Stargazing is a great experience to share with your kids. Plus, it gets you outside. photo source: Martin Pettitt I was about fourteen when Halley’s Comet was visible. I remember driving out into the boondocks with family friends to get away from the city lights and hopefully spot it. I don’t think I really knew […]
Get Out: Watch the Sunset
Making an effort to watch the sunset is a simple way to get outdoors and take a deep breath. When was the last time that you watched the sun sink below the horizon? It’s breathtaking. It’s often a slow, steady occurrence, but it’s one worth waiting for. I have precious memories of watching the sunset […]
Get Out: Splash in the Puddles & Play in the Rain
Rainy day? No problem. Let the kids play in the rain and splash in the puddles. I clearly remember the day I snapped this picture. My eldest two sons were 2 and 5. These had such a blast playing in the rain and subsequent mud. They were a mess when all was said and done. […]
Get Out: Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt in nature is a great way to get kids outdoors and more in tune with their surroundings. I remember junior high scavenger hunts. We usually had a list of stuff to go up and down the neighborhood, asking folks to let us have or borrow. It was more than a little awkward. […]
Get Out: Go Swimming
Swimming is a fantastic way to get you and your family outside and into the fresh air. Growing up it Southern California, I knew plenty of kids with pools in their back yards. Ours was one of the few that didn’t. It had a broken down above-ground pool that eventually bit the dust. So, we […]
Get Out: Where’s the Water?
Find the water nearby and go splash. Or at least look at it. Hopefully, by now it’s starting to warm up where you live. Regardless, visiting the nearest body of water to splash or just gaze at it is a great way to get out doors. Throw some pebbles, play Pooh Sticks, whatever. Water is […]
Get Out: Climb a Tree
Tree climbing is an activity almost as old as the sun. It provides a great view and plenty of fresh air and sunshine. Whether it’s an ornate treehouse in the backyard or a small tree at the park, sitting aloft in its branches is a perfect way to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine and […]
Get Out: Play Hopscotch
Hopscotch will get you exercise and get you OUT. Gramma Ruthie was a school teacher. In her later years of teaching, she put together a hopscotch booklet for her students and gifted it to them at the end of the year with a package of sidewalk chalk. She gave us a copy. I’ve searched high […]
