Junior Ranger

Last week we visited Rocky Mountain National Park for a fun family weekend. We stopped in at the visitors center and discovered a really fun program for children called Junior Ranger. The kids received a small activity book filled with games and activities about the animals, plants, and history of the park. The book included a Nature Sketchbook, Trail Bingo, a Scavenger Hunt, Riddles, and more.

Then we took a 45 minute walk around the visitor center where an actual Park Ranger taught the children the differences between the types of trees and helpful tips about hiking in the wilderness. The kids enjoyed spending time with the ranger and learned a lot.

After the hike the kids received an official junior ranger badge. The are very proud to be junior rangers. We went for a family hike later and they told everyone on the trail that they were junior rangers. At the end of the weekend we asked the kids what their favorite thing is that we did and of course they said becoming junior rangers.

Check with your local parks to see what programs are available in your area. Or you can become a junior ranger through this online program.

Guest Post: Let The Kids Stay Up Late

Today we have a guest post from Suzy of Hip Mountain Mama.

There are so many amazing things that happen in nature after the sun goes down when most kids are sleeping. I am a pretty responsible mom and always make sure the kids get enough sleep, however there are definitely times that call for a little late night fun. Colorado summer nights can be breathtaking with the perfect temperature, bright stars, and fresh air. Letting the kids to stay up after the sun goes down allows them to experience nature in a whole new way, even in your own backyard. Left to their own devices they will undoubtedly come up with their own games, adventures, and explorations. However, you can also guide them or give them a few props to set them on their way to an exciting night. Below are a few ideas of things to do by moon light in your own backyard.

1. Get some blankets out and lie down to look at the stars. This activity is so simple yet so amazing that you can spend hours just gazing at the sky, stars, and moon.

2. Have a fire. If you have a fire pit already this is a great way to spend an evening. If you don’t you can purchase a fire pit from any home improvement store or you can build your own. Roast marshmallows, tell scary or funny stories, and really connect with one other.

3. Play flash light tag. Grab a few flash lights and play tag…the person who is it tries to shine their light on someone else and once they do then that person is it.

4. Play music and sing songs….if you have a few musical instruments grab them and have a jam session. If not you can always sing favorite songs together while sitting in a circle…just be conscious of not being too loud if you have neighbors close by.

5. Go for a late night walk. If the moon is out and bright you can walk by moon light, otherwise you might want to bring a lantern or flash lights.

6. Have a camp out. No need to pack up the car and travel great distances to go camping…simply set up the tent in your back yard and have a backyard camp out. The kids really love this one!

7. Just let the kids play. Don’t give you kids any ideas of what to do, just let them play…you will be amazed at how easily they will play and how excited they will be that they are allowed to stay up late and play in the dark!

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Suzy lives in Northern Colorado where she loves spending time in nature with two daughters. She is owner Hip Mountain Mama and blogs at http://www.hipmountianmamablog.com/.

A Desire to Explore

I believe that it is extremely important for children to develop their own desire to explore. While I strongly believe in the Leave No Trace philosophy, I also believe that if you are in the right area it is important to leave the trail and just explore.

When we camp as a family the girls always beg for special time exploring with dad. They love to leave mom back at camp and head out where dad will encourage them to (safely) push themselves and improve their confidence and rock climbing skills.

Together we find new things, discuss the rock formations, work on climbing harder and harder rocks, and usually see more wildlife than if we just stayed at camp or on the trails.

I also usually 'pretend' to be lost at some point and test the girls sense of direction. The thrill and excitement of being lost and having to find our way back to camp is the best part. It is a great time to introduce route finding skills such as looking where the sun is in the sky.

I always have fun on these little exploring sessions but when I hear them tell mom the stories when we get back to camp and then hear them tell the story to their friends when we get home, I know it was a blast for them too. I love that they beg to go explore nature again.

A Place of Their Own

Whenever we go camping as a family we always bring a small kids tent just for play time. We have a small tent that the girls can use as their own little space. They can read books, play games, pretend its their own home or anything else they can think of. Obviously we encourage the kids to play outside in nature but at some point on each trip they just need a little space all on their own to do their own thing.

