winter activities

  • OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SKI/SNOW, WINTER

    Beginner’s Guide to Downhill Skiing with Kids

    Downhill skiing is a super fun and active winter activity for the whole family. Skiing is also a sport that kids can start learning at a very young age. Today, Sarah Warburton, mom of two raising her daughters in the Alps, is here today with all you need to know to get started downhill skiing with kids. She’s sharing her knowledge and experience teaching kids to ski, with all you need to know about what to pack, how to find the best kid-friendly resort, how to choose the right ski gear, tips for teaching kids, and so much more! 

    Two young children raising their hands in joy after downhill skiing on a mountain with a parent
    A guide to getting started downhill skiing with kids

    Winter is ski season

    When the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, it can be hard to motivate even the most active of kids to get outside. We’ve found that sometimes the best way to get outside in the cold is to find something you really enjoy doing and can look forward to. So, for our family, those blustery, cold, dreary, days at the end of the year have a silver lining – IT’S SNOWING IN THE MOUNTAINS! We have found an activity that everyone in our family loves to do in the winter. So now, every year, our family looks forward excitedly to the first snow and the promise of the ski season ahead!

    Benefits of downhill skiing for kids

    There are so many amazing benefits of skiing for both kids and adults. Aside from being the perfect excuse to spend the day outside, skiing allows you to access beautiful places you would never otherwise get to see. It’s also great for improving balance and coordination. Even little kids can quickly feel empowered as they navigate moving at (relative!) speed down the mountain. Once the basics have been mastered the whole mountain really does become a playground.

    Skiing increases your child’s body and spatial awareness. While skiing, your child must be aware of what each part of their body is doing, as well as where they are positioned on the slopes in relation to others. Skiing improves strength, coordination, and balance. If you’ve skied before you know how strong your legs and core need to be for all those turns and stops. Skiing can also teach your child perseverance and foster a sense of confidence and healthy competition. 

    Downhill skiing with kids also brings the whole family together in a way that few other outdoor activities can. Skiing is an activity that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. Often the kids’ grandparents join us for the day and all three generations ski together.  We alternate skiing with frequent stops to grab a snack, treat ourselves to a hot chocolate or admire the view.

    a small child takes a magic carpet up a nursery slope while she learns to downhill ski

    An introduction to downhill skiing with kids

    Whether you’re a skier yourself or skiing is something that you’d love for your family to try, here is all you need to know to get your kids started downhill skiing! Today, I’ll walk you through the basics of how to get started skiing with kids, the best age for kids to start skiing, what to wear on the slopes, the low-down on renting or buying ski gear, tips on choosing a beginner ski resort, whether ski lessons are worth it, tips for skiing with a beginner, and so much more! 

    So, lace up your snow boots, and let’s get to it! 

    Have fun (and keep your expectations low)

    Before we get into the logistics and technical skills of skiing with kids, it’s important start with your mindset and expectations. Remember that although you want your kids to learn to downhill ski, this should NOT be the goal for their first few times on the mountain. First and foremost, the goal when first learning to ski should be to have FUN! So, get rid of any expectations right now, arm yourself with a solid dose of patience, pack your sense of humor, and make the experience as entertaining as possible! 

    If your child is very small then they will probably just want to play in the snow at first. Once kitted out, they’ll also need some time to get used to the gear. Walking in ski boots can be a challenge! On skis, games will be your friend – Simon Says, Follow the Leader, imagining they are a super hero… there are a myriad of ways to get kids moving!

    The best age for kids to start downhill skiing

    What is the best age for a child to start learning to ski?

    The short answer is ANY AGE! There’s no real “magic age” that’s perfect for kids to start learning to ski. Kids can start skiing at nearly any age (so don’t worry, you haven’t missed anything).

    Kids as young as 2 years old can have fun on a very gentle slope but they are unlikely to join you on a real piste any time soon. At 2, 3, or 4 years old, most kids will enjoy play-based activities on skis. They may well learn to turn and stop by themselves, but they will be far from ready to hit the slopes. However, this early practice will greatly pay off, as they’ll have the benefit of knowing how to move in skills and are used to wearing ski boots.

    From the age of 5 onwards, kids will learn skiing skills more quickly. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect them to handle an easy slope after a couple of days of practice. Fortunately, kids this age have very little fear of falling (and they’re low to the ground, so falls aren’t as hard on them), and so they make progress FAST!

    Know your child’s personality and abilities

    However, when learning any new sport or activity, a lot also depends on the child’s personality. Not every kid progresses the same. Not every 5-year-old will be ready to start skiing and not every 3 year-old will only want to play games in the snow. A lot will depend on your child’s personal comfort (ski gear can be bulky/heavy and may be tough for kids with sensory issues), your child’s athletic abilities (skiing takes a lot of leg and core strength), and their confidence/perseverance (learning to ski takes a lot of time and kids fall a lot – it can get frustrating).

    Again, just remember that skiing should be FUN. Follow your child’s lead when it comes to what they are comfortable doing. 

    two kids stand on a ski slope where they are learning to downhill ski

    Downhill skiing with kids: what should kids wear? 

    Getting the family kitted out for skiing can feel daunting. There are a LOT of pieces and layers and items. And while the outdoor industry might want you to believe you have to have special “ski-specific gear” for downhill skiing, that’s not necessarily the case. If you have young kids and have already spent time outside in the snow then you probably have most of what you need. Simply put, children need to stay WARM and DRY. And that can be done in any good winter gear, whether it was made for skiing or not.

    Layering for downhill skiing

    The biggest tip for dressing kids when downhill skiing is to LAYER. When skiing with kids, you’ll need to be prepared for all weather, as conditions in the mountains can change quickly. The easiest way to be extra prepared is with layering. Your kids may need to add (or remove) a layer here and there to stay warm or cool off. Thin layers are your friend as they can be taken off or added as required.

    So, from the first layer to the last, here’s what you will need to outfit your kids for downhill skiing:

    1. Long thermal underwear: Opt for a merino wool or a synthetic fabric baser layer, as these are more breathable and quicker drying than cotton-mix fabrics. Choose a long-sleeved top and long bottoms. Make sure they are comfortable (some kids can be very sensitive to itchiness – perhaps snip out any tags) and make sure they’re not too tight. For more info on wool layers, check out our article on The Best Merino Wool Base Layers for Kids and Toddlers.
    2. A warm, insulating layer: This might be a fleece or a synthetic top. Avoid cotton or anything too bulky. This layer will get taken on and off the most, so a full-length zip makes this easier. Avoid a hooded top that adds unnecessary bulk behind the neck.
    3. Warm socks: Socks for skiing need to come well above the top of the ski boot and should be a mixture of wool and synthetic fibers. Having two pairs of warm socks is useful. If your kids are like mine, socks are notorious for disappearing or getting soaked! It’s always handy to have a spare pair. 
    4. Snow pants: Insulated pants that are reliably waterproof and breathable are a must for skiing. Ski pants will have a gaiter around the bottom to stop snow coming up the inside of the leg. Most children’s pants will come with straps to hold them up, but bibs are even better as they also come up high enough to stop snow from getting in at the waist. All-in-one snowsuits are another option that are great for keeping kids warm and dry. But beware…if your child is in nappies, potty training or might need to unexpectedly pee at the side of the piste, they are not very practical! 
    5. Ski jacket: Like the pants, the material for your winter coat (your outer layers) needs to be waterproof but breathable. Choose an insulated jacket for warmth. 
    6. Gloves/ mittens: Mittens are warmer than gloves for little fingers, so opt for these with younger kids. I like ones that come well up the arm and can be secured with a bungee cord. This is easier than tucking the mittens inside the sleeve of the jacket. Mittens are often the first thing to get wet, and wet/ cold hands = game over. If you can, keep a spare pair in your backpack or dry them out if you’re somewhere inside for lunch. For recommendations, check our Gear Review on the Best Kids Gloves and Mittens.
    7. Neck warmer: This keeps cold air and snow from going down the neck. This can be a scarf or (even better), a neck gaiter. It can be pulled up over the nose if it’s windy and cold. My kids prefer the thinner ones – a synthetic material or merino wool is best as it dries quickly (because, you know, snot).  
    8. Helmet: Wearing a helmet when skiing is a non-negotiable! Helmets can be rented, or if you’d prefer to buy one, then you’ll probably get at least 2 seasons out of it. Most are adjustable and can worn a few years. 
    9. Goggles: Children’s goggles are generally inexpensive and likely to last a few seasons too. Make sure that they fit snugly around the face and work with the helmet that you have. 

