Growing up in the lush Qu’Appelle Valley on the Saskatchewan prairies has meant that nature has always been very important to me. The unique flora and fauna of the area is fascinating to me, whether I’m throwing seeds from ash trees into the air and watching them spin like helicopters to the ground or picking tiny, tart buffalo berries for a snack while hiking.
I’ve tried to share as much of my love of nature with my boys as possible, but there’s no question that doing so is harder with today’s generation. Zackary and Benjamin are more interested in watching cartoons and video games than squirrels and birds. And between school, work and extra-curricular activities, none of us have as much free time to spend outdoors as I’d like either.
That’s why I’m so excited about the upcoming Rediscover Nature Day created by Nature Valley and the non-profit organization Take Me Outside, on September 20, 2015. Nature Valley is a company that understands the importance of exploring nature, and created an informative and emotional 3 Generations video showing just how much we’re losing touch with nature as the generations pass. Rediscover Nature Day is a chance to get outside with the family and see how many fabulous activities and learning opportunities the great outdoors has to offer!
Personally, I find that planning some specific outdoor activities makes the concept of enjoying nature much more appealing to children. While there’s something to be said for spontaneous exploration of the wilderness, planning some age-appropriate outdoor activities helps to make the excursion more entertaining for children of all ages. Geocaching is a great choice for children that are old enough to read a GPS device and a great way to head off the beaten path safely. A nature scavenger hunt for local plants and wildlife is perfect for all ages and can be easily tailored to various local areas. And for active older children, hiking in the hills, trying a simple mountain biking path or canoeing are all great choices.
But no matter which outdoor activities your family loves, sharing those moments with Nature Valley could win you an incredible vacation experience! Just RSVP for Rediscover Nature Day and then share a photo of your family enjoying the great outdoors on Twitter or Instagram, including the hashtags #RediscoverNature and #MyBanff. When you do, you’ll be entered to win an incredible family trip to Banff National Park or one of ten Nature Valley Rediscover Nature Kits!
But that’s not all! To help you make the most of Rediscover Nature Day, Nature Valley is offering one lucky Mommy Kat and Kids reader a Nature Valley Rediscover Nature prize pack containing two Nature Valley drawstring backpacks, two LED travel flashlights, four stainless steel water bottles and two boxes of Nature Valley snack bars, a $50 total value! To enter to win, just leave a blog comment about your family’s favourite way to enjoy nature together.
Spending time as a family is valuable all on its own, and doing so while encouraging a love of nature is so important both for the emotional benefits and the respect for the environment it inspires. I’ll be taking part in Rediscover Nature Day with my boys and can’t wait to see how others explore the wilderness with their families too. RSVP for the event, follow the #RediscoverNature hashtag and come join in the fun on September 20! It’s a great way to get outside with your kids and could just win you a trip to Banff too!
We like to spend quality time together riding our bikes on the paved path around the beautiful lake in our community park. We stop and watch the ducks and their ducklings. We collect bugs, sticks, rocks, leaves and whatever else my little one is using to make “fairy food”. We make it an adventure and go exploring whichever way my daughter takes us.
I love going to the beach :)
We spend the summer camping and swimming :)
camping, hiking, biking
We love to bring our dogs browncow and buster for nature walks
We go biking and hiking on trails
We like camping
We ride our bikes a lot and this summer we bought a tent and used it a lot! We’re big on hiking too.
Going in the walking trails in the fall and taking pictures of all the bright colored leaves on the trees.
We spend the summer camping, so really get to enjoy nature! We spend lots of time outside, biking, nature hikes etc.