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Getting Families Outside, One Adventure at a Time

tips for getting outside

FALL, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER
Tips for Spending More Time Outside with Your Kids in the New Year
- December 29, 2021
The new year means a fresh new start and is the perfect time to reconsider your priorities. We hope this year you’ll choose to be more intentional with how much time you spend outside with your kids. Kids today need outdoor time (away from screens) now more than ever. If you want a sure-fire way to raise happier, healthier kids, spending more time outside is your answer! Today, Las Vegas photographer and mom of four, Megan Havelaar is here with new year’s resolutions that will get you and your kids outdoors more and is sharing some tips for spending more time outside with your kids in the new year.

Welcome to a new year

You did it, parents! You made it through another year.

I’m sure we can all agree that 2021 proved to be another difficult one, but I’m here to applaud you and say, “great job!” There’s something so wonderful about starting a new year and the fresh start it brings. It gives us all an opportunity to look back on the past and take inventory of our lives. It also gives us a great excuse to make changes and set some goals and intentions that will better ourselves and our families.

Spend more time outside this year

Most parents usually set a goal to simply spend more time with their kids and family. If that’s the case, we implore you to take some of that time outside! I can speak on behalf of all of us here at RWMC and say that making it a priority to get outside with our loved ones has been a game-changer!

Spending time outside, engaged with each other, and off screens is a great way to better our emotional and physical selves. Getting outside makes you healthier and happier (and who doesn’t want that?). But we also know that getting outside with kids is easier said than done. So, I’m here to give you some tips on how to set some realistic and practical goals to start spending more time outside with your kids. Are you ready to get started?

Be intentional with your actions

When it comes down to it, the thing that is going to get you and your family outside and spending more time with each other is to be intentional. Intentionality is where it all starts, and it starts with us, the parents.

Being intentional about your choices of what you do is something that takes a lot of practice and willpower. This is definitely something I haven’t mastered and I think we will always have to work on it, but when we are intentional about certain things we can see the good that comes from it. If we want our children to learn to put their phones downs, turn their iPads off, shut down their laptops, then they need us to do it first. When we model balance to our kids they will see it and learn from our examples, maybe not right away, but they are watching and looking to us to teach them.

If we are intentional about getting off our screens, our kids will see that. If we are intentional about making getting outside a priority, our kids will see that. Spending time with our kids away from technology is a gift and a treasure. In a world where so much is competing with our time, it seems like now more than ever we need to show our children they matter to us more than our screens.

Children still need a childhood with dirt, mud, puddles, trees, sticks, and tadpoles.” – Brooke Hampton

Practical tips for spending more time outside with your kids

Now I want to share some practical tips that are easy to implement and have worked for my family and others I know. Taking little steps at a time, making small changes here and there really go a long way! Over time, each of these little things add up to big things and before you know it, you’ve become an outdoor family!

Set yourself up for success

I think one of the best things you can do when you start any new routine or make a lifestyle change is to start small. Big change doesn’t come right away and usually leads to overwhelm and giving up. If you start with small and make spending time outside attainable and achievable, you’ll set yourself up for success and grow to love that quick wins.

Instead of focusing on all the big things you’d like to do outside with your family (eventually), focus on what you CAN do easily and realistically right now. Start with one day (and not even the whole day). Set aside an afternoon once a week where you do something outside. Start small and local by heading someplace that’s easy to get to and doesn’t require a lot of planning or prep work. Local parks are great for these outings. Our family has a few favorite local parks that we have on rotation. I will usually let the kids decide which park we go to that day, and if there’s a stalemate then we try and come up with a solution to go to the other park next time.

Incorporate their interests into your outings

Another tip for spending more time outside with your kids is to make sure to incorporate the things that they like to do in your outings and adventures. Before heading out, think about what you and your kids enjoy doing when you’re outside? When my family and I head to a local park I let each of my kids bring something they want to do like a basketball or soccer ball. If your kids enjoy riding bikes or scooters, turn your outing into a weekly bike ride, instead, or pack up the bikes and head to the park.

I think it’s important to let kids have a choice in what they want to do. If you have a child that has a hard time getting off screens or off a video game letting them choose what you do outside is going to help motivate them! Also, be prepared to join them in whichever activity they plan on doing! One of the biggest draws for kids spending time outside is that their parents are there spending that time with them.

