Don’t you feel different when you are out there soaking up nature?
Let’s be honest…connecting with nature has a profound effect on our senses and well-being.
Whether we’re mountain-trekking, kayaking, watching wildlife, or just enjoying an outdoor picnic, there’s something about unspoiled nature that simply comforts and nourishes our souls.
It lifts our spirits and gives a positive boost to health and well-being, both mentally and physically.
It’s unfiltered adventure, discovery, connection, and beauty. We’re seemingly happier.
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The air is different. It smells sweeter.
The sun burns brighter.
Above all, humans flourish in nature.
That’s the power of nature!
Exploring Nature With Your Kids
Do you love exploring nature with your kids?
Do they love nature?
Nature, as we know it, is a place of regeneration, resilience, learning, peace, and escape.
Exploring nature helps kids learn the world around them and encourages them to pause and observe the sights, smells and sounds all around them at their nature spots. It’s an incredible learning environment.
Mummy, I want to smell this flower…
Mummy, I want to touch this…
Sounds familiar?
Kids are natural explorers. They use all of their senses to explore.
They look and listen to observe what’s happening around them, touch what they can reach, smell the fresh scents of nature, and occasionally taste when given permission. They run, jump, dig, and climb as they discover new places.
Even better when parents share these outdoor explorations with their kids and foster strong parent-child bonds.
Talk, explore, learn, and make awesome memories!
Did You Know?
Exploring the outdoors advances kids’ intellectual, emotional, social, and physical health.
Most of the studies agree that kids who play outside are smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors.
7 Safety Tips When Exploring Nature With Your Kids
Explore safely.
With their high levels of energy, endless curiosity, and remarkable ability to bounce back from stumbles and falls, kids often put themselves at risk of injury. This can be especially true when they’re exploring the great outdoors.
Before heading outdoors, remember that safety is a priority. Nothing ruins a well-planned nature walk or outside activity like a case of poison ivy, scraped knees, or dehydration.
That’s why it’s important to stress the importance of safety with your kids, especially while they’re outdoors. Before you let them loose in nice weather, sit down and talk about these safety tips for their next adventure.
Be safe rather than sorry later!
1. Establish safe areas
We don’t want to get too excited and end up in an area that can ruin the experience! Scout the area prior to the activity.
Are bathrooms or water fountains nearby? If not, be prepared for that. Are there any hazards, such as wide streams or steep hills that might pose a problem?
Safety should always be at the forefront of your mind when you’re exploring the outdoors, especially if it’s unfamiliar terrain. Prioritise safety and you’ll get an awesome outdoor experience!
2. Always wear sunscreen
Heading out? Don’t forget to protect yourself and your kids from the sun’s harsh rays.
FACT: Even just 15 minutes in the sun can damage unprotected skin!
You might think it’s a cloudy day and so, the sun rays are not harmful.
Well, we know most parents do understand the importance of using sunscreen but many may still not be taking all the right steps to properly protect children’s skin – especially when it comes to reapplying.
It’s crucial to protect the little ones and yourself from the heat to prevent sunburns and UV radiation that can cause skin cancer, premature wrinkles, and ageing.
Sitting down kids long enough to slather the recommended sunscreen all over their skin is no easy task. Their wriggling and writhing combined with the sunscreen’s greasiness make it messy and challenging.
But when you bear in mind that just one blistering sunburn before the age of 18 is enough to double the risk of developing melanoma in adulthood, it’s worth the extra effort.
Babies younger than 6 months should be kept out of the sun. When going outside, dress your baby in lightweight clothes that cover arms and legs – and don’t forget a hat with a brim. If you can’t avoid the sun, you can use a small amount of sunscreen on your baby’s exposed skin, like the hands and face.
Here Are A Couple Of Tips For Staying Safe From The Sun:
- Stay under the shade – Babies have very delicate skin, so try to keep them in the shade or under an umbrella. Keep in mind, this doesn’t always offer full protection and sunscreen should still be worn. UV rays are the strongest from 10am to 4pm so try to limit sun exposure during this time when possible.
- Wear sunglasses – Besides looking especially cool (and adorable) in sunglasses, your little one’s eyes will also be protected from UV rays. Find a pair of kid’s sunglasses with 100% UV protection.
- The baby in the hat – Hats are great for offering sun protection to the face, eyes, and head. Some kids may not like hats, so try to get them started wearing them as young as possible and use them as a supplement to sunscreen.
