 feet! You might also recognize it from the beginning of Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade movie.

6. Landscape Arch hike (1.6 miles round trip)

The Landscape Arch hike is another iconic arch at the end of a surprisingly easy hike. It’s possibly the most imposing arch in the whole park and is unbelievably long and narrow! The irregular shape of the arch makes it hard to believe how long it has survived through so much crazy weather.

This hike starts at the Devil’s Garden Trailhead, by entering a narrow canyon. A hard packed gravel path turns into a sand trail with little elevation gain making this a perfect Arches National Park hike to take the kids on that has a little more distance.

Landscape Arch is the longest arch in the world and conveniently near other lesser known arches such as Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch. Though people were allowed to walk underneath this arch in the past, it is now blocked off due to the delicate nature of the arch.

7. Double O Arch hike (4.2 miles round trip)

The Double O Arch hike is also accessible from the Devil’s Garden Trailhead. The hike out to Double O Arch is 4.2 miles, so it’s a bit long for little kids, but much less crowded and great for older kids that want a longer challenging hike. It has a very primitive trail, meaning it’s much less crowded and leads to some pretty spectacular views.

8. Delicate Arch hike (3.0 miles round trip)

Finally, we’re to the big daddy of all the arches. If you’re in shape and up for a little more challenge, you HAVE to see Delicate Arch!

The Delicate Arch hike is a fun walk through a canyon, over slick rock and close to some 3-foot cliff edges (it’s not as scary as it sounds; promise!). The hike ends in an amphitheater with the Delicate Arch in view! This is the quintessential arch – that iconic famed arch that is on the Utah license plate!

It can be very crowded, so be aware of that in advance. Go as early as possible and take lots of water. The crowds pick up significantly as the day goes by. However, when I was there everyone moved out of the way of the arch so that each group got a picture in front of it without others around. I hope that you’re as lucky!

The amphitheater is a good resting spot; there is plenty of seating with views of Delicate Arch. Our toddler enjoyed this break, and I was able to take the babies out of their backpacks to feed them! There is hardly any cover from the sun, so this would be a good hike to do at the start of the day so as to beat the heat and the crowds! Also, there are very steep parts of this hike, so it might be necessary to carry very small kids part of the way.

BONUS: Don’t miss the original homestead historic house and several-hundred year old petroglyphs on your way back down!

Now go hike!

Arches National Park is a great place to introduce young kids to hiking. There are many trails that are short with big rewards, as well as lots of areas to take a break! Whether your baby is on your back or holding your hand, get out and explore Arches National Park with your kids!

Or…if you’re in the area and not all that into hiking, check out Stacy’s post on 6 fun things to do with kids in Moab, Utah (that aren’t hiking).

Stacy Bressler is an avid outdoorswoman, wife, and mother of three under three (the youngest being 10-month-old twin girls). She writes about all things motherhood, including surviving it with (most) of her sanity intact, as well as raising mini adventurers. Navigating life through the lens of humor and positivity, she chronicles it all in her blog, The Crazy Outdoor Mama.
FAMILY TRAVEL, HIKE, LOCAL GEMS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Hiking with Kids: Galisteo Basin Preserve, Santa Fe
- January 23, 2018
Today’s post is all about hiking Galisteo Basin Preserve in Santa Fe, NM. Photographer, mama and outdoor adventurer Kelli Johansen is taking us along on this gorgeous hike with her family, including her 2 year-old daughter. She’s got some great information on hiking with toddlers, what you need to know before you go and what to pack on your adventure. If you have any questions for Kelli, please leave them in the comments below.

Galisteo Basin Preserve, Santa Fe

My family and I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico and we LOVE to get outside!!! Lucky for us, we live in a state where the weather is pleasant and the sun is out at least 10 months out of the year. Santa Fe is in the northern part of the state and has a dry steppe climate, with cold winters and hot summers. At 7,000 feet elevation we have various landscapes such as the national forest, mountains and high desert to explore.

On this particular day, we decided to go to a place called the Galisteo Basin Preserve. It is the perfect place for an easy hike up and down hills with phenomenal views. The Galisteo Basin Preserve is a conservation-based community development located 14 miles south of Santa Fe. The preserve is a place of sculpted arroyos, craggy sandstone formations and vast savannah grasslands. It is also place of refuge and sustenance for wildlife and people.

