All this week we have been encouraging our readers to experience the great outdoors.  And I can hear your question now.. “But Hens – what can we do on stormy days?”  Yes, I know exactly what you mean… those days when it’s fun to stay inside and just enjoy time with each other.  This summer, our family discovered a board game that’s multi-generational, teaches about the great outdoors and best of all, it’s a lot of fun.  Are you ready to CAMP?

We came across CAMP while looking for a new game to take with us on family camping trips.  It sounded fun, but was it really geared for preschoolers through grandparents?  We set up the game for the first time at a family get-together and it was a hit.  Because there are four levels of difficulty to choose from, our 3- and 6-year olds could play at separate levels, while the “science buffs” played at another level, all at the same time!  The variety of outdoor and wildlife questions was refreshing, and we learned something new from the Fun Facts cards every round.  The topics range from bird migration to ice fishing – something for everyone!

The object of the game is simple: be the first person to move around the board and make it back to the campfire.  If you land on a set of green footprints you have the chance to answer a Camp Card question, and if you answer correctly you can roll again.  If you land on a Camp Clubhouse symbol, you move to the Clubhouse and read a Fun Fact for all to hear.  Since the Clubhouse is near the middle of the route to the finish, you want to jump there during the first half of the game, but you don’t want to get sent back the second half.  For our family, those Fun Facts made the Clubhouse enjoyable each time we were sent back.  During the game if you happen to be the lucky holder of the Compass Card, you have the chance to take the short cut to the finish.  That’s it!

So if you’re looking for something fun to add to your family’s game night, or if you’re starting to shop for Christmas or birthday gifts, give CAMP a try.  It received a Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products of 2007 award and a 2007 iParenting Media Award. There are booster packs available (I’m going to need those) and also an award winning Camp Travel Edition.

To top it off, Education Outdoors, the creator of CAMP, has committed to donating a percentage of their profits to organizations that are geared toward educating children and families about the great outdoors.  Go Wild and have fun!

We found our game at REI, but it’s available at lots of retail locations as well as at Amazon.com.  The price is $24.99.  You could also enter for a chance to win one of six copies of the game right here on Five Hens this week.  Click here to find out how to enter.

Do you remember Ranger Rick from your childhood?  Maybe your kids read the magazine now.  It’s the time-honored publication brought to you by the people at the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).  The same people who are now bringing you a new “Be Out There” initiative to inspire families across America to open the door and get outside.  As part of the Five Hens special Wild Week, I want to encourage you to take part in the initiative and be out there too.

As part of their initiative, the NWF has released a guide called Time Out: Using the Outdoors to Enhance Classroom Performance.  It is for teachers and parents alike and includes tips on how to provide fun and valuable outdoor experiences for kids, even with their busy school-year schedules.  Something we all probably know, and which is highlighted in the guide, is that kids are spending more time in front of a “screen” and less time outside.  Plus many children are involved in after school activities which offer enrichment and socialization but are often held indoors.  I love having the opportunity to share the outdoors with my kids, but sometimes it seems as if the hustle and bustle of the school year (and starting up a new blog!) takes over our time.  Sometimes I need that spark of inspiration to remind me to just slow down and appreciate the fun and beauty outside my front door with my kids.  Happily, I found some extremely helpful tips in the guide called 10 Ways To Get Outside Even After School Starts.  The tips are simple ones like keep a blanket in your car so that you can have a picnic on those days when you can’t cook and have to pick up a quick meal.  I also like their advice on how to create a manageable nature table to showcase your child’s treasures (I definitely need this one!)

In addition to the Time Out guide, the website also provides some great “Be Out There Activities” for kids, teens and families, with added links to help you plan your own Green Hour activities and crafts or plant a wildlife-friendly garden.  A fun event that caught my attention is Wildlife Watch, a national nature watching program for people of all ages.  The event is held quarterly, and the NWF and it’s partners collect and review your findings to track the health and behavior of wildlife and plant species nationwide. You can print out a Watch Item checklist for your state, and then see your observations online – the statistics are shown by state and county.  Every piece of information helps!

