Outside Every Day
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1-2-3 Go and find Easter bunnies !
I found one !
Easter bunny hunters !
Hot chocolate and snack taste so good after an Easter bunny hunt !
Bring your bike to playgroup tomorrow! We'll have some fun racing and off-roading! :)
When: Wednesdays 9am-10:30am
Where: Four Mile Creek Greenway
(Directions 1-485 to Johnston rd.
Take Johnston Rd. North
Parking is on the right after the bridge that crosses the greenway.)
A few weekends ago our family headed to the New River Gorge for some climbing and camping fun. With a driving rain Friday night and a passing thunder shower Saturday afternoon, our weekend was definitely wet - but we had a blast nonetheless! (You can read a trip report from our adventure here). My husband Steve and I have always maintained that although truly good rain gear is expensive, it only takes one or two uses per season to make it worth its weight in gold. Nothing can squash your weekend fun quite like spending the night in a puddle-filled tent with soggy underwear and pruned skin from head to toe.
- First test run with the Adventure Suit - it sure didn't slow C down any!
Last year we didn't have any rain gear for Cragbaby - he was only a few months old so when it came to outdoor adventures, he was always in someone's arms or stretched out on a blanket. We certainly encountered our fair share of rain, but it was easy enough to just zip him up, front carrier and all, right into my rain jacket along with me! Now that spring rains are here again however, and our little guy is 12 months old and on the MOVE, I don't think either of us could be confined together in a shared jacket even if we wanted to be! We figured it was time for Cragbaby to get his own rain gear just like Mommy and Daddy, so when I saw these Adventure Suits by Oaki on sale a couple of months ago, I jumped on it!
- It's also great for protecting little knees and elbows from getting scraped up during baby bouldering sessions!
We hadn't gotten a chance to use the suit until this past weekend, to be honest I was a little skeptical considering that I only paid $14 for it, but all I can say is WOW! I am SO thankful that we had it on hand. It turned what easily could have been a miserable mud-bath of a weekend into a wet and wild good time!
Here's the specs on the suit, as taken from the Oaki website:
- Fully taped seams
- Separating zipper at ankle for easy on/off
- Light weight and packable
- Polyester with waterproof coating
- Built to give kids plenty of space to move around easily
- Easy to wear hood that doesn't fall down in their eyes
- Not the most icognito color choice for a game of campsite peek-a-boo, however...
We saw two main uses for the suit, both of which we utilized this weekend.
1. Keeping Cragbaby Dry - Hopefully this was an obvious one...but we were really pleased with how it worked. The suit was easy to get on and off over C's clothes (even with shoes on), so he was dry and protected within seconds of the first drops of rain! We hiked out from the cliff base on Saturday in a torrential downpour, but when we put C in the car, he was soft, warm and dry as a bone!
- There's a whole world out there waiting to be explored!
2. Keeping Cragbaby (relatively...) Clean - Mornings around camp and at the cliff base were quite muddy and wet. Even though it wasn't raining, it would have taken C less than 5 minutes to morph into a mud monster had he been in just his his regular clothes. The suit allowed C to discover and explore to his little heart's content without us worrying about running out of clean, dry clothes before lunchtime.
I would strongly recommend this product to any parent with a little tyke that doesn't want the weather forecast dictate what kind of fun he or she has. And judging from the expressions on Cragbaby's face, I think its safe to assume that he gives it two thumbs up as well. :)
- Wet and Wild Adventures for the whole family!
Well…our kick-off gathering for Prairie Play didn’t go as I intended, but we still had a really nice time. We had a severe wind warning for the area, and the hike was cancelled after we went out there and were almost blown away. I had not been to Afton Forest Preserve since Fall, and they recently burned a good portion of the area. Not much to see now, but soon the prairie wildflowers will be plentiful.
Although we couldn’t hike and have our scavenger hunt, we decided to meet back at my house. We ended up using the time to plan future events and letting the kids play in the backyard and plant some organic peas in pots for their backyard gardens. Our next event will be in a couple weeks at Afton. Can't wait to go hiking with the kiddies!
