This post was originally published as part of an ongoing series where we share ideas, big and small, for getting outside. Our first post shared a few ideas for getting outside at every energy and adventure level. Sarah followed-up with suggestions for week-day doses of outside time. We also wrote another post that suggested taking advantage of the awesome national and state park programs.

We’re republishing the post because we realize that everyone is social-isolating at home with their kids for an extended period of time. With all of those hours together, this is the perfect opportunity to create new, healthy habits. Something we’re passionate about is spending time in nature with Alex and Luc.

Have you seen the headlines?

Honestly, this shouldn’t be that hard of a task, but in the craziness that is life getting outside with kids can be hard. Here are our tips for helping to get you and your kids out the door and into nature.

Make it a Habit

Kids. They can either love change or be completely resistant. If your kids are in the latter camp, then you may have to set a daily or weekly “outside time” goal and slowly work up to that. And you may have to work on changes inside the house in order to get outside. Think about what’s locking your kids inside. Is screen time too readily available? Try to free them of those challenges.

Clothing

Dress for success. I think the Norwegians get the most credit for the saying “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” Any of us would be grumpy if we’re uncomfortable, so get the right clothes, and get outside no matter the season.

Visit Urban Parks!

Getting outside should not be hard. Hanging out in your backyard counts! There are hidden worlds to be discovered if you do a bit of exploring. Turn over a log, watch who visits the flowers, look for signs of animal visitors.

• visit a local park : simple, right? The trick is to really spend time there. Let your kids get mentally lost at the park. At first they may not know what to do, but if you give them the space and time to explore, you never know what they’ll find or what games they’ll create!
• create a park challenge : Ok, maybe you visit your local park all of the time. What about all of the other parks in your town or city?! Make a list of all of the parks, and make it a goal to visit every one over the course of a season or year.

Join a Forest School Group!

*Consider this section as suggestions for when our social isolation period ends. Hopefully  you’ll have started a good nature-habit with your kids, you may be craving community, and you can elevate your experience by joining a group.

Do you need a more formal group with a regular meeting time to keep you on track? Forest school groups may be the answer! The forest school philosophy is fairly simple : that children are natural curious, and that when left to play in natural ecosystems, they will learn a variety of personal, social, and technical skills. The schools can vary in the amount of guided lessons that are given, but in general these groups focus on child-lead learning.

• Free Forest School : It’s a nationwide nonprofit with the mission to get kids/families into nature. Find your local group (or start one!), go to their next play date, and you’ll see how easy it is to introduce your children to nature play. And we’re mentioning this program in particular because, well, it’s free!
•  sign up for a Forest School : don’t have time to attend a forest school group with your kids? Look for a forest school preschool or daycare. You drop your kids off, and they play & learn outside for hours.
• Lead your own group! : If you’re interested in the Forest School philosophy, there are a number of books out there that can help you facilitate sessions. I just picked up this one; it provides a variety of crafts and games that you can do with your kids and their friends. If you want to have a more formal reflection of the forest school approach, this is another handy resource.

Use Prompts

Do you get outside regularly, but you want to shake things up? Want to add a bit of structure to what your kids are learning? Or teach them some new skills? Use prompts!

• Pinterest : Sure it can be overwhelming, but it’s also a great resource for pooling ideas. Look for “seasonal nature crafts”, “nature activities”, or some similar search.
• Books : There are many books that have been published on this topic. We have a well-loved out-of-print book, but a quick Amazon search will give you a plethora of options. Also on that list are two decks of nature activities cards (one and two). We have both and love using them as prompts.
• Join a club! : adding the challenge of completing projects and earning badges can be a great incentive to get outside. Scouts provides this option, but there are alternatives. We love the Wild Explorers Club! It’s an online club and community. Each we we receive new assignments or challenges, and in doing them, the kids work towards real badges.

What do you think? We’d love to hear your suggestions for fun and engaging outings with kids. And if you have any questions about the ideas in this post, send us a note!

Now. Get. Out. SIDE. (said in my best mom-voice)