"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...
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...
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...
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...
"My child plays lacrosse, basketball, volleyball and soccer" beamed a mom I recently met, "How about your kids?" she asked, curiously. "We don't do team sports", I replied, feeling a bit awkward. Team sports are a fixture...
"Hell no!" I thought while looking up at Asterix Pass, a short Class 4 scramble at Smith Rock State Park that would take us to the west side of the cliffs (see pictures above). My husband climbed up to take a closer look....
Winter is a time for sledding, skating, skiing and snowshoeing! But what about hiking? Hiking might not be the first activity that comes to mind when deciding which winter activity to do with your kids, but it's actually a lot of fun to do in the winter. So from our...
Bringing the whole family downhill skiing for the first time can seem really intimidating and overwhelming. I've been there! We've recently made the switch from cross-country skiing to downhill skiing and have learned plenty of tips and tricks along the way. Some of...
Outdoor safety and survival skills are crucial for outdoor enthusiasts. But what about adventuring families? What safety and survival skills should parents and children know for exploring the great outdoors? The majority of our outdoor adventures are uneventful but we...
I believe that all people have a natural instinct to enjoy music. When a good tune is playing I notice the baby bopping and the youngins wiggling around. My children will ask me to repeat a catchy tune over and over until they can dance no more. I...
When I bring my three little children on outings I am noticing, with significant regularity, how many people ask if Monkey (4.5) is in preschool.A couple weeks ago, when school started, I contacted the local French preschool program, twice, and I sent an email, but I...
We have been to the U-Pick at Covert Farms almost half a dozen times in the last few weeks. More than half the trips I've braved alone with my three little children (4, 2 and 6 months). I think I'm starting to understand how to make these U-Pick trips fun (for...
Last night I finished reading Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne. Paynes explains in his book that we are raising our children in a society of "too much". Too much stuff, too many scheduled activities, and too much access to adult information...