They've never even asked to sleep in it but they always want to bring it along. It is small, light weight, and has filled many hours of playtime around the campsite. I encourage you to find ways to help your children create their own space when camping in the wilderness.

Earth Day!

Earth Day is a favorite in our household. We look forward to celebrating the Earth together as a family and we do many things all month with our business to help promote this special day. In previous years we have planted trees, worked on nature crafts, and celebrated in the park with friends.

It is wonderful that we can all take a moment and think about what we can do to help ease our stress on the planet and start conversations about reducing waste, working on renewable energies, and cleaning our rivers and streams.

Let's all remember that none of this effort is ever going to do any good unless we can get our children to buy into the idea of living green. No matter how much effort we put into Earth Day nothing will get better until the future generations make the decision to progressively move our society to live sustainably. The only way to do that is to teach the children to love nature. If they truly feel the connection they will preserve it to share with their children.

So please talk to your children about Earth Day. Make it fun, enjoyable, and educational. Teaching your children well is the single largest contribution you can have in truly honoring Mother Earth.

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." ~Native American Proverb

National Parks Week

It is National Parks Week and what a great time to get your children outside and exploring in our nations 394 National Parks. You can visit any National Park from April 16th to 24th FREE of Admission.

The park system has protected many amazing pieces of property and it is important that the children can see these natural wonders. So get out there and explore your local parks or make a trip to see something new. It will be a trip your children will never forget.

We are lucky to live near Rocky Mountain National Park where our family explores many times each year. We visited Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park about two weeks ago and have planned our annual trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park in June.

Please share your favorite National Park in the comments. Now get out there and experience it.

Children in Nature: Make it a Game

About a week ago we arrived in Moab, UT after about 7 hours in the car. The sun was setting and I had a tent to set up, a fire to build, dinner to cook, and some relaxing of my own to do. My two daughters had spent all day trying their best to be good in the car but the excitement of a 3 day camping trip was more than they could handle.

As I worked on setting up the tent and unpacking the car the girls kept asking me to do things with them. I was happy that they were excited about the trip but I just couldn't give them the attention at that moment. Just as I was about to get angry at them for not understanding the work I had to do, I stopped and helped them think of a game.

There were two large rocks side by side. I took a break from working and said, "watch this". I ran around the the two rocks making a figure 8. Then I asked the girls if they could do it faster than I did. Suddenly those two boring rocks that they hadn't noticed was now a game. They took turns running around and around the rocks seeing who could do it faster. Then they tried skipping around them. Then walking backwards, galloping, scissor steps, baby steps, and walking with waggling their arms.

Soon the tent was up, the car was unpacked, and the fire was burning. The games expanded and changed each night but a quick minute of my time was enough to get their imaginations started and the games never stopped.

Guest Post: Nature journaling

Today we welcome a guest post from Melyna Harrison of Your Wild Child and Outdoor Baby Network.

To Thoreau’s eye a meadow was more then just undifferentiated green space, more than the green blur my college plant taxonomy professor tried to clear up for us. It was specific plants and creatures whose forms, colors and habits he knew well.

Almost all great naturalists, writers and artists were most certainly journal keepers. Journals develop an observant eye and acute senses. Journals help deepen perception and focus attention. Journaling reminds us that we all lead lives worthy of observation.

One thing I like to put in every journal is an observation log. Repeatedly collecting data at the same place provides a wealth of information to be used later on. The Observation Log does just that—it forces observation. Children begin to notice day-to-day or week-to-week changes. They can graph temperatures for a given month or year or average precipitation. Children can compare and contrast cloud cover at different times of day and look for correlations. The possibilities are endless and depend only on your creativity.

An observation log might look something like this:

OBSERVATION LOG
Place- Yellowstone National Park
Date- December 22, 2010
Time- 4:35 pm
Temperature- 5 F
Wind- Light, wispy breeze from west
Cloud Cover- Almost 100%, thin, low clouds
Precipitation- Very light snow, medium-sized flakes
What do you notice about this place?- Snow piling on the back of bison as they push the snow
with their massive heads looking for vegetation.

