Cyber Monday for the Outdoor Family
Did you head back to work this week and take advantage of your break (shhh- we won't tell) to hunt online for a few fun outdoor items for the little kids, grown kids or grand-kids in your life? Cyber Monday is the growing tradition of using time during the work day to look for items from your Christmas and holiday lists.
However, for those of us who are looking for outdoors items the idea of finding items quickly is an intimidating task. Maybe you know that your daughter needs new hiking shoes
, but are reluctant to give this item as a present because you are worried that it will be met with an eye roll, there are many quality options that will no doubt elicit a much more enthusiastic response. I thought that I would share with you a few of the things that we are excited to get our son this year. At 3 1/2 I feel like he is finally at an age where so many of these things will make sense to him conceptually, and where his muscle development will allow these to be used.
One item that has been high on our wish list for this year is some kids snowshoes
for my son. My husband and I got some a few winters before Noah came along, and we feel like he is finally old enough to have a pair of his own. We're planning on also getting him a pair of gaiters
to go with them, which will also hopefully ease the bane of my winter Mommie-life of every pair of pants soaking up the muddy winter slush up to mid-calf every day. I am so excited to take him out on the trails and watch him stumble around with us. We have also tried to pull him in a sled behind us, but this has met with mixed results as he wants to get out of it all of the time.
Another item that we can't wait to play with both inside and as we explore outside is a good pair of walkie talkies
. I adored these things when I was growing up (my dad was a firefighter so once in a while we got to use the really high quality ones and listen in to police chatter as well). And yes, I know that soon enough he will be using cell phones, but there is something so fun about playing a game of "Come Find Me" in the woods with a radio to describe where you are hiding. I'm not sure if these are exactly what we will be buying, but I have already pinpointed that we want ones that are strong, waterproof and that can be recharged easily. There are already too many used AAs in my house that I need to take to be recycled.
For some reason my son is obsessed with learning to tell time (while pooping in the potty today was an entirely different story) and wants a watch
of his own. And, he insists that it be green. He also wants a yellow belt, and I think that the combination will be quite a dapper sight. :) I, meanwhile have been looking for a green watch that is water resistant, which has ended up a surprisingly difficult task. I was so happy to find a couple
that look like they will hold up to the wear and tear of a little boy.
He is a funny little guy, my son. He asked us recently for a snow plow for the front of his tricycle due to his fascination with trains with snowplows on the front of them, and after the recent first real snow falling. It is also funny that we are realizing that this could be the first stretch of time that he remembers into his adult years and we are doing our best to make this foundation one of health and fun and love.
However, for those of us who are looking for outdoors items the idea of finding items quickly is an intimidating task. Maybe you know that your daughter needs new hiking shoes
, but are reluctant to give this item as a present because you are worried that it will be met with an eye roll, there are many quality options that will no doubt elicit a much more enthusiastic response. I thought that I would share with you a few of the things that we are excited to get our son this year. At 3 1/2 I feel like he is finally at an age where so many of these things will make sense to him conceptually, and where his muscle development will allow these to be used. One item that has been high on our wish list for this year is some kids snowshoes
for my son. My husband and I got some a few winters before Noah came along, and we feel like he is finally old enough to have a pair of his own. We're planning on also getting him a pair of gaiters to go with them, which will also hopefully ease the bane of my winter Mommie-life of every pair of pants soaking up the muddy winter slush up to mid-calf every day. I am so excited to take him out on the trails and watch him stumble around with us. We have also tried to pull him in a sled behind us, but this has met with mixed results as he wants to get out of it all of the time. Another item that we can't wait to play with both inside and as we explore outside is a good pair of walkie talkies
. I adored these things when I was growing up (my dad was a firefighter so once in a while we got to use the really high quality ones and listen in to police chatter as well). And yes, I know that soon enough he will be using cell phones, but there is something so fun about playing a game of "Come Find Me" in the woods with a radio to describe where you are hiding. I'm not sure if these are exactly what we will be buying, but I have already pinpointed that we want ones that are strong, waterproof and that can be recharged easily. There are already too many used AAs in my house that I need to take to be recycled.For some reason my son is obsessed with learning to tell time (while pooping in the potty today was an entirely different story) and wants a watch of his own. And, he insists that it be green. He also wants a yellow belt, and I think that the combination will be quite a dapper sight. :) I, meanwhile have been looking for a green watch that is water resistant, which has ended up a surprisingly difficult task. I was so happy to find a couple that look like they will hold up to the wear and tear of a little boy. He is a funny little guy, my son. He asked us recently for a snow plow for the front of his tricycle due to his fascination with trains with snowplows on the front of them, and after the recent first real snow falling. It is also funny that we are realizing that this could be the first stretch of time that he remembers into his adult years and we are doing our best to make this foundation one of health and fun and love.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Black Friday and Outdoor Gifts
Black Friday morning, and in some cases Thanksgiving night will find many people fighting off their Turkey coma and heading out to the stores in search of a holiday deal that their kids will love. Typically Black Friday sales take the shape of an electronic gadget or a plastic toy that will be oohed and ahhed over for a few minutes, mainly while seated or laying down, and then forgotten in a drawer. Or even worse, the item requires additional purchases to make it work in the way that it is portrayed in a commercial, or to store the 1,000s of little pieces that come with it. Only very rarely are these items a toy that will involve large motor play, or that will get kids outside and into the open air.
