OutGrown Blog

This is a continuation of our conservationist series. Each post will detail a conservationist’s life, notable accomplishments and ways the conservationist connects to kids. This post features John Audubon. Artist. Businessman. Woodsman. Conservationist. John Audubon's name will forever be connected to that of birds and bird conservation. Audubon spent half a century as a wildlife artist, and his works are still a standard among modern-day bird artists. And although Audubon himself did not found the National Audubon Society, it was named in his honor when it was created in 1905. Who is John Audubon? John Audubon was born in 1785 in Les Cayes, a French colony that is now Haiti. Audubon was the son of a French plantation owner and his servant. His mother died shortly after he was born, and he was raised by his father and his father's wife, who adopted him a short time later. His adoption provided him with a new name, Jean-Jacques Audubon, and along with this name came new privileges. He took art and music lessons, and he also enjoyed the outdoors, especially birds. When Audubon was 18, war broke out between France and England. To avoid being drafted into the Army, Audubon's father sent him to an estate he owned in Pennsylvania. Once there, he hunted, studied and continued to pursue his art. He also married Lucy Bakewell. The couple had two sons. Audubon spent the next 10 years as a businessman, setting up dry-goods stores along the Ohio River to western Kentucky. During this time, he continued drawing birds as a hobby. Eventually, difficult times hit and Audubon was briefly jailed for bankruptcy. Afterwards, Audubon set out on a journey documenting America's birds. He traveled with his art supplies, gun and an assistant. He created life-sized portraits of birds and compiled his portraits for his Birds of America book. A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children. (John Audubon) Accomplishments and Legacy Audubon was an innovative scientist, and he was the first known person to track the migration patterns of birds by tying colored yarn to their legs. Additionally, he discovered 25 new species of birds, which was quite impressive considering he was a self-taught scientist. He was elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Linnaean Society and the Royal Society of London. Connecting to Kids John Audubon may have lived long ago, but his love of birds can be shared with your little ones! Adopt a Puffin. Help conserve this bird species and receive information on an individual puffin, a summary of its most recent behaviors and a current color photo. Color a bird or other critter. Find printable pictures of birds and other creatures and add color to bring them to life! Get a coloring book version of Audubon's Birds of America. Get a nature journal to draw the birds seen on hikes. Check out these children's books. Quick Facts John Audubon was a taxidermist. He observed birds in their natural state, but he found it necessary to kill the birds he was going to paint. He then created his drawings based on how he displayed the birds. Although Audubon is best known for his work with birds, he also studied mammals. His final work, published posthumously, was titled Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. At the time of publication, Birds of America, was costly. The cost of printing the complete works was $115,640 at the time (over $2 million today). It also took 14 years for the entire work to be printed! In 2010, a first-edition copy of Birds of America was sold for over $11 million in London. As I grew up I was fervently desirous of becoming acquainted with Nature. (John Audubon) Do you have a favorite conservationist? Did John Audubon inspire you? Let us know in the comments Other posts in this series: John Muir, Benton MacKaye, Mardy Murie

For many people, a lot of planning goes into what to bring for a camping trip – gear, food, clothes – and how to set up an ideal campsite, but the activities to do once you’re all there ... well, it can fall to the wayside. Specifically, nighttime activities. It's important to think about how to spend your time after dark, especially with children. In Jennifer Aist’s book "Babes in the Woods: Hiking, Camping, Boating with Babies and Young Children," she points out that “one of the biggest differences between camping with adults and camping with young ones is the ‘down time,’” and night time is no exception. Once the campsite is set up and the sun goes down, how does one keep kids entertained (and safe!) around the campsite? For the littlest campers For the littlest campers– infants – Aist recommends for parents to “start thinking of your baby as a scientist and suddenly the smallest things are super interesting.” Hopefully these young ones go to sleep before long, but you can use the time to explore and observe. Build your child’s vocabulary for nature by talking about what you see or hear. Allow toddlers to explore the night Exploration is everything for toddlers – even at nighttime. They need little more than a bucket and a shovel to conduct their important business of carrying or collecting things. If you have access to a telescope, they’ll be fascinated to look at the moon or planets. You can also give toddlers a flashlight or headlamp and let them look around the campsite; that's always entertaining for them. Glow sticks – you can often find them at the dollar store – are also a crowd pleaser. Additionally, a few favorite board books are good to have on hand to transition into bedtime. For the preschoolers The preschool set can be entertained with simple scientific instruments: magnifying glass, tweezers, bug nets, buckets or jars for collecting water. As a bonus, these things double as open-ended toys, and they may discover new uses for them once it gets dark. Hike it Baby mom Brandi Rondinelli says they’ve made up some fun games with nature: Count the pine cones, throw the pine cones in a bucket, draw a picture with mud on a blank piece of paper. Or count the sounds of the things you hear: fire crackling, crickets chirping, river gurgling. If you saw animals or animal tracks earlier in the day, make up stories about what you saw. Stargazing is another tried and true activity and it can be especially fun during a meteor shower. Hike it Baby dad Ryan Idryo says that for big family trips – with lots of kids – his family makes hand-crank ice cream. “Sometimes we can find wild blackberries to flavor it with,” he said. “If we don't finish it, we'll re-crank it in the morning and have it as a pancake topping.” For school age kids For older kids, playing an in-the-dark game of Capture the Flag has been a huge hit for years, Ryan said, along with board games or interactive story games. And as children get older, you can involve them with some of the tried and true night-time camping activities: roasting marshmallows or making S’mores, singing songs or playing music around the campfire. Have them don pajamas and read (or tell) a bedtime story by the campfire. A nighttime hike can also be a lot of fun if you’re familiar with the terrain and it’d fit your group’s abilities. It can be a great opportunity to check out the stars or find a dark spot and have everyone sit fairly close. Bring along some Wintergreen Life Savers and crunch them with open mouths – when it’s super dark, they’ll spark when you bite them! How do you pass the time at night at camp? Tell us below! This post is sponsored by Easy Camp: At Easy Out Camp Inc., we are passionate about camping and we believe that everyone should experience the enjoyment of living outdoors at least once in their lifetime. We want to make the outdoors easy for everyone – a fun, vibrant environment in which to enjoy the freedom of life. And our aim is to play the fullest role in making a fantastic camping experience that creates great memories – including developing an exciting online community where you can meet new friends and find inspiration and advice. Easy Out Camp Inc.– “Just Add People.” More information is available at www.easycamp.com

When you're getting ready to move to a new house, in a new state, and with small children in tow, it can spark a cascade of emotions. These emotions often feel like a never-ending roller coaster elevating you with glee, excitement and the anticipation of adventure, but then abruptly dropping you down with sadness, anger and a sharp twist of anxiety. These feelings and this crazy ride can go on for months before getting settled into a new place. I’ve been on this ride a couple times in the past year. But, despite feeling alone at times, I was amazed to find so much love, happiness and friendship within Hike It Baby’s embrace. Their community and support were a big reason I made it through such a stressful transition. Finding a group I belonged to Before finding Hike it Baby, I was a new mother and I was thirsting for friendship with a group who appreciated being outside and being active. I have a strong passion for cross-country, road and trail running. I had tried a couple different mom groups but none of them fit me quite right. They all looked great on the mannequin but bunched and bulged in all the wrong places when I tried them out. All of these mom groups were lacking in dirt, fresh air, sunscreen and the beauty of getting outside. Luckily, there was one mother who must have noticed my discomfort because she suggested trying Hike it Baby. It immediately felt like the right fit. In 2015, I became a Branch Ambassador for Hike it Baby and took over my friend’s branch in Douglas County, Colorado. This volunteer position was going to allow me the opportunity to stay