For the "What do you notice about this place?" question, Encourage kids to use descriptive words and to notice details. They don’t have to capture everything, but they should capture a of couple things well. Since this is a place they will be returning to, they should look for new details each time.
You can modify the categories, help younger children write the words down, or suggest they draw pictures. Nature journals are extremely adaptable.


Melynda Harrison is mom to two wild boys (ages 2.5 and 4), a writer, naturalist and ridiculously enthusiastic about playing outside with her family. She writes about connecting kids and nature at Your Wild Child and Outdoor Baby Network .

Connecting Kids with Nature: Plant a Garden

One easy way to show children the wonderful powers of nature is to plant a backyard garden or to become active with a community garden. I think it is very important for kids to understand where food comes from. Many children these days think food just comes from the supermarket; all prepackaged and covered in corn syrup.

Growing food in your back yard is healthy, saves some money on the grocery bill, allows you time to spend time together as a family, and teaches kids how plants grow. Nothing makes me happier than to see my kids picking carrots out of the garden and taking a bite. My oldest daughter even sneaks tomatoes out of the garden and eats them like an apple.

The entire gardening process is a valuable lesson for children. My kids love helping dad prepare the soil, plant seeds, water the garden, pull weeds, and of course they love harvesting. They can also get involved in composting and seed collecting. Starting a garden in the spring is a great way to commit to teaching your kids about nature all summer long. The lessons your child will learn about growing food will affect your child for their entire lifetime.

I have talked about my favorite childhood memories and backyard gardening with my parents is definitely something I'll never forget. So if you already garden make sure to think of ways the kids can help out this year or if you don't garden why not start a small garden this year. If space is an issue start with one tomato plant in a planter on the patio.

Keeping Kids Engaged With Nature: A Final Destination

I personally love to go for super long hikes sometimes all day long. I have climbed many of the Colorado 14ers, some 13ers, and lots of peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park. When I first started trying to get my kids out into nature I started with really short nature walks. I figured this was all they could handle and it was just nice to be outside. So we would go to a familiar trail head walk out as far as we could then when the whining started we'd turn around and go back to the car.

This accomplished the goal of getting the kids outside but never really got them engaged in the hike itself. I realized that my personal love of hiking is all about the destination. While I like short walks in the woods it is getting to a destination that really inspires me. It is far more exciting to climb to a summit of a mountain, hike to a waterfall, or arrive at a unique rock outcropping than to just walk into the woods and the return the same way.

I have found the children really respond to a hike to a destination much better than just a hike. You can use it as a motivator to keep going. When the kids start to complain it is easy to get them back on track if you can say, "We are almost there".

Some of our favorite family hikes include a short walk to a Keyhole in a series of rocks called the devils backbone, a small rock cabin and overlook, an old cabin at bobcat ridge, waterfalls, or even a hike around a lake. Starting out with the goal of reaching something exciting always leads to a more successful hike.

Animal Tracks

One conversation that I use a lot with my own kids to keep them excited about a hike is to talk about the animals. My daughters love to think about what animals we might see, what signs we might find of animals, and what animals might we hear.

It seems strange to me that every child knows what an elephant, tiger, and lion look like but they don't know the difference between a fox and a coyote. Television and books are quick to point out exotic animals and the sounds they make but our children don't know anything about the animals that live all around them.

How to have fun with talking about animals:

• What might we see today?
  
• Where do they sleep?
  
• What do they eat?
  
• Identify animal tracks
  
• Identify animal scat
  
• What animals eat other animals? How do animals protect themselves?
  
• What animals hibernate in the winter
  
• Do the animals come from an egg or live birth?
  
• How do they use camouflage to blend in with their surroundings
  
• Do they migrate? Why do birds fly south in the winter?
  
• Are they scared of us or should we be scared of them?
  
