In the past decade it’s been a personal quest of our family to “opt outside” more, and one of my favorites is the 1000 hours outside challenge, which we are doing again this year!
One advantage of having frequent miles on certain trails is we are more comfortable letting the kids pace themselves and explore ahead.
Last year we logged in just shy of 910 hours. And I was only tracking it out of curiosity- were we living a lifestyle that included more conscientious outdoor time? Obviously, yes, we have made some solid changes, like doing school outside to help us maximize being outside. The previous year we made well over our goal!
Another favorite of mine is the First Hikes tradition, which was started as a way to encourage people to start the new year off with a healthy habit. This year our First Hike took us to a familiar location, complaining kids in tow! They didn’t want to hike, didn’t want to leave home or simply didn’t want to do anything. But it didn’t matter- Momma wanted to hike!
Our First Hike at Benton Spillway, where you’ll note only Sam seems especially delighted to be outdoors so far!
We had picked the same place we did our First Hike last year, but at the last moment my husband Sam adventurously pointed our car in the opposite direction, and we ended up at the Benton Spillway for our hike! And despite all the complaints, once we got out of the car and actually on the trail…. Attitudes changed!
One of my favorite tips for hiking with little kids is to encourage them to run ahead to a certain point, then race back! Not only is it a fun game, but it really helps get the wiggles out!
Once we hit the trail, they realized there were cool things to see and touch plus we had a snack waiting for us in the car once we were finished! It can be very difficult at times, with neurodivergent children, to even get in the car, much less adventure…. So on the days where we get outside and they enjoy themselves AND we enjoy ourselves, it definitely feels like magic!
And that’s a great way to start off the year!
Do you have any family goals for 2024? I’d love to hear them! ~Naomi
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