The Galisteo Basin Preserve open space is planned to include 50 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. These publicly accessible trails are intended to invite exploration and celebration of this landscape by Preserve residents and visitors alike. The trails are well marked, with numbered junction posts and a downloadable map available here to print – or download into your smart phone.

Hiking with a toddler

We love exploring our entire diverse area and have a lot of hiking options to choose from. On this day, we decided to stay nearby in case our little one wasn’t feeling it. She had been a little grouchy throughout the morning, so we played it safe and stayed a bit closer to home. We’ve learned the importance of flexibility when adventuring with a toddler and adjust our activities accordingly to make life more pleasant for everyone. Of course, on our way to the trail she fell asleep in the car (as toddlers often do) which didn’t make for a fun start. However, she recovered nicely and we had a blast during our short time there.

Our little girl LOVES to hike – she especially loves leading us which is okay when the weather is cooler since the rattlesnakes aren’t out as much. My husband and I always keep our eyes and ears very open when we are out hiking, with or without our daughter.

We like to use our adventures to teach her about wildlife and the surrounding nature. While we were hiking we discussed the different types of trees, plants and rocks we came across. We also played hide and seek. I would run up ahead and crouch behind the trees and wait for her to find me. What seemed like, ‘just a hike,’ turned into a very fun, refreshing adventure.

Choosing a trail

Eevi is almost 3 now and wants to be independent on our hikes – a trait we highly encourage. Therefore, lately we tend to lean towards trails that are easy, well maintained and that we know don’t have high drop-offs. Safety is always a priority. I often use the AllTrails app to check out the different levels and reviews of trails before we go. This particularly helpful if we haven’t been on that trail or if we are in an unfamiliar region (sometimes we get lucky enough to go on vacation!).

My advice is to keep it super simple and fun at this age! The more fun kids have on the trails, the more likely they’ll want to go back, so we try not to overdo it. Start with short, easy trails and let their confidence build before adding elevation and difficulty.

What to pack

When we normally go out we are out for 2-3 hours hiking, exploring and relaxing. Our packing list includes the following items:
- diaper bag (hopefully this will be gone soon!)
- a change of clothes (for our daughter)
- extra socks (for us)
- snacks (for everyone!): granola bars, apples, trailmix, etc.
- LOTS of water (you can NEVER have enough)
- sunscreen (apply before you go and again during the hike)
- phone
- camera
- first aid kit
All of this normally fits into the diaper bag, so even if it’s just a “mommy & me hike,” I’m not carrying multiple bags. Now that my daughter is a bit older, she also enjoys carrying her own backpack. I highly recommend getting kids used to carrying a backpack with some of their own gear at an early age. Every little bit they can carry helps and makes them more independent and self-sufficient.

Since the terrain doesn’t offer much shade, plan to visit the trails early in the day before the heat or later in the evenings before sunset. Make sure to wear a hat and good/sturdy hiking boots. Please remember to stay on marked trails and roads, park only in designated areas, and carry out everything you carry in.

Hi there! My name is Kelli. I am a mama to one sassy spirit, lady behind the lens and the lucky wife to an army veteran. I have always loved photography and everything art. It’s in my blood, it’s my super power. The importance of photography and capturing those you love became abundantly clear to me after my daughter was born prematurely in 2015. Before my daughter was born, I was a Registered Nurse and I barely had time to pick up a camera or paint. After my daughter was born, I couldn’t imagine her knowing that I hadn’t pursued my passions in life. She made me brave again. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a nurse but there’s a different kind of beauty in getting behind a camera and letting the world see what you see.

Website: http://www.kellijohansen.com
Instagram: @kellijohansenphotography
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellijohansenphotography/
CRAFTS, HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Journey Sticks and the Art of Storytelling
- September 28, 2017
I’m really excited to bring you today’s post, all about creating storytelling journey sticks with your kids. The amazing and uber-talented Jessica, from Collect. Make. Explore. is here to show you how to incorporate elements of your hikes, adventures and outings into beautiful physical storytelling devices. I love the lessons this project teaches – from being observant in nature to inspiring creativity in retelling the story of your adventures. This would be a great project to start this fall while the leaves are turning and there’s lot of adventures to be had.