• Do they live in large groups (herds) or live alone?
  
• If you find a hole in the ground guess what animals live in there.
  
• Stop and watch an ant hill. What are they doing? Where are they going?
  
• Find a feather. Who does it belong to?
  
• Find bones, skulls, fur. Who does it belong to? What probably happened?
  
• Discuss the food chain.
  
• How does everything in nature fit together? (ex. Bees pollinate flowers)

These are just a few examples of conversations to start with your children. Their imagination and questions will follow and before you know it you've got a full hike in. Remember, be sensitive with children about animals that may scare them. I'm careful with my children about Bears and Mountain Lions. You don't want to scare them into wanting to go back to the car.

Don't be afraid to tell your children that you don't know an answer to their question. When you get home look it up online. There is nothing better than learning about nature together.

What other animal conversations could you start with a child?

A Great Day in Nature: Follow Your Child's Lead

This weekend we were planning on a quiet day around the house. My girls were playing with a couple girls from the neighborhood when they came running into my office screaming, "Daddy, Daddy, can we have a picnic at the park?"

I wanted to get out and enjoy the nice weather but I wasn't quite prepared for a picnic. I thought I gave some general answer like most parents do just to put them off a bit. Something like, "Maybe later." The girls went in the kitchen made peanut butter sandwiches for all the kids, grabbed some strawberries, and found some girl scout cookies.

I was shocked to walk into the kitchen to see 4 girls holding a bag full of their packed lunch, a blanket, and a plastic ball and bat. They all had sunglasses on and were ready to go. Who was I to hold them back from their day in the sun. I grabbed the dog and followed the girls to the park.

I spend a lot of time planning hikes, snowshoes, camping trips, and other outdoor activities. I carefully assess the weather and pick the best trails and open spaces depending on the conditions. But I must say, it was a blast to just go along for the ride. The kids made the plan, picked the activity, picked the destination, and led the way.

I quietly sat in the grass as the girls played on the playground, ran around playing a 'dolphin tag' game, played Simon Says, ate a picnic lunch, and laughed till it hurt. When they were ready to go home I followed them back.

This was one of the most fun days we've had in a while. All I did was stay out of the way. I learned that sometimes you just have to let the kids take charge. If I had said we are going to the park for a picnic they probably would have moaned and said they didn't want to go. But when it is their idea it is all smiles and good times.

Ideas for Keeping Kids Excited about a Day Outside: Bring a Friend

The best way to get a child excited about doing something in nature is to bring a friend. This is also the best way to prolong a day in the wilderness. One child or even a child with their sibling is much more apt to whine and want to go home than a child with a good friend.

Just like an adult brainstorming exercise, a group of people together can come up with much greater ideas than one person can on their own. Ideas seem to run wild and children take one idea and build upon it until soon they've spent ours playing in nature and still aren't ready to go home.

This past weekend our family of 4 met another family of 4 at Rocky Mountain National Park for an afternoon of snowshoeing. We all had a blast and heard much less complaining about the cold from the kids than if we had gone alone.

There are times when it is great to spend time alone in nature with your kids but it is also very important for your child to share the experience with other children. Sharing your favorite natural places with your friends also helps other get out more often. If we are going to have a real impact on the future generations we must get as many kids as possible into nature. So the next time you head out, grab the neighbor kid or invite an entire family to join you.

Winter Warm Up

Here in Northern Colorado we have had a very nice mid winter warm up with temperatures in the 50's and 60's with sunny days. The snow seems to disappear so quickly but this leads to yet another fun outdoor activity... playing in the streams and puddles. As a parent our initial reaction is to tell the kids to stay out of the puddles or out of the street but there is actually a lot of fun a child can have if they explore these temporary streams.

There are so many discoveries to be made with these simple streams. Your child's imagination will run wild but some fun games include...

• What floats or doesn't float
• Why do some things seem to move faster than others
• If you block (or dam) a stream the water finds another way around
• Where is the water going? Where does it go after that? After that?
• Where did the water come from?
• Create splashes or ripples in ponds.
• Place rocks in a stream. How does it affect the flow (rapids)
• Do rocks look different or change color when they are wet?
• Step in the water then walk on dry pavement to make footsteps. Compare sizes of footprints.