    Budget-friendly ski gear

    Dedicated ski clothing is worn for just a few months of the year. Children grow quickly, so it can feel overwhelming purchasing nice ski gear that you know they’ll grow out of within a season or two. While we highly recommend good-quality gear, we don’t want your gear to break the bank or prevent you from getting outside.

    Because kids usually grow out of winter gear before they wear it out, great quality items can be found on second-hand marketplaces. There are so many ways to get great gear and clothing second-hand now. With lots of different sales sites and apps like Poshmark, ThredUp, and Mercari, it’s easier than ever. You can even look locally using Facebook marketplace or search your local consignment or thrift shop. If you know other families that ski (maybe with kids of different ages than yours), you can also host a clothing swap with your friends and neighbors!

    When looking for budget-friendly ski equipment and gear, shopping second-hand can save you a lot of money. If you live in a mountainous (ski-friendly) area, ski clubs, rental shops and rec departments often host ski swaps and used ski gear sales in the fall. This is a great place to buy used ski equipment. Decathlon is a great place to buy new but inexpensive good-quality gear. Other options for finding great deals on used ski gear are Facebook marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, and other used gear shops. 

    a child on a kids ski lift while learning to downhill ski

    Kid’s ski equipment – should you rent or buy?

    While the decision to rent or buy ski gear is a personal one, you might want to consider how much skiing you’ll be doing before making a big purchase. Young children grow quickly and so are unlikely to use the same size boots or possibly skis for more than one season. And ski equipment can be very expensive, depending on the quality and brand you choose. If it’s your first time skiing, I highly recommend you rent or even borrow ski gear to see if skiing is something you’ll continue doing. 

    We live in Switzerland and ski the entire winter. For this reason, we have always rented equipment in the early years. If you’ll be skiing regularly throughout the winter, you can rent/lease gear for the whole season. We ski a lot over the course of a winter, so this makes financial sense for us. Renting for individual days can quickly get expensive quickly, but might be the best option if you’ll only be skiing a few days out of the year. Rental equipment is usually reasonably priced and can be fitted each time for your child as they grow, ensuring proper fit. 

    Buying skis or boots new or second-hand if you know that you’ll be skiing regularly in a season or then passing them on to a younger sibling (or reselling them) is also a cost-effective option and may be the best thing for you. 

    kids skis and boots for downhill skiing

    Choosing ski equipment for children 

    Now that we’ve covered clothing and whether to rent ski gear or buy it, let’s talk about how to choose the right ski gear for your little ones. Getting the right equipment for your kids will allow them to progress at the right level and have fun. You want to choose skis that are suitable for on-piste (on groomed marked trails) because that is where your child can easily learn and develop their skills. When you are choosing skis for your kids it is also important to select skis appropriate for their level of experience. For example, beginner skis will always be softer and more forgiving compared to advanced skis.

    Skis for kids

    Making sure your child is using the correct pair and size of skis for their size and ability will help them learn faster. As a rough guide, kids’ skis should come up to the child’s chin. Shorter skis are easier to turn. While it won’t make a difference to the ski’s performance, don’t underestimate the power of skis in a certain color/ with a certain graphic to get your child excited about skiing!

    Ski poles for kids

    Poles just get in the way when first learning to ski and should NOT be used at all until the child is comfortably turning and skiing parallel between turns. Once your child is comfortable on skis, poles can help with balance or quick turns. To make sure your poles are the right length, have your child stand in their ski boots and hold the poles. Their elbows should be at a 90-degree angle. Make sure the wrist strap is adjusted comfortably.

    Ski boots for kids

    The right fit in your child’s ski boots can make a big difference to their experience on skis. The most important thing is to get the correct size and boot type. Children’s ski boots are generally soft in flexibility (although, they can still be uncomfortable) and can have between 1 and 4 buckles. When trying on boots, wear ski socks for an accurate fit. You don’t want them to be too tight, but you also don’t want them to be too loose. Kids should be able to wiggle their toes with ease, but have a snug fit around the ankle for support. 

    Ski boots should ALWAYS be custom fitted to the bindings on the skis your child will be using. A ski technician will make adjustments according to the child’s size, weight, and ability. This is really important for the child’s safety when skiing. You want the binding to release under the right amount of force. 

    A beginner and kid -friendly snow garden or nursery slope for learning to downhill ski

    Choosing a child-friendly ski resort

    When choosing the best ski resort for kids and families, there are many factors to take into consideration: cost, availability of lessons, ease of access to the slopes, the difficulty of runs, etc. Here are some of the things you may want to think about 

    Easy access to slopes

    When beginning your search, you want to find one with easy access to the beginner area so that you don’t have to walk a long way. Skiing requires a LOT of gear and it can be very heavy to lug around. Plus, walking in ski boots is a challenge at the best of times, let alone when you’re carrying everything (including a kid). The closer you are to the slopes and the ski areas, the better! Ski-in/ski-out locations are ideal choices for families because they require so little transport time and logistics. If on-site lodging or slopeside access isn’t an option, take a peek at resort maps beforehand and figure out the best place to access the slopes, either from a specific parking lot or bus/shuttle route. 

    Difficulty of runs (kid-friendly areas)

    When children are learning to downhill ski they need wide, flat, gentle slopes. Look for somewhere that gets the sun as this softens the snow for any tumbles and is just more pleasant overall. Sometimes an area will only be in the sun for part of the day. Often resorts will have specially marked nursery slopes (bunny hill) for beginners.

    Dedicated learning zones specially designed for young children to learn to ski are even better. These areas often have magic carpets that the children can ride up the slope, avoiding the need to learn how to ride a lift. There are obstacles, inflatables, carousels and other props to make the experience interactive and fun. There may even be small jumps that are great for keeping more confident beginners interested while their younger siblings get started.

    Longer slopes are also better as the child has more time to find their groove and link their turns together. Once your child’s ability level increases and they graduate from these learner zones, choose a wide, gentle slope to practice on. 

    Look for kid ski free programs

    Cost is also a consideration when choosing where to ski. Often children under a certain age will be able to ski for free. Most major ski resort allows toddlers (and sometimes preschoolers) to ski free. Look closely at the age that a ski resort begins charging for lift tickets as this can start as early as 3 or 4 years old, but may not be until several years later (7 or 8).

    Here in Switzerland, you pay a separate, small fee to use the children’s snow parks. This is far more economical than buying a day pass or lift tickets for the whole area. There is no point in buying a lift pass covering a large area for a child who is just learning to ski! 

    Crowds and lifts

    The less crowded the ski resort, the better! No one likes waiting forever in lines or constantly feeling like you may ski into someone on the slopes. The less crowded a resort, the better. Consider smaller resorts or going on off-days (during the week).

    Chair lifts can be intimidating for little ones just getting the hang of skiing. Cable car access is best as it takes away the stress of learning to use a chair life or a drag lift and gives the child a proper rest between runs. 

    Other resort amenities and activities

    If you’re going to be at a ski resort for longer than just a weekend, be sure to check out what other activities and amenities are offered. Even if you have kids who love to ski, chances are they’re not going to ski all day, every day. Many resorts have really fun non-ski activities for kids, such as snow play centers, tubing, bowling alley, terrain park, movie theaters, ice skating rinks, snowmobiling, and more. Also, some resorts offer night skiing, which is a fun option that allows you to go explore other areas during the day. 

    a father and child on a ski slope learning to downhill ski

    Teaching your kids skiing: should you do it yourself?

    If you are a competent skier yourself, then teaching your child to ski yourself can be very rewarding! It’s also a very affordable option. However, oftentimes it’s not the parent’s skill that determines how successful they are at teaching their child, but how much patience they have! Parents that choose to teach their child to ski on their own has to forgo their own expectations (and their own day on the slopes) to help their little one. Our advice for teaching your child to ski is to really take it slow and try to remember it’s about having fun. And always take lots of photos! Here are a few more beginner pointers. 

    a child learns to downhill ski at the nursery slops

    The basics of learning to ski

    Have your child practice standing up by themselves in skis on snow first. This is not as easy as it sounds. For a little one on skis for the first time, this might take quite a while. There will be falling. There might be tears. But, it’s a skill that will be needed again and again.

