Our boys love to be outdoors. When given the freedom to explore, they thrive. I think this is normal for most children. Some of my greatest memories as a child were spent outside with my family. In our busy world, there is freedom in unplugging from the chaos and heading outside, whether it be for an hour to hike, a few days, or sometimes even longer. I want my children to respect nature and un...
This photo was taken on an earlier hike I hosted on the same trail at the beginning of the swampy section.
Confession: I got my HiB group lost on the last trail hike I hosted. I also accidentally touched a patch of poison ivy growing up a tree. And to round out my hike fail hat trick, I fell down with my toddler on my back in my framed carrier three times in the swamp section of the trail.
Di...
In this interview series, I'm going to introduce you to park rangers across the United States. Today's post features Jorge Gomes, a park manager at Minnewaska State Park Preserve in New York.
What is your name and job title? Jorge Gomes, Park Manager 2, Minnewaska State Park Preserve.
Is this the first NY State Park you've worked at? If not, tell me what other parks/nature centers you've work...
Are you a #ForceOfNature ? Hike it Baby Founder Shanti Hodges shares her feelings about the Force of Nature campaign by REI and what it means for women to support each other in nature.
Upper McCord hike with Hike it Baby Portland (April 3, 2017)
A few weeks ago my friend Beth posted a hike and shockingly 20 women (and 26 babies) showed up to hike with us. Of the women three were carrying two ...
Legs on fire, I gripped the stroller handlebars tightly as I pushed nearly 100 pounds of kids, snacks, and BOB up the hill. My heavy heart pounded harder and harder with each step and threatened to burst out of my chest. A flood of tears spilled down my cheeks, an unbridled response to the physical and emotional overwhelm I felt through my entire body. The grief over the death of my brother onl...
Far and away one of the biggest concerns I had prior to taking my children camping, was whether they would sleep. I was concerned they would never fall asleep, that they would nurse all night, that I'd wake them up, that they'd wake me up, that they'd be up at 4 am. The list of worries was long. I'm sure you've had some of the same concerns. I assure you, your kid will sleep...
Hearing a child exclaim, "I'm having fun! I'm really having fun!" while out hiking is such a wonderful thing to hear. Knowing that it is the first time they have been able to walk more than a few feet without becoming exhausted makes it even more sweet. Children like Ethan, who was born with Heterotaxy Syndrome, have a much different experience than other children who venture outdoors to play.
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One of the special things about Hike It Baby is all the grandparents, nannies, extended family and friends who join us on our hikes. Today we have a great blog post from an aunt in Colorado and her five hike suggestions for great hikes not to be missed. Enjoy this post about hikes for adventurous families from our guest writer, Kym Tyson, from 33 and Free!
I was adopted when I was 3 months ol...
Did you celebrate Earth Day this year? Kristi reflects on how we can positively impact our environment and encourage our children to become stewards of the Earth.
This Earth is truly a magnificent place. Its resources are unique to this planet. As the only known planet habitable for humans, we must take care of it. Every year, on April 22, the importance of this is brought to the center stage....
When my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child, we made a parenting plan like many new parents do. We thought about what we wanted to do and what we didn’t want to do. Mostly though, our parenting plan boiled down to, “No plan survives first contact with the child.”
No Plan Survives
It’s a good thing we had that attitude because our first child certainly had a wild spirit all...