active, network and meet like-minded people who also enjoyed the outdoors with their children. However, the first year as an ambassador was a struggle. Most of the time I was the only ambassador and our hikes usually had very little to no turnout, especially during the winter. A few of my friends were very supportive, told their friends and tried to come at least once a month to an event. Despite this success, I felt like I was failing somehow. It seemed like I was not doing enough and I was not feeling like I was creating the community I was seeing in other branches. It was a hard time. And then it happened. Moving away My husband got the notice that he was getting laid off. Our family would soon be moving to upstate New York as my husband followed his career path. One of the first things I did, after crying and trying to deny the inevitable, as well as securing a new Ambassador for my existing branch, was reach out to the local Hike it Baby group of Capital Region, NY. I was greeted with overwhelming kindness by five different Ambassadors who then put me in touch with all of their hike hosts. I was shocked! Floored! I had not even begun to pack and already I was planning to meet my new Ambassador team. Could this really be happening? It felt like a dream to be joining a new branch with so much activity. I spent the next few weeks, before our family’s move, actively talking with this delightful bunch of ladies and gents. I had so many questions about the area, schools, activities, best places to score gear, etc. All my questions and more were answered. Before ever packing a box and moving, I had become part of a loving and enthusiastic community. The HiB Community made our transition easy After moving, the love, joy and friendship that I found through Hike it Baby was unimaginable. I learned very quickly that the majority of my new Ambassador and Host team were all transplants too. Everyone offered to help with the kids while we unpacked, or they offered to bring over food. Within a few weeks, I was attending play groups and dinner parties with all the same people I was going to be hiking with on trail. After being in New York for a couple months, I finally posted my first hike. Almost the entire Ambassador team was able to come in support of the event. It was at this moment that I  really began to understand that Hike it Baby strives to connect with as many parents as possible. And I realized that I was part of something bigger and much more far-reaching. It took almost two years of being an Ambassador and one move to upstate New York before I truly felt and became part of Hike it Baby’s community. While our family’s time in New York was short due to my husband getting transferred back to Colorado, it sure was a remarkable journey. I learned of love from complete strangers as they reached out to help. I found happiness on and off trail and was able to share this with my children and husband. And most of all, my children and I found friendship. We will forever be grateful for these friendships and will never forget them. Moving multiple times within a year can seem like a volcanic eruption of chaos, but it does not have to be. Hike it Baby is there to catch us, support us and welcome us into its embrace of love, happiness and friendship. Has Hike it Baby helped you transition during a move? We'd love to hear your stories in the comments. If you need help locating your new branch, click here. Photos Courtesy of Jessy and Jack Taylor Carrie graduated from Colorado Christian University in 2012 receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with an emphasis in early childhood development and an Associate’s degree in Human Resources. While she has aspirations of getting a Master’s degree in Art Therapy to counsel at risk youth, she has decided to postpone her higher education to focus on being a wife and mother. In 2013 she married Skip. He stole her heart because he unconditionally supported her passionate pursuit in cross-country road and trail racing. Together they have created two adventurous and spunky children. Archer will be three at the end of June and Lila will be 15 months. They are currently living together with their furry rescue dog, Bazil, in Longmont, Colorado.

...or how I wasted too many days NOT hiking. We know your pain. We have three kids, ages two, five and nine, so not even old enough to fend for themselves when we get a wild hair. Before we started hiking in groups of like-minded families, the majority of our hikes were very spur of the moment because we woke with a desperate need to leave the house. But, like I said, three kids in tow everywhere we go? Exhausting. Teaching a preschool in our home at the time? Exhausting. Getting said children to and from various educational activities? Exhausting. Keeping the house in just enough cleanliness so as not to raise the suspicions of CPS? Exhausting. Finding and making time for friends or even my husband? Exhausting, after all that other stuff. What I imagined my Compromise Monster to look like, at first. My point? Oh yes, I'm glad you asked. We were intimately familiar with the Compromise Monster. You know the one I'm talking about. It rears its kind, simple, evil words in the back of your head. "Just stay home," it suggests. "You've had such a busy week," it continues. "You can always hike next weekend," it compromises. "You're just SO exhausted," it finally offers, knowing its got you stuck on the couch all day, right where it wants you. What I now know my Compromise Monster to look like. Sometimes the Compromise Monster is actually a trick of the imagination. It comes in the form of hopes and promises of cuddling all day with the kids, eating a fun meal and then putting on a family movie to close out a "great stay-home day". Let's be honest, with three kids under ten, it NEVER goes that way. Then you regret missing the hike. Or worse! You end up at the mall. I shudder at the number of wasted Saturdays we spent at the mall after we had Compromise Monster'ed away our days hike. Too many, I can assure you. We remember none of them, none. The trail, on the other hand! We remember almost every trek. How do we keep this Compromise Monster at bay? Or maybe even render it completely powerless? Here, I can only offer our personal experience, until I finish my psychology degree, maybe then I can offer more insight. For now, though, here's how we did/do it. First, remember the trail! I mentioned forgetting every day we spent in the mall but remembering every trek?! This memory proved most helpful when trying to argue with our Monster. "Remember the creek off that trail last week? Let's explore there today." or "Remember, the trail we did with so-and-so? Lets take Daddy back to that one and show him, he'll love it." and so on. Every time we thought of a memory to spur our inspiration we were much more successful in getting out the door. Second, find a group! Hike it Baby is a fabulous place to start. For us though, there was no group on Oahu. So I asked in my homeschooling communities; "There has to be a group of fellow homeschoolers who LOVE hiking the island. Anyone know of a group for that?" My questions landed me in a group, Hiking with Keiki, while not homeschoolers as I first expected, they were avid hikers. Well organized and very diverse in trails chosen each week. I found my group. Literally. It wasn't long before I was leading hikes with them. When we learned we were heading back to the mainland, we immediately asked, 'Isn't there a group like this over there?' This is how we found Hike it Baby. Third, host a hike! Hosting was what really kicked my personal Monster's butt, which allows me to silence the Monsters whispering in the heads of everyone else in my house. It created a sense of responsibility for me personally. People were counting on me (or "us" because I always had at least two children with me) to host the hike. If I succumbed to my Monster, eagerly awaiting children didn't get to see the Mokes or climb the trees or swing over a waterfall, hiking moms missed out on the camaraderie of slipping in the mud at Manoa Falls or families took wrong turns and had to wait out their rescue parties till well after dark. This motivated me, and my children. They became solid hike leaders. They knew trail paths better than other hosts and were kind, helpful and good spirited in assisting others on the trail. Moments like this change us, for the better, every time. Lastly, acknowledge the change in your family. This was another big one for me. I saw how hiking had changed our days, yes. But it had also changed our attitudes, our stamina, our hearts, and our souls. These changes were gradual at times and explosive at others. I watched my oldest, take the hand of a younger girl she had known for all of five minutes and lead her one rock at a time up and down a mountain. The girl's mom was on her first hike, ever! She was very nervous and hovering over her daughter, until mine stepped in and took the girl on the trail as only children can. That girl and her mom are now avid hikers as well. What could have been a story of an over bearing mom ruining a child's first experience, ended up being the start of another hiking family to be reckoned with. Remember, no matter what personality your Compromise Monster has, it's up to you to tame it. No one can do it for you. My suggestions are just that, suggestions. You must find what works for you. What gets your Monster under control? What shuts it up fast and efficiently? Don't hesitate to leave a comment and let us know how you're taming your Compromise Monster. Maybe someone else could benefit from your process, too.