    Side-stepping and duck-walking come next, along with the all-important art of how to fall. Practicing this makes falling into less of a fail and more of a game.

    Sliding comes next, along with learning to stop by making a pizza wedge shape with the front tips of the skis pointing towards each other. Once this is mastered then you can move on to snowplow turns.

    Mastering turning will get kids skiing. Turning on skis happens from the feet, knees, and hips. Instead of telling kids to put their weight on one ski to initiate a turn, work on getting them to take an athletic stance and get skis on edge. Playing games like follow the leader are a great way to help children initiate turns.

    If your child is confident linking turns and stopping, it’s time to hit the slopes! 

    a child stands in a snowplough while learning to downhill ski

    Training aids for kids learning to ski

    There’s only really one training aid that I would really recommend and that is a ski tip connector. This is a little plastic or rubber device that clips the tips of the child’s skis together to make it easier for them to form, and hold, a snowplow. There are lots of different models – the Edgie Wedgie is a popular choice – but they all basically do the same thing and can be invaluable at the start. Inexpensive and easy to stuff in a pocket, they can be pulled out when needed to boost the child’s confidence, relieve tired legs or reduce falls due to skis crossing on top of one another.

    Body harnesses and ski harness vests can be useful for very small children to pick them up when they fall or help them on and off lifts (they’re also good for cross-country skiing). However, for the most part, I would avoid using them with any kind of reins when downhill skiing. If a child’s speed needs to be checked with reins, then they are probably on a slope that’s too steep for them or need more practice at controlling their speed themselves. 

    child on a ski lift smiling as she learns to ski

    Ski schools or private lessons?

    If you’re not up for teaching your child yourself (and there’s definitely no shame in that!), consider signing your child up for a lesson at the resort’s ski school or even a private lesson. Most major ski resorts offer ski schools for children, some are half-day and some are all day. The best all-day programs make plenty of time for learning and fun at an age-appropriate level. In between ski lessons, kids can take a break for snow play, tubing, hot chocolate breaks, lunch, and sometimes movies. Too much skiing can be exhausting for kids and result in frustration rather than skill improvement. 

    Enrolling your child in a group lesson with the local ski school has other advantages, too. They get to hang out with (and be motivated by!) other kids. Children’s ski instructors have lots of tricks up their sleeves to make lessons fun and the skills easy for them. Often – let’s be honest – kids listen to instruction a little better when it doesn’t come from mum or dad!

    If you sign up for a week’s worth of lessons this often works out more economical, and there might even be a certificate or award for your child at the end. Whether your child will thrive or not in a group environment is often very personal. Neither of my rather shy kids wanted to join a group class when they were first learning, and so we didn’t push it.

    One of the disadvantages of group lessons is that you will be tied to the schedule dictated by the ski school. Sometimes with little kids, simply getting them ready to join a 9 am lesson can be a challenge in itself! So what’s the alternative? Private lessons with a private ski instructor are great but can get pricy pretty quickly. That said, you may not need more than a couple before your child has grasped the basics, particularly if they are a little bit older. 

    a family stop on the slope while downhill skiing together

    Top tips for skiing with kids

    Well, we’ve covered a lot in this post! I hope you learned a few things about starting the journey of downhill skiing with your kids. Teaching a child to ski at first can sound daunting and intimidating, but skiing is such a fun and rewarding activity that the whole family can enjoy for years to come. It’s worth it. Here are my top tips for skiing with kids. 

    1. Take lots of breaks! Being outside in the cold, learning something new… it’s a lot to take in especially for very young children. Alternate time on skis with time spent playing in the snow, stopping for a snack, or warming up in a restaurant.
    2. Pack a backpack with snacks, a flask/thermos of something (possibly warm) to drink, sunscreen, spare gloves and socks, tissues for runny noses, spare underwear or nappies, and an extra layer.
    3. Keep small treats handy in a pocket for when your kid needs a little extra motivation. 
    4. If your child has long hair, tie it up and save yourself the trauma of combing out matted strands at the end of the day! I find one or two plaits/ braids work best. 
    5. Finish on a high! As tempting as it is to push for one more run, children get overtired quickly. Stop while it’s still fun, treat them to a hot chocolate at the end of the day and have them eager to return. 

    My kids are now 6 and 8 and skiing has become one of our favourite things to do as a family. Being able to cruise all over a mountain on skis is an experience unlike any other and skiing is a skill they will now have for life! I wonder where it will take them?

    Did you learn to ski as a child?
    Are you considering learning as a family?

    About the author

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

    Find Sarah online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @swissmountainlife
    Website: http://www.sarahbach.ch
    Chalet: @bnbvieuxchalet
    More RWMC posts from Sarah: Sarah Warburton

  • CRAFTS, HOLIDAYS, WINTER

    Holiday Candle Making with Kids

    As December peaks, we’re getting closer and closer to the holidays. If you’re looking for a fun, easy to make, nature-inspired gift idea, we have a great one! Today, Creative Team member Tine Voeten, Belgian mom of two, shares one of her family’s favorite holiday traditions – candle making! She’ll walk us through the process of how to make your own holiday candle with kids to light up your home or give out as gifts. Making your own candles is a great way to recycle old candle remains, add some life to old containers, and make your home feel cozy for the holidays. We hope this post inspires you to give candle making with kids a try! 

    DIY candles with kids

    Candle making with kids

    The holidays with kids are pure magic! Being together, creating a cozy little place for our family, taking time off from work, and most of all, no stress! Ha! Not quite. When you realize you are late on buying Christmas gifts for your family, or forgot a few people on your list, there’s no need to worry. Today, I am going to show you the secret gift that will fit perfectly in the cozy ambiance of the holidays and makes everyone shine!

    Candles made by the little hands of your children are the perfect gift for everyone on your list. No doubt that grandma and granddad or your kids’ godparents will be charmed by this thoughtful and original present. Plus, holiday candle-making with kids is the perfect activity to keep your little ones busy on a cold and wet winter day!  

    The magic of candles

    The holidays without candles don’t really feel the same, don’t you think? The jumping flickering little yellow light brings joy and magic into your house. The moment I light candles around our home, my girls will be next to me asking to blow out the candles. Some invisible power just pulls them towards the light.

    I have to admit, fire really scares me. Fire can be dangerous, so please approach this activity (and anything having to do with fire) with the utmost caution. Give your kids constant reminders of fire rules and safety. When our girls were tiny, I would be the first to tell the girls to be careful and stay away from the candles. Now that they are bigger and aware of the danger we’re able to enjoy the beauty together, with a bit less stress. 

    Holiday Candle Making with kids

    The history of candles and candle making

    Candles have come a long way since their initial use. For more than 5,000 years candles were used as a source of light. Little is known about the origin, but Egyptians were already using candles in 3.000 B.C. Papyrus and beeswax were the base for these wicked candles. Worldwide different ways were found to mold candles. Ancient Chinese candles are said to be made of wax from insects combined with seeds, Japanese candles were made of wax extracted from tree nuts. In India, candle wax was made by boiling fruit of the cinnamon tree. We are very happy to see that this tradition has been kept, as cinnamon is our favorite candle scent!

    Holiday candle making safety

    Before you begin making your own candles with hot wax, we’ve got some safety groundrules to cover. Make sure you are able to make your candles in a safe location and with the proper equipment. When melting wax, I use a stable pot on our kitchen stove. Make sure you also warn your children about the heat and keep them at a distance. My girls can sit around our kitchen island nearby, so that they can see and follow the process from a safe distance. When pouring the wax, the girls kept a distance good distance to maintain safety. Take your time for this creative activity. It will take you a couple of hours for melting to decorating (and cleaning for the parents).

    Take it outside

    If you live some place where it’s warm outside (or want to try this activity in the warmer months), consider taking this project outside! You and melt your wax over a campfire or even on the grill. You can add all kinds of fun nature decoration that you find in your yard or local area. It’s a great outdoor family activity that your kids will love! 

    diy candles with kids

    How to get started making candles with kids

    Gather your materials

    DIY candle making is not only a fun and easy activity for families, it’s very gentle for your budget. You can probably find all the basic items needed for this activity in your house. When you have creative kids like mine, you probably already have a box (or 10) of craft supplies and little odds and ends. 