- Dress appropriately – Wear light-coloured, tightly woven clothing to reflect the sunlight. If you’re heading to the beach or pool, consider having your kids wear a rash guard or swim shirt for additional coverage from the sun.
- Use the right sunscreen – Be sure to educate yourself on all the uses of sunscreen and the best type for your kids before purchasing sunscreen. The AAP offers recommendations on what sunscreen to get based on your kid’s age.
- Reapply – You should apply sunscreen 15–30 minutes prior to going outdoors and reapply regularly throughout the day. Follow the instructions, but typically every 1-2 hours is necessary. Waterproof sunscreens are great for keeping the sunscreen from running into your eyes, but they’re not truly waterproof, so always reapply after being in the water!
- Be aware of the side effects – Some medications increase skin sensitivity. Ask your healthcare provider and make sure you’re aware if this is the case with any medications your kid is taking.
- Be a good role model – Make sure you set a good example for your kid by also wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats. When they’re older, explain the risks associated with spending long periods of time in the sun without protection.
Other Things To Know:
- Don’t use a sunscreen with PABA, which can cause skin allergies.
- For sensitive skin, look for products with the active ingredient titanium dioxide.
- Kids who want to use a self-tanner sunscreen should get one that also has UV protection (many offer little or none).
- Some cosmetics that come with sunscreen may not offer enough protection from the sun. It’s safer to put sunscreen on before applying makeup.
- Although dark skin has more protective melanin and tans more easily than it burns, tanning is a sign of sun damage. Dark-skinned kids also can get painful sunburns.
3. Remember to hydrate
Watch out for excessive heat!
Compared to adults, young kids have a difficult time regulating their body heat and may overheat quickly and at lower temperatures than adults.
Remember to take frequent breaks under the shade and fluids to drink.
It’s important to stay hydrated.
There’s no doubt that kids playing outdoors will sweat profusely. Educate them about the hazards of dehydration and therefore, the importance of replenishing with water – not sugary drinks.
4. Wear proper clothing and equipment for sports or activities.
Time to dress up for your outing!
It’s important to dress appropriately, including sturdy closed-toe shoes and long pants.
Dress your kids in lightweight thin-layered and long-sleeved clothing that covers as much of the body as possible for protection. It allows for breathability while still protecting against the sun, bugs, scratches, and more. Light-coloured clothing keeps insects at bay. Some insects are attracted to dark colours.
Wear a scarf or hat when walking through the woods.
The best way to protect the eyes is to wear sunglasses – again, look for those that provide 100 percent UV protection.
5. Talk about what to do if they see a snake, spider, or other animals and plants that might be scary or a danger.
Kids are curious by nature!
For kids, everything is new – even the tiniest things are interesting and exciting. They want to touch. They want to smell. They want to hear.
They’re just simply curious!
Be cautious when lifting boards or rocks to find animals and insects. Also, be careful to observe what’s living there without disturbing their environment. Encourage kids to look with their eyes instead of disturbing nature.
Be wary of brown recluse spiders (also known as violin, or fiddleback), black widow spiders, scorpions, poisonous snakes, and plants like poison ivy.
Recognise poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak. If you or your kids come into contact with any of these plants, scrub the exposed area with a dish detergent or strong soap.
Also, prepare yourself and your kids to encounter insects and stains.
6. Always carry a customised first aid kit and emergency supplies.
We never know what might happen while exploring the outdoors. It’s hard to predict the things that can possibly happen with Mother Nature.
But, we can prepare as a precaution.
Take time to customise your first aid kit as well as additional emergency supplies to buffer in all possible scenarios.
The reason I propose ‘customised kit’ is because you want to be sure that you tailor your kit to the kind of trip that you’re taking. Emergency supplies should complement your first aid kit and work to support the basics.
Whistles, flashlights, compasses, and blankets are all great examples of additional supplies, which can be used to give you an edge while you’re traversing the outdoors.
7. Utilise emergency contacts
Sometimes, you may not be able to see your safety measures or have them in close proximity to you.
ALWAYS have emergency contacts so that someone somewhere is aware of your whereabouts at all times. This establishes a safety net, so if you don’t check in regularly, someone will know that something is potentially wrong.
Also, ensure that you have a list of emergency contacts on your person when you’re travelling so that people know whom to contact in case something goes wrong.
We hope these safety tips will help add to a great outdoor experience! Have fun and stay safe!
Year-end holidays are great in so many ways, especially when you have fun family activities to fill up your time. For more fun-filled holiday ideas right within your home, visit our Cuti-Cuti Family articles here!