I admit, we do have a house full of toys-- with my son being the only grandchild on my folks side and a portion of my husband's position in sales comprised with selling toys we do tend to accumulate more clutter than I would like. However, we have made a conscious choice to limit Noah's toy consumption and to select toys that leave options for open ended play available for him. Mommie and Dada also try to restrict purchasing items labelled with cartoon characters (a rule which we ourselves and many grandparents have broken.)
How do we as parents fight this? It seems like every year the sale creeps earlier and earlier, and even now people are lined up to get I know not what at stores around my neighborhood. As this holiday season begins I don't have an answer for you on how to handle your child's gift giving, but over the next few days I will be offering a few of the insights I have learned, as well as a few picks of my personal favorite possible Christmas presents for your kids that will encourage their imagination, as well as encourage them to participate in active play.
I admit, we do have a house full of toys-- with my son being the only grandchild on my folks side and a portion of my husband's position in sales comprised with selling toys we do tend to accumulate more clutter than I would like. However, we have made a conscious choice to limit Noah's toy consumption and to select toys that leave options for open ended play available for him. Mommie and Dada also try to restrict purchasing items labelled with cartoon characters (a rule which we ourselves and many grandparents have broken.)
How do we as parents fight this? It seems like every year the sale creeps earlier and earlier, and even now people are lined up to get I know not what at stores around my neighborhood. As this holiday season begins I don't have an answer for you on how to handle your child's gift giving, but over the next few days I will be offering a few of the insights I have learned, as well as a few picks of my personal favorite possible Christmas presents for your kids that will encourage their imagination, as well as encourage them to participate in active play.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Top 5: Forgotten Supplies for a Hike with Your Kids
1. Food and Water: Even if you think this hike will take only an hour or so and they just ate, kids can be as unpredictable as the weather. You do not want to be stuck hunkered down waiting out a rainstorm or re-tracing the path toward the trail you missed and have a hungry or "so firsty" little guy or girl on your hands who is also exhausted from hiking, and consequently a bit more emotional than usual.
2. Plastic baggies: Perfect for carrying new collections of pebbles from the ground or for carrying the wet clothes of a potty training oops (going potty on the toilet and going potty in a bush are two different things and sometimes that can make my own little one a bit nervous).
3. First Aid Kit: This one is pretty self explanatory. From blisters to splinters, all sorts of small boo-boos need regular attention on a hike with your kids. Hurt feet from blisters or other maladies can quickly turn a fun day into a painful experience, which brings me to:
4. A Good Pair of Shoes: Because our grown-up feet are on our own body, we know the importance of good footwear, but it can be easy to forget that your little one's tootsies need pampering too.
5. Baby Wipes: Even with older kids there is always a job to be done for these handy little wipes. Cleaning shoes or hands covered in mud, or simply wiping away sweat after a long day are just a couple of the uses of these little babies.
Stay tuned for other top 5 lists. Did I forget anything on this one?
2. Plastic baggies: Perfect for carrying new collections of pebbles from the ground or for carrying the wet clothes of a potty training oops (going potty on the toilet and going potty in a bush are two different things and sometimes that can make my own little one a bit nervous).
3. First Aid Kit: This one is pretty self explanatory. From blisters to splinters, all sorts of small boo-boos need regular attention on a hike with your kids. Hurt feet from blisters or other maladies can quickly turn a fun day into a painful experience, which brings me to:
4. A Good Pair of Shoes: Because our grown-up feet are on our own body, we know the importance of good footwear, but it can be easy to forget that your little one's tootsies need pampering too.
