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kristacecilia
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| Posted: March 05 2010 at 2:02pm | IP Logged
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I was wondering what all you guys do on your nature walks with your little ones (the 6 and under group).
First of all, we have a hard time getting outside. Quite often no one wants to go and I don't feel like fighting them because it's a pain to have to convince everyone to get all their winter gear on.... and it takes some convincing. Plus, being that I am 6 mos pregnant, by the time I get them all in snowsuits, pants, coats, gloves, hats, and boots I am out of breath and have to sit down!
Anyway, so if and when we finally do get outside, I am not really sure what to do with them. We have taken a few excursions into the local woods, which they really seem to enjoy, and we will take our binoculars, magnifying glasses, and camera with us.
We need at least a couple hours for the sort of trip, though. I have alloted us an hour or so in the morning for a nice walk, but they never want to go out.
SO then the afternoon comes around and I try to get them to go outside and they all say they would rather just do puzzles.
It is getting nicer outside- today it's up to about 42 F or so, and I feel like I should start insisting that we all get outside everyday. It is just so easy to give in to them and stay nice and warm inside with my PJ pants on and read this forum, though.
So what do you do with your group of little ones outside during nature walks and to get them loving the outdoors?
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 05 2010 at 2:13pm | IP Logged
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Do you really need to get all that gear on them when it's 42*? Or are you still buried in snow? Basically, if they're not driving you crazy from being cooped up.. I probably wouldn't force the going outside until it's a matter of tennis shoes and a jacket and let's go. 
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kristacecilia
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| Posted: March 05 2010 at 3:13pm | IP Logged
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Well we do have snow and a lot of melting snow, still. So the boots are a necessity. The coat or a heavy jacket is a necessity, and if they want to play anywhere beyond the driveway they need the snow pants or they'll get wet and cold really fast. Same with the gloves.
I am definitely looking forward to the 'get your shoes on and get outside' time of year. Days like this when the sun is shining and it's above freezing I start to feel anxious and a little guilty that we aren't outside more. Especially when I read things Charlotte Mason wrote about how children should be spending the majority of their hours out-of-doors. :)
They don't drive me crazy most days, but occasionally they will and I do try to make sure we get outside on those days... and I force them to walk around the block with me to burn off their energy.
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SusanMc
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| Posted: March 05 2010 at 4:16pm | IP Logged
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I second the suggestion of waiting until it is warmer/simpler to do a nature walk. We go out once or twice a week but we're in southeast Texas. I take the boys to a nearby area during the week and on Sunday we pack food, change of clothes, and lunch in the car and are off for a dayhike immediately after 8am mass. Sometimes we're gone all day, other times just an hour or two.
Once we're there, we just pretty much walk and enjoy the outdoors. If we see something interesting (a bug, a big fallen tree, signs with numbers on them, sparkly trash) we stop and ponder it while eating a snack. Occaisionally we try to "teach" them something like pitcher plants eat bugs but that is usually something we do on the fly so to speak. 
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ekbell
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| Posted: March 05 2010 at 6:31pm | IP Logged
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kristacecilia wrote:
I start to feel anxious and a little guilty that we aren't outside more. Especially when I read things Charlotte Mason wrote about how children should be spending the majority of their hours out-of-doors. :)
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Charlotte Mason didn't live in our climate
I deal with my guilt feelings for not forcing the children outside during this time of melting snow (our yard was nicer to play in before the melt!) by moving lessons outside once it's warm enough to do without jackets and dry. The children particularly enjoy read-alouds on a blanket outside.
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kristacecilia
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| Posted: March 05 2010 at 7:27pm | IP Logged
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ekbell wrote:
kristacecilia wrote:
I start to feel anxious and a little guilty that we aren't outside more. Especially when I read things Charlotte Mason wrote about how children should be spending the majority of their hours out-of-doors. :)
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Charlotte Mason didn't live in our climate
I deal with my guilt feelings for not forcing the children outside during this time of melting snow (our yard was nicer to play in before the melt!) by moving lessons outside once it's warm enough to do without jackets and dry. The children particularly enjoy read-alouds on a blanket outside.
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I am so looking forward to that time of year! Nothing like a blanket in the shade and a good read aloud on a hot day!
Thanks- I don't feel quite so bad for not getting my kiddos out every day now. :)
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Getting little ones out of doors