Don’t let the weather ruin your plans

Unless the weather in your area is really extreme (and dangerous), don’t let less-than-ideal weather keep you from getting outside and playing. There are amazing things that happen in all kinds of different weather. The great thing about playing outside during “bad weather” is that you’re teaching/showing your children that they don’t have to wait for a warm sunny day to get outside and play. You’re teaching them resilience and grit. You’re showing them that there’s beauty and joy in all seasons. These are lifelong lessons that will help them get outside year-round.

Since it’s January, if you need some ideas for fun things to do during the winter and fun winter activities, check out a few of the posts below for inspiration! Winter can be such a magical time of year where we can still enjoy making memories outside.
Every child needs nature. Not just the ones whose parents appreciate nature. Not only those of a certain economic class or culture or set of abilities. Every child.” -Richard Louv

Invite friends to join you

If your kids are anything like mine, then they are probably much more willing to go out and do something if they know their friends will be there! Another great tip for spending more time outside with your kids is to invite other kids (and families) to join you!

Maybe once a month you plan an outdoor play date with another family (or multiple families). Ask some of your mom friends and find out if they would be up for a group hike, a lake/beach day, or to go sledding. For the most part, you don’t even have to have an activity planned. When kids get together outside, they naturally find things to do and games to play. The creativity really starts to shine! Plus, this will give the parents a chance to catch up with friends while the kids play! (and we could all use some extra friend time right now)

How to find outdoorsy families in your area

If you don’t have a lot of mom-friends in your area or know of other families that would be interested, never fear! Local parenting groups on social media can be good places to start. Or, you could join a local Hike it Baby chapter and tag along on a group hike with other moms and kids. You can find other outdoorsy families by signing the kids up for a nature class at your local conservation area, botanical garden, or science center. Or look into Tinkergarten or a similar outdoor class for kids.

When I first moved to Las Vegas a new friend told me about a hiking homeschool Facebook group she was a part of and invited my family on one of their hikes. I have to say that was one of the best things I did during my first year in a new place. We got to know other local families, visit some amazing local spots, and find community in other like-minded people! Some of the places we visited ended up being family favorites that we still visit often!

Go somewhere new!

Sometimes we all need a break in our routine or a change of scenery. If your outdoor adventures feel stale or boring, it’s time to shake things up a bit. And maybe it’s time for a bigger adventure.

Is there a place you’ve been wanting to check out but just haven’t yet? Perhaps a hiking trail, a different beach, or a newly built park on the other side of town? Find a free weekday afternoon or weekend when nothing is going on and put it on your calendar! Schedule it. Commit to it in advance and make it happen!

If you’re stuck when it comes to finding new inspiration or places to explore, simply Googling “best hiking trail” in your area can often show you some trails you haven’t explored yet. Or open the AllTrails app and just pick one! Ask other moms what their favorite “off the beaten path” thing to do with their kids is. Start a list and add to it anytime you hear of a new place. Who knows, this new place could end up being a favorite place to adventure and make memories.

Your kids will remember the adventures you went on, not the stuff you bought them. Kids outgrow stuff they never outgrow adventures.” -Unknown

We’re here to help

I sincerely hope that these tips for spending more time outside with your kids help you and your family get closer to each other this year outside making magical memories. We here at RWMC truly believe that spending time outside with our families is life-giving! I want to encourage you to try and make it a priority as much as you are able and watch the good it will bring.

And if you ever need help with planning your outings, purchasing the right gear, motivating your kids, finding things to do, or remembering why outdoor time is so important, we’re here to help. Feel free to drop any questions or comments below or send us an email. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for daily tips and inspiration. Sign up for our newsletter to get outdoor activities sent to your inbox weekly! Check out the hundreds of amazing blog posts we have on our website. Join our Facebook community or sign up for one of our free challenges! We’re honored you’re here and we hope this community gives you all the love and support you need!

“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.”

-Thomas Berry

About the author

Megan is a wife and a homeschooling mom of four. She is originally from Colorado, but has spent much of her life overseas. First in Eastern Europe, specifically, Hungary, where her first two kids were born. Secondly, in Ethiopia, where she and her husband adopted their second two kids. She and her family are now stateside, currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada. She loves traveling with her kids, either on planes, road trips, or just in their local area! Most of her family’s outdoor adventuring includes water of some kind like beaches, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, or pools. They especially love paddleboarding, hiking, rock climbing, camping, and even just going to the local park to play soccer or basketball. Megan also has a passion for photography and loves to bring along her camera to document all their adventures!