Fleeting anchor

How many times does something beautiful happen in life, be it simple or extraordinary, and you think to yourself, wow I wish I could hold onto this day a little longer? We may rembember the overarching feeling or event, but the little details eventually slip through our hands like tiny grains of sand, getting lost in the crevices of our minds. Wouldn’t you love to have an intuitive way to access all the little details that make a day so magical? Like dew on the morning grass, the everyday moments of our family’s journey shine brightly, but quickly get pulled back into the earth or sky – our natural narrative truly is our fleeting anchor.

Storytelling

The story we tell ourselves shapes who we become. If you want your children to learn to love and respect the natural world and better yet, to understand their part in it, it needs to be an integral part of their story. The lasting memories you create as a family can live on through the art of storytelling. We as humans are more likely to attach importance to a story when we see ourselves as a part of it. And when children are asked to recount the story of their daily adventures and explorations, they become active learners, leaders, and caretakers of their environment. Just like that, they understand in some basic way that their journey is shared with that of the world.

By using verbal and visual maps, we can more easily recount our days, and tap into those individual grains of sand that might otherwise get lost with the passage of time. Creating a journey stick is one way to poetically strengthen our connection to the natural world, as they intertwine person, place, and time. The most amazing thing about this method of remembering is it’s ability to capture individual perspective and personal narratives. Something a standard map can’t touch. When we look at a map we see the lay of the land, yet when we tell our story the land comes alive. I’ve made journey sticks with my little ones, ages two and four, while out on the trail. I’m excited to share our experiences with these storytelling tools with you and get you started making your own memory maps!

History of journey sticks

First, a little background on the journey stick for you. Aboriginal people in Australia used journey sticks to more easily recount their journeys to other people upon their return. They found a large walking stick, collected materials found along the way, and tied them to the stick in chronological order. Native Americans also decorated sticks to recount their journeys and tell about their travels. These sticks can be used as storytelling and navigational tools. The collected materials and markings have various purposes. Some things can be used as markers for natural features in the land, such as tree bark to indicate passing through the woods. While particular symbols carved into or painted onto the stick could show weather patterns, natural features, or events that took place.

Making your own journey stick

To start the process with your family, show your children pictures of journey sticks to familiarize them with the concept. Talk to your kids, show them pictures of journey sticks before setting out on the trail. When you go, be prepared – bring various colored string, scissors, and crayons on your hike. You can either create your journey stick at home after your adventure or while you are out exploring. You can make one journey stick for the entire family or individual sticks for each child, if they’re old enough.

Make it part of the adventure to find the perfect stick. When we began our hike, our perfect journey stick happened to present itself right before the trail began. Once we had that, the kids played while I wrapped various colors of string on the stick to create layered stripes of color. For each part of our adventure that day we tucked little physical reminders of that part of our story under the string, creating a visual narrative. I used thin string, but would recommend yarn because it would be stretchier and easier to manipulate objects through.

You can alter the actual creation of the journey stick to fit the age group. Younger children, such as the toddler age range, may like to have sticky clear contact paper attached to a large piece of bark or cardboard. They can then attach their materials to this as they hike along to make their own version of a journey “stick”. While older children may want to use a pocket knife or other tool to carve simple images into the wood. The most important thing to remember is to not push focus, but instead lead them with a gentle hand. Breaks from the project at hand are fine, come back to it when they are ready. It is a shared journey after all!

Tell your story

Later that night, I helped the kids use the stick to recount their hike to their dad. It was amazing to hear the details come pouring out in order as we touched each object on the stick from top to bottom! The shale from our initial stop at the creek was coated with a thin layer of dried mud. This reminded them to tell their dad about the large patches of cracked dry mud that they peeled apart at the creek.

Another part of our stick held a leaf from the woods where we found a giant toad sitting still as a stone alongside a log. The feather we found led to speculation on the bird it was from and made them remember the sounds we heard in the trees. And on it went until we finished the story of our day. I didn’t write any of this down until writing this post, and looking at the objects, I too can remember the details of our day that happened weeks ago.