The NWF has also partnered with Where the Wild Things Are to help promote the Be Out There Initiative.  They’ve created a downloadable Wild Things Activity Guide for Kids that includes great crafts, such as a Wild Things mobile, Create a Creature or making your own crown and scepter out of recycled materials.  After having fun with the online activities, the Be Out There site offers some great suggestions on how to explore the outdoors with Ranger Rick.  They also have a Wild Things Guide for Educators and Parents that explores the same concepts in a format for older children that includes a wildlife inventory worksheet, creating a diorama of your own special island and ideas for community service.

I hope you enjoy these fun ideas and are encouraged to join the Five Hens and Be Out There!

Guest post by Barbara Spagnuolo, Natural Resource Specialist for the Town of Castle Rock, Colorado

From large tracts of federally managed lands, such as National Forests, National Recreation Areas, National Parks and Wilderness Areas, to smaller pockets of open space areas managed by local municipalities, millions of acres of America have been set aside and protected from future development.  These lands possess natural, ecological, open space, scenic, historical, cultural, educational and/or recreational values of great importance to the American public.  Often, these lands which provide natural habitat for native plants and animals, are also the same lands where we go to hike, camp, bike, fish, hunt, explore or just observe nature, so wildlife encounters may occur.  However, while viewing wildlife can be exciting for you and your children, it is imperative to use caution, especially with bears, mountain lions (also known as panthers and pumas), coyotes and poisonous snakes. We can safely enjoy the outdoors, where the wild things are, if we remember a few important points.

First of all, attacks on humans by bears, mountain lions, snakes and other wildlife are rare.  Wildlife is best observed quietly from a safe distance, preferably with a good set of binoculars.  Unexpected encounters or conflicts with wildlife while on the trail can be prevented by talking or making some noise to warn bears and lions of your presence and keeping your dogs leashed. Remember to stay alert and aware of your surroundings.  Here are tips about how to handle encounters with some of the most common wildlife in North America.

Black Bears

Black Bear

Black bears can swim, climb trees and run very fast. They can be seen at any time, day or night, often searching for food, such as berries, nuts, insects and carrion. Do not feed, approach, or get between a bear and its food or its cubs.  Most black bear and human encounters involve food. Black bears are usually shy of humans but some may be naturally curious.

What to do if you encounter a black bear:

• Most importantly, stay calm and do not run away
• Avoid direct eye contact but keep an eye on the bear at all times
• Slowly back away
• Make lots of noise

Mountain Lions (AKA Pumas or Panthers)

Mountain Lion

Mountain lions are primarily solitary and most common in foothills and canyon country. They are most active dusk to dawn but will travel and hunt in daylight.  They require sufficient cover in areas with a lack of human activity but are known to travel long distances in search of food.  Their main prey is deer, which are hunted by stalking, but they also kill elk, porcupines, as well as a variety of domestic animals including pets.  Lions will cover their kills with dirt and leaves and will return every few days to feed on it.

What to do if you encounter a mountain lion:

• Most importantly, stay calm and do not run away
• Give the lion lots of room
• Look as large as possible (open your jacket wide, place your arms over your head)
• Move away slowly

Prairie Rattlesnakes

Prairie Rattlesnake

This is a venomous (poisonous) snake found in grassland areas, most often seen sunning themselves on rocky outcrops. They mainly prey on rodents, but also feed on bird eggs and lizards. These snakes will rattle their tail as a warning if you approach too close, but they may bite as a last resort.  Venomous snakes can be observed from a safe distance, as they are generally non-aggressive towards people unless they are startled, cornered or stepped on.

