As a child, I spent the vast majority of my time outdoors. It was ingrained in our family culture. With an outdoorsy lifestyle, we were often in the yard working in the gardens, tending the yard, gathering around a fire, or simply chatting with friends on the patio. The great outdoors was my playground, and in many ways also my home. 

Right out of the parenting gate, I wanted to raise my kids to not see nature as a separate entity, but as interwoven in our daily lives. It’s just what we do. You don’t need to sell all your things and move off grid to achieve this lifestyle. Implementing small changes can help build a family culture grounded in nature appreciation and a childhood spent outdoors.

Go outside every day.

I’m not going to beat around the bush. Getting outside (nearly) every day is important. Sure, there are days in which getting outside is too dangerous. You won’t see us outside in high wind speeds and below freezing temperatures. However, I think we need to be mindful of what we’re calling “bad weather”. A little rain never hurt anybody, after all. There are a plethora of sites and articles written about how to properly dress for the weather with gear recommendations. For now, I’ll give a rundown of our tried and true method and brands that have helped two little ones under 4 stay warm and dry in harsh Northeastern winters. 

Baselayer. A wool baselayer is optimal because it’s breathable and helps regulate body temperature. IT’s also water wicking and so it keeps kids dry. I wish my parents had known this because I remember many days coming in from the cold drenched in sweat under my coat. Simply merino and Smartwool are comfortable and durable, also an investment. Both of my kids have been able to wear their simply merino baselayers for two long winter seasons and so I’m fond of the brand. If your like us and your budget is tight, I’ve had great luck buying used Smartwool underlayers for myself on used clothing sites such as Mercari and Facebook Marketplace. Meriwool is affordable though prone to stretching.

Mid-layer. Fleece over a base layer provides warmth and coziness as well as added insulation in colder weather. We were turned on to Primary fleece layers when my oldest was a baby. They make a romper for the littlest loves and a great zip fleece for toddlers and kids.

Outer layer. Over the top of it all, a waterproof outer shell whether it be a coat with snowpants or a full body snowsuit is important to protect from the elements. We’ve used Columbia snowsuits (fine), but we adore Patagonia’s H2NO snowsuit. It’s nearly indestructible and my kids have never complained of being cold in it. It envelopes their bodies nicely without prohibiting movement and that’s huge when you want kids to be able to enjoy being outdoors for long periods of time.

Gloves. At this point we only buy waterproof gloves because I see no point in doing otherwise. We’ve used Nicecaps with the long cuff consistently for years, and haven’t had any issue except we did need to replace at least once a year. That seems reasonable because we do use them every day we go out in cold weather and my kids are hard on gloves. Now we purchase two pair for each kid, and as an added bonus we have a secondary pair when gloves need to be laundered.

Hats. Since most heat loss occurs in the head, keep the head and feet warm with a warm breathable (preferably) wool layer. I don’t have any specific brand here I’ve preferred over others, so try out what feels best to you. 

Keep the feet dry with quality boots. Kamiks have been SO wonderful. They keep feet dry, warm, and have a removable insert so you can clean them thoroughly. The velcro is strong and the cinch at the top prevents any snow from entering the top. They are amazing. Full disclosure: I despised the Stonz booties for babies. They did not stay on and we could never seem to get the cinch just right enough to stay on but also not too tight. For the price we paid, I was thoroughly disappointed.

Do everyday activities outside. 

A super simple shift that doesn’t require any work at all is to take activities you already do outside. There is such pleasure in sharing a meal outdoors. It ignites a primal instinct in us all and is also a feast for the senses sure to elevate a dining experience. I’m also going to take that one a step further and say COOK a meal outside. Grilling in the summertime is the obvious choice here, but you can also grill in the winter. Yup, it’s true. Plus, flipping the script on your life in that way can also create some fun novelty and whimsy. It’s refreshing.

A general rule of thumb I follow is that if the kids can spread it on a mat or do it at the table, it can be done outside. Get yourself an outdoor table or simply spread out a blanket or quilt, or rough it and sit yourself in the grass. If you don’t have the space at home, head to a nearby park or sit on a porch if you have one. It really doesn’t have to be fancy.

Play a game. As kids, we’d take our deck of cards and head out to the front porch. It can’t get simpler than that.

-Read a book

-legos

-playing with playdoh

-sensory bins

-reading

-drawing

Now onto chores. One thing I’m not very good at handling in the winter is folding laundry. I’ll give credit where it’s due and admit folding laundry is primarily my husband’s job in the winter. We can all live off pulling clothes from the clean clothes basket as far as I’m concerned. Summertime is a different ball game entirely. I love to take a load of clothes outside to fold while the kids play. It helps me carve out space so the kids can have some freeplay,, I get a dopamine rush from a job done, and everyone doesn’t need to sift through a mound of clothes in the dryer to find socks. Win-win-win. 

Bring nature inside. 

We have baskets of hemlock cones on our dining table as I write this. It’s a collection of goodies from our last story walk that the kids couldn’t pass up. In the summer, we’ll have dried flowers picked by my kids scattered along the windowsill or in small vases all over the house. These little bundles of joy blur the line between indoor and outdoor spaces, so even when we come inside we’re enjoying nature’s bounty.

Read books about nature

We always have nature books on the shelves. Living in the Northeast, our seasons are very pronounced here. Seasonal books with beautiful illustrations and stories about the plants, animals, and weather immerse us in a given season. Books about your local ecosystem are relevant and personal. We’ve also come to enjoy sound books. While I was totally against electronic books in early parenthood, our bird sound books have been such a beautiful gift. Hearing my son emphatically recognize a mourning dove’s call last summer was heartwarming and affirming that these books deserve a place on the shelf.

Build an adventure mindset

“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.” -Lucy Maude Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

The easiest way to cultivate an outdoorsy culture in your family is to consciously enjoy the experience and share that joy. Every excursion outdoors is an adventure! Changing animals, plants, weather, as well as the sounds, smells, and textures makes for a fresh experience every time. Marvel at a sunset with your little ones. Linger among the lilac blooms and inhale the fragrant flowers. Gaze upon a bee in the garden with great curiosity and wonder. Young children will have no problem looking at nature with fresh young eyes, but they do watch us. We reinforce, through our own actions, how to revel in it.