fgoodwin 23 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 50 Ways to Get Kids Hooked on the Outdoors Feel the wind on your face, plant a garden, jump in a pile of leaves - just get outside! March 2008 By Dyanne Fry Cortez, Wendee Holtcamp and Bernadette Noll Kids don't develop a relationship with nature by watching it on the Discovery Channel. They need to feel the wind, smell leaves and wildflowers, run their fingers over rocks and make personal contact with other living things. Pristine wilderness is not required: Ask any of today's dedicated outdoorsmen, and you may find that his favorite childhood memory involves a backyard tree house or fishing in an irrigation canal. Encourage children to get outside wherever they can, as often as possible, and start building their own memories. Here are 50 [actually 48] ideas to help kids reconnect with the outdoors: Build a sand castle Walk in the rain Make mud pies Jump in a pile of leaves Look for shapes in clouds Open windows Watch fireflies Go barefoot Explore a mini-landscape Harvest fruit or nuts Have a picnic Play old-fashioned games Go swimming Go fishing Fly a kite Find art in nature Have a campfire Go camping Build a dam Attend an outdoor performance Relax in a hammock Dig a hole to China Litter scavenger hunt Sensory walk Use your inside games Make a boat Plant a little garden Go orienteering or geocaching Cook outside Use a pocketknife Target practice Bike course Sidewalk games Make a whistle from a blade of grass Build a fort or treehouse Wade in a running stream Get an early start on birdwatching Start a collection Nature treasure hunt Butterfly garden Take a hike Stargaze Engine-free travel Learn how to hunt and fish! Climb a tree Volunteer Contests! Skip stones Walking stick Go digital [excerpted; see the full article for a description of each activity, and additional resources]. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike F 10 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 fgoodwin, Excellent! Here's a suggestion for #51: Unplug the X-Box, Cable TV, and Computer. After mindlessly wandering around the house for a few days looking for electronic stimulation, they'll eventually stumble through a door, temporarily blinded by the sunlight. Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 My momma always used to say, "Go outside and blow some stink off." She didn't care what we did as long as it was on the other side of the door. We figured it out, a lot of mom's had the same idea. By the time I was scout age, it became more and more difficult to get me back in the house for supper and/or darkness. :^) Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
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