Preparing to Explore the Outdoors with Your Family
Taking care of your family and working have been your priority. You’ve put on hold all those outdoor activities you loved to do when you were still a bachelor, like camping, mountaineering, and trail running. Business is doing well, and with your second liners able to run the company, you can consider some time off. It’s the non-peak season, and a slab refurbishment company is coming next week to do the flooring for the warehouse in Colorado. There’s going to be minimal work. This might be the perfect time for you to do your outdoor activities. And this time around you would like to do it with your family. You’ve been out of circulation for so long, and you’re wondering how to make this activity fun for everyone.
An Overview of the Outdoors in America
The reason why you love the outdoors so much is that you’ve also been introduced to it at a very young age. And this is backed up by a 2017 report that says an estimated 37% of adults who got used to the outdoors at an early age, continues to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle even in their later years. In contrast, only 16% have slacked-off, i.e., had outdoor experiences as children but are not participating in any outdoor activities today.
You certainly do not want to be part of the 16%, and you most certainly want your children to be part of the 37%.
Getting Outside
The 2017 report further states that 55% of those participating in outdoor activities want to be with their family and friends. That reason ranks second on why people go outdoors. Here are a few more things that you should share with your family:
- Safety first. Whether you’re just going to pitch a tent in the front yard or taking a 10-mile trek into the woods, bring you’re A-game as far as safety is concerned. Make sure that you bring lotion, insect repellents, and other first aid kits. If you’re going deep into the mountains, make sure that you have all the navigation devices prepared. GPS equipment is good, but bringing a good old map and compass will not hurt, either.
- Ease your children to the idea of the outdoor. Shock and Awe is a good tag line if you’re trying to overcome the enemy in Desert Storm. You might need to ease your children into the idea of the outdoor gently. Do the small things first, and yes, that overnight camping in your front yard is a good idea. The goal is to allow them to acclimatize with the outside environment and away from the comforts of their beds and pillows.
- Make it fun. To you, it’s fun, but kids might not have the same kind of reaction, especially if they are doing it for the first time. Find ways to make the outdoor activity fun. You can do games while you’re hiking, like doing a hike-and-seek! But make sure that your kids don’t wander very far. Ask them to do a catch-and-release with dragonflies. The one with most catch wins.
- A chance to learn. Little Johnny is used to riding his bike on pavements. What about on dry or wet earth? How will he fare in that activity? Get them excited about the opportunity to learn new skills. Maybe they want to practice throwing stones and see how far it can go. It’s a chance for parents to teach new skills to their children.
Exploring the outdoors is one great way of connecting and strengthening the family bond. Continue to justify that 37%.
