Teach Your Kids To View Nature As Their Playground — They'll Thank You Later

Once we started having the conversation about having kids, it was really important that we embraced being outside. We weren't going to stop that part of our lives just because we had kids. And it was, too, a conscious choice: What we know, and what we just experience in our own lives, it's hugely beneficial to spend time in nature—so that was part of it, too.

Nature does help bring this out, too. When you are at a playground, and they have it set up like a castle or boat, sometimes it's hard to imagine outside of that boat. You can still do imagination play, but you're always going to be on a boat. But when you are out in nature, it is endless to what you can imagine.

But for us, it is just going to be what we are going to do. So we just do it, and you get used to it as a parent. You get your systems dialed, you understand what clothes are appropriate for what temperatures, what sort of things you need to pack, and that all makes it easier.

Of course there are times you need to call it quits. And every parent knows their kid pretty well: You know the point that you should nudge them and the times you shouldn't. For example, where we live [in Estes Park, Colorado], we can get howling winds, and in those times it just doesn't become as fun anymore; it starts outweighing the benefits of being outdoors. Or if we're hiking, sometimes they start getting tired, which is totally understandable! (Kids are allowed to be tired or just be over it.) Or, more likely, when we run out of snacks. So you just need to pay attention and listen to them. You, as a parent, will know when you've reached a tipping point.

It takes a bit of forethought of what sort of adventure you're going on—how long it will be, how much movement—and then I pack a bit more than I think I need. Kids have these little bodies, and they are playing outside and moving, and they burn a lot of calories. Plus, food just keeps morale high. Also, you need to make sure you have good food that's not going to make them have a sugar crash. So it's things like peanut butter sandwiches, protein bars, carrots, and a bit of fruit. This all being said: We're not fully opposed to sugar. The other day we went on a climbing adventure, and we brought gummy bears. There's a time and place for it.

It can be tempting to be like, "OK, we're going to go do this now! Then onto that! C'mon, let's go!" But you need to give them breaks during to let them explore for themselves. So maybe we're hiking and we get to the trailhead, and then I take a break so they can go play for a bit. It gives them a sense of control, which I think is good. It provides the opportunity to lead the ideas and come up with activities.