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These experiences made memories we discuss today and share with her children.  Her life situation is different, so that they don’t do much camping, but take day trips in our New Hampshire area for geocaching. 

Each family has its own form of recreation and family entertainment while exploring mountains…hiking, camping, swimming in lakes, driving through the rough terrain, as well as learning about the geology and history. 

Check out mountain enjoyment in your home area or a region you plan to visit.  Try something new, too, like we did on a pack trip to the Gros Ventre Mountains of Wyoming when our daughter was a teen.  That sparked our interest in mountain exploration of the American West, in addition to the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Various activities might include:

• Hiking
• Camping
• Exploring historic trails
• Backpacking
• Learning about mountain flowers and animals
• Keeping  journals
• Taking photos
• Writing travel articles
• Geocaching

Share with us your family mountain experiences.

Post from: Blisstree

Mountains & Camping Theme Week

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When Beth was 10 months old, we traveled by Model A Ford  from Sacramento, CA to Denver, CO.  Jim had taken a new job and parted with our modern car because he couldn’t leave behind the Model A Ford he’d restored.  Even though it was a challenge to travel this way, we look through the photos and recall the lovely countryside in early October and our experiences.  This included Jim pushing the car the last few hundred feet up Berthoud Pass because the Ford had a struggle mustering up the energy.

As Beth grew older, for several years, she wasn’t such a good traveler.  So we had to find activities to occupy her while we periodically drove 275 miles to visit parents.  That’s when we found games, made up games, sang songs, told stories until Beth was old enough to read and would lose herself in a book.  This was in the days before electronics and all the games and gadgets parents tote along now.

Our first camping trip, to try out our new tent, was frought with heavy rain just as we were putting it up for the night.  Fortunately it was water tight, and we remained dry as we ate cold food and slept to the drumming of rain on the fabric.  We awoke to lovely sunlight and a wonderful day for hiking back to our car.

When Beth was 12 years old, we drove from NH to Wyoming for a pack trip into the Gros Ventre Mountains, south of Jackson Hole.  Even though it meant long days of driving, we enjoyed the diverse countryside.  Then our trip into the mountains was filled with adventure.

Make memories of your travels with kids.  Take pictures, take notes, make up scrapbooks so you can relive those times.

Post from: Blisstree

Memorable Travels with Kids

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States,

 Encourage youngsters to go outdoors if there are safe areas around your home.  If not, see about taking them to a park , a nearby hiking area or national forest.

 Take walks around the neighborhood.  See how everything around you is changing with the seasons.  This also is an activity to engage in other seasons; compare and contrast what you find in each.

 Take weather observations from your home and keep a chart.  Research different types of weather, how clouds form, what causes the weather you’re experiencing, and even find some weather experiments to do.

 See if there is a nature center within easy distance from your home.  Plan a visit there and make it a half or full day’s outing, complete with picnic lunch.

 Do you have hiking trails near you?  Perhaps you live in the country and have places to hike right on your own property or the neighborhood.  We live on the edge of town, and the area around our home is wooded with trails over abandoned, overgrown  roads. These provide perfect places to hike and explore.

 Build a fort or shelter in your yard or on your property.  We live on 3 wooded acres.  The grandchildren have, for years, built forts or hiding places there, by themselves and with their friends.

 Children often enjoy camping out in the yard, or even on a porch, when the weather is welcoming.  My grandson pitched a tent on the deck last year.  He often used it as his get-away during the day, as well as sleeping there at night.

 What spring and summer activities do you engage in with the youngsters in your life?

Post from: Blisstree

Spring and Summer Parenting

The Pocket Shower is made out of a heat-resistant waterproof fabric, and built into the base of it is a compact showerhead that works with a twist on/off mechanism.  The twist spout also adjust the water flow, from a weak trickle to full flow.

All you have to do is fill the 10 liter container with water, either from nearby river or lake, or a campground spigot.  Roll it to close at the top, and then hang it with the D-rings and cord provided.  The special fabric soaks up the sun during the day, making shower time warm, although not hot.  The Pocket Shower will give you about 8 minutes of showering time with the shower head fully open.  Bring some flip flops or other shower shoes so you don’t get your feet muddy while showering.

If camping is in your vacation plans, and your not sure what to expect, packing the Pocket Shower may give you a little bit of comfort.

Available at most outdoor recreation and sporting good stores.  $26.95.

Image credit: REI

Post from: Blisstree

Pack a Personal Camping Shower

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Board Game Bonanza- Head to the store and buy a few board games before Spring Break hits. Or if you are lucky enough you may already have a few in your home. We have a DEALS (much like a Dollar General Store) near us and bought a few extra games too. Now when the kids ask what they can do inside you can suggest a game. Kids love to play board games, especially when there is nothing else to do and when mom/dad play too.

Here’s a few of ours: Stratego, Monopoly, Chutes & Ladders, Life, Twister. What do you have?

Go Fly A Kite- take a cue from Mary Poppins and lets all go fly a kite. Currently at Walmart they have all their spring fun toys on sale, we found kites for a buck. You can’t beat that.

Walk the Town- When was the last time you explored your town? My town has an old fashioned downtown area that is hardly ever looked at by us because it just isn’t by all the main superstores, but we had a blast the last time we walked through there. We even discovered the walk was enjoyed by all, the baby fell asleep and the kids weren’t fighting. In a way it reminded me of simpler days, you know those days where families actually hung out with each other and didn’t stress so much about bills. We even discovered a few places we want to try dining at, not to mention shopping spots.

Go camping- Yes, I know camping can cost money, but not if you do it in your own yard. You know not counting all the food you’ll have to make just do have a bit of fun. Kids love to use tents and even the teens enjoy getting out of the reach of mom and dad. Set up a tent in the yard with a few rules and let them have at it. For added comfort (if you have little ones) prop the tent so that the opening opens into the house at night, during the day it can be faced away for their freedome. Now if they have to go potty in the middle of the night or decide to come in they can walk right into the house.

Printables- For those little ones that are going to still want to draw, color, cut and paste you can always visit Printables4Kids and let them have a ball. This site has games like word scramble, mazes and pirate activities and all types of Spring coloring sheets.

What do you do?

Post from: Blisstree

Spring Break On A Budget

Check out my new tent I got this past summer. The thing is enormous. I can stand up in the center no problem. Camping and going fishing with the kids will be something I will miss this winter. But, now we will move on to sledding and making snowmen. I would like to get out more and do some ice hockey. I know they will like it. We have a public ice hockey rink not too far from here.

Here are some pictures of the kids from last winter. My personal favorite is Elizabeth taking the sled and sliding down the back steps…

Post from: Blisstree

The Transition From Summer to Winter