In this interview series, I'm going to introduce you to park rangers across the United States. Today's post features Curt Dimmick, chief park ranger at Mt. Rainier National Park. Curt with his oldest son, Eli, at the NPS Centennial on August 25, 2016, at Mt. Rainier. What is your name and job title? Curt Dimmick, Chief Park Ranger, at Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington. Is this the first National Park you've worked at? If not, tell me what other parks/nature centers you've worked at. No, this is actually the ninth. I have worked at Coronado National Memorial (southern Arizona), Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Big Bend National Park, Everglades National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I have been the Chief Park Ranger at Great Basin National Park (Nevada), Crater Lake National Park (Oregon) and now at Mt. Rainier National Park (Washington). Where did you grow up? In the country, city or suburb? I grew up in Illinois in a very small town called Thomson that has a population of about 550.  I consider it the country as we lived on the edge of town without many close neighbors. What did you love about the outdoors as a child? I loved playing in my parents' large yard (we had over 3 acres).  I loved riding bikes and playing all sorts of games and acting out fantasies. I loved animals (we always had a dog growing up and cats) and became interested in wildlife and nature early on. My mother loves birds and always had bird feeders around the house, and I enjoyed watching and learning to identify birds. I loved spending time along the Mississippi River, which was less than a mile from my parents’ house. When did you know you wanted to work in outdoor education? Unlike a lot of my colleagues, I never thought about being a park ranger while growing up. I did know I wanted a job where I could work outdoors at least some of the time. When I started college, I was interested in being a wildlife biologist. I studied and have several degrees in biology and zoology. As I went further in school, I thought I would be a college professor. I got interested in the park ranger profession after I started graduate school and worked seasonal (temporary) positions for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and then later for the National Park Service as a park ranger. I got hooked and eventually landed a permanent position as a protection or law enforcement park ranger with the National Park Service. I have worked as a ranger ever since. I grew up interested in law enforcement too and it is in my family. Both of my brothers are police officers. So this career as a park ranger has combined my interests in wildlife, nature and biology with my interest in law enforcement. Who encouraged you to pursue a career in outdoor education? My parents always supported me and my siblings in whatever we wanted to do. I had several science teachers along the way who helped stoke my interest in the outdoors and nature. Several college and graduate school courses and professors further fed my interest. In the end, it was probably my own internal desire that most led me to this type of career more than any other person. What is the most common question you get from park visitors? Where are the restrooms?  Actually, that is something of a park service joke, but it does ring true as that is one of the most asked questions at visitor centers. At Mt. Rainier National Park, it is usually, "How high is the mountain?  How many people climb the mountain every year?" The answers are 14, 410 ft. and of about 10,000 people who attempt to climb it each year, about half make it to the top. The others get turned around for various reasons. How can parents raise kids to love the outdoors? Get them outdoors early and often. Don’t let weather stop you. Get them rain clothes for the rainy days, snowsuits for the winter days and get them out in all sorts of weather and in all sorts of places. Take them to local, state and national parks. Take them camping, hiking, fishing, kayaking, whatever you are in to and get them started. Read books and stories about the outdoors, animals, nature. Teach them about what they see around them and if you don’t have a nature background, learn with them and take them places like nature centers, children’s museums and programs in national parks to learn more. Anything else you want to share about your job or what you love about nature/being outside? Being a park ranger for the National Park Service, living in or near and working in national parks, is one of the greatest jobs there is. Being part of the mission to preserve and protect the natural resources in our parks and to serve and protect the visitors who come to enjoy the parks is one of the proudest accomplishments I can think of.

