Okay, okay, okayyyy. Don't call the clickbait police, but I have to confess before we go any further...

"Quick fixes," when it comes to children and the nature of their play and emotional wellbeing are hard to come by, and claims to the contrary are usually empty promises. 

So, just let me clarify:

I call these "quick fixes," because they are EASY to enact, simple, and free ideas such that you can put down your device and choose one to try RIGHT NOW. Easy Peasy! 

But the truth is, as with all change, expect to meet some resistance with toddlers who have become accustomed to a different norm in their home and play times. 

I urge you to carry on with a "confident momentum," as childcare expert Janet Lansbury would say! I assure you, these simple additions or changes to your daily routine will be so good for your toddler and yourself, and they require so little of you to try today.

These ideas are all easy, free, and they can have long, lasting effects if you are committed to trying them again and again and again (repetition works, folks!). 

​So let's dive in:

​Wooooo, big surprise from creator of Wild & Free Nature Playschool!!! 

But I mean it! Take your child outside. 

Every.
Single.
Day.

Rain.
Shine.
Snow.
Storm.

Unless there is thunder and lightening, or a weather advisory locally urging you otherwise, 

​If harsh weather seems intimidating, invest in the foolproof 1-2-3 layering system we recommend from Biddle and Bop, professional outfitters of active kids! Check out our Parent Resource page to learn more about this collaboration!

Once you've got the right gear to make outdoors time a positive experience, set a simple goal to go outside for 10 minutes every day. When you know you've got the right gear, you can relaxed  and mindful rather than worrisome over your child's comfort and safety in the elements. 

​Rain does not always mean thunder and lightening, but at Wild & Free, we don't act casually with keeping our children safe when it does. (We stay inside for a full 30 minutes after the last lightning flash/thunder clap).

We work hard to brave the weather even in the wind and cold as well -- we cannot recommend the online shop Biddle and Bop highly enough to fellow parents looking to outfit their children for the outdoors in any weather. 

There is an ever-growing body of research that confirms beyond reasonable doubt that time spent outdoors daily is integral to the physical, intellectual, and emotional health of our children.

What's more, studies show your children will actually begin to PLAY BETTER when they spend time outdoors! When exposed to natural environments, children play more creatively, more compassionately with one another, exhibit less bullying behaviors, engage in more gross-motor and skill-developing play... the list goes on! How great is that?

If you haven't read it yet, stop, drop, and hop over to our post here >> 5 Reasons You Shouldn't Wait Another Day to Take Your Kids  Outside << to learn more!
​

​Toddlerhood can be such a crazy time, full of grand emotions, low self-control, and frequent over-stimulation in a world of excitement and new adventures every day. 

As full-blown toddlers, our children have dropped down to one nap or less, and every day they impress us with their new-found skills and inventions and bravery and creativity. Still, it's important that we remember their brains are working in over-drive all day long. 

While our children may not recognize it yet, it is crucial that we build in moments for their brain and body to slow and regroup. Modeling this and building it into our days is an excellent way to build life-long habits of self-care and increased self-awareness. 

​Try introducing more restful activities after high-points in your day, such as in the late morning - just before lunch - or mid-afternoon, in place of a long-gone nap time. 

Some days we just grab blankets, and practice "Listening Time," on the couch, when we dim the lights and listen to calming music or a Toddler-Friendly Storytime Podcast.

I recognize this may be a big leap for toddlers who haven't practiced restful time in the past, and I assure you, while we are working on building up the frequency and duration of our "Listening Time," our littles are not up to the task every single day!

Disclaimer: No one knows your child better than you, so don't bang your head against the wall instituting activities you know they won't enjoy, just because I said so!

Wait for a day when they're at their best and more willing to try new things, or pass this idea up and return at a later date without shame or guilt if you know you're toddler is in a season when this won't be effective or enjoyable for them!