    All about wicks

    Some people prefer to buy wicks, but you don’t have to. We just used the cotton twine we had in the house, which worked perfectly. Purchased wicks come in different types and sizes. The types are flat braid, square braid, metal core, and paper core. The sizes are small, medium, and large diameter. The larger or longer-burning the candle, the larger diameter the wick.

    Candle molds

    There are a variety of cacle molds available for purchase, but you certainly don’t ned to buy anything for this project. You can make candle molds from things you find around your kitchen, such as wax-coated fruit juice cans, milk cartons, canning jars, paper cups, and various empty food containers. Even shells or empty fruit shells make great containers. This is a great way to give some of those soon to be discared/recycled items a bit more life! We just love recycling! Check out for more recycling ideas with kids.

    Candle scents

    There are a variety of additives to make stylish, trendy, deliciously scented candles. I am a major fan of natural ingredients like cinnamon and dried herbs, and fruits. You can use a few drops of your favorite essential oil or even purchase specific scented oils specially made for candles and other products (soap, shampoos, etc.). 

    Holiday Candle Making with kids

    Candle making supplies:

    • Leftovers of used candles or old candles
    • Glass jar (or other candle mold)
    • Toilet paper rolls/Pringles tubes/milk cartons/etc
    • Solid cotton string, twice or wick
    • Accessories: glitter, beads, dried flowers, herbs or fruits, cinnamon sticks, spices, oils
    • Wooden stick or pencil
    • Scissors
    • A double boiler (you can create one using two pots of a different size)

    Holiday Candle Making with kids

    Making candles in a glass jar

    1. Fill the biggest pot of a double boiler with just enough water that the small pot doesn’t float around. Add water to the pot if it evaporates. Don’t let it boil down. Melt the wax in the top double boiler pot. 
    2. Decorate your jar from the inside before putting the wax in. My girls put glitter inside. We used a paper napkin with glitter glue to transfer it to the glass (a paintbrush would also work great). You could also decorate the inside with dried flowers or coffee beans or whatever you think is pretty. This is where your kids’ imagination gets to shine!
    3. Cut a length of wick and dip it in the wax a few times to coat. Wrap the wick around the wooden stick or pencil and roll it until it’s the right length for the mold you choose.
    4. When the wax is melted, use a potholder to pour it into the mould, holding it at an angle and pouring the wax down the side. Set aside some of the melted wax for later.
    5. Put the wick in the exact middle of the mold. We used different colors, so the wick was already in there after the first layer.
    6. Let it cool for about an hour. (If you’re impatient like us, you can put the jars outside to cool.)
    7. Reheat the leftover wax. Fill in the holes in the candle around the wick wherever needed by pouring wax up to the original fill line. Repeat as necessary until filled.

    We worked in layers to get a different effect. This means repeating the steps above several times. Each time we added a layer, we had to wait until the previous one is hard enough. It takes a little bit more patience, but the result is fantastic.

    DIY Holiday candles with kids

    Making candles in a tube

    The steps for making a candle in a tube (paper towel roll or toilet paper roll) or other removable mold are slightly different. Melt the wax as described above, but instead of decorating a glass jar, you’ll need to prep your tube.

    Use a straight/flat surface (like the lid of a jar) and put the mould on top. We used an empty toilet paper roll and a pickle jar lid. Pour a bit of melted wax on the lid and inside the mould and let it cool so that it’s connected and won’t leak. Now, as you continue the candle making process (as described above), the wax will not leak out when you fill the mold. Once your candle is completely made to the fill line and hardened, you peel the paper tube off the wax to reveal your beautiful candle! 

    The fun thing about this kind of candle is that you can decorate the candle once the mold is removed. You can use special wax deco pens or just add fun decorations like sequins or stamps. Your children will love creating their own personal candle!

    DIY Holiday Candles for kidsHoliday Candle Making with kids

    Keep the candle making going

    There are so many different ways of making candles. So one piece of advice I can give you for the next couple of weeks: don’t throw away your candle leftovers! Ask your friends and family to keep their for you as well, so you can make your own candles from time to time. It’s a great way to connect with your children. That way, instead of buying new candles (and spending money), you can recycle your candle remains and make your house shine again! 

    Have you ever made your own candles? 

    About the author

    Tine is a natural-born adventurer from Belgium. She met her husband, soulmate, and the father of her two girls while working and living in the Dominican Republic. Nine years ago they moved back to Europe and are still exploring European grounds. Her happy place is wherever her kids are, but she spices up life by discovering unknown places, planning new adventures, and going outdoors as much as possible. Having kids added a big value to her life, because seeing life through the eyes of her little ones lifted it to a completely different dimension. Their family goal is to travel the world, living a location-independent lifestyle. The family is now working on a couple of projects to make this dream happen! In the meantime, they keep on exploring and Tine keeps on writing and inspiring other families to explore just like them. 

    You can find more from Tine online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @kidsdelmundo
    RWMC posts: Tine Voeten
    Website: http://www.kidsdelmundo.com

  • ANIMALS/WILDLIFE, HIKE, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, URBAN NATURE, WINTER

    Owling with Kids

    Have you ever spotted an owl in the wild? Have you heard one calling through the woods at dusk? Owls are fascinating, yet elusive birds, made even more mysterious by their silent flight and their nocturnal habits. But, finding owls isn’t impossible—you just have to know where and when to look. Today, Leslie Alvis, Ohio homeschooling mom of four shares her family’s experiences owling with kids and some tips for your own owling adventures.

    Owling with kids

    “When you go owling, 
    you don’t need words
    or warm
    or anything but hope. 
    That’s what Pa says.
    The kind of hope
    that flies
    on silent wings
    under a shining
    Owl Moon.”

    Owling inspiration

    When I was growing up, my mom had a beautiful collection of illustrated nature books she read aloud to us. One was Owl Moon, a simple yet fascinating first-person story of a young girl going out owling with her father under a full moon in deep winter. They walk and watch and call until an owl replies. Eventually, they spot the majestic owl swooping above them in the bare tree branches.  Owl Moon was one of the first books she bought for my own children, and it’s one of our favorites.

    Reading Owl Moon

    Owling with kids

    The sweet story told in Owl Moon brings nature close. It always makes me want to go owling too, tromping in the snowy woods by moonlight. But, even though I grew up in the country, somehow I never realized until this past year that I can go owling with my kids—and so can you!

    Owls are fascinating creatures. Day or night, their haunting calls are enough to make you stop in your tracks. There are actually many common owls throughout North America, as well as the rest of the world. And owling is a great nature activity you can do with your kids! 

    And although a full moon adds light, and snowy woods at night are lovely, you actually don’t need any of those things to go owling. You can go looking for owls anytime (day or night) wherever you live!

    Owl Moon

    Our first owl encounter

    Last February, wanting to return to our country roots to raise our children, my husband and I sold our house in town and moved our children to the country. One of our first experiences on our quiet country road was climbing out of our car at dusk and hearing a startlingly loud, haunting cry from the woods across the road. We all froze.

    “Did you hear the owl?” my husband asked our kids, trying to hush everyone who was exclaiming over the weird noise. “That was an owl!” It certainly wasn’t like any owl sound I’d ever heard! Honestly, it was a little terrifying. But there it was—a low hooting off in the distance, followed by an answering cry nearby.

    After convincing our five-year-old that it was safe to actually get out of the car (for weeks we had to talk her through the process every time we came home in the dark. She would cover her ears and race inside so she couldn’t hear the creepy owl chatter! But she finally got used to it and now loves to hear the owls call.), we went inside and looked up owl calls.

    We learned that we had just heard a Barred Owl pair calling to each other. Sites like this one teach you to easily identify common North American owls by their calls. This little bit of knowledge fueled a desire to learn more about these amazing birds. We’ve been looking for owls, calling owls, and heading out on owling walks ever since.

    Owling with Kids

    What is owling?

    Basically, owling is the practice of calling and searching for owls. Going owling with your kids is an easy and fun nature activity, and seeing (or hearing) one of these majestic birds is an experience they won’t soon forget! The first time anyone in our family actually spotted an owl, my husband and two-year-old were coming out of the woods at dusk when a Great Horned Owl flew across the path in front of them. Our toddler talked about seeing that owl for a long time!