Hiking Yosemite with our new little one I didn't know much about carriers when I became a father. I knew my sister had used some kind of wrap with her firstborn and that it was somewhat complicated to tie. I also knew about a sling kind of carrier from some of my husband's siblings. Their popularity seemed to be on the upswing, with lots of people talking about the BabyBjorn carrier or the Moby wrap. I’m the kind of person who likes to research purchases, so I read a bunch of reviews and ruled out the BabyBjorn because it didn't have a waist belt and a number of people complained about back pain. Instead, I settled on a soft-structured carrier called the Beco Gemini, not as well known but very well liked from what I could tell. I also ran across a used Moby wrap and grabbed that too. However, I had to wait a little longer to try these out than I expected. Our son was born eight weeks early, and at 3 lbs. 13 oz, wouldn't meet the minimum threshold for any of these carriers for several months. Certainly there were ways to wear the Moby with a tiny baby, but I doubted my competence and it wasn't worth any risk. Babywearing was on hold for many months. Once we started wearing, I only wore the wrap a few times. Twice around the house to test it out, and once on a short hike. I found it to be unbearably hot, though, and both baby and I were sweating profusely. This was in January in California, so I could only imagine what summer would bring. The wrap just wasn't for us. The Beco was wonderful; it was very comfortable. I could wear the baby around the house with my hands free and get things done. It was everything I hoped it would be ... until he spit up on it the first time. Yes, it's washable, but it's a thick cotton material so it didn't clean easily and would take a long time to dry. Even with washing, a lot of the fabric was black and it began to accumulate stains and fading, especially where he would chew/suck on it at the top. The temperature control was pretty good around the house, but it became apparent that it wasn't great for hiking even in spring, and would be worse when summer came. Additionally, I had to wear a fanny pack over the waist belt if I wanted to carry diapers, milk, extra clothes and water. Carrier popularity seemed to be on the upswing from what I saw online, but in the distant suburb of San Francisco where we lived, I didn't see a lot of other people babywearing. And men babywearing was rare. However, it didn't make me uncomfortable to wear our son though because I'm pretty used to being the different one. But when I did see another man with a carrier, I felt a bit of solidarity and would always wave. Kind of like the Corvette wave, but for babywearing guys. Family weekend backpack trip. I started looking for something else. I knew from a family trip a few years ago that Kelty made a backpack carrier that worked for older kids. I'd carried a nephew down Lembert Dome in Yosemite (he was 3 or 4 then) and it was pretty comfortable. I went to REI to see what I could try out and found that Osprey also had a carrier. I loved the Osprey backpack that I'd bought about four years before - it was incredibly durable and very well designed. Normally you weigh a backpack with sandbags to test it, but this didn't work well with a carrier. Since this was a big purchase for me, I went so far as to acquire a child-sized doll from a thrift store, cut it open, and fill it with sand until it was twice the weight of my son. Thus tested, the Osprey was comfortable, so it passed. Besides being comfortable, I had two other considerations: pack volume (how much stuff I could cram into it) and sun protection. I was looking at the Osprey Poco Premium and it had a nice built-in sunshade. Also, it had more space than any other carrier I could find - at REI or online - so it seemed like a perfect match. With the help of a 20% off coupon, I splurged on what I hoped would be useful for many years to come. And it was! Our son is 3 years and 9 months old now and we've used it for just a bit more than three years and on so many hiking trips we've lost count. He fell asleep in it so easily - I was amazed. On day hikes, we might swap it between us and adjusting the torso length was pretty easy. We've used it for a few backpacking trips too, straining it's weight-bearing and capacity to the limit. Knowing what I know now, I would have tried some different things, but it did the job for us and did it well. I wanted to get back to backpacking, and I wanted to share a real wilderness experience with my son as soon as possible, and the frame carrier let us do that, so I was very happy with it. The Osprey Poco is not without its flaws though. If I went beyond carrying a total weight of 35 pounds or so, I'd start to find the waistbelt uncomfortable. At 45 pounds or more (max load is 48 lbs), I'll get bruises on my hips after a couple miles no matter how I adjust it. That level of weight is unavoidable on a backpacking trip, which we did a few of. The other drawback I found with frame packs are that they are big. Our frame carrier takes up a lot of space in the car and I don't feel comfortable sending it as baggage on the airplane. I'm afraid one of the tubes will get bent and then it'll be ruined. (ED NOTE: Check out Deuter as well if you are looking for a frame carrier. They have been a Hike it Baby sponsoring partner for over two years and have a frame pack we love. What we like about the Deuter is that it’s easily adjustable for persons who are different sizes and the waist band is amazing. They are also rated as the safest frame carrier on the market.) My husband and son hiking in Europe in 2016. In late 2014, I joined Hike it Baby. I was already hosting hikes for a moms' group I was part of (yes, the only guy), so it was a natural fit. In HiB, I started hearing about the Onya baby carrier. The Onya Outback seemed to be of a similar design to the Beco and just as versatile, but addressing some of the flaws that the Beco had. The fabric was nylon, so it would wash easily and dry quickly. Body heat could even dry it. It had built-in pockets - not enough for everything, but enough for some occasions. Plus, it was far more compact than the Beco, as it had a lot less padding. This was important because I was looking at an international trip in the summer of 2015 and needed a way to carry my son during hikes and any tourist outings where a stroller wouldn't work. Completely unimportant, but fun, the burnt orange of the Outback was a near-perfect match for my Honda Element. The Onya Outback turned out to be a great match for travel. Although I found the Beco slightly more comfortable, the Onya was definitely superior in terms of maintenance, packability and heat management. So the Beco went into storage after a little more than a year of use and I haven't gotten it out since. That's where things stabilized - we used the Osprey Poco Premium for hiking and backpacking, and we used the Onya Outback for travel and the occasional around-town usage where a stroller or backpack carrier wasn't feasible, like a museum. Once on a trip that involved a lot of hiking, I rented a backpack carrier because we were going to be hiking in the desert in summer and I didn't want to get too hot. Now, though, my little one isn't so little. When he weighed less, the weight of the Osprey didn't matter so much. Now, with just the pack and my kid, it's 40 lbs. Add the essentials like water, change of clothes, wipes and snacks and I'm carrying 45 lbs. Last August, I geared up to do a solo all-day hike from Tuolumne Meadows with him, and between the extra gear needed and the altitude (8,600 feet), I just couldn't do it. We had to turn around after a mile and do something else. That was the beginning of the end of the Poco for me. This spring, I was given the opportunity to try out the Onya Baby Pure. While this looks similar to the Outback, there are several substantial differences. The most obvious is the replacement of the pocket and hood with the large zippered ventilation flap. Anything that helps reduce heat when hiking hard is welcomed, so I was all for this. My son never liked the hood and the pocket had turned out to be too small for me to use for much, so neither of these were a big loss. More subtle, the padding on the front was thinner. This meant that the carrier rolled up smaller. I could easily attach it to the outside of a backpack and have it not be in the way. And when traveling, it took up less room in the suitcase. Finally, the placement of the hip belt buckle had changed from the odd, sewn-in side piece to a more conventional location. It was a lot easier to tighten, and I felt I had some options if it broke on a hike. The only downside I could see was the lack of color choices. We were headed to Utah for a week of hiking around Zion, so it was trial by fire with no backup. On our hikes, I started out with it rolled up and strapped to the side of my daypack. It rolls up pretty small, so it's not in the way. Then when he tires out, or there's a section I don't want him to walk through (thorns, poison ivy, narrow path on a cliff) or we need to go faster, I unstrap it and put it on and we're good to go. I mentioned I had a daypack, so you might wonder what I do with two packs. I put my son on my back and the pack on my front, or vice versa. I do heat up more, especially if my son is in front, but it does feel comfortable and well balanced. That turns out to be the usual case; my son says he likes to go in front so he can talk to me. I did sort through my daypacks to choose one that worked well in the front. I had to be sure the straps had a wide enough gap in the middle for my neck AND that nothing extended above the straps into my chin AND that the two hip belts could both be worn comfortably. It turned out I had exactly one daypack that met those criteria. We did two hikes carrying him on my back and it worked fine. I can't really think of a situation where I'd use the Osprey Poco now, given the hikes I do. There might be times when I'd want to carry things with only one pack, but the weight of him plus the Osprey plus stuff is too much and that's only going to get worse. Maybe if it were so hot that I really couldn't stand to have him next to me. We've got a backpacking trip coming up later in the summer and we've always used the Osprey before, but I think this time he'll walk and we'll take the Pure for backup. What kind of carrier are you using for your hikes? Share comments below and let us know what’s worked best when on the trail with a little one.