Find more from Megan in the following locations:
Instagram: @meghavelaarphoto
RWMC posts: Megan Havelaar
FALL, HIKE, INFORMATION, NATURE SCHOOL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
How to Get Kids Outside During the School Year
- October 2, 2019
It’s that time of year again – our children are trading in their beach towels for backpacks and holding pencils more than sidewalk chalk. Whether you homeschool or traditional school, back-to-school generally means less free time and fewer hours to play outside. Not only that, but the days are growing shorter and the weather’s turning cooler. Getting kids outside during the school year can be a challenge. However, spending time outside in nature is still necessary for our kids’ physical health, mental focus, and emotional development. Today, the amazing Leslie Alvis, Ohio homeschooling mom of four, is here sharing a few ideas for practical ways to build outdoor routines into your school days. Hopefully, these tips will help you incorporate more nature into your busy schedule without making outdoor time feel like one more thing on your to-do list.

Make nature time a priority

Whether back to school means a traditional school program for you or homeschooling with a flexible schedule, days become extra busy as you settle into a fall routine. Many of us have kids involved in extra-curricular activities and sports. It’s easy to feel like we don’t have enough time for nature exploration during the school year. However, a busy schedule doesn’t mean the outdoor adventures have to stop! In fact, I think it should help us make nature time even more of a priority. We’re here to show you how to get kids outside during the school year.

Our kids need us to help them balance the demands of school with the freedom of childhood and the wonder of exploring outdoors. Formal education is necessary, but children also require time outside for proper growth and development. Ginny Yurich, author, educator, and founder of the 1000 Hours Outside movement, says,

Nature play facilitates growth in every area, making time outside a crucial part of the landscape of childhood.”

Time outside matters

Time spent outdoors doesn’t always have to be done in giant hour+ long chunks. Even on busy days, there are many ways to get our kids outside for short amounts of time, which still have huge benefits for kids. A quick break to explore outside helps break up the mental stress of school. While a long hike or bike ride gives them a chance to catch their breath mentally while also strengthening their bodies, sometimes a short walk/ride around the neighborhood is just what they need. Weekend adventures provide fun and memories for the whole family, but short outings to a local park are great for when you don’t have tons of time. Our family tries to include a mix of these different activities throughout the school year to keep us all enjoying the great outdoors, no matter our schedules or the weather. Time outside gives us space to breathe and the freedom to explore.

Take walks to get kids outside

Walks are one of the easiest ways to get kids outside and moving! A family walk can happen anywhere, anytime. It doesn’t have to take long or have the perfect setting. Just look around at what you do each day and see if you can link a walk into that activity. Walk to the bus stop. Stroll to get the mail. Wander to the end of the street…around the block…down a country lane.

As homeschoolers, we work a daily walk into our school routine as our recess. Sometimes we do it when the lessons are dragging long, or sometimes as soon as the school day is finished. But at some point, we grab the bikes, scooters, and stroller (and the dog! Our neighbors call us a parade!) and head outside for some fresh air and exercise. The time out in nature is good for us all. I’m pretty sure it’s all that saves my sanity on some long winter days.

When you get your kids outside to take a walk, you’re not only getting active together, but you are also exploring and observing nature together. My kids never fail to find something wonderful to point out to me on our walks. The bunny that’s always lurking near the vacant lot on the next street over. A brilliantly colored leaf or flower. A puffy cloud.

There are a world of discoveries from every sidewalk, driveway, and walking trail. Sometimes we have more time to linger and wander than others, but wherever we are outside, we see amazing and beautiful parts of the natural world. Getting kids outdoors on a walk is a great way to tailor-fit a quick nature adventure to your family’s busy schedule.

Evening adventures get kids outside

Sometimes our days get really full and busy. I try to plan at least one evening (or late afternoon as the days grow shorter) each week to intentionally get outside! Look at your schedules and find an hour somewhere in the week to go have a little outdoor adventure. Play at the park. Walk in the woods. Blow bubbles. Get some friends together to play frisbee or hide-and-seek together in the lingering twilight. Again, this doesn’t have to be elaborate. It just requires you being intentional about making time for your family to breathe in the fresh air and explore nature together. You won’t be sorry you did!

Take kids’ school outside

Another way to get kids outside after school is simply to take the lessons or homework outside! Before you discard that idea as impractical and impossible, I challenge you to give it a try. When the weather is nice, set up a school/homework station on the porch, the backyard or in the tree fort. Let your older students take their reading up in their favorite tree. Pack up the backpacks and snacks and go sit in a picnic area at a park. There are so many ways to help kids take their schoolwork outside!

