"What are you planting Mama?" asked my youngest, as he pushed a stool up to the counter and clambered up. "I'm planting tomato and pepper seeds" I replied, smiling. I've becoming firmly convinced that children can detect...
On March 22nd we celebrate World Water Day. This is a very important day where we remembers how important it is for everyone to have clean drinking water and how to take care of our water. These days everyone is talking about water: scientists, conservationists,...
What is the spring equinox? The spring equinox, also called vernal equinox, marks the moment when the sun shine directly on the equator so that there is an approximately equal amount of daylight to darkness. This astronomical moment is the first official day of...
"Mom look at me!" shouts my daughter. I turn around to find her leaping from a rock. For a moment all I see are the wet slippery rocks and cold water below her. She reaches up towards the sky with a smile stretched across her face. She makes the jump and I exhale. I...
“Maman let’s go to the beach!”, exclaims my daughter. We’ve just had breakfast and a long list of household chores is looming before me. “Pleeeeeeease”, she begs, sensing my indecision. My boys are rushing for swim suits and towels before I can think of a reply. I’m a...
How to Raise Outdoor Kids Raising kids that love spending time outside and in nature isn't an easy feat these days. With so many day-to-day commitments and distractions, time outside is no longer a priority for most families. Here in North America, children spend the...
When my firstborn came into the world I was paranoid about dirt and germs. I was the mom that sterilized everything: soothers, teethers, toys, board books... You name it and I probably sterilized it. When my baby started to move around keeping him and his environment...
Near our home there's a forest that we enjoy exploring. At the end of a ravine there lies a fallen tree. It spans across the distance of the ravine, from one end to the other. The tree is solid, but falling would hurt, a lot. Nevertheless, the challenge is there and...
A generation or two ago all parents were raising outdoor kids. Kids congregated in forests, parks, streets and backyards to play for hours on end only to be called in for supper or bed. As a child, I dreaded the inevitable supper call and would hide in my tree fort to...
There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather is written by Linda Åkeson McGurk, a Swedish-born mother of two that lives in rural Indiana, USA. In Indiana, McGurk wondered why so few children were playing in parks, walking about town or going outside in rain or snow. Looking...
Winter Carnival traces its roots to Mardi Gras—a Christian feast day before the solemn season of Lent. Over time, that one day of celebration has blossomed into days, and in some places weeks, of winter revelry. In northern climates, Mardi Gras has evolved into Winter...
1. Change Your Mindset. As soon as the temperature dips below freezing, there's a flood of snarky comments and memes online. "I hate winter", "I wasn't made for winter", "I don't do winter" and even "die die winter!" (picture: toppled snowman riddled with knives)....
Using technology as a way to help kids connect with nature might seem counterintuitive. After all, aren't we trying to get our technology-addicted kids outside to take a break from screen time? Here in Canada, children spend an...
Getting outside during the winter months can be a struggle with children. There's the initial challenge of convincing everyone that it'll be fun. Then there's the act of wrestling on everyone's winter gear while listening to the...
The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, signaling the official start of winter. It’s a time when the rhythm of nature invites us to pause, reflect, and celebrate the gradual return of the sun. This guide...
Christmas, a wonderful time of year that's filled with long lists of things to do and gifts to buy. When Christmas finally does arrive many of us are left feeling exhausted and thankful that it's finally over. Can you relate? If yes, you'll be happy to hear that...