Let’s set the record straight right out of the gate: I’m not a member of Hike it Baby, nor have I ever gone on a hike with the group. I haven’t even met another member of the organization in person besides my wife, but I’m a believer and here’s why: I have seen how Hike it Baby has impacted my family I’m writing to the husband of the family who might think this is just another “mommy play date club”. And to the wife or partner who isn’t taking advantage of all the benefits of Hike it Baby. Our story is as follows: My wife, Rachel, and I moved to Salt Lake City, Utah from Cozumel, Mexico. Big change! We desperately needed some friends and hobbies to help us adapt to this new lifestyle of snow and mountains. I was the one that found Hike it Baby and thought it might be a chance to build friendships. I told my wife to try it out and of course, she didn’t. I work during the day so I couldn’t attend most of the hikes on the calendar that month, but it would be perfect for her. If only she would listen to me! After a little bit, okay a lot, of nagging she did go on a simple, toddler-led, hike. And so it began. Since that first hike she has gone on a hike at least twice a week, sometimes with Hike it Baby, a new friend, or on her own with our son. This is where the real change has come and what HiB has started for us. 1. MORE ENERGY In my head it doesn’t make sense, but when I come home from work my wife and son have more energy. I play with my boy later than normal because he is buzzing like the Energizer bunny. Since he started hiking he has forgotten how to walk, and only runs from point A to B. I see my wife is happy to see me, even if it has been a hard day. The night seems to fly by, because the two most influential people in my life have this magnetic force that transfers to me and gives me energy as if from nowhere. 2. BETTER SLEEP All of that energy in our little son’s body does burn out–eventually. When it does, you can hear his crash from the face plant into his tiny pillow. Hiking days are my favorite nights because I know our little one will sleep a solid 12 hours. He now does that on a consistent basis thanks to the routine of being active. 3. MORE PRODUCTIVITY Over the course of a month, I came home and a lot of things were completed sooner than normal. Her work was completed, our home was cleaner, dinner was cooking, groceries were bought, and she was happy and excited to see me and tell me about the day. At first I didn’t realize there was a direct correlation to hiking, so I began my investigation by identifying the days when things were different. On those days I would ask my wife about her day and listen to the responses. I found that there was a pattern. On days that my wife went on a hike she would be out of the house and away from her stay at home work, and since she was out already she would do some errands. Upon coming home she could put our boy down for a nap with ease due to the hike. During that time she had the energy to do want she needed to do, and even things she wanted to do for herself to fulfill her own needs. A few months later she has successfully started her own blog about the importance of the outdoors and is currently working on a second dealing with traveling in Mexico. She is also in the process of buying a house to fix up, coaches two youth soccer teams, and still finds time to hike because that is what she loves. 4. KIDS LEARN BETTER Textures, colors, and experiences help the brain develop tremendously before the age of two. After that age as well, but babies are little sponges. The more experiences they can have the better off they will be. Our boy is 16 months old and has a love for the earth. Rocks and sticks are his favorite toys. Pinecones are his favorite snacks despite his mother’s quickness to get them out of his mouth. We’ve discovered he loves water and is always smiling when he is outside. Just this morning he was picking up all the trash he could find at the park and throwing it away. I mean really?! How cool is that? 5. OUTSIDE FAMILY TIME This might not be a problem for some families, but at one point it was very difficult for ours. I grew up in Idaho which meant shooting, scouts, backpacking, skiing, and all that outdoor stuff. This was naturally a part of my life. My wife grew up in a family who feared the outdoors. We joke that they considered camping sleeping in a three star hotel. Early in our marriage it was hard for me to get her outside since she was new to the outdoors and sometimes uncomfortable. Thanks to friends she discovered the joy of nature and slowly went further and further out of her comfort zone. Camping, however, was the line in the sand. She was not ready for that type of commitment. One day after she got home from a hike she said that it “might” be fun to go camping. For Christmas that year she got a sleeping bag as a present from a mystery lover. Yep. Santa. A few weeks later she talked about a camping trip that one of the Hike it Baby crew had just gone on. Shortly after that we went to an outdoor expo, which are amazing for buying gear. It was there that she said, “It’s time to go camping.” We are now looking for a 4Runner, so if you have one for sale let me know. Rachel’s change wasn’t overnight, but now she is more sure than ever about the outdoors and it being a part of our life. This has been something that I’ve wanted to do with my family since I was little, and thanks to Hike it Baby (and many other friends) my hope for my family adventures have come true. Aaron Kirkham – Growing up in the wilderness of Idaho, Aaron gained a great appreciation for the outdoors. He married the girl of his dreams and they moved to Mexico for work and made an adventure of it. While in Mexico their son Chucho joined the Kirkham Krew . As a family they do all they can to get outside. Follow their adventures at Rachel’s blog Rockies to Islands and Aaron’s Blog Cozumel Daily .