    By this point (a year later), we’ve all caught glimpses of these magnificent birds in the woods near our home. Just this morning my son saw one fly out of the pine trees just ahead of us on our walk. Last week we saw a huge pair of Great Horned Owls. The sight of them never ceases to amaze us all.

    Where to go owling

    While owls may be known for being elusive and hard to spot, they aren’t as rare as many people think. You simply have to learn where and when to look. You can find owls in many places, from forests and deserts to mountains and prairies. Owls love wooded areas, but many also live close to cities and suburban areas because of the ready food supply. They often live in trees (often conifers) and eat small rodents, so owls can be found almost anywhere those things exist—even in Central Park in New York City!

    owling with kids

    When to go owling

    Owls become especially active during mating season in winter. The colder months are a great time to go owling because you are more likely to see or hear owls. Plus, the lack of foliage makes seeing the owls easier. During the summer months, we were afraid the resident owls in our area had moved away because we didn’t see or hear them for a long time. But, as fall drew on, we began to hear “our” owls again. We’ve even heard the parents calling back and forth with a juvenile offspring. 

    As I mentioned, most owls are nocturnal, which means they do much of their hunting and calling at night. However, it doesn’t have to be pitch black outside for you to go owling! We’ve spotted Barred Owls sitting on power lines near our home in the middle of the day. We’ve seen owls swooping from tree to tree in the woods, and often hear them calling, especially as winter days draw to a close. 

    Despite their close proximity, I’ve never yet been lucky enough to get a photo of one. That’s a testament to my lack of wildlife photography skills, not to the absence of owls. Maybe someday I’ll be able to capture a photograph of one of these beautiful birds.

    owling with kids

    Daytime owling

    One day as we explored the woods, we noticed a commotion of birds in a stand of tall pine trees. Crows and other smaller birds were calling raucously and diving in and out of the trees. I had heard that smaller birds will sometimes “mob” owls in this fashion, so we headed that way to see if we could spot one. Sure enough, as we approached, a Barred Owl swooped out of the trees to go look for a quieter location!

    It might have been the high point of our nature walk if our dog hadn’t flushed out a white-tailed deer just then. Our owl sighting dropped dramatically in importance as my son and I took off chasing the dog, who took off chasing the deer, howling all the way. At the end of that misadventure, I was just glad to have everyone, including the dog, all in one piece!

    owling with kids

    Owling at dusk

    Owls do become noticeably more vocal as twilight approaches. The hour before sunset is a great time to go owling with kids if you don’t want to be out at night. It’s also a good time to try owling at local parks or trails, which may close at dark. Park rangers can be a great source of information about owls in their area. If you go to a public place wanting to find owls, ask around! There may be someone who knows just when and where to look.

    owling with kids

    How to look for owls

    Searching for owls can be a bit tough and you have to have patience and good detective skills. Owls leave a couple of distinct signs of activity in the woods. If you know what to look for, you’ll have much better luck spotting one.

    First of all, you can look for “whitewash” (owl excrement) on tree trunks. An owl’s excrement is chalky and white and can usually be found at the bottom of a tree that an owl is roosting in. You can also look at the base of trees for owl pellets, which are prized treasures for curious little ones. Owl pellets are small bits of indigestible hair, bone, etc. from an owl’s meal. 

    Finally, look for owl feathers lying on the ground. Owl feathers are large and are very soft. If you need help identifying the type of bird by a feather, check out the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Feather Altas – a free online tool to identify feathers. 

    We have been able to find owl trees in our woods by looking for these signs. Some common owls, like Barred Owls and Great Horned Owls, like conifer trees, in particular, so check those a bit closer. Check out this article for more information about where and how to find owls. It’s full of helpful tips for owling.

    Owl pellets

    Owl pellets are a sure sign that owls are in the area. As mentioned, an owl pellet is made from indigestible material left in the gizzard (such as teeth, bones, skulls, claws, and feathers) are too dangerous to pass through the rest of the owl’s digestive tract. To safely excrete this material, the owl’s gizzard compacts it into a tight pellet that the owl regurgitates. 

    It may sound gross, but dissecting an owl pellet is a really fun activity for kids, as they can see what the owl ate and sometimes find the bones and teeth of small animals.  Although their diet largely depends on the species of owl, most owls like to eat insects, small mammals (like hares and rabbits), and other smaller birds. It is also common for owls to eat rodents, squirrels, bats, weasels, woodchucks, and even a domestic cat!

    owl trees

    Owl nests

    Did you know that owls do not build their own nests? Instead, they occupy nests left behind by other birds. Look for owl nests up high in the crooks and hollows of trees, any of the usual places you might spot a nest. 

    You can even build nesting boxes to attract owls to your own backyard! Screech Owls are considered the easiest owls in North America to attract with a nesting box. You can find directions for this simple DIY project here. We have plans to build a Screech Owl box for our homestead property, and maybe even add a barn owl box to the loft of our barn as we build it. Some of the wooded environment near our property is changing and threatening the natural habitat of the owls, so we want to encourage them to stay close by.

    Spotting an owl

    Hopefully, you get the chance to spot an owl on your owling adventure. They definitely look different than other birds and while they may be hard to spot, they will be easy to distinguish. Most owls have notably large eyes, a flat face, a large head, and a small, downturned hooked beak. They have very sharp talons with four toes and one is opposable (like the human thumb), which helps the owl grasp things like tree branches and food. 

    Although owls vary in color, size, and appearance, they have one interesting ability in common – they can turn their heads an astonishing 270 degrees due to more vertebrae than other birds. 

    And if you’re listening, you’ll notice that not all owls make that infamous “hoot” sound. Owls can actually make many different sounds – they can screech, hiss, and even growl! But despite the sound they make when they call, they make no sound when flying. This silent flight is due mainly to very broad wings and special flying feathers that limit noise when an owl flaps its wings.

    owlingwithkids

    Owling essentials

    You don’t need anything special to go owling, but a pair of binoculars can be useful. Other than that, you just need some sharp eyes and ears, a sense of adventure, and your detective skills.

    If you hope to call for owls, work out your plan ahead of time with your kids. Do you want them to walk into the woods silently, trying not to scare away the owls? At least in our family, that has to be clearly explained! Otherwise, the owls are going to be scared away by wild yelling long before we can see them. Are you going to designate one person to try hooting? Take turns?

    I’ve learned that if you don’t have a clearly communicated plan, the owling walk will quickly become a hooting free-for-all! And although Barred Owls, in particular, will respond to imitation calls—even not very good ones—no owl is going to be fooled by 3 or 4 different pitches of hooo-hoooo-hoooing simultaneously. 

    owling with kids

    Common owls

    There are 19 species of owls are found in North America, including the following: barn owl, burrowing owl, eastern screech owl, great grey owl, spotted owl, and the long-eared owl, among many others. These owls not only live in wooded, rural areas, but also in suburban areas with trees. I’ve read that owls can be found commonly in cemeteries, since many cemeteries contain both large trees and also open areas where it’s easy for owls to spot their prey.

    To learn more about owls in your area, check out this site about owling. It’s full of detailed information about owls all across North and Central America. 

    Make owling a family activity

    Exploring the woods and hiking around while owling is such a fun and easy outdoor activity to do with kids. You don’t need any special gear or equipment to do a little owl hunting. Before you head out, just be sure to do a little research about what owls can be found in your area and when they are most active. Listen to an owl call and practice your “hoo’ing!” If you’re owling during the day, look for whitewashed tree bottoms, owl pellets, or feathers that could indicate an owl’s presence. If you find one (and it’s possible), try going back there during the night to see if the owl is active. 

    Finally, a word of caution: you may not always see an owl when you go owling. As the little girl says in Owl Moon,

    “That’s how it is when you go owling.
    Sometimes you see one, sometimes you don’t.”

    Be prepared to enjoy whatever wildlife you do see—you’re bound to spot some beautiful birds, squirrels, animal tracks, and other fascinating bits of nature. So, make it an adventure, have fun, and enjoy the beautiful world out there!

    Have you ever gone owling?
    What did you see?