...staying inside is boring.
Even in torrential rains (not shown in photo) and tornado alerts (three hours away in Raleigh.) the kids have spring fever and just need to be out. The pop of a brightly colored umbrella against grey skies is a welcome sight. Fresh spring moist air, not too cold either, a little snack and the perfect wagon-ride partner. Nothing is easier than throwing on a light jacket grabbing an umbrella and just opening the door and closing it behind us. The kids are free to hop in and out of the wagon, jump in some puddles, throw some stones, dig in the mud, play with some worms. Whatever their hearts desire. Nothing organized, no plan, just as it should be...free to explore, get wet, have fun or simply just "ride" it out.
Stop thinking so hard about it. It's simple. Turn off the TV, get away from your iPhone, cell phone, 'Crack'berry, laptop, desktop, DVD, Wii and whatever else you've plugged yourself and your kids into. Grab the kids and get outside. You don't even need shoes if you don't want. Really. Just get up and walk out.
Now breathe....
Don't you feel better?
Yes?
So do they...
OK everyone, what kid doesn't love farm animals and (short) road trips?! Mine love both! Let's hit the road and head to The Goat Lady Dairy!
One time a year they host a Spring Open Farm Day and we have got to be there. We're hitting the road May 1st and plan to be there at 1pm. (The open house is from 1-5pm.) There are two family farms to visit:
GOAT LADY DAIRY & RISING MEADOW FARM Sunday May 1st, 1 to 5 pm. At Goat Lady Dairy see goats and goat kids, chickens and chicks, organic gardens, cheese to taste and buy, local potters and much more. At Rising Meadow see sheep and lambs, llamas, cows, chickens and a wide variety of wool and yarn. FREE EVENT -- RAIN OR SHINE -- NO PETS PLEASE Visit www.goatladydairy.com & www.risingmeadow.com for directions.
See you there!
We love playing outside in the rain. Provided there is no lightening or any torrential downpours to threaten our safety, we welcome the chance to jump in puddles, play in mud and enjoy the wet weather.
During one particular downpour this winter, we decided to try something new: Rain art. The idea is simple: Sprinkle a few drops of food coloring on a paper plate, then gear up and head outside with plates in hand.
As the raindrops hit the plate, colors mix and swirl and a one-of-a-kind creation is born.
My oldest son (6-½) was enthralled with this one, making some 10+ different designs. He hunkered down alongside the edge of our garage by the birdbath where a steady stream of raindrops were easily accessible.
Then he began his own lesson in color mixing.
My youngest (2-½) was less enthusiastic about making rain art, but was more than willing to keep us company. After all, there were plenty of puddles nearby just calling his name.
Take-Home Tips
- Set up for success. I laid out a large towel on the floor just inside the back door so the kids could remove their wet clothes and shoes once we were done. I had extra towels handy to help them dry off and warm up.
- Frame your creations. What better way to remember how fun it is to play in the rain?
Happy exploring!
Last year I ended the playgroup that I had been coordinating in our area. I was just getting frustrated by the lack of attendance. There were a few new exciting playgroups starting up in the area for the parents with smaller children, and our veteran members were starting to move on too (preschool, park district programs, etc.). I was also feeling like it was a drag to HAVE to attend every weekly meet-up to make sure no one was left alone (of course, I was by myself a few too many times too). And the final event that made me end the Group, was when I no longer wanted to go to our local parks. One day I went to three different parks in DeKalb and they all had chemical weed application signs displayed. I didn’t want my child playing in weed killer and then potentially getting the stuff ingested. (I am trying to work with the park district in developing an “Adopt-the-Park” program to help with picking weeds, etc.)
While I love the new playgroups that started in the area, I felt that they didn’t get the kiddies outside enough. So…I have started a different kind of playgroup for young children and their parents. We are going to be doing a lot of nature-based activities. Today is our kick-off event at our local forest preserve. The wind is really kicking today in this prairie state and it is going to make it challenging to hike, but that is Mother Nature for ya.
BTW: I attached a copy of our picture based scavenger hunt that we are going to be doing today.