5. Baby Wipes: Even with older kids there is always a job to be done for these handy little wipes. Cleaning shoes or hands covered in mud, or simply wiping away sweat after a long day are just a couple of the uses of these little babies.
Stay tuned for other top 5 lists. Did I forget anything on this one?
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Nature Talks with your Kids: Seasonal Change
So, what season is it exactly now? Here in MN if you went by the weather, you could guess spring during a week of mid-50s and even 60 degree weather where kids are biking when they would usually be able to throw rocks into the early morning ice that has formed on ponds. Chronologically it is fall, but an iced tea sounds better to drink than hot cocoa.
Officially winter starts on December 21 and the Winter Solstice,but for much of the US the season has already seemed winter for far longer than that. Snow will blanket the ground and with plans of Christmas a few days later, most kids would have a hard time calling December 20th Autumn.
This change of season is a wonderful opportunity to speak to your kids about the concept of seasonal change and the process of the earth turning from summer to autumn to winter and what they can notice in the natural world around them.
If you are talking a walk with your children there are certain obvious changes that you can see-- the leaves changing color and dropping to the ground and the air feeling cooler. If you are playing in the park you can look at the flower beds that were once full of colorful blooms, but now are empty or full of withered stems. Another interesting change is the absence of bugs that your little ones were earlier able to catch
and study. To where have they disappeared? One of my favorite finds has been the wonderful "My Weather Station" freebie from Mr. Printables. This wonderful little weather station allows kids to track the daily weather in their area and is free to download, as is the site's other digital freebies, like their collection of Earth flashcards, that feature some weather and climate elements.
With older children, or for those smaller ones that love to talk (this might be all little ones) this idea can be taken a bit farther. As parents and caregivers we can guide our children into further looking around to notice other differences. Are the birds and other animals in your area behaving the same, and are these even the same animals that were here in the warmer months? The concept of migration is just one of many ideas that these talks can prompt.
So, when does Winter begin to you? Is it a date, an event like the first snowfall? Or is it tied to some personal life event?
Officially winter starts on December 21 and the Winter Solstice,but for much of the US the season has already seemed winter for far longer than that. Snow will blanket the ground and with plans of Christmas a few days later, most kids would have a hard time calling December 20th Autumn.
This change of season is a wonderful opportunity to speak to your kids about the concept of seasonal change and the process of the earth turning from summer to autumn to winter and what they can notice in the natural world around them.
If you are talking a walk with your children there are certain obvious changes that you can see-- the leaves changing color and dropping to the ground and the air feeling cooler. If you are playing in the park you can look at the flower beds that were once full of colorful blooms, but now are empty or full of withered stems. Another interesting change is the absence of bugs that your little ones were earlier able to catch
and study. To where have they disappeared? One of my favorite finds has been the wonderful "My Weather Station" freebie from Mr. Printables. This wonderful little weather station allows kids to track the daily weather in their area and is free to download, as is the site's other digital freebies, like their collection of Earth flashcards, that feature some weather and climate elements.With older children, or for those smaller ones that love to talk (this might be all little ones) this idea can be taken a bit farther. As parents and caregivers we can guide our children into further looking around to notice other differences. Are the birds and other animals in your area behaving the same, and are these even the same animals that were here in the warmer months? The concept of migration is just one of many ideas that these talks can prompt.
So, when does Winter begin to you? Is it a date, an event like the first snowfall? Or is it tied to some personal life event?
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Pinterest and the Outdoors Family
I know-- Pinterest has the reputation for being one of the things that keeps us from the outdoors-- and it is a temptation and a time waste that can result in too many lost hours looking at clothes, home decor and recipes that we will never cook, but when used properly, it can be helpful for planning activities with our kids that are much less wired in than sitting at a computer.
One of the greatest ways that I have used Pinterest has been through the discovery of nature journaling. While this activity is one that I would do alone because my son is too young to do this much, although he will draw while we are outside. It is a peaceful way to sit and absorb the natural world around as we take a break from hiking or merely sit in our backyard, and in my former far off life as a preschool teacher I was always amazed at what kids would notice and select to chronicle through their pictures, even at a young age.