    About the author

    Leslie is an Ohio farm girl and chaser of light, children, and sometimes chickens. She’s a lover of Jesus, wife to her high school sweetheart, and a homeschooling mom of four wild rascals who love the great outdoors as much as she does. As a family, they love hiking, camping, fishing, and just about any outdoor activity. She and her husband are just beginning the process of building a homestead from the ground up, doing most of the work themselves. Leslie has a lifelong obsession with writing and capturing everyday life from behind the lens. You can follow along with their homesteading, homeschooling, and everyday adventures on her Instagram account.

    You can find more from Leslie in the following locations:
    Instagram: @c_l_allofus
    Client work: @lalvisphotography
    RWMC posts: Leslie Alvis

  • GARDENING, NATURE SCHOOL, WINTER

    Winter Garden Planning with Kids

    A great garden starts in the winter! Now is the time to get out those seed catalogs and figure out what you’re going to plant this year and where. Planning out your garden is such a fun activity to do in the winter. It reminds us that warmth and sunshine will be returning soon. Garden planning can also be a great activity for the kids that will teach them valuable skills while they’re having fun. Today, Creative Team member and Arkansas mom of two, Nichole Holze shares how she and her kids plan their garden every year and plot it out. She’s also got great tips for anyone looking to plant a garden this year and lots of ways to get the kids involved. 

    This post contains affiliate links. 

    winter garden planning with kids

    Gardening as a family

    Gardening is one of our family’s favorite outdoor hobbies. I didn’t grow up gardening, though. In fact, I had to learn how to garden (TWICE) as an adult. Once in zone 5 and again when we moved to zone 8. Gardening is a hobby that continually teaches us to pay attention to the small things, but also brings us such joy throughout the year. While most of the actual gardening happens in spring and summer, winter is when a great garden begins! And here is how I bring my children into the garden planning process! 

    How to get started gardening in your zone

    The question I get asked most often is: “Where do I start?” My answer is always the same…before you buy seeds or shop your local garden center, you need to learn what “zone” you’re in. Your garden zone determines what you plant and when. It’s a critical piece of information to begin your planning process.

    One of the best resources for this is your local master gardeners* chapter. I’ve always found that the master gardeners are so helpful and eager to share their knowledge with new gardeners. You can find your local chapter by an internet search or by contacting your county’s agriculture extension office. Prior to the pandemic, I used to attend a monthly talk given by my local master gardeners. Those talks have now moved online and many of them are free to attend via Zoom! I filled an entire notebook with notes I took at those meetings. 

    * “Master gardeners” are people who have received extensive training in gardening in their area (usually through a university program) and then provide information to the public via phone or email helplines, speaking at public events, writing articles for publications and the internet, and partnering with other community programs, gardens, and educational facilities.

    winter garden planning with kids sunset garden

    Laying out the plans

    The next step in planning your garden is to layout your plan and figure out what you want to plant and where. This process changes every year (sometimes multiples times in a year). Here’s how our garden layout planning has gone: We made garden plans. And we changed them. Then we put in raised beds. And we changed the plans again. Then we added a keyhole garden. And changed plans yet again. This last year we added an arch tunnel and two more raised bed gardens. We changed our plans again.

    The good news is that you can make plans and add to them as often or as little as you want. One really beautiful thing about gardening is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. There are ways that work better/best, but sometimes those take trial and error to figure out. Yes, you can dive deep into getting soil mixtures right and testing to be sure they’re the right balance and pH. Or, you can just learn along the way, celebrating the wins and learning from your losses.

    winter garden planning with kids - how to plan and plot your garden layout

    The garden planning process

    We take the learn as we go route. My first step in the garden planning process is to draw out the layout of my garden. I make a smaller copy for myself and a larger version for my children. For older children, you could use grid paper and have them make the aerial view to scale. With younger children, draw in the shapes of your garden. Or just give them a big piece of cardboard left over from the holidays and let them have at it.

    It’s also fun to let them imagine what their own garden plot would look like, whether it’s an actual garden space or just a pot of their very own. We get out our art supplies and draw what our garden space looks like from above. There are no rules for this, it’s meant to be fun. So set aside lessons and expectations, and have some fun. 

    winter garden planning with kids garden map

    Put your pens and markers to paper

    After you have the outline of your garden space complete, it’s time to start filling it in. Older children can label and work on spatial awareness as they designate a place for each plant. It’s also a great way to work on handwriting. Younger children can color or draw what they want in their garden space. I like to go back to the garden map I made the previous year, to see what I had growing where, what was a perennial or annual, and what I want to change.

    As you learn to garden, one thing I highly recommend is to be a casual journaler. I’m not talking about obsessive growing notes, but if that’s you, go for it. More like just making notes throughout your year about what is growing well, what isn’t, what pests you’re dealing with, and things you’d like to change. Then you can refer to those notes as you plan for the next year. Mental notes are great (if you can remember them), but I prefer paper. A simple journal works great, but you can also find all kinds of garden journals or diaries for more detailed notetaking. 

    how to make garden planning fun and educational for kids

    Making garden planning fun for kids

    One of the best ways to make the garden planning fun and visual for children is to let them cut up pictures to paste onto the map you made. Remember middle school (ish?) when we cut up photos from magazines and newspapers? Then we glued them onto our trapper keepers to make them super cool? Yeah, we’re doing that again! But this time it’s with seed catalogs.

    WITH WHAT?! Yes, with seed catalogs. By the time I’m ready to plan with my kids, I’ve already poured over the countless number of seed catalogs I received (several times). I order all of my seeds online so I don’t need the magazines anymore, but they are so pretty and filled with vivid photos of plants. It’s so fun to make the garden plans highly visual with the pretty pictures.

    I give my kids the seed catalogs, scissors, and glue and let them have at it. Fix yourself a coffee or tea, turn on some classical music, and browse your own garden journal. You can even organize your seeds while they have fun. It’s a great way to visually see your garden, all the colors and shapes, the various plants, flowers and vegetables.  Plus, it gets the kids excited about the process and they become knowledgeable about the plants in your garden.

    To really make garden planning special for kids, designate a garden space just for your children. Make a little garden sign for their space, let them choose a seed packet, and let them be in charge from start to finish. 

    winter garden planning with kids seed organizing and storage solutionsThis case is for organizing photos but it works GREAT for seeds. Find it HERE. 

    When and where do you order seeds?

    Yesterday. No really, order them right now. ASAP. Due to current world circumstances, seed shops and garden centers are seeing unprecedented amounts of orders. Baker Creek seeds has shut its website down several times to get caught up on orders. Seed Savers has a disclaimer up about the delayed shipping times. Seed companies all over are struggling to keep up with the demand. However, you can get seeds locally at big box garden centers and local garden centers.

    If you’re hoping to save your seeds, I would recommend buying non-GMO, organic, or heirloom seeds to begin, to be sure of saving high-quality plants. Another great way to gather seeds is to participate in a seed swap with gardening friends. A page that I adore, Jill Ragan of Whispering Willow Farm does a huge seed swap every year and it’s really neat. Also, a huge shout out to Jill for her genius seed organizing idea. She’s an inspiring gardener and I highly recommend following her. 

    how to get kids involved in garden planning and layout

    What you’ll need for garden planning with kids

    To make the garden planning FUN for you and your children, here is what I recommend:

    • Markers, crayons, pencils, paint, any and all art supplies
    • Scissors and glue (glue sticks work best)
    • Gardening magazines and seed catalogs
    • A large piece of paper, or piece of a cardboard
    • Graph paper for older children
    • Finger paints and finger paint paper for younger children
    • A large workspace – clear the kitchen table or do it on a hard surface floor
    • A no-rules attitude, let the creativity flow (that includes you too)
    • Some background jams (I prefer classical music)
    • Snacks
    • Coffee or tea for mental stimulation, plus it just tastes good

    Remember, this is meant to be a fun activity to involve your children in the planning process, so let it be fun! If they mess up and put sunflowers in the middle of the tomatoes, it doesn’t matter. It’s an opportunity to learn, for everyone. 

    winter garden planning with kids garden expansion

    What about older children?

