Helping Kids Stay Active Outside Year Round

Does outdoor adventure have to end after the summer camp season is over? No! In fact, the adventure is just beginning. Summer camp can help your child to learn skills and feel excited about getting outside. However, that doesn’t mean it all has to end once August rolls around. In fact, the adventure is only beginning for your child and with endless possibilities for exploration all year long. Here then are some thoughts for helping kids stay active outdoors after summer camp.

Kids Overcoming Fear: Inspiring Outdoor Adventures that Will Give You Goosebumps

Take a moment to think back on your childhood. Remember those long summer days when your greatest concern was getting back home before dusk? Your main responsibilities consisted of making sure your room was clean and helping with chores around the house every once in awhile. Ok, now that you've successfully time-traveled, think about a time when you were faced with a decision to overcome a childhood fear when trying something new. Maybe you were a little nervous at first or maybe even flat out terrified to step outside of your comfort zone. After some encouragement (or persistent convincing) from a friend or relative, you finally built up enough courage to get on that bicycle, jump into the deep end of that pool or try that weird, new food. Afterwards, you felt like you were on top of the world and nothing could stop you (ok, maybe not after you tried brussels sprouts for the first time but you get the point)!

Looking Beyond Fun: Feeling Included is What Really Matters to Kids

When parents decide to sign up their kiddos for a week of summer camp, their heads are likely filled with images of their child scaling a rock climbing route, triumphantly paddling a kayak all by themselves, and, most importantly, coming home exhausted and happy five days in a row. Cultivating a culture of inclusivity is probably not the first skill that comes to mind at registration. And yes, I’m using the word skill here because the comprehension and practice of this type of social capability is not completely innate. Sure, some kids might have a natural talent for making others feel welcome in a group the same way some kids might be able to ride a bike without training wheels on the first day, but each skill begins with a lesson and is developed with practice. This is where the Respect PONY comes in.

Cooking Outdoors with Kids: A Few Bites of Dirt Never Hurt (+ Recipes)