Another great way to use Pinterest is to use specific search terms when you are looking for information on a topic or for a specific product. For me, there is something about seeing the photos associated with each of the Pins and the comments of other readers about the pins. I love that the variety of topics being pinned is expanding in such a wonderful way. I recently created an Outside board which is filled with ideas for experiencing the outdoors with your kids, and all of the pins contained in it have been found through simply searching for "outdoors kids" or other similar search terms. One of my favorite items that is popping up is books that Noah can use to enhance his experience in nature. I have also noticed a change in that if I am looking for an idea for my son or for a family project that I now turn to that site to look first, rather than wading through the countless results on Google.
Do you use Pinterest? Be sure to look me up, and share your own ideas for engaging your kids outside. It is only by sharing more ideas and then actually taking them from screen to the yard or trail that we can create a future healthier and happier generation of our kids.
One of the greatest ways that I have used Pinterest has been through the discovery of nature journaling. While this activity is one that I would do alone because my son is too young to do this much, although he will draw while we are outside. It is a peaceful way to sit and absorb the natural world around as we take a break from hiking or merely sit in our backyard, and in my former far off life as a preschool teacher I was always amazed at what kids would notice and select to chronicle through their pictures, even at a young age.
Another great way to use Pinterest is to use specific search terms when you are looking for information on a topic or for a specific product. For me, there is something about seeing the photos associated with each of the Pins and the comments of other readers about the pins. I love that the variety of topics being pinned is expanding in such a wonderful way. I recently created an Outside board which is filled with ideas for experiencing the outdoors with your kids, and all of the pins contained in it have been found through simply searching for "outdoors kids" or other similar search terms. One of my favorite items that is popping up is books that Noah can use to enhance his experience in nature. I have also noticed a change in that if I am looking for an idea for my son or for a family project that I now turn to that site to look first, rather than wading through the countless results on Google.Do you use Pinterest? Be sure to look me up, and share your own ideas for engaging your kids outside. It is only by sharing more ideas and then actually taking them from screen to the yard or trail that we can create a future healthier and happier generation of our kids.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Loose Parts in the Small Back Yard
In communities like mine the housing trend of a larger home with a small back yard makes sense-- this is MN after all. It doesn't make much sense to have a pool in every yard and sacrifice square footage, but I have sometimes found myself at a loss for yard ideas that incorporate natural, outside play into our fun in our tiny yard space.
As in many townhome and condo communities, there are strict rules governing what may and may not be in the back yards, and things such as play sets and other kids toys are high on the list of prohibited items. Also under scrutiny more than homes with high privacy fences are
One of the easiest ways to use natural materials in small backyard play is by integrating items that are already in use, such as landscape materials. Some woodchips and wood products may have splinters, so it is best to stick with materials such as rocks and soft bedding materials. Rocks are great for counting, sorting, color differentiation, building and sharing.
If your back yard is smaller, it may also be difficult to spare the space for a sandbox or other play storage. One wonderful idea that I recently found was Prudent Baby's use of a holiday wreath plastic storage box as a small sandbox. I love the thrifty price-- just $10, and the ability to move and store the box out of sight. I have seen a similar thing done with an underbed storage box for the storage of toys and collections of natural materials on a deck or patio. The wheeled version can be easily slid under a table or even into a garage and taken out for quick natural play.
Even if you do not have trees aplenty or a large play structure in your yard, there are still ways that you can integrate balance and large muscle activities in free play. In our back yard, the previous occupants had left several small boards, but this activity can be easily done using short sticks or even a line drawn on a patio with a soft chalky rock. These small pieces of wood can be used for stacking, crossing a "moat," or simply practicing balancing. Since these pieces are so much smaller and more mobile than a large playset, they offer more opportunities for creative play than playgrounds where play is scripted and less is left for your little ones fertile minds.
As in many townhome and condo communities, there are strict rules governing what may and may not be in the back yards, and things such as play sets and other kids toys are high on the list of prohibited items. Also under scrutiny more than homes with high privacy fences are
One of the easiest ways to use natural materials in small backyard play is by integrating items that are already in use, such as landscape materials. Some woodchips and wood products may have splinters, so it is best to stick with materials such as rocks and soft bedding materials. Rocks are great for counting, sorting, color differentiation, building and sharing.
Even if you do not have trees aplenty or a large play structure in your yard, there are still ways that you can integrate balance and large muscle activities in free play. In our back yard, the previous occupants had left several small boards, but this activity can be easily done using short sticks or even a line drawn on a patio with a soft chalky rock. These small pieces of wood can be used for stacking, crossing a "moat," or simply practicing balancing. Since these pieces are so much smaller and more mobile than a large playset, they offer more opportunities for creative play than playgrounds where play is scripted and less is left for your little ones fertile minds.
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