Our favorite restful activities besides "Listening Time," include independent Search & Find books or Busy Books while we listen to instrumental music, quiet matching games or puzzles, or "Sit Spots," where we pick a place in the back yard to sit still and use our senses to take in the world around us (have no fear -- more information and tips regarding the magical art of a Sit Spot coming your way soon!). 

​We keep our indoor quiet time activities in a separate bin on a higher shelf - this way these activities hold special magic when we need them for our Restful Time! Together we tiptoe over to our bin and bring it down, each child can pick something special for the moment to enjoy!

If you don't feel that you have appropriate supplies for restful activities in your home, or are looking for something novel to introduce the idea to your little, check out some of our favorite supplies below!

(Yes! As you likely already know, the images below contain click-through affiliate links! This means if you choose to purchase these, our playschool will receive a small kickback from Amazon which we can use for playschool supplies and development. If you're not interested, no sweat! Keep scrolling on to our final tip!)

 

I've been known to walk away from my tantruming toddler... in pursuit of the linen closet. 

I fetch a sheet or two, bring them back to the playroom and enlist help in building an old-fashioned fort! On tough days, we call it our feelings fort, and we sit under our sheet together... we talk and cuddle until everyone is feeling heard and loved and understood. 

Just as surely as a feelings fort distraction can breathe fresh air to a tantruming toddler, refreshing your space can breathe new life into your play! 

Adults and children alike, we are reactionary beings! We become different people when the space we use changes! 

Try rotating toys out of the room in favor of simple tools that promote open-ended play (think blocks over trucks), getting rid of big bins that are constantly ignored or dumped, leave only a few exposed toys per shelf, all within easy view and grasp for your little. 

Experiment at night while your children are sleeping with different "invitations" to play, such as bringing out imaginary kitchen supplies set up as a floor picnic, or lay a blanket down with pillows to create a cozy corner with a favorite book! Try sneakily setting up portions of your playroom as though already mid-play, thus inviting your children to step into the story when they awake!

Heck, even rearrange your furniture for a few days and see what happens!

As much as our littles thrive on consistency, they are hard-wired to experiment in their play. Toddlers crave the act of testing... when they feel that they have tested their toys in all thinkable ways, tried and true, they will begin testing furniture, behaviors, or you!

If the same close-ended toys and activities are presented every single day, I assure you, sooner or later, your sweet toddler will become destructive. 

Toys will be dumped, books will be stomped, animals will be thrown, tantrums will be had!

Remember, there is a fine line between wild play and reckless play, and while wild play is good for the heart, mind, and body... reckless play is often a result of dissonance, boredom from close-ended play, or unresolved emotions within the minds of our littles. 

At the end of the day, toddlers will be toddlers! There is nothing we could or should do to make every day perfect and smooth, but we can work daily to create and improve our culture of play and emotional awareness.

I hope this list was helpful for you, and I wish you many deliriously joyful days of play!

This seems so obvious, it's easy to forget - and sadly that is EXACTLY what happens so often.

Dehydration is the number one enemy against safe nature play and is far more common than any injury or allergic reaction on the trail.

Even in cooler weather, especially in cooler weather when you are not thinking of it as often, remember to pack full water bottles for each and every adult and little on your hiking adventure. 

In addition to your water, be sure to throw some healthy, energy-packed snacks in your pack to keep you and your littles fueled for the hike. Hunger and exhaustion have a way of sneaking up on us when we're midway on our loops, furthest from the trailhead and rest!

Remember, 
Hungry & Tired Kids = Clumsy Kids = Injured Kids

I know I'm not at my best when I'm hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. You can bet your children aren't either, and when we grow hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, our coordination and awareness decrease while our likelihood of injury increases! 

Keep everybody in your crew safe and satisfied with healthy-fat and protein-packed trail snacks such as homemade trail mix, your favorite protein bars, or jerky.  