May was National Bike Month, and I had a goal to bike five miles with my kids. We are an outdoor-loving family. We ski, hike, camp and swim and chronicle our adventures on my blog, Mountain Mom and Tots. Biking, however, is still new to us. My 5- and 8-year-olds both learned how to ride just last year and my 2-year-old has only ever ridden in the bike trailer. With winter melting into spring and summer calling from the eaves, I knew May was our month. We would bike five miles together as a family, remembering those skills from last year. In the process, we would introduce my youngest to a balance bike. New skills all around! It would be epic! Awesome! Unforgettable! Or so I thought. Balance Bikes Require Balance At the beginning of May, I started full of excitement, planning a Bike it Baby toddler-led activity. I planned to bike along the Provo River Trail, a paved city path that follows the river, connecting several parks and playgrounds. I'd explored several sections of the Provo River Trail in the past, but had to look up the address for the exact park I wanted. The morning of the Bike it Baby activity, my Branch Ambassador contacted me and said, “That park doesn't connect to the Provo River Trail.” What? I thought.   Then she asked, “Are you there now? It's supposed to start in ten minutes.” No, I wasn't there! I thought I had scheduled it to start thirty minutes later. Scrambling Facebook messages and phone calls followed. Luckily my Branch Ambassador and I were able to contact everyone about the sudden address and time change. Five moms and tots showed up at the new park, ready to ride with their toddlers. Whew. Crisis averted. The only thing to do now was to get my 2-year-old on her sister's hand-me-down balance bike. It's safe to say my first attempt at family biking was unsuccessful. Bike Trailer Baby Despite a rough beginning, I was determined to complete my May Family Biking Challenge. Five miles really isn't that long. Now that I knew my toddler needed a little more physical development before biking on her own, I could put her in the bike trailer and still accomplish the goal. I live on a mountain road with no sidewalks – not exactly kid-biking-friendly – so for my second attempt, I loaded all the kids and bikes in my truck and met a friend at another local bike path. While unloading three bikes, a bike trailer, helmets, snacks and children, I left my truck keys on the driver’s seat and shut the door. My 2-year-old then locked herself and the keys inside the truck. I freaked and so did she. Luckily, a kind stranger unlocked the door by shimmying a part of his fishing pole through the window crack. After the car drama, I was grateful for a calm mile-and-a-half bike ride. The path followed a river and passed a horse field. The sun shone down and I felt that familiar joy that comes from spending time outdoors. My older kids loved riding along with their friends and my baby happily ate snacks in the trailer. Things went well until the last half mile of the trail. “Mom! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!” My 5-year-old sat in the middle of the path, her bike thrown to the side. “I'm bleeding!” “Oh no! What happened?” I stopped my bike beside her. “The pedal hit my leg!” Sure enough the back of her calf sported a small red scratch. Not enough to require a trip to the doctor, but enough that I wished I had a magic Band-Aid with me. “Why don't you ride in the trailer for a while,” I suggested. She nodded and climbed in next to her sister. I stuffed her bike into the back of the trailer and continued down the trail, now towing 100 pounds of kids, trailer and supplies. Third Time Is a Charm … or Not I still had the goal of biking five miles as a family, but after two tough attempts, I gave myself more leeway. Instead of biking five continuous miles, I allowed myself to break the mileage up into multiple rides, as long as I reached five miles total in the month of May. And while I still wanted to have a family bike ride, that didn't mean I had to bring every member of my family, right? When motherhood gets difficult, I find that a little leeway goes a long way. But even I didn't realize just how much leeway I would need. On my third attempt at family biking, I left the toddler at home with dad thinking I could get some good miles in with my older kids. We rode along a bike path near the lake. Ten minutes in, lake flies chased us away with a vengeance. On my fourth attempt, I tried introducing my 8-year-old to an easy mountain bike path. After ten minutes of gentle uphill, he refused to bike any farther. He hasn't quite grasped the concept that you must go up to come down. We turned around and rode back to the trail head.   A Pusher Parent Now, I consider myself a fairly optimistic person. In general, if at first I don't succeed, I try and try and try again. However, four mostly unsuccessful attempts at biking with kids was enough for me. Like so many experiences on the trail with kids, it's important to know when to quit. Sometimes I feel like a pusher parent, forcing my kids to do activities outdoors. Skiing, hiking, camping and biking are activities I love. I desperately want to share those activities with the people I love most. They bring me joy. They fill my soul. But if I push too much, I'm afraid my kids will resent doing activities outdoors. Finding that balance between encouraging kids to explore and forcing them to do things they despise is difficult to say the least. For example, we live near Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah  – mostly because I love to snowboard. I want to share my love for snow sports with my kids, so I started them on skis from the age of 2 or 3. If I had it my way, we would ski or snowboard every day in the winter. The intoxicating thrill that comes from speed mixed with a little bit of danger boosts my adrenaline and has me constantly begging for more. My kids, on the other hand, see it as a chore. Skiing, to them, is like piano lessons – something Mom makes them do once a week whether they want to or not. On the other hand, my kids often ask, “When can we go camping again?” even though last summer we spent seven full weeks camping along the National Park to Park Highway.  On that trip, we camped primarily out of our truck for 7,000 miles, visiting 23 national parks and monuments all around the western United States. You would think that after seven weeks of camping, my kids would be sick of it. I know I was. But it seems they can't get enough. Some outdoor activities I try with my kids become quick family favorites. Others feel more like a chore. Biking Is an Exercise in Balance I still haven't found the perfect balance of pushing my kids and giving them (and me) leeway, but honestly, I don't mind. Balance requires constant effort and adjustment, adapting with every outing. Think about riding a bike. Balancing on two wheels only comes after repeated attempts, each try requiring a little change from the one before. Move your weight forward. Push a little harder. Kick your legs out for stability. Adaptation is an inherent part of every outdoor activity, especially with kids. As a parent, I will continue trying to find balance in our family's outdoor adventures. I just hope my kids will feel the joy that comes with each attempt, even if it's far from the overall goal. Reaching the Goal On my final attempt at reaching my goal of biking five miles in May, my husband and I went mountain biking at Sundance Mountain Resort. Together, we rode the chairlift to the top of the mountain, taking in scenic views of snow-topped mountains and verdant aspen groves. At the top, we unloaded the bikes and delved into a forest of pine and gambel oak. The trail wound along a ridge, down switchbacks and out to a picturesque alpine pond. Wildflowers dotted the trail side. Deer scampered away as we rode by. By the end of the outing, I had reached my goal. I spent time in nature, enjoying the scenery, filling my soul. Not only that, but I got to share a favorite activity with someone I love. And really, shouldn't that always be the ultimate goal?   Susan Strayer is the author of MountainMomandTots.com, a website dedicated to helping families explore the outdoors. She lives with her family near Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah. When she's not skiing, hiking, camping or biking with her kids, she enjoys reading. In the summer of 2016, she traveled along the National Park to Park Highway, living out of her truck with her family of five for seven weeks. Photos courtesy of Susan Strayer