Yes, you may have to keep tabs on them and make sure they aren’t totally distracted from their work. But honestly, most of the time kids will buckle down and get their book work done when they realize all the many other things they would rather be doing outside! And wouldn’t you rather have your kids distracted by the mystery of the cicadas and the falling leaves than sitting inside glancing at a computer or television?

We are a second-generation homeschooling family. I grew up hauling my textbooks outside every chance I got. I loved it. (This probably contributes to the feeling of claustrophobia when I’m stuck indoors.) It motivates me to give my own children the same opportunities to get outside in all seasons, doing all kinds of things. Even schoolwork.

Outdoor learning

Whether you homeschool or not, there are a lot of ways to extend learning outside. When you step out into nature, everything around you is a science lesson, art lesson and history lesson. Studying the beauty of nature gives inspiration to every kind of art. Observing the mysteries of the natural world naturally leads to questions and learning about plants, animals and how things have changed over time. Time spent in nature is never time wasted. So, when your days are busy with school schedules and extra-curricular activities, don’t forget that time in nature is an essential part of your children’s education, too.

Look for ways to include outdoor time as part of school! Choose a nature-based science fair project. Conduct your own STEM activities outside using nature. Help your kids study the weather, the seasons, the natural world around them. Volunteer in your child’s classroom to take them outside to work in the school garden or go for a nature walk. Incorporating education into your outdoors time is one of the best ways to make sure you are getting your kids outside after school starts.

Picnics get kids outside

Is the sun shining? Is the sky so blue it takes your breath away? What about the breeze that’s the perfect combination of crisp air and gentle warmth? Take advantage of the lovely fall weather and have a picnic! Take PB&J sandwiches on a hike. Order pizza delivery to your favorite local park. Or build a campfire in your backyard and cook hot dogs and s’mores. Kids don’t need fancy food—they need time outdoors and memories with their families. Impromptu meals outside on a gorgeous day are some of my favorite times with my kids.

Weekend adventures get kids outside

Another way to get kids outside during the school year is to plan weekend adventures! We all know that sometimes if we don’t make plans to do something, it just won’t happen. So, grab your calendar and make some plans. Pick a Saturday afternoon and go explore that state park. Find a new bike trail and spend a few hours on it. Go hiking together, or just go have a picnic at a nearby park. Find a local corn maze or fall festival and enjoy some outdoor fun. Pull your family loose from the tug of school schedules and obligations and make some memories together.

Weather

Just a quick note on the impact weather can have on your fall activities. Cooler days, shorter evenings, and more rain can make planning an outing challenging. Getting caught in a summer shower can be fun. But getting caught in the rain in October can be miserable. Especially if you aren’t dressed for it. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, so be prepared! Check the weather often and look for days that will suit your family and the activity you are planning. Take advantage of those gorgeous sunny days and enjoy nature to its fullest!

Don’t let bad weather keep you from getting your kids outside this fall. Sometimes the wind is unexpectedly biting. Sometimes it pours rain every time you plan a nature outing. Several times we’ve planned for an all-day outdoor adventure and had to do it in chilly, incessant rain. Honestly, that makes memories, too! Sometimes they’re the best memories! Just remember that your attitude sets the tone for dealing with the unexpected or inconvenient. Oftentimes, kids don’t mind wet feet and pants as much as adults do. And a cup of hot chocolate can turn a chilly experience into a delightful adventure for a kid!

Need more fall ideas?

As we mentioned, sometimes planning an outdoor activity and making it a priority is half the battle. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas of things you can do outside this fall as a family, we’ve got a great list of 100+ outdoor fall activities for kids and families. This list should give you all kinds of inspiration for easy and quick nature crafts to outdoor adventures, STEM experiments and more.

How do you get your kids outside during the school year?

Hi, I’m Leslie Alvis! I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, wife to my high school sweetheart and best friend, and a mom to four rascally kids. They love the great outdoors as much as I do, and our yard often feels like the scene from “The Sound of Music” where you hear voices and laughter and can’t find any children until you look up into the trees. I love writing, photography, and all things outdoors. We live in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Amish Country, where it’s perfectly normal to park beside a horse and buggy at the grocery store. We also homeschool, which basically means that I’m trying to teach my kids to use their minds without losing my own. While we follow a traditional curriculum, I weave every outdoor adventure I can into our educational journey. I believe that the lessons children experience firsthand sink deepest into their hearts and minds, and there is so much we can learn outside in the beauty and wonder of nature.

Find Leslie on Instagram @c_l_allofus