To Do Outdoors

It’s the first day of spring, and there’s plenty to celebrate this season! Check out the list of special days this spring, then head outside and enjoy!  March 30 is National Take a Walk in the Park day. Spend an hour enjoying a lovely stroll in your favorite park! April 5 is National Walking Day. …

What happens when a dedication to the natural world is right in your own backyard? For my family, we didn’t have to look any further than Wing Haven Garden and Bird Sanctuary in Charlotte, N.C. Education, stewardship, sharing, and opportunities for getting together as a community are steeped in Wing Haven’s roots. Back in 1927, …

For many of us, a new year means a little bit more than simply breaking out a new calendar.  It provides an alluring opportunity for a “fresh start” and often stirs within us a surge of motivation to become a better version of ourselves than we were in the year before.  Admittedly, I am a …

It’s the first day of winter! Here are some fun ways you can celebrate the season:  1. Make your own centerpieces from natural materials: pine boughs, cinnamon sticks, pinecones, sprigs of rosemary, or floating cranberries.  2. Take advantage of the abundance of citrus fruits. 3. Go snow-tubing.  4. Take a high-definition photo or use a …

This time of year I find myself playing a scavenger hunt of sorts when I’m in the car, searching for bright tufts of green in otherwise bare trees of winter. For some strange reason it brings me great joy to find our favorite holiday parasite boldly displaying itself high in the trees for all to …

Pumpkin picking, leaf peeping, getting lost in corn mazes — fall is a season full of outdoor activity. But people aren’t the only ones on the go. Squirrels are busy in the fall, bulking up for the winter with extra food and storing nuts, acorns, and seeds for later. Some of these squirrels appear grey …

Every child is a scientist in the making. Your young one may not grow up to pursue a career in biology or zoology, but scientific discovery and learning are accomplished daily as your child plays in and interacts with all of nature and the great outdoors.  Through tactile exploration, new information is acquired and tested. …

Today is the first day of autumn! Wondering what to do to enjoy the season? Here are 45 ideas to help get you started:  1. Carve a pumpkin and roast the seeds. 2. Go on a hayride. 3. Have a cookout and grill fall vegetables.  4. Make a Thankful Tree.  5. Go camping or campout …

I think one of nature’s finest art pieces are spider webs. When I’m outdoors, I’ve made it a habit to go on a scavenger hunt to see how many webs I can spot in a day. Until recently, I thought all webs had the same pattern; they actually vary depending on the spider spinning the …

It’s that time of year! Here are some ways to help get your school year off to a good start!  1. Let the sun wake you up. Read why you should consider it. 2. After the first week of school, bike around your block to relax. 3. In the morning, spend one minute doing jumping …

There are lots of fun activities to do with kids, and some of them are even good for the earth by reducing and reusing. Try one of these ideas next time you have some free time together:        1. Go on a clean-up hike. As you walk along your favorite trail, pick up …

Why wake to the blaring of an alarm clock when you can ease into the morning to the sounds of birds and natural light streaming in your window? Summer’s early sunrise offers me the opportunity to wake up with the sun almost every morning. Before I even open my eyes, I am serenaded by robins, …

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy super moons and meteor showers. Below is a list of some spectacular shows that you don’t want to miss between July and August. Southern Delta Aquariids Radiating from the constellation Aquarius, the Southern Delta Aquariids are visible between July 12 and August 23. The meteor shower was named …

When is the last time you’ve flown a kite?  Does a distant memory from your childhood emerge of a breezy day at the park?  These flowing streaks of fabric in the sky are often  regarded as toys solely for kids, but why is that?  I would like to advocate that adults can (and should) fly …

 If you like to take photos, you’ve probably got a growing collection of pictures of friends, family, events, and selfies. But have you ever thought of capturing wildlife with your camera, too? You’d be surprised what you can find when you’re on the lookout for wildlife. Here are a few examples of what I’ve captured: …

After driving the beloved forest green family minivan for all of my licensed teenage years, I was excited when it came time to pick out a new set of wheels.  I’m not a very picky person when it comes to cars, but after sporting a twenty-year-old Ford Windstar and embracing all of its “charming” imperfections, …

It’s the first official day of summer, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate the season! Here are some ideas to get you started:  1. Take the kids on a bug hunt. 2. Play Bloom Bingo. 3. Find some river rocks and paint them. 4. Take a break along a quiet river or stream. …

Rock balancing is used for creativity, to relax, and to meditate by stacking stones and rocks without using adhesive materials. It is also known as stone stacking, and stone balancing. For some, it is a beautiful art form; for others, it provides a form of peaceful meditation and stress relief. Still for others, it’s just …

Temperatures are starting to rise, but there are lots of fun ways to spend time outdoors and still beat the heat. Try some of these water activities to stay cool when it’s hot outside. Go swimming. Check around to find the swimming spots are near you. Besides a pool, some other places to consider are …

I grew up in a great neighborhood. All of the kids in the cul-de-sac were around my age, so playing outside was a regular and cherished part of my everyday routine. It’s this tradition and the sense of community surrounding the experience that sparked my love for the outdoors at a young age. Across my …