Add adventures to your journey

We’ve taken our journey stick to the beach, the forest, the field, and even little trips around the backyard or neighborhood! Each time little reminders stick with us upon our return. Love tracing and tracking the landscape this way. Little bits and pieces of memory are now displayed in the kids “garden” out back. We have a special ceramic vessel that our stick fits perfectly in, so there it lives, tucked within the dirt and leaves for when we need it next. Hope this has woven some inspiration into your day. And that you are moved enough to pick up a stick! Enjoy your journey!

Jessica is a mother of two, a professional artist, former art professor, portrait photographer, author, and writer at “Collect. Make. Explore.”. Her family is on an every evolving journey to develop a more conscious lifestyle, which of course involves natural parenting. Upon having her second child she resigned from teaching to focus on folding together her creative pursuits and nature-led parenting. The outdoors has become both her studio and her classroom. A place to find solace, to learn, to explore, and to just be. All of these local adventures and sweet connections to the outdoors led her to write a small book, sharing the name of her blog,”Collect. Make. Explore.”. If you are interesting in learning more about her book, artwork, blog, or day to day adventures in visual form, she can be found at any of the following social media sites.

instagram: @collectmakeexplore

facebook: collect.make.explore.

web: Collect.Make.Explore.. and www.spiritinthemachine.com

pinterest: @jessicawascak
CAMP, FAMILY TRAVEL, HIKE
Overnight Backpacking on the Appalachian Trail with a Toddler
- June 21, 2017
Hi friends! As you know, Run Wild My Child is all about helping parents get their children outdoors and back into nature, one adventure at a time. While I wish I could quit my day job and spend all my time traveling and outdoor adventuring with my kids so I could share everything with you, I sadly cannot do it all. However, I’m thrilled to announce that in the upcoming months we will be featuring some great posts from some really awesome outdoor mamas around the country (and hopefully the globe). We’re always looking for fun, unique content about outdoor adventures with kids, so if you have a trip, hike, activity, craft or area that you’d like to be our resident expert on, just click on that CONTRIBUTE button at the top of the website.

Today we are bringing you our very first guest post – a three-night backpacking adventure on the Appalachian Trail with a toddler in tow. Talk about awesome and ambitious (and possibly terrifying)! This post was submitted by Rachel Sims of the OutboundTribe.com and is packed with great tips/advice on how to successfully backpack with a toddler. I’m super impressed with all of Rachel and Bryan’s adventures and wish we lived closer so our families could adventure together. If you have any questions about the post or want any additional information from Rachel, leave a comment below and she’ll get back to you. Enjoy!

When and where

After our first daughter (Summer) was born, we could not wait to take her backpacking on the Appalachian Trail as soon as possible. We knew there were some initial logistics we would need to work out regarding time of year and where to hike and our first big question was…when? May is one of our favorite months to backpack on the Trail – the nights are usually a little warmer with the days still cool. However, we also knew that in May, somewhere along the trail it always seemed to rain, so we’d have to make sure we account for the weather. We planned our first trip for May 2015, when Summer was 20 months old. This was a great age – old enough to walk a bit on her own and explore, but still small enough to pack in a carrier while hiking.

The next big question was…where to go? We knew we wanted to start her off on the Appalachian Trail, but with over 2,000 miles of trail, we had a lot of options. We knew there were some particular things we wanted along our hike, so after much research on different sections of the trail, we chose to start at Grayson Highlands State Park in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, near Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, Virginia’s two highest mountains. Grayson Highlands offers scenic views of alpine-like peaks more than 5,000 feet high with campgrounds, and hiking trails leading to waterfalls and overlooks. The park also provides year-round access to the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail.

Here are my top reasons why we chose this spot as our access point to the Appalachian Trail:
1. We could start at a campground (secure place to park the car)
2. The 2nd night in we could camp at a campground along the trail (this allowed me to dump the diapers!)
3. There are several road crossings along the trail (we can easily get off in case of emergencies)
4. This section has wild ponies and we knew Summer would love that!
Four days, three nights on the trail

On May 17, 2015, we arrived at Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia. We planned to hike 5.8 miles for our first day before arriving at our campsite. However, we didn’t realize there was a 0.8-mile approach trail and 2 more miles inside the state park that we didn’t account for. So at the end of the first day, we hiked 8.6 miles total. We were thrilled that these extra miles did not affect Summer at all. She loved every minute of it! We collected sticks, acorns, and leaves along the way. The first night we camped at Old Orchard Shelter. We decided ahead of time we would bring the tent instead of sleeping in the shelters.