Keep some fresh fruit, pureed fruit porches, or dehydrated fruit strips in your pack so a blood sugar boost will be there at the ready any time you hit the trail and find you or the littles need help to finish out your hike. 
​

Please, do not take this as a declaration that you need to go buy those $300 hiking shoes at the novelty outfitter a few towns over! 

While I'm as much a sucker for good gear as any, I am ADAMANT that you do not need to break the bank to get your family outside. 

That being said, please please please do not go out for a hike, even on an easy paved bike trail,  wearing flip-flop sandals or crocs, or allowing your child to wear similar.

You are asking for trouble in an environment that will not pay you any favors!

Bad Shoes = Clumsy Kids = Injured Kids

The best shoes for any time in the outdoors will be closed-toe, closed-heel, with a thicker sole and ample treads. 

I do not recommend going out and buying toddler Chacos or Merrell boots because... well... growth spurts. 

Most tennis shoes you can find at Target or on Amazon will do the trick just fine until they get a bit older. Our Wild Child hits the trail almost every day and I swear by her Champion "Running Shoes" (Yes, there are some affiliate links in this post! If you choose to buy a product we recommend through Amazon, our playschool will receive a small kickback we will use to buy supplies and gear!) in the summer, and her Target rain boots with varying thickness and layers of socks for the Fall-Winter-Spring. 

But before you think shoes are the end of the ball-game, don't forget about thorns, thistles, bristles, and other rash-inducing plant adaptations or insect bites!

Even in the warmest of weather, we always encourage full leg coverage on the trail (simple lightweight unisex leggings are trail favorites for myself and both my young children). Now that winter is upon us, layers are the name of the game. We layer up with simple base layers, fleece pullovers or coveralls, and water/wind resistant top layers to keep our toddlers warm without turning them into (grumpy) immobile marshmallows!

Nothing on Amazon can hold a candle to the affordable outdoor gear available from experienced retailers in the field -- I steer every family asking over to the truly amazing online shop: Biddle and Bop for amazing outdoor children's gear at accessible price points for the average family. **NO, we do not receive ANY commission for recommending Biddle and Bop gear to our followers and families... they're really just that good! 

 
As a family and as a Playschool, we refuse to ban children from running on the trails unless in especially harsh environments, because if not here, WHERE!? Children have such few safe havens left in this world where they are allowed to actually RUN and not just walk! 

Still, we work hard to balance between calm moments and gleeful moments to maintain a safe experience for all on the trail.

There is a fine line between Free Play and Reckless Play and it is so important to mind this line for the safety and well-being of our children. 

Reckless Children = Clumsy Children = Injured Children

As parents or caregivers, it is important that we help children mind their bodies, as they have not mastered this crucial skill of self-care yet.

If you notice your children getting a little too reckless or rowdy on the trail, work to inspire more intentional play by encouraging a "Slow-Motion hike," (exactly what it sounds like!), or playing a classic game of Red Light, Green Light to get the giggles and energy out before carrying on with your hike.

First-Aid kits can make or break your experience on the trail, especially with toddlers! There are some great ready-made First-Aid kits you can grab just about anywhere - try your local drugstore, Target, or this easy All-Inclusive Kit from First Aid Only on Amazon.

An ideal first-aid kit for any hike will contain a variety of tools such as bandaids, gauze, sanitizing wipes, antibacterial ointment, and anti-sting/rash ointment. 

We recommend toddler-fying your First Aid kit with silly bandaids that can cure a vast multitude of toddler ailments, biodegradable wipes to clean any wounds or dirty hands, and a list of numbers to call in case of emergency (local emergency, poison control, emergency contacts, etc.). 

Another important fact to remember: if you are the only adult on your hike, should something happen to YOU, your children could be alone, potentially without anyone who knows their address, telephone number, or any other important information.  

Always be sure to notify least one other adult of exactly where you are going on any trail adventure, and have a check-in system in place - a simple "Safely Home!" text will suffice - to ensure the safety of you and any children in your group. 