    Garden planning is a great opportunity for older children to do some critical thinking. Here are some ways to involve older children that will help them with some STEM skills and concepts:

    • Have them generate a graph to show seed starting dates and when to plant in the ground
    • Research companion planting
    • Create a planting schedule
    • Make a budget for seed spending
    • Practice taking soil pH samples
    • Create wet mount slides to look at the soil under a microscope (Nematodes, yay!)
    • Make a business plan for selling transplants (small plants grown from seed)

    There are so many ways to make this project fun for the whole family. I highly suggest getting everyone involved. The world has felt so heavy in the last year and having a family hobby that gets everyone involved, excited, and eventually outside is a very, very good thing. 

    winter garden planning with kids garden aerial veiw

    A few favorite gardening resources

    I’m an entirely self-taught gardener. Everything I know came from reading, listening to talks and speeches, obsessive internet searching, trial and error, and asking lots of questions. I encourage you to find books, magazines, podcasts, people, mentors, and even gardening accounts on social media. These resources are so important and helpful as you learn what works for you and your family.

    Here are a few of my favorite gardening books:

    winter garden planning with kids spiders in the gardenSpiders make a regular appearance in our garden. 

    Want even more gardening goodness?

    If you’d like to hear more about our gardening shenanigans and follow along on our growing journey, you’re in luck! You can read about the luffa vines that took over our garden and how my kids made a little business out of it HERE. Do you love sunflowers? Me too! You can read about our end of the season sunflower dissection HERE. I also made garden Reels videos my “thing” last summer on Instagram. Here’s a fun one, and another fun one.  Follow along as our garden grows on #coleyraegardens. I’m here to help answer any questions I can or point you in the right direction. And please tag me (@coleyraeh) on social media if you make garden plans. I’d love to see them! 

    coleyraeh garden photo coleyraegardens

    Are you excited about planning your garden this year?
    Will you make some plans ahead of time or make it up as you go? 

    About the author

    Nichole is mama to two incredible adventurers, an older boy and a younger girl. They are in their seventh year of homeschooling. She’s married to her best friend 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.

    You can find more from Nichole online in the following locations:
    Website: http://www.luckeywanderers.com
    Instagram: @coleyraeh
    RWMC posts: Nichole

  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PHOTOGRAPHY, WINTER

    New Year’s Resolutions for Outdoorsy Kids

    As Christmas decorations are packed away and the last of the eggnog is consumed, families will gather together to ring in a new year once again. A new year holds the promise of new beginnings and a fresh start. While it’s common for adults to set New Year’s resolutions, kids can get in on the action and set their own resolutions, too! Resolutions for kids need not be boring or related to schoolwork. Rather, New Year’s resolutions for outdoorsy kids should be fun and creative, especially if you want them to stick. Today, Creative Team member Michelle Garrett, California mom, and creator of Wonder Club Explorers, is here with six ideas for New Year’s resolutions for outdoorsy kids that love nature, exploration, and adventure. 

    New Year's Resolutions for Outdoorsy Kids - activities to try and skills to learn this year

    New Year’s resolutions for kids

    A New Year’s resolution is really just a goal. It can involve any number of things. Maybe it’s something to achieve, something to do more of, or an opportunity to try something new. With so many traditions disrupted this year on account of the pandemic, a New Year’s resolution can be a welcome distraction and a way to keep spirits up as children start a new year. 

    When you’re ready to start a conversation with your kids about resolution setting, start by asking them what they’d like to do this year. If a child is interested in making things with their hands, then offer them ideas for hobbies that involve tools that result in a finished product. Or, maybe your child has a budding interest in writing (lucky you!) and journaling might be their cup of tea. Regardless, help your child hone in on their potential interest and use that as the basis for a resolution.  

    Once your child has identified a resolution (or two), help them go about making a plan to follow through with their goal. Here’s where you’ll want to guide them to make the resolution both attainable and timely. While lofty goals are the stuff that dreams are made of, a new year’s resolution should be achievable. If not, kids will miss out on the intrinsic reward of personal growth and the sense of accomplishment associated with following through with something. In that regard, it could be helpful to establish incremental steps to help your child tackle a larger goal. 

    winter hikes with kids - get kids outside more this year

    Outdoor-based resolutions

    There’s no shortage of options for New Year’s resolutions for kids who love the outdoors. Maybe just getting outdoors more this year is resolution enough! There is also any number of hobbies and activities to inspire a child to try something new. When you are ready to broach the conversation of resolution setting, it’s helpful to have a few activities in mind to start the conversation. Activities that spark curiosity and capture a child’s imagination and creativity. Here are six ideas for New Year’s resolutions for outdoorsy kids that are tickled by the notion of exploration and adventure. 

    new year's resolutions for kids - learn a new outdoor related skill this year

    Plein Air painting 

    The art of painting outside is called Plein Air painting. If your child likes to express themselves through art and also loves to be outside, then leave the four walls of a room behind and try painting outdoors. Give your child a prompt like “paint what you see” or paint a specific item in nature. Then, let their creativity take hold as they sketch and paint an outdoor landscape. This is a wonderful New Year’s resolution for outdoorsy kids because it allows them to express themselves creatively while breathing in the fresh air and stimulating all the senses. Plus, painting is messy. Taking this activity outside gives them a little extra room to be as messy as they want without the dreaded clean-up of an indoor paint session. 

    Photography with Kids - New Year Resolutions for Outdoor Kids - learn a skill

    Photography 

    Fun fact! Ansel Adams got his first camera when he was 12 years old. Could you imagine a world without the iconic and awe-inspiring landscape photographs snapped by Ansel Adams? A fantastic New Year’s resolution for an outdoorsy kid is to learn about photography. Learning outdoor photography can be immediately rewarding. Teaching kids at an early age how to operate a camera, compose a photo, and actually develop or print a photograph is a fun way to explore a new hobby. Not to mention, it gives kids a chance to create their own artwork to hang on a wall or gift to a friend. 

    If your child is interested in learning more about photography, our friend Nichole teaches a Photography 101 for Little Creatives workshop. In the workshop, Nicole shares basic photography techniques and knowledge about light, composition, and proper camera handling. She also includes 6 photography projects, such as creating a stop-motion video, completing a scavenger hunt, making a family tree, a pinhole camera, and a food photography challenge.

    Journaling with Kids - outdoor activities to try this new year

    Journaling  

    Putting pencil to paper is an excellent way for kids to express themselves. Journaling need not be a diary, per se, but could be any number of things. A journal could have it’s very own theme, like gratitude or random thoughts. Or maybe a child’s journal is a place to silence an inner critic. It could serve as a place to talk about adventures taken or dream about adventures to be had.  It can be for stories, drawings, observations, jokes, or funny things that happened each day. As far as New Year’s resolutions for kids go, journaling can pay off dividends given how important written communication is in school and life. 

    Knitting with kids - fun new year resolutions for kids and outdoor activities

    Knitting

    A little known fact about knitting- it keeps your brain sharp! It helps to redirect one’s focus and exercises both sides of the brain. Besides all of those good-for-you benefits, knitting is a fun hobby for kids to pursue as a New Year’s resolution. Why? Kids will get excited about individualizing their own knitted creations. They get to make choices about the color of yarn to the length and fit of their knitted pieces. They could even make their own stuffies and blankets to decorate their rooms. These may become cherished items that comfort them throughout childhood. 

    If you want to combine knitting with learning about the weather and temperature outside, consider knitting (or crocheting) a temperature blanket! These are hand-made blankets where each row (or two) in the blanket is a different color, based on the temperature outside that day! It’s such a brilliant idea and really fun and colorful for those that live in areas where the temperature varies a lot. Most people follow a temperature blanket chart which tells them which colors to use, but you can also make your own chart depending on the weather/temperature in your location. 

    Whittling with kids - learning a new skill as an outdoor new year resolution

    Whittling 

    Whittling is a cool hobby and past time that translates well beyond childhood. Carving or whittling wood doesn’t require a lot of equipment. A good Swiss Army Knife and safety gloves are really all that one needs to have fun learning the basics of whittling wood. Whittling is also a great motivator to get kids outdoors. Kids can collect twigs and tree branches while on hikes and nature walks for future whittling practice and projects. With the right safety precautions, whittling is a fun hobby to try as part of a New Year’s resolution for outdoorsy kids. 

