The Autumn weather refused to show up and therefore we have been having hot dry days. Usually at this time of the year kids go to school and at the end of the afternoon they come home and stay inside. Due to the good weather, the routine changed…they arrive home and they go play outside.

I luckily live near a pine field and in a dead end street which allow the kids from the neighborhood to ride their bicycles freely in the street and take advantage of the pine field to play. If they were indoors they would be watching television and on the computer so being outside and in contact with nature is the best thing that can happen. The good weather is not going to last long so everyday that goes by it’s a new day for playing in contact with nature.

There are some end of afternoons that we spend gathering wood for winter even my youngest loves to do it. Walking through the vegetation, by the pine trees is something they really enjoy doing.

Letting the kids to be in contact with nature motivates them to discover new plants, new animals and new material. Do you know that we use mosses to cover sticks that we put on some flower pots to sustain some tall plants and small trees? You might think that it isn’t a special thing but the my kids love to do it.

Each day that goes by more children spend their free time indoors and this is something we should pay attention to and try to change. “Where the Other You Lives.” is a campaign launched by the Forest Service and Ad Council to create awareness of the need to reconnect children with nature.

The interactive website Discover the Forest has a lot of information about Where To Go, What to Do and Why. On this website you find many links to very informative sites that can be checked for additional information.

Nature is a precious thing we have that must be preserved and we must take advantage of the benefits it brings us. Contact with nature makes our kids motivated, interested and happy.

Discover the Forest

Every time you go to the forest to visit or play, take your camera with you and ask your kids to take photos. You know why? Because there are memories that you might want to remember one day and you can earn some money with your kid’s photos or artwork they might come up with regarding their trip.

Submit your kids work to The Discover the Forest sweepstakes and ask your family and friends to vote for them. You will be eligible to win a $100 or $1000 The North Face Gift Certificate and those who vote are eligible to win a $50 The North Face Gift Certificate.

Get your kids out and take advantage of nature.

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