What to do if you encounter a rattlesnake:

• Most importantly, remain calm and still at first
• Give the snake lots of room and walk around it or back away
• Do not handle, move or harass it

Coyotes

Coyote

Coyotes are found in every state in a variety of habitats, ranging from grassland to deserts to urban areas and mountains, as it is very adaptable.  They are most common where rabbits, mice and gophers live and are generally active at night but sometimes active both day and night.  However, urban coyotes can easily become used to living in close proximity to people and are frequently seen during the day in these urban environments.  Although attacks on people are rare, urban coyotes may be aggressive and may associate people with food.

What to do to prevent aggressive encounters:

• Do not let your dog run with coyotes.
• Keep your distance and don’t approach a coyote.
• Throw rocks or sticks to frighten it away.

The crisp cool air, changing foliage colors, and the smell of warm cider. Yes, autumn is certainly in the air. Today, the Painted Hen and I took our two boys on our autumn ritual in the Rocky Mountains. Every year at the beginning of October, the elk in the Rocky Mountains begin to rut. And that means they all come down to the low meadows to put on their annual mating display of crashing antlers and incredible bugling. It’s quite a show set against the amazing backdrop of the Rocky Mountains in their splendid fall foliage of glowing yellow aspens. To us, the ritual sort of signals the real beginning of autumn. The kids never tire of it and love to see the elk.  It’s usually on these trips that conversations turn to questions like “What should I be for Halloween?” It’s one of our favorite times of year, and I hope our boys remember these special times of year and our trips to the elk meadows as they grow older.

Growing up back east, we didn’t have elk or towering yellow and orange mountains to signal the start of fall, but we had other rituals that my parents took us on every year when the seasons changed. These rituals have remained with me for my entire life and to me they mark special memories that always return as the leaves begin to fall. Do you have a special autumn ritual you share with your children? If you do, share them with us, we’d love to hear them.

Well, as promised, I did something bold over the weekend: I followed up on my long desire to try road cycling. At first, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. I had two borrowed bikes (one was a beautiful work of art, one was older, slightly dinged up and had some electrical tape on it- guess which one I was more comfortable with) and as soon as I obtained them, I had two bikes with flat tires. Granted, these were both bikes that hadn’t been used for a while, but it still didn’t feel like an auspicious start to my endeavor. But I persevered, and took the bikes out to a trail for a ride along the river.

Now picture it: I’m nervous about the clips on my shoes (what cyclist doesn’t have a story about getting stuck in them and falling over?).  I don’t know if I’m physically up to the challenge, I’m worried that our short ride will involve several tube changes, and five, yes FIVE turkey vultures are circling over the trailhead as if they are waiting for me to show weakness. Then we checked everything one last time (I was with my husband) and took off down the trail. At first, the trail traffic was pretty heavy, but as soon as it was lighter I took off!

We went about 13 miles- not a very long ride, but I didn’t want to overdo it the first day- and it was everything I had hoped it would be. The trail was beautiful, no tires popped, and I have no road rash to show for my efforts with the clips. And it was fun! For a very brief time, I got up to speed, sat up tall and let go of the handlebars- I was 10 years old again! I had a grin on my face for most of the ride, and can’t wait to do it again. Now I’ll have to start shopping for my own gear, which will take some time (and, sadly, a great deal of money), but I have found something I’d really like to pursue.

So what about all of you? I was shocked at the response to my original article- so many of you took me up on my challenge and pledged to do something bold this weekend, too. If you didn’t read the original post, check out the comments section and see what some people have decided to try- it is inspiring. It made me think that, between kids, work, homes and jobs, moms don’t have many opportunities to try something new just for the heck of it. I’m proud of all of us who did something bold, and hope everyone was successful. Let me know!

This summer, I found myself enthralled with a sporting event- something out of the ordinary for me. I watched several stages of the Giro d’Italia bike race through Italy. The scenery was beautiful, the behind-the-scenes dramas described by the announcers were interesting, but what really captured my attention was the cycling itself. The pace, the serenity, the effortless athleticism of it fascinated me. (Now, keep in mind, I was watching it on TV so I was probably missing all the sweating, injuries and cussing.) Anyway, I got it in my head at that time that I should try cycling, and for some reason, the idea hasn’t gone away.