    Here are a few whittling tips:

    • Start with easy tasks, such as stripping bark off a stick. This stick can then be used to toast marshmallows over the campfire. Or feathering a stick that can then be used for kindling on the campfire.
    • Making something comes secondary to learning how to use the knife safely and properly, so make sure you start with the basics of proper handling and care.
    • Start with softer easier woods such as silver birch, alder, or sycamore.
    • Use young wood that is not so dried out…but never take it off the bush or tree. Always use what you can find lying around you on the ground.

    exploring for young kids

    Exploring

    Regardless of age, the spirit of adventure should be cultivated! If your wee ones want to get in on some fun adventuring, my son and I created Wonder Club Explorers to instill wonder and curiosity through easy and approachable character-building activities. Becoming a member of an outdoor-based activity club is a great way to stay accountable through the year for taking adventures and getting outside. This is a great new year’s resolution for outdoorsy kids that gives them lots of fun activities and adventures. Nature-loving kids can even earn patches for their adventures without the burden of fundraising and meetings. As far as New Year’s resolutions go, exploring and adventures are the stuff of which memories are made! 

    Making resolutions fun 

    The most important thing to remember about New Year’s resolutions for outdoor kids is that they should be fun! Resolutions are an opportunity to try something new, to pick up a new skill, to learn and grown. And to have fun! To help kids with their resolutions, consider finding them an accountability buddy to keep their resolution top of mind, lest it is forgotten. As this year draws to a  close and we feel hopeful about better days to come, resolution setting can reap big rewards and draw outdoor-loving families even closer together. To that end and from our house to yours…

    Happy New Year!

    About the author

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

    You can find Michelle online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @wonderclubexplorers
    Website: http://www.wonderclubexplorers.co
    RWMC posts: Michelle Garrett

  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER

    Hidden Benefits of Outdoor Winter Play for Children

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

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

    Benefits of Outdoor Winter Play

    Winter is worth it

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

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

    benefits of outdoor winter play for kids

    Winter play enhances brain function

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

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

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

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

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

    Outdoor winter play enhances creativity

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

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

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

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

    Winter play enhances physical health and development

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    About the Author

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

    You can find more from Ginny in the following locations:
    Website: http://www.1000HoursOutside.com
    Instagram: @1000hoursoutside
    Facebook: @1000hoursoutside
    RWMC posts: Ginny Yurich

  • CRAFTS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER

    Winter Outdoor Activities: DIY Frozen Suncatchers

    Ice is both beautiful and fascinating to children and adults, alike. It’s amazing that something as simple as water can turn into a glassy solid in any shape. Kids are easily wowed by the freezing process and mesmerized by the beauty and texture of ice. Today, we’re sharing an easy outdoor winter activity that involves turning water and a few simple natural items into beautiful frozen suncatchers that gleam and glisten in the sun. This activity will not only give your child a chance to explore your outdoor area for fun natural items to incorporate into their suncatchers, but will also teach them about temperature and the freezing process.

    DIY frozen suncatchers

    How to make DIY frozen suncatchers

    DIY frozen suncatchers are a super easy craft that you can make outdoors in the winter. There are so many great things about this craft. Not only does this project get your little ones outside and exploring in the cooler weather, but it also requires little to no prep work and no fancy or expensive supplies. These ice suncatchers can be made anywhere at any time, using any variety of supplies and ingredients from your home and outdoor area. All you need is a little imagination and some patience!

    making frozen suncatchers with kidshow to make frozen suncatchers with kids

    Start by exploring outside and collecting

    There are three main things you need to make DIY frozen suncatchers: water, a container and natural ingredients for decoration. The water and containers can be found in any kitchen. It’s the natural elements that your children collect and include in their suncatchers that will make them each unique and individual. Start this project out by allowing your children to explore your area (yard, neighborhood, local park/woods) and collect small natural items to include in the frozen suncatchers.

    Give each kid a bag or collection box to hold their supplies. Explain that they’ll need a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes of objects to include. Then let them choose what to collect. This not only gets them outside in the fresh air but gets them thinking about the variety of plants, leaves, flowers and natural elements in their area.

    easy outdoor winter activities for kid - frozen suncatcherswinter nature crafts for kids

    DIY Frozen Suncatcher natural ingredients

    You can use absolutely anything in your DIY frozen suncatchers, as long as it’s small enough to fit in the ice! We highly recommend only using natural supplies that will naturally decompose over time and not cause any issues for animals if they consume them. Now is probably not the time to use marbles or coins or anything plastic. Here’s a list of a few items we’ve included in our suncatchers from a walk around our suburban neighborhood.

    • Pine needles
    • Leaves
    • Flowers/petals
    • Twigs
    • Acorns
    • Pebbles
    • Pinecones
    • Birdseed
    • Orange or lemon slices
    • Berries
    • Evergreen branches
    • Nuts
    • Ivy

    If you don’t have access to a place to collect natural supplies or want to get extra fancy, pick up a small bouquet of flowers from your local grocery store and use the petals. You’ll be amazed at how gorgeous a frozen suncatcher you’ll get using a variety of colored flower petals.

    how to make ice suncatchers with kidsDIY ice frozen suncatchers

    Choose the right container

    Once you have your ingredients collected, you’ll want to choose your containers. You can use plastic lids, paper/plastic plates, pie plates, pans, bowls or silicone molds. No need to buy anything new – get creative with what you already have at home! You can use anything from cupcake tins to bundt cake pans! Teacups to ice cube trays. Be advised that the bigger and deeper your container, the longer it will take to freeze. We used a handful of small shallow paper plates, which worked perfectly. If you’re using anything made of paper, I suggest a thin coating of nonstick spray on the paper to keep the ice from sticking.

    easy outdoor nature crafts for kidsnature-inspired frozen suncatcher

    Add the water and natural elements

    Fill your container with the required amount of water. Try to keep the water shallow so that the suncatchers freeze faster, aren’t too heavy to hang and are thin enough to allow sunlight to pass through them. Once you have water in your container, let your kids add the natural elements they collected to the water in any design of your choosing. Let them create shapes with the items or lay them out in any design of their choosing. Just be aware of shifting items if you have to move them. If possible, make the suncatchers in a place you can leave them to freeze.

    For extra fun, add a few drops of food coloring to make a rainbow of beautiful colors in your frozen suncatchers! And if you want to hang these gorgeous creations from tree branches or on a window sill, make sure you add a small piece of string or ribbon half out of the ice in a loop so that it will freeze in place giving you a built-in hanger for your suncatcher.

    Pro tip: I’ve heard that if you boil the water before you use it in your suncatcher, the ice will be clear and less cloudy! I haven’t tried this, but that would really make these suncatchers extra beautiful!

    making frozen ice suncatchers with kidsstep by step tutorial for making frozen ice suncatchers with kids

    Let them freeze

    Now comes the hard part for kids…being patient while they freeze! If you live in a place where it’s cold enough for the water to freeze outside, then leave your suncatchers outside in a safe place (where they won’t be disturbed) a few hours or overnight to freeze. If it’s not cold enough in your area, you can place them flat in your freezer until frozen. Just be extra careful when moving them not to shake or disturb the designs.

    winter outdoor nature crafts for kidswinter outdoor activities for kids - frozen suncatchers

    Learn while you wait

    While you’re waiting for your suncatchers to freeze, take the opportunity to educate! Talk to your child(ren) about the temperature at which water freezes and what happens to the water as it solidifies. Discuss the temperature outside and take a guess as to how long it will take for the water to freeze. Check on the status of your suncatchers and note the changes taking place. Note the temperature outside and compare it to the temperature in your fridge or freezer.

    outdoor winter crafts for kidsoutdoor winter activities for kidshow to make ice sun catchers with kids

    Hang and enjoy! 

    After the water turns to ice, gently remove the ice suncatcher from the mold and examine your frozen suncatcher creation. Hang your sun catchers from a tree branch or window sill. Let your kids use them to decorate a tree or bush in the backyard. The sun shining through the ice will create such a beautiful outdoor sight you’re going to want to do these year-round!

    nature-inspired winter crafts for kidsoutdoor winter crafts and activities for kidsoutdoor frozen winter craft ideas for kids - ice suncatchers

    Have you ever made frozen suncatchers?

     

    If you’re looking for more outdoor winter activities and ideas for kids, make sure to check out our post with 100+ Outdoor Winter Activities for Kids.

  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER

    Winter Fort Building with Kids

    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!

    winter fun outdoor fun fort building

    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.

    winter fort building outdoor fun kids outside

    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.

    winter fort building with kids

    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.

    fairy lights winter fort building outdoor fun

    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.

    snacks for outdoor activities

     

    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.

    tips for building a fort with kids in the woods

    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!