by Erin Kirkland - Shanti Hodges has no qualms about admitting she has a problem "overextending myself." Fact is, though, if she hadn't, hiking with newborns might not be a thing. Enter Hike it Baby. Hodges, of Portland, Oregon, is the owner of Hike it Baby, an organization she gestated and birthed in the cool forests of the Pacific Northwest but now nurtures through 290 … [Read more...]
Great Gear: Epic Wipes keep this mom’s crew clean
by Erica Lindberry If your family is anything like mine, then you have probably wished for stock in baby wipes once your children were born. Although I haven't taken the time to count, I?d say we go through approximately 167 wipes during a typical weekend adventure. Climbing, camping, or somehow even just sitting in the backyard, my kids sure do have a knack for bringing in … [Read more...]
Prompting Without Pushing: Guiding children through fear
By Bridgett Ross "Use the brakes! Use the brakes!" I shouted, watching my son soar downhill on his bike and into a parked car. Per my hopes, he took a chance, tried something new, and risked falling. I ran to my crumpled, crying boy. Thankfully, he was not hurt, but the fall shook him. In rock climbing, overcoming fear has always been my biggest challenge. I have some pretty … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: Meet a caterpillar named “Fuzzy”
by Eliana Osborn My son's rain jacket is laid across the back of the sofa. In the split second before calling, Come hang this up, I notice something yellow on the sleeve. Closer up, something fuzzy, perhaps a flower bud knocked off while running by. I lift the yellow cylinder with a piece of paper from the computer. A caterpillar, braving a stormy wet Fairbanks, Alaska … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Secret Lives of Animals
by Erin Kirkland Any book that offers "tidbits, oddities, and amazing facts" is bound to be a winner with kids. I mean, really, who wouldn't want to learn about a salamander that shoots poison from behind its eyes? Or, maybe, the reason for horns versus antlers??The answers are surprising, enlightening, and downright incredible. Outdoor authors Stacy Tornio and Ken … [Read more...]
An Advent of Stewardship: Adding a Twist of Gratitude in the Cup of Holiday Cheer
by Elizabeth Small There are times when my children?s capacity for empathy amazes me. Like the time my eldest daughter sat out unprompted from a much anticipated ?bounce house? simply to keep a friend with an injury from feeling left out.?Other times, I wonder what kind of future sociopath I am raising when asking the same daughter to bring me a cookie, responding by handing … [Read more...]
Q & A with Charles R. Scott, author of “Daunted Courage”
by Charles R. Scott with Erin Kirkland By 2013, National Geographic-featured adventurer and speaker Charles R. Scott and his two kids had already spent the three previous summers cycling more than 7,000 miles together in Japan, Iceland and Western Europe. So it was no big stretch that summer to embark on a fourth adventure in their own country: riding 1,700 miles of the … [Read more...]
“Rocks in the Water” and Other Life Lessons
by Jackie Semmens My son hikes with one goal in mind - to throw rocks in the water and watch them splash. When we hike, we walk slowly. Every rock we pass must be examined for suitability, and if it passes inspection (which it always does), it is then carried along until another more appropriate rock is found only a few feet later. The type of water does not matter. In my … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: The Bonds
Get to know October's "Outdoor Family" by Nicolette Bond Children don't necessarily see nature as something separate from them. I was lucky enough to grow up with parents who encouraged me to run barefoot in the rain, howl at the moon, and play in the mud. My husband and I hope to preserve that connection for our two-year-old daughter Cora and "re-wild" our own … [Read more...]
Managing an Outdoor Meltdown
by Bridgett Ross "Take a deep breath in, and exhale slowly." I have witnessed these words ease overwhelming emotions countless times. I even use them on myself. When speaking these words to my 3-year-old son, however, he responds, "I DON'T WANT TO BREATHE!" Okay. I guess I have to get creative. "WOW!" I announce. "This leaf! Watch how it flies!" I place a dry leaf in the … [Read more...]
Cafeteria Crunchy – Welcome Imperfect Environmentalists
by Elizabeth Small - "STOP! I need you to roll down my window! Now, mama! Please!?" My 4-year-old-daughter pleaded in shouts from the backseat. Fearing she was sick, I quickly pulled the car over and opened her window. Straightaway, she popped her little head out of the window, and shouted: "You! Over there!" She yelled to a 40-something, rough-and-tumble man as he tossed … [Read more...]
How to Raise a Wild Child: Outdoor Families interviews Dr. Scott Sampson
by Jennifer Johnson - Many parents of young children are familiar with Dr. Scott Sampson, better known as 'Dr. Scott,' a paleontologist from the PBS show 'Dinosaur Train.' Dr. Scott always ends each show with the tagline: "Get outside, get into nature, and make your own discoveries!" and earlier this spring backed up this charge with the publication of his book, How to Raise a … [Read more...]
Nourish: Healthy lunches your students will love
by Robyn Gleason - Planning, Planning and more planning! Everyone tells you that you must do this in order to make life easier, but where does one find the time to plan? It's not always easy for sure, and when it comes to kids' healthy school lunches, just a little bit of time will ease the stress of those busy first weeks of back-to-school. The key? Give it some thought on … [Read more...]
Taking ‘STEM’ Learning for a Hike
by Jessica Schaefer? If STEM learning is important in the classroom, it?s important outdoors. But here?s the glory: It?s even easier outside. Far from the busy box of a traditional classroom, outside, things get real. Balls don?t stop at the edge of the gym; things that fall, break; water and wind create changes everywhere. The biggest value of STEM learning outdoors is … [Read more...]
Food for Thought: Connecting kids to lifelong nutrition
Editor's note: Heather Longo was so inspired by an article written in OFM's March issue she was compelled to do some research on sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and healthy eating habits. Below are her findings, presented in a very delicious way. Outdoor Families Magazine welcomes responses to articles or columns; email Erin Kirkland, editor, and your essay may be published … [Read more...]
Weaving a Blanket of Childhood Memories at Avid 4 Adventure Camps
by Jennifer Fontaine As days get longer and the anticipation of summer crescendos, kids everywhere look forward to breaking out of four-walled learning centers and into wide open spaces. The task given us as parents is how to shape their time off into meaningful experiences that may also offer captivating learning opportunities. For many of us, the tradition of … [Read more...]
SubUrban Outdoors: Praying the long road
by Elizabeth Small Spring has come to New England, but in name only, because winter is behaving like the boyfriend that just won?t accept a breakup. In the beginning, things were thrilling: Cozy nights by the fire, hikes, sled rides full of giggling. But winter and I have grown apart. I want to garden, nature wants to snow. I want to live a life with minimal waste, and this … [Read more...]