There is an entire afternoon of fun and discovery flowing right by your house. Don't be afraid to play in the water and see what your children will come up with.

"Every stone we lay effects the course of the river" ~ Nat Keefe

Stay Warm

Obviously in cold weather we tend to spend more time inside where we are comfortable and warm but adults and children need to continue getting fresh air, exercise, and connected to nature even through the winter months.

If you bundle up with plenty of layers you can have some fun times outside in the snow before you have to go inside and warm up. My kids love running around the house in summer dresses and bare feet all winter long but they know that when we go outside it takes layers of clothing to have a good time. Here are some suggestions on necessities for keeping little ones warm:

Good Base Layers. Depending on the temperature you can go from just pants and a long sleeve to long underwear, pants, and long sleeve shirt plus an additional sweatshirt. The key is to know how cold it is outside but remember it is always easy to take a layer off but much more difficult to add a layer once you've left the house.

Water Proof Jacket and Snow Pants. If you are out in snow the kids are going to be in it. They will be covered in snow and need to stay dry. Water resistant pants may work but for wet snow or prolonged times in snow it is necessary to have water proof clothing such as Gore-Tex.

Warm Hat and Gloves. Yep. Just like mom used to say, "You lose heat from your head". It is important to keep the little ones ears warm as they tend to be one of the first things to really get cold. Water proof gloves are very important too. Cotton or wool gloves may work on a warmer day but water proof is a necessity if the kids are going to play in snow. Nothing will make them want to go inside quicker than cold fingers.

Warm Socks and Boots. We've got to keep those toes warm. A good wool sock will keep toes warm and dry much longer that a cotton sock and obviously a waterproof boot will keep your kids feet dry and warm.

If you take the time and spend the money on quality outdoor gear you and your kids will have a lot more fun and will be able to spend more time playing in nature.

Winter Fun

A massive winter storm has blanketed the country with deep snow and freezing temperatures. Many people have settled inside with the television or a book to sit by the fire. But what about those wild kids and their high energy. Children need to burn energy whether it is warm or cold outside. It doesn't take a lot of time to get some fresh air and burn some energy. You probably wouldn't want to spend all day outside but if you bundle up with hats and gloves you can make a stroll around the block enjoyable. The promise of hot cocoa usually keeps my kids walking.

The truth is there is some much to do in the winter. Just playing in a back yard leads to snow angels, snowball fights, icicle eating, snow fort building and so much more. My kids even like helping shovel the driveway which is always a big help.

Don't forget sledding, skiing, and ice skating for winter sports too. Once you get started everyone will have so much fun that they won't want to stop.

I took my 6 year old daught ice skating at a local outdoor mall a few weeks ago and we skated for 3 hours. She didn't want to stop. She just wanted to go around and around. It was special time for her and her dad to do something together.

So think outside the house and get your family outside this weekend.

Things to try:

1. Make snow angels
2. Follow animal tracks in the snow
3. Make a snow fort
4. Have a snowball fight
5. Make a snow man
6. Go ice skating
7. Go snowshoeing
8. Go sledding
9. Take a winter walk in your neighborhood
10. Put food coloring and water in a spray bottle and make designs in the snow

Feel free to add any other winter outdoor activities in the comments.

The Wonder of Wild Animals

First of all, I am not a fan of zoos. I hate the idea of humans taking wild animals out of their natural environments to put them in cages where we line up to look at them. Having said that, it is pretty amazing to have the opportunity to see animals from all over the world and share that experience with our children.

This weekend we were just taking it easy without any real plans. I thought I might take the kids on a short hike outside of town but I learned through the magic of Facebook that the Denver Zoo was having a buy one get one free day and how could we pass up this opportunity to get outside, see all types of animals, and learn a little bit about the natural world.

