Tips on Adventuring with Your Kids

Before I had kids, I was a very spontaneous person and I loved going on adventures. On a random Wednesday afternoon, my husband and I would drive for an hour or two just to see what a specific area looked like. I love getting outside, seeing gorgeous sites, and just discovering new places. Of course, once I had kids, it made adventuring much harder, but also way more fun! Our family adventures are not quite as spontaneous as my pre-kid adventures were (since I now have nap times to work around), but I still make a point to make them happen.

We’ve all heard the statistics on screen time. We all know it’s bad for us and our kids, and we all know that it’s much more beneficial to get outside. There are countless pages of statistics telling us about how our kids will be healthier, smarter, socially and emotionally more developed, and so on and so forth if they get outside more. However, instead of guilting you into adventuring with your kids, I want to tell you how wonderful and thrilling it can be!

In the almost four years that I’ve been a parent, I’ve taken my girls on countless hikes, weekend trips, and many day-trips. I’m no expert, but I’ve learned a few things that I’d like to share that may make adventuring with kids easier for you:

1.      Say yes when your immediate reaction is to say no.

We took my 11-month-old camping last year and as much as I was terrified that it could potentially turn into four very long, sleepless nights, I still said yes! I decided that I’d survive if it ended up being a disaster, and you know what? We had a great time! Yes, we had to walk my baby around in a stroller at midnight to get her to go to sleep, but the good moments (the hikes, the views, the laughs) made the hard moments all worth it.

2.      Prepare.

There is nothing more frustrating to me than trying to pack bags amidst giant piles of laundry. So, two to three days before our adventure is going to happen, I start to get the house in order. It’s much easier to pack the car when your house is organized, and plus, coming home to a clean house is arguably the best thing in the world!

3.      Stay positive & accept the inevitable

Something WILL go wrong. You will get a flat tire, your kid will pee their pants in the car, you’ll forget to bring swimsuits, or your kids may miss a nap. I promise you that disaster will come, but you have to let the frustrating things roll off your back. If you make a big fuss and complain about it, your kids are going to hate it too. Instead, laugh at the situation and move on.

4.      Cherish the memories

Let the kids jump in the water in their clothes or play in the mud after they just took a shower. Don’t sweat the small stuff and remember to breathe it all in while you’re in the moment. Take too many pictures, but don’t worry about making them “picture perfect”.

Your adventures don’t need to be a grandiose road trip across America or even a week-long camping trip. You can keep it simple and enjoy a day at Crystal Hot Springs or Lava Hot Springs. We live in an amazing place with breath-taking hikes, reservoirs and campgrounds, which makes it even easier to make adventures quick and easy.

My favorite memories from my childhood are being stuck in a tent playing cards with my entire family in Jackson Hole because it was pouring rain. I loved playing Annie-Annie over outside of my grandparent’s cabin in Island Park. I still laugh at the conversations we had in the car when my parents decided to drive six kids from Utah to Ohio. Yes, I have plenty of every day childhood memories, but the adventuring memories immediately bring a smile to my face and motivate me to create those experiences for my own children.

Published in The Tremonton Leader in April 2019