OSC: Getting Outside With Kids

My last One Small Change (OSC) post was about getting outside more to enjoy nature.  In theory, the more we enjoy nature, the more we will want to protect it.  Today I wanted to focus on getting our kids outside.  Kids are the future and they are the ones that will take this environmental movement to new heights.  Most of our kids have never known a world that didn't focus on reduce, reuse, recycle.  My kids live by this principle as just the way things are.  I firmly believe that the more time my kids spend outside, the more they will grow to love Mother Earth and want to take care of her.  When kids are inside most of the time watching TV or playing video games, they may not care about their Earth and what goes on beyond their walls.  I watched the documentary Play Again a while back and it really opened my eyes to how much kids are actually on computers, watching TVs, or using their phones...it's astonishing!  And no generation before has had access to this much technology, so our kids are the guinea pigs in this grand experiment.  Don't get me wrong, I love technology...but we need to take it in small doses and not lose site of what is really important.  Another source that really opened my eyes to how important it is to getting my kids outside is Richard Louvs's The Last Child in the Woods.  Louv's book really reminded me of how much time I spent outside as a child and how I cherish these memories.   Riding bikes, playing in the back yard, night games with the neighborhood kids....this is what I remember from my childhood, and I want my kids to have the same joy filled memories.

So, after my post last week it occurred to me that, although, we do get outside a lot, I wanted to get outside more.  I wanted to explore new areas with my children and expose them to as much magic, beauty, and balance that nature has to offer.  I want my kids to love Mother Nature and form a connection with her as they will know her their entire lives.  My family has made a commitment that we will spend more time this year hiking, walking, exploring, and forming a new bond with our natural surroundings.

If you have kids and want to get them out hiking, start now!  Whatever age they are is a great age.  Of course, you will need to adjust hike length and difficulty based on your child's age, but the more you get them out, the more they will grow to love it.  It took my kids a few years to really start loving hiking, but we were patient and are finally at a point where they can hike longer distances and keep the complaining to a minimum.  Below are a few tips of what we do to get the kids exciting about hiking.

*Create a scavenger hunt.  We write down words or draw pictures in a little notebook that the kids carry with them on the hike. When they find an item on the list they cross it off.  At the end of the hike, if they have found everything, you can give them a treat (or even if they didn't find everything, but gave some good effort). Some ideas for the list include; animal tracks, a dog, leaf, heart shaped rock, bench, bird, squirrel, water, pine cone, animal droppings, seed, flower, etc.

*Bring fun snacks.  Trail mix with some chocolate mixed in is always a hit in our family.

*Encouragement goes a long way.  When my kids complain that their legs are tired, I tell them that it is a good thing and it means their legs are getting stronger.  With stronger legs it will help them when doing their gymnastics (which is the sport they enjoy at the moment).

*Have them create nature notebooks.  They can make these at home before heading out using whatever materials you have or they can just use a plain notebook.  Have them draw pictures in their notebooks from things they see on the hike.

*Go on hikes that have a destination.  Kids love knowing that there is a point they need to get to...whether it is an actual summit or just a tree, bench, or waterfall along they way...give them a destination to look forward to.

*Make Nature Bags.  Have your kids decorate cotton drawstring bags at home before heading out.  Let them fill the bags with whatever they might need for the hike..chap stick, snacks, nature notebook, etc.  Having their very own bag to carry with their own belongings really gets them excited.  They can also use this bag to collect a few rocks to take home (but don't let them take too many as we want to keep nature items in nature where they belong.)

*Play Nature Bingo.  This is similar to the scavenger hunt, however it makes a game out of filling out their bingo card. 

Enjoy!

*OSC stands for One Small Change...our one small change project is our effort to encourage others to make one small green change at a time for our planet. Each week I write 1 post with ideas, inspiration, and encouragement to help you along this journey of living a more sustainable life. Won't you join us in making One Small Change at a time to create a better Earth for everyone! To read more One Small Change posts, please visit here.

OSC: Getting Outside With Kids