The next day we hiked 8.7 miles to Hurricane Campground. Our campsite sat right next to a beautiful creek. I will admit that this day I had some struggles. I used the Osprey Poco AG backpack to carry Summer. While it’s a great backpack (by far our favorite), it does not fit me correctly. The frame is designed more for a male, so I had to make a few adjustments (adding more weight to Bryan’s backpack) to get comfortable. Once we made the adjustments, I felt much better. We learned our lesson from this trip and now Bryan carries Summer and I use my Osprey Ariel 65 Womens Hiking Backpack and carry more of the equipment. Live and learn! We spent the 2nd night at the campground and it was such a great decision. This allowed me to trash all the diapers from the last 2 days (wet diapers add lots of weight!). From here we would turn around and head back the next day.

The third morning we woke up to rain. Luckily, by 10:30 am it moved out. The original plan was to hike back to Old Orchard Shelter; however, we decided to push the limits and see what Summer could really handle and ended up hiking all the way to Wise Shelter which was 14.5 miles away. About 1.5 miles away from Old Orchard Shelter the rain returned, but we had the rain cover for the backpack, so Summer never got wet and actually thought the rain was very entertaining. Once we arrived at the shelter we took cover for about 45 minutes until the rain cleared. That’s when we made the decision to head on to the next shelter.

The evening ended up being absolutely beautiful. We hiked through the grassy hills where the ponies roam right around dusk. Summer did start to get a little cranky but we were saved by other hikers. One hiker shared his Goldfish while another one gave her some peanut butter cookies. All it took was a little food and she was a happy little hiker again. Lesson learned! We finally reached the shelter around 7:00 pm.

On the fourth (and final) day, it was a quick 2.8 miles back to the car since we’d hiked so many miles the day before. By 10:00 am we were at the parking lot and packing up to head home. As soon as we reached the car Summer started crying, “I want to go hiking!” and didn’t want to leave. We could not have been more proud!

Tips for backpacking with a toddler

Want to try backpacking with your family? Here are some helpful tips that helped make our experience successful!
1. Take Plenty of Breaks – Let your little one(s) get out of the backpack and explore. There’s no magic number when to stop for breaks. If they are happy keep moving along. Sometimes Summer is perfectly content for two hours while other times she’s ready to stretch those legs after 30 minutes. Let them set the pace.
2. Sing Songs & Play Games – My husband loves to create songs as we’re hiking along. His silly songs entertain Summer and I get a good laugh. Sometimes we will have her point out objects or name everything she spots green.
3. Cut Back on Miles – Before baby, Bryan and I could hike anywhere between 15-20 mile days. Now we plan 8-10 mile days. Start off small. It’s better to get to your campsite early than pushing everyone and exhausting yourself. You don’t want to make the experience miserable.
4. Prepare your Toddler – Before you leave on the trip show your child pictures where you will be hiking. Set up the tent in the backyard and let them explore inside. I’ll even wear the backpack around the house with Summer in it or take her on a few short hikes in a park or our neighborhood. This gets her use to being in the backpack so it’s not a surprise when we’re on the trail.
5. Bring their Favorite Snack – This one was very useful for us. At some point in the trip, every toddler has a meltdown – trust us, it happens to everyone! When all else fails and Summer is just getting cranky we make sure her bunny crackers are a hand reach away. This will buy us at least 10-15 minutes and we can regroup. Most of the time after her snack she’s a happy little hiker again.
Rachel and Bryan Sims have been married for eight years and are the proud parents of two young daughters. They’ve enjoyed the outdoors together since their first date backpacking a section on the Appalachian Trail. They love backpacking, rock climbing, caving, camping, kayaking, road/mountain biking, any anything outdoors. They now share their passion for adventures and the outdoors with their girls. You can read more about their family, travels, and outdoor tips at Outboundtribe.com.

Now who’s ready for a hike?!!