They say the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, but I’m pretty sure that’s a lie – especially when you have a toddler. For parents, the saying should be that the journey of one mile starts with a thousand steps of planning, preparation, being organized, zig zags back and forth and at least one toddler meltdown before you really start. It seems getting out of the house gets infinitely harder after you have a child (let alone multiple kids). Sky and I have been adventuring together for almost three years and I’ve learned the hard way to prepare ahead of time. (Ask me about the time when I didn’t bring a carrier ‘cause Sky “wouldn’t need it.” Famous last words.) In the last few years, I’ve simplified the preparation process for any journey to just two steps: Always keeping the car organized and night-before packing. AN ORGANIZED CAR KEEPS THE FAMILY ROLLING THE ESSENTIALS Keep a bag of essentials in the car. I always keep wet wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, baby powder, first aid kit, toddler toilet, baby carriers and a hip pouch in the car. I consider these the essentials for hiking with my toddler. I’ve been known to get to the trailhead without something essential like sunscreen. Keeping these items in the car makes it so they’re always on hand without even thinking about it. Just make sure to keep an eye on how much you have left in your different bottles or how many Band-Aids are in your first aid kit. Replenish when necessary. The baby powder seems random on my list, but this is a trick I learned for taking care of sand. If you visit the beach or sand box often, add some baby powder to your essentials box and you won’t be sorry! I always keep a carrier in the car as I can run back if Sky decides she doesn’t want to walk about 50 feet into the hike. DESIGNATED CAR TOYS I’m typically rushing out the door to make it in time to a hike I’m hosting, so something to keep my kid entertained is an afterthought. I normally put little plush toys and books in a small box she can reach to keep her entertained. On very long trips, I put her Kindle Fire in the box as well. The happier she is on the drive, the happier the hike will be. HAPPY HIKING DOG I love taking my German Shepherd, Lilly, with us on hikes, so I make sure to keep a few dog items in the car like a leash, a ball, a collapsible water bowl, poop bags, and a dog first aid kit. Lilly can be a pain in the car and will try to sit on my lap, so I use a Travall pet barrier to keep her in the back seat area. Bonus: it’s really heavy duty so I can use it to keep other items in the back area too, like boxes when I need to move stuff. THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR HIKE MAKE IT OBVIOUS Put everything near the door. While you might think that your child is walking so you will totally remember shoes, the reality is that you might not remember in your rush to get out the door. (You might also be going on a 7-mile hike that is three hours away with her when you forget said shoes. Lucky for me, a fellow Hike it Baby mama had an extra pair of hiking boots for her toddler.) When you pile everything near the door, it ensures you will get it in the car before you leave. If multiple people are packing, it also makes sure there is only one spot to grab items. GEAR DRAWER Group all hiking gear together in one drawer or bin. I tend to keep all of my kid’s layers and different hiking gear in one drawer so I can easily find it. This is way more important in winter when she’s in multiple layers. I do this as well for accessories like hats, mittens, etc. The hardest part is putting it back after it’s been washed. GOODIES Always pack a treat. I’ve learned this one the hard way. If your kid loves M&Ms or fruit snacks, pack a few in a hidden part of your pack for a bit of extra motivation when the toddler meltdown begins. Sometimes just a small treat will go a long way with a little one. My daughter has a love of freeze-dried strawberries, so I tend to keep a pack stashed in a secret spot in my car for those moments when she’s about to lose her mind. It’s staved off a meltdown or two and completely worth my sanity. Sure, she was a hot mess when we made it to the trailhead, but nothing a wet wipe couldn’t fix. PRE-PACK YOUR PACK Pack your water, food, wet wipes, diapers, PullUps, snacks, first aid kit, etc., the night before in whatever is going on the trail (extra pack, hip pouch, fanny pack, jacket with big pockets). Put this by the door in your to-go pile. Pack what you think you will need and always pack a first aid kit (even if it’s a modified homemade one). TODDLER PACK Pack your little’s pack even if they aren’t going to use it. Chances are you will get to the trailhead and they will start crying and say they can’t hike because you forgot their pack once you put yours on. I normally pack Sky’s pack the night before as well. She’s getting to the age where she enjoys wearing a pack for half the hike. I make sure it’s light so I only pack a few essentials (like her baby doll) and snacks. If you are like me, keeping organized can help make getting to the hike a whole lot easier. While Sky and I may not be starting the thousand-mile journey yet, putting in a bit of work before we head out the door has made our smaller journeys even more enjoyable.   Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a sponsored post. The company who sponsored it compensated Hike it Baby via a payment or product to write it. Regardless, our organization only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. We disclose this fact in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Bee and her dad, Dan, check out Washington's Headquarters at Morristown in Morris County, New Jersey during the National Park Service's 100th Anniversary celebration weekend in 2016. Sharing our love of history One of the reasons I married my husband was our shared love of U.S. and world history. Most of our vacations revolve around visiting a historic site. Now that we are a family of three, we bring our daughter, Bee, along as we walk through the history of the United States. We are lucky enough to live in an area of the country where numerous early American historical events took place. We live along the Revolutionary War trail and there are often instances on our hikes when we are literally walking through history. Walking through the Revolution So far, we've covered George Washington's encampment in Morristown  which includes: Jockey Hollow, Fort Nonsense and his Headquarters. We covered the entire three-site area in one afternoon. Every spring, Jockey Hollow has its re-enactment days. We took Bee last spring but she was much more interested in the horses than meeting the soldiers and families in their tents. There were children dressed alongside their parents in colonial clothing as well as colonial kitchen demonstrations inside and out. I watched an actor demonstrate how colonial families did laundry using an outdoor kitchen area to boil water and cleanse the wool articles of clothing with lye soap. In the main encampment area in an open field, there were a dozen or so canvas tents set up with various trade crafts as well as a tent for eating meals. Bee loves horses, just like her mama. She was fascinated with the horses at the April 2016 Jockey Hollow re-enactment days. Getting around a historical site Depending on your level of comfort, most historical sites can be covered with a stroller. However, if you want to get into the buildings, I would recommend bringing a carrier so you can easily access the buildings without lifting a stroller. What I love the most about visiting historical sites is the amount of open space available to explore. Bee loves a good chase while we're out on a hike and there is usually a long open path to run along.  There isn't always a food option nearby so we're prepared with a picnic lunch or snacks and plenty of water to stay hydrated. Perhaps you want to be literary... If literary history is more interesting to you, you can visit the birthplace or setting of the books by your favorite author. For example, my older sister, Kate, did a road trip with her family a few years ago and stopped at a number of sites mentioned in Laura Ingalls' Little House on the Prairie series of books. She was so excited to see the wheel tracks left by the pioneer wagons who went West through Nebraska, Minnesota, and the Dakotas. She often saw trail markers and pulled over to do a pit stop with her two kids, a toddler and a preschooler at the time. My hiking bucket list includes an urban hike along The Freedom Trail in Boston. There's a lot of cobblestone there so I'm planning to bring my frame backpack carrier along to hike with my family. I also want to check out Walden Pond and Louisa May Alcott's house while in the Boston area. Is there a historical place you've been longing to hike through? What places have you wanted to share with your kiddo? 