As a child, I loved being on a bike. When you are a kid, it greatly increases the amount of freedom you have (my parents let me ride pretty far, as long as I was with my older brother) and your overall velocity (who doesn’t like to go fast?). I see the same joy in my kids when they fly down the sidewalk making siren noises, and I want to join in the fun. But now, my old mountain bike sits in the basement with rotten tires that haven’t taken anybody anywhere in years.

I’ve been watching cyclists in my community all summer, even looked at bikes a couple of times (even used bikes have prices that make me gulp audibly). I mentioned my interest to a neighbor who cycles occasionally. He offered to lend me his bike some weekend to try it out before I spend money on a sport I may not pursue. I’ve been waffling about it: Do I want to end up miles from home with no energy to get back? Am I prepared to fall over at intersections when I can’t get my shoe unclipped? Will I be happy with myself if I give him his bike back and never touch one again? And why do the words “traumatic brain injury” keep going through my mind?

But what if I like it?

So this is the weekend I have decided to do it! I am going to borrow the bike, try to channel my inner athlete, and attempt to find, if only for a minute or two, the joy I remember from my childhood. And I want you, our readers, to join me. Pick something you have been wanting to try but have avoided for one reason or another, and try it this weekend! Pick up a softball bat, cook like Julia Child, paint your bedroom a bold color- whatever. And write to tell us about it.

Hiking has always been an enjoyable pastime for me and my husband.  We were so excited to have our boys get out and enjoy nature on the trail.  It wasn’t that hard when they were little, just pop them in the Björn or Kelty carrier and remember to bring enough diapers, a bottle, extra clothes and a hat.  Other than the stops required to use the “baby” supplies, our hiking range and style didn’t change that much from our pre-kid days.  But once our aching backs let us know that the boys had outgrown the carriers, our hiking style would alter dramatically.

It is true that you don’t have to give up the activities you love when you have children.  But if you want to take your kids hiking, you might have to make some changes and it can be tricky trying to figure out what works in your situation.  I thought I’d share some of the things that have worked for our family.  Of course we know to try to pick short, kid-friendly hikes for starters.  But to get them down the trail with minimal whining and complaining is HARD!  Time to get creative…

• Give your child their own little backpack and water.  We have had great success using a kids CamelBak.  With their own CamelBak, they can drink as much as they want while hiking and you don’t have to keep stopping to take out a water bottle.  I also add a little electrolyte mix on hot days.  This works great for keeping them hydrated, but they tend to need more potty breaks too.  And they think it’s great to carry their own snacks.
• Give them a camera.  This has been one of our greatest discoveries.  Imagine getting to see a hike from their perspective, literally.  Our son’s first trip with his camera produced many shots of hikers knees, which he thought were fascinating.  Since kids tend to stumble a lot, make sure the camera fits in a protective case that allows EASY access.
• Find an activity for them to do along the trail, since the “peace and quiet” of the woods doesn’t mean as much to them yet.  We have a set of Bird Sleuth game cards that fit in their pack.  We look for flowers, bugs and rocks, and we often stop to smell the trees (Ponderosa Pines remind us of butterscotch candy).
• Pack a pair of kid-sized binoculars.  We’re still working on finding a nice pair that’s their size, stands up to kid use and is affordable, in case they need to be replaced (see above note on stumbling a lot).
• Use a special little “treasure pouch” for items they find along the trail.  With the pouch attached to the backpack, we have seen a BIG decrease in the number of items going into pockets and the laundry machines.
• Pack a little notebook and pencil.  This comes in handy for drawing, writing and making rubbings of anything they find interesting.

I know many of you share outdoor time with your youngsters.  So while I search for the perfect kids hike (downhill both ways) I’d love to hear your tips for keeping kids happy while on the trail.