Bridging the Baby Nature Gap with Partners: Featuring Morrison Outdoors

We are so excited to be participating in the Brushwood Center’s kickoff event for military families on June 8, 2024! “Brushwood Center works collaboratively with community partners, artists, health care providers, and scientists to improve health equity and access to nature in Lake County, Illinois, and the Chicago region.” While there are many programs that encourage kids to get outside in nature, very few focus on families with babies and young children. OutGrown specializes in bridging the baby nature gap, connecting families to nature from birth. We are excited to help extend the Brushwood Center's reach to serve a wider audience of military families. If you are a military family and in the Greater Chicago area, be sure to check out the Military Kids Fest from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. to enjoy the beautiful trails of Ryerson Woods, art activities, games and food with us. We will bring our Footprints activity (sponsored by our partners at L.L. Bean), handouts, a Wander Walk adventure, and a baby carrier library to try on different types and sizes. Photo credit: Jenn Canjar We know how important it is to find support and other families—your village—as you adapt to new surroundings and raise your kids while in the military. Events like this provide a great opportunity to try new things and find community in your new backyard. Here’s what some of our military families have had to say about finding community with us over the years: “I found Hike it Baby (now OutGrown) when I needed it most at our previous duty station. My husband was working super long hours, we had no family nearby, and I was desperately trying to get my son (who was 8 months old at the time) and myself out of the house. I struggled to find a community that felt like the right “fit” until I stumbled upon OutGrown. Everyone was so welcoming and non-judgmental! When we PCS’ed a few years later, I was happy to find a nearby branch at our new duty station, and it has provided an instant community full of wonderful people with similar interests for both my son and me. I’m not sure what we would have done without it!” ~Becca, Kitsap Peninsula, Washington Branch (Navy) “It made it so easy to find friends with similar interests and lifestyles. My entire community here is built from OutGrown!” ~Heather, Colorado Springs, Colorado Branch (Air Force) “In a duty station that wasn’t connected to a base... OutGrown gave me my first few friends and thus insight into a new location. It also got us out and about... no wallowing in despair here!” ~Jenyfer, Eugene, Oregon Branch (Navy) Find a community near you at: https://weareoutgrown.org/find-your-community ABOUT OUTGROWN Here's a little more about OutGrown: We're a national, 501c3 nonprofit with over a decade of experience helping families get outside with their babies and young children. We believe it is critical to include and center families from birth because it is a crucial developmental time for both the infant and the parent, where we can create a life-long, multi-generational impact. We know that we protect what we love and we're helping families build a loving connection with the outdoors so they can value and protect it for generations to come. As a community-driven organization, we have been working with indigenous, Latine, BIPOC, immigrant & refugee, and rural families to co-design multilingual and culturally relevant solutions in our programming. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteers. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org. ABOUT THE BRUSHWOOD CENTER Our Vision We work toward a future of resilient and connected communities, both human and ecological, where all lead healthy and thriving lives. Our Mission Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods works collaboratively with community partners, artists, health care providers, and scientists to improve health equity and access to nature in Lake County, Illinois, and the Chicago region. We engage people with the outdoors through the arts, environmental education, and community action. Brushwood Center’s programs focus on youth, families, Military Veterans, and those facing racial and economic injustices. More information can be found at: https://www.brushwoodcenter.org/ EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.

This blog was written in partnership with our friends at Turtle Fur. Every season has its challenges when it comes to finding the motivation to get outdoors. It could be too hot or too cold; too wet or too dry; too dark, windy, smoggy or muddy. We feel stuck indoors and our physical, mental and emotional well-being can take a hit because of it. “Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being.” American Psychological Association. That’s why it’s so important to try to spend at least 10 meaningful minutes outside each day. The health benefits of spending time outside Getting a breath of fresh air can do more than improve our lungs—there are many proven benefits for the whole family to spending time outside. Benefit: Increased serotonin Exposing the body to sunshine naturally increases serotonin levels—those "happy" boosters we produce that impact things like our memory, stress, digestion and sleep.   Benefit: Increased Vitamin D Sun exposure is also a great way to naturally absorb vitamin D. We need vitamin D for healthy bone growth but also to help control cancer cell development, infections and inflammation in our bodies.   Benefit: Reduced cortisol levels
 Cortisol is the hormone that helps give us the energy we produce to wake up in the morning and also helps us fall asleep and rest as levels lower in our body. When we have high levels of cortisol we can suffer from things like anxiety, weight gain and heart disease.   Benefit: Burned calories
 Exercise outdoors has the added benefits of natural inclines, wind resistance and varying terrain—all of which add to more calories being burnt from something as simple as a stroll around the block.   Benefit: Improved memory, focus and attention Studies show that nature directly contributes to enhanced brain development in children who spend quality time outdoors. Nature itself helps to decrease the heart rate and blood pressure, regulate body temperature and helps with cognitive skills, memory and attention.   Benefit: Decreased risk of heart disease The combination of increased vitamin D, reduced cortisol and easing physical tension in our bodies from time spent outdoors contributes to a decreased risk of developing heart disease.   Benefit: Improved sleep Falling asleep can be difficult when your body isn't in the right rhythm or is too wound up to get restful sleep. Spending time outdoors helps our brains sync with a sleep/wake cycle and fall into a more healthy pattern of day/night energy.   Benefit: Eased depression symptoms
 Spending more time outdoors increases the likelihood of feeling connected to nature—and can therefore lead to feeling less isolated and depressed.   Benefit: Boosted immune function
 It's not just a breath of fresh air that helps us feel better as we escape from indoor germs and bacteria—sunlight may activate T cells in our immune system to fight infections and some plants release immune-boosting phytoncides into the air.   Benefit: Increased happiness and peacefulness When we soak up natural sunlight, breathe fresh air and appreciate the beauty of nature on a consistent basis, we increase our ability to feel true happiness and peace. We feel more connected, less confined and at ease from all the benefits of spending meaningful time outdoors regularly. Make it a habit to get outdoors every day Try to make it a habit to spend time in nature every day by starting small and finding others to motivate you and your family. Take a little extra time as you do your daily activities outside—like when you are walking into work, school or running errands. Find accountability buddies or communities with like-minded goals and inspire others while you achieve yours! Soon, it will become "natural" to spend more time in nature and you will reap the benefits of improved mental, physical and emotional well-being. Want to view more studies and learn more? We think this article is a great resource. Looking for a fun way to support our Hike it Baby program? Check out the Totally Tubular Comfort Shell from our partner, Turtle Fur! About OutGrown OutGrown is a national nonprofit working to ensure that every family, especially those with babies and young children, can experience the benefits of time outside. Since our grassroots beginning in 2013, we have supported more than 300,000 families with the help of thousands of volunteers across the country. We believe nature belongs to all of us from the very beginning. That means creating opportunities, removing barriers, and supporting families in finding their way outdoors, whether that starts with a stroller walk, a community outing, or a quiet moment under the sky. You can learn more and explore our programs at WeAreOutGrown.org. Editor’s Note Thank you for reading. At OutGrown, we believe content should offer more than information. It should create a connection, support real-life caregiving, and reflect how families grow together through nature. Everything we share is made with care by our team and volunteer community. If this piece inspired you or helped you feel more confident in your outdoor journey, we invite you to support our work by donating today. Your contributions help us keep resources free and accessible to all families. Please remember that the experiences and tips shared in this article are for general information only. They are not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or safety advice. Always consult with a qualified provider if you have specific concerns or questions. We are glad you are here. We are growing something meaningful together.