Out of Office - Be Back when Spring Ends
some things to keep you and your kids occupied during my favorite season
I adore Spring. I tend to like excitement and anticipation, and Spring feels like the Christmas Eve of the seasons, with Summer and Fall just on the horizon. Since I tend to hibernate in the winter (it is very hard for me to want to do anything out of my house, even in California), I finally start to put more effort into everything and tend to want to be anywhere but my house. It’s a sensory overload season with birds chirping, flowers blooming, allergies raging, light changing and weather warming. There is so much on which to meditate and enjoy!
So naturally you will find me and my kids on nature walks and hikes enjoying everything this season has to offer. Below are some things that help us enjoy the outdoors and give us direction when we’re outside. As much as I love simply frolicking in fields, my kids will inevitably be bored without a few tips/tricks.
Hiking Backpack: We have used this with every kid. It is safe, durable, comfortable, and worth the price tag since your kids will not outgrow it quickly.
Frames for Treasures: These are great to create “images” with flowers, leaves, etc. They are also great for just preserving things you find in nature. The screen is like saran wrap so even things that have more dimension can fit in them. We found a dead butterfly and kept it in the frame for about a year and it held up really well.
Small, Magnetic Vases: My kids pick flowers, clovers, and leaves wherever they go and they always give them to me as a gift. Thanks kids! I have wanted to get these for awhile so they know how much they mean to me, and they would go perfectly on our garage refrigerator.
Fanny Pack “Spy Kit:” I made these for my older children for birthdays and they loved them, but I loved them even more because it sparked their creativity and occupied them for hours outside. If you have any camping or outdoor trips planned this year, this is a great gift for them!
Binoculars: You might find that you use these even more than the kids but they’re great for bird and whale watching.
Notepads with Invisible Ink Pens: A great way to get them interested in writing. Let them write down what they see phonetically. Don’t be concerned if it doesn’t make sense or look good; this is great exercise for their brains regardless.
Magnifying Glass: For examining their treasures and burning things (kidding!).
Compact Mirror: For spying on people around the corner or refracting light.
Prism: If your kids are like mine they will love to see how many places they can make a rainbow and how cool they look.
Ziplock Bags: To put their treasures in.
Wet Wipes: Because they will inevitably be getting dirty and touching weird things.
No go enjoy the outdoors!