Losing a Child: it’s every outdoor parent's worst nightmare – something distracts you momentarily and you turn around to find your child nowhere in sight. Calls are unanswered. A hasty search of the immediate area yields no sign of them. You don’t know where they are – do you know what to do? The first thing you must do is remain calm. Science has proven that when we panic, our thinking brain literally shuts down. Take deep breaths, repeat a mantra, say a prayer or grab a stick of gum. Do whatever you must to stay level-headed! Next, begin a search of the immediate area, calling your child’s name every few minutes. If others are with you, direct one person to stay on the trail at the point they were last seen, while the others fan out in all directions. If you haven’t located them in 30-60 minutes (depending on the time of day), it’s time to call for help. One of the most important pieces of information you need before calling for help is the “point last seen” or PLS. Find out where you are – take a GPS coordinate if you can. If you use a cell phone map program, turn it on to see if it can locate your position. Take note of your surroundings – notice any peaks, trail signs, junctions, rivers or other obvious features. Snap a few photos of the location on your phone. Then physically mark the location – a bandana tied around a tree branch or a rock cairn built up on the side of the trail. If you have a cell phone and a cell signal, call 911. This is the quickest way to get help headed your way. If you don’t have cell signal but are hiking with friends and it’s safe to do so, you can split up. Send someone back out to find the nearest ranger station, park office building, maintenance yard or spot with a cell signal. You can flag down any park or forest employee as they usually all carry radios. Leave someone at the PLS in case the child comes back. If you have a third person, consider sending them to wait at your vehicle at the trailhead. If you are hiking alone with your child and you have no cell signal, you have some tough choices to make. You will have to go for help yourself, if your search is futile, but mark your location first. If your child can read, leave a note in an obvious location with instructions. If, as you are hiking out, you run into other hikers, you can enlist their help. Perhaps they can go back to the trailhead and call for help while you wait at the PLS. Be sure to give them all the important information to pass on. Once help has arrived: Expect to answer a series of questions before an actual search begins. Depending on where you are hiking, help may arrive in the form of a park ranger, forest service ranger, search and rescue (SAR) team member, or deputy or police officer. They will all walk through a standard lost person questionnaire that will include questions like: Your name and contact information. Full name and age of your child. Where was the point the child was last seen (as detailed as possible)? Detailed description of your child: what are they are wearing, hair color, eye color, height, weight, complexion? Any medical or behavioral problems, such as diabetic or autistic? Do they have any food, water or extra clothing with them? Do they have an emergency whistle? Have they been taught what to do if they get lost? This tells them if your child knows to stop and wait, or if they would be more likely to keep wandering further away. Have they ever been lost before and what did they do? How do they respond to strangers? Would they ask a stranger for help or would they hide? Will they respond to a stranger (a searcher) calling their name or would they keep quiet? Are they afraid of dogs? Some search and rescue operations rely on dogs. What were the circumstances just before they disappeared? Were they in an argument with a parent or sibling? What was their emotional state? Don’t be offended by any questions they may ask! The information you provide – even if it seems trivial to you – is important to them and will help them organize the most efficient search. They will also be taking into consideration the time of day and weather conditions before they formulate a plan and send out personnel. The SAR team will take over from here. Waiting for the SAR team to find your baby is the hardest part of the process for parents. Take heart in knowing that the VAST majority of lost children are found fairly quickly and that you have now done everything you could to make that search successful!

You've scouted the trail and picked the perfect night according to weather. Now there's just the children's temperament on that evening, the alignment of the stars and it's time to head into the woods at night with the hope that you'll keep the interest of the munchkin masses. I imagine that while many of our children are comfortable hiking in the day, some may not be so excited about doing so when they can't see into the woods. This was the case with my outdoor education campers when I used to lead hikes for the Y, so my first order of business was always to assure them that no matter how nervous they (the huddled group of 6th graders) were, any animals that did happen to be nearby were most definitely scared off by the 10-headed, 20-footed, very noisy creature now tramping through their forest. They were just hiding until we passed. We'd walk a bit, giving them time to loosen their grip on one another, and mention the stars or moon if they were visible. But the real tricks were in my bag. Here are my favorites: Drawing This activity requires supplies to be brought with you. Small paper squares (whatever size you want to carry and have room for in your bag) and crayons (colored pencils work well too, but just not light colors). Break your group into pairs. One person take the paper and writing implement and using their partner's back as a table, they draw what you say. You might say things like, "Draw a sun. Under the sun, make a house. Last, add a flower by the house." They switch and the second person uses the other side of the paper and does the same thing but trying to make it different. "Draw two trees. Now place a hammock between them. Add stars in the sky." This obviously works best with slightly older participants. The sixth and seventh graders would always yell at me about the hammock because very few placed the trees apart from each other. I love it. It added to the discussion about not being able to understand what someone else means by words alone. It also opened discussion about the benefit of having all the instructions before starting a project. Once back to the light of the cars or cabin, examine the pictures and see how different they are. Some will be pretty bad; others will surprise you. Why Pirates Wear Eye Patches Have on hand a small candle (a tea light will do and make sure you have a way to light it) or even a small lantern. Nothing too big though; you don't want to blind anyone. Have your group stand in a circle and ask each person to cover one eye with a hand, keeping their eye covered but OPEN. With the other eye, they simply watch you tell a short story. Light the candle or lantern, placing it in the middle of the circle, and tell your story. Any pirate story you like. I always described a pirate raid on another ship in the middle of the night as it correlates to the biology being demonstrated. Be sure it's not too long or hands covering eyes will get tired. If a story isn't quite your thing, a few of these pirate jokes might be just what you need. Once you've finished your story or jokes, blow out your candle. Now, instruct your participants to switch their hands (or eye patches) to the other eye. Their previously covered eye should now be adjusted to the light of the night, allowing them to see better. I'd end with, "Now imagine your band of pirates, boarding a vessel in the night and having no difficulty seeing in the dark. This is why Pirates Wear Eye Patches." The Disappearing Head Similar to the eye patch trick, this one is about the biology of your eye. Have partners stand across the path from one another. Tell them to stare at the head of their partner and give a little "ta-da" when "it" happens. They will ask what "it" is. Assure them, they'll know it when it happens. After a few seconds of staring, you should start to hear the "ta-da." Explain, in the absence of enough light to see properly, you brain fills in the blank of what you don't see with what it knows should be there ... the woods (or whatever environment you're in). It looks as though the head of their partner had disappeared. Sparking Good Time Have on hand, in your bag, a bag of Wint-O-Green mints. It only works with this particular flavor of Life Savers. Pass them out but instruct the group not to eat them yet. Standing or sitting in a circle (a close circle if the group is small), explain to everyone that this is the ONE time they have permission to chew with their mouths open. (The kids always got a kick out of that.) Not just permission to do so, but the experiment actually depends on it. Once everyone understands that you must chew it and do so with your mouth open, give the go ahead. Everyone pops the candy in their mouth and chews. Look around the circle and you'll see sparks coming from everyone's mouth! Now that everyone has the eyesight of a pirate and minty fresh breath, I'd say the night hike was a success. What are you doing on a night hike that others might enjoy? Leave a comment and let us know. Photo courtesy of Melissa Hollingsworth