Getting kids outside

(My brother, Ben and I, in Glacier NP as kids)

I'm no expert on raising children...I have none of my own. I have a dog. I have spent quite a few years working directly with children on a day to day basis, including a 2+ years stint as a full-time nanny in Chicago.

It should be of no surprise that we live in a nature-deficient culture, particularly apparent when identifying the the gap between the outdoors and children. It can be overwhelming to think of packing for a backpacking trip with a child and I don't know many who are keen on packing up and taking off on a solo trip with the kids (if you are- more power to you!) As many of the you outdoors-women are also mothers, I thought I would share a few items that helped me to instill a love of the outdoors in kids over the years. I'm sure you all have different methods for discussing nature and environment with your families...I would LOVE to hear them!

(these are random kids...let's name them Maggie and Tess...just for kicks)

1. Start small. Ask the child(ren) what they are interested in seeing outside. It's easy to impose the things we are passionate about as adults and while those things will sometimes catch on, you'd only have to ask my dad about how difficult it is for him to get my brother or I to play chess these days to see that sometimes our best intentions...can be off-putting.

2. Let your child be the guide. This can be as simple as walking around the neighborhood and having them choose which direction to turn at an intersection. It's fun for ALL of us to explore and in my experience, allowing kids to take the lead makes the adventure that much more fun!

3. Pick a project. Go outside with an objective. In the past, I've used:

- Take us somewhere we've never been before

- Insect collecting

- Nature Bag (pick up pinecones, helicopters, interesting rocks or leaves etc)

*bringing these objects home for an art/garden project adds to the fun*

4. Encourage questions and find the answers! I will never forget walking with my 2 year old charge and, while observing an ant hill, being asked, "what do ants eat?" Seemingly obvious to me now, I had NO idea at the time and the research into getting the answer was a learning experience for the both of us. It was also fun to speculate before finding the answer...lots of giggles thinking about ants eating...tires...cats...socks.

5. Use what's relevant and Google can be your best friend. I remember reading in the paper about the tsunami and blasted on the front page were pictures that provoked a lot of questions from the kids. We spent 2 hours looking up the things that made a tsunami different from a hurricane different from a tornado etc. Looking through pictures online was a lot of fun too!

6. Let them be the teachers. After exploring a new area, invite a friend along and allow your child or charge to do the teaching. It will solidify what they've learned and help them build confidence and passion in the outdoors. Regardless of age, we all need opportunities to lead and be led.

7. Don't underestimate a child. They are VERY physically capable. I once went on a 4 mile hike with a 3 years old. Sure, we walked slowly but they walked themselves the whole time and we had a blast! They are also sponges, soaking up and observing everything around them and genuinely want to learn (particularly young kids). Challenge them and support their successes.

So, what else? What am I missing?