I definitely prefer a day out away from crowds where you might catch a glimpse of some deer, elk, a fox, or some squirrels but it is hard to beat the amazement that children experience when they see a giraffe, an elephant, or a monkey.

My favorites are definitely the large felines but the girls love giraffes and turtles. In the end we spent a couple of hours walking around in fresh air, we experienced these amazing animals up close, and we enjoyed a day together as a family.

Don't forget to check out your local zoo for a great learning experience and a great day outside. If you are near Denver, CO the Denver Zoo has some Free Days coming up on Sunday February 6th and Saturday February 19th.

Just Get Out!

While I am a huge supporter of submerging a child in nature by going for a nice hike, snowshoe, or weekend camping trip, sometimes the schedule of daily life just doesn't allow for it. You can still get your children outside for some fresh air, exercise, and some discovery.

Yesterday I had about 30 minuets between errands that I was running with my daughter. We made a quick stop at a local playground where she enjoyed the swings, slide, and playground equipment but also she felt the warm sun on her skin, breathed some fresh air, examined some native plants, and imagined shapes out of the clouds. 29 minutes later we were in the car rushing to the next appointment but taking the time out of our day allowed her to really have a few moments of joy.

No matter where you live there is probably a playground nearby. Even the largest cities have there little places for discovery.

A few months ago we visited Austin, Texas. We were doing some things downtown and the kids were losing interest fast. We discovered a small play structure on the second level of the Whole Foods headquarters building. We sat in the shade and listened to our children laugh and play right in the middle of this city.

So when you are rushing around about your daily life be sure to stop and find even a few moments for playing outside. And be sure to ask around. You never know when you will find a hidden gem like the Park above Whole Foods in Austin, Tx.

Ideas for keeping kids excited about a day in nature

Sometimes parent need to have a few tricks up their sleeves to keep kids engaged in nature. While most children have fun exploring the outdoors they do lose interest and get tired of hiking. One thing that we do in my own family is to give the kids each a nature journal.

In the car on the way to the trail head the kids can have a small journal or notebook and a pen. We often ask the kids to draw pictures of what they hope to see out on the trail today. My girls usually draw giant trees, rivers, birds, and deer or sometimes they draw the things they hope not to see such as bears and snakes.

Once we are out on the trail the girls keep their journal and pen easily accessible in their own backpack. Whenever they complain about being bored or tired we ask them if they have found anything they would like to draw in their notebook. Every once in a while we will take a break to write or draw in our journals.

The nature notebooks not only give the kids an activity to keep them motivated but it also allows them to create memories of the things they find in nature without taking the natural object home. We have traced leaves and rocks then left them in nature for others to enjoy. This matches the Leave No Trace ethics which I think is very valuable for kids to learn and understand.

At the end of the day your child has had a great hike, learned about new things, created memories, developed their art skills, and has created a special journal of their own. Chances are your child will have had so much fun that they may ask when they get to go hiking again.

Outdoor Education Series: Local Geology

Here in Loveland, CO we are lucky to have Big Thompson Elementary School of Nature & Science for our elementary aged children. We also have Rocky Mountain National Park just up the road. These two amazing resources have partnered together for an education series perfect for the whole family.

This past weekend we met up with over 60 other kids and family members to learn about the rocks and land formations in our area as presented by a ranger from Rocky Mountain National Park.

This particular January Saturday morning was cold and cloudy but not brutally cold. A large group of families gathered in the 4 Acre Outdoor Education Center of Big Thompson Elementary where we were surrounded by hills, rock outcroppings, and massive rock ridges. We all learned about sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Then the children played a fun outdoor game about rocks.

We then took a very short hike up the road to take a closer examination of the types of rocks in our own area. This was an amazing way to spend a Saturday morning as a family. We learned new things which led to new discussions, spent some time with other people in our community who also have a love for our local geology, and of course the kids laughed and played.

If you are in Northern Colorado be sure to join us April 23, 2011 for a similar experience which will focus on the birds in our area. If you live somewhere else inquire with local State and National Parks or other nature programs for what outdoor children education programs may be available.