On our Wild & Free Hikes, we carry a large, easy-to-find or visible note that has emergency contact numbers, names, ages, and location of medical forms for all adults and children on the hike. 

It is not enjoyable to think about the worst-possible scenarios, but it is more important than ever when out in the wild to ensure you are prepared. 

While I firmly believe you should feel comfortable walking out your door to any local beginner's trail TODAY, I also encourage anyone interested in promoting more outdoor play to employ a simple Google search to find the next local offering of Red Cross or American Heart Association free trainings for First Aid and CPR.

Safety first, safety second, safety always. 

When I begin a conversation with anyone about safety tips in the wilderness, without fail their mind is brimming with intricate questions about flora and fauna... 

Which plants should I stay away from? Which bugs could kill me? Is this a Brown Recluse? What secret plant should I crush to stop the burn of Poison Ivy?

While I can and would LOVE to have those conversations with you alllllllllll day long, I want to remind you that this is listed here intentionally as the last of five important safety tips. I assure you, the first four concerns I've listed here can ruin your day far quicker and more effectively than most plants and insects you are likely to encounter on your front-country toddler hikes. 

​Still, it is helpful to have beginner's knowledge of what natural hazards are local to your area and backup resources to help you be confident in your identification skills.

Poison Ivy vines have a friendly Virginia Creeper look-alike that often keeps nervous hikers away from innocent trails; the seemingly benign Stinging Nettle has lulled many a beginner into a false sense of security, only to surprise them halfway through a hike with a horrible hour-long stinging sensation all over their arms or legs!

I'll save more in-depth flora and fauna discussions for another time so we're not here all night, but I highly recommend you grab a locally relevant Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants Field Guide like this one for any of you folk local to the North American Midwest! 

Remember: While you will often see me encouraging toddlers to smell, touch, and taste the plants around them, be honest with yourself about your own knowledge level.

Never encourage children to taste a plant you are not 100% CERTAIN is edible; when in doubt, wait for an expert or trained professional before introducing ideas such as the edible outdoors to your children. 

Once you teach your toddler that a leaf or a plant is edible, it is highly likely that they will attempt to eat more leaves and plants, edible or not! It's important to be hyper-aware of your littles on the trail. We set firm and simple rules such as, "All trail treats have to be held by Miss Shayn first," and we repeat them again... and again... and again. 

Creating a magical culture of exploration should never come at the expense of firm boundaries designed to keep your children and yourself safe. 


​I hope these tips helped you! Comment below with your favorite toddler hiking tips or biggest safety questions and I will be sure to answer them!!

Welcome! I'm so excited to be on this journey with you! And it is, truly, still very much a journey for my family too. Even as an outdoor educator with years of experience, my little ones are teaching me daily that *raising* a wild child is a whooooole different ballgame! 

You and I, we are so lucky to be in the midst of a grand movement with a growing body of resources catering directly to parents, designed to helps us glean the importance of WHY and the logistics of HOW we can go about digging into the heart of childhood and reconnecting our littles with the world around them. 

**This post is all about recommendations and links for print and paper books diving deep into the subject of connecting our children to nature. If you're looking for an easier introduction in laymen terms about why nature is so important to the wellbeing of our children, hop over to this post first on 5 Reasons You Shouldn't Wait Another Day to Take Your Kids Outside!**

So without further ado, I present to you my top three book recommendations for any parent who is hoping to raise a true wild child!
​

"Being an effective mentor means becoming a coconspirator, a fellow explorer, a chaser of clues."​ - Dr. Scott D. Sampson

If you haven't heard of it or seen it yourself, I highly recommend Dr. Scott's PBS hit "Dinosaur Train," to families who use television in the home. Before becoming the brains behind the show and the on-screen paleontologist, Dr. Scott had a rich and promising career as an actual PhD-holding Paleontologist!

After the birth of his own child, he gave it all up to become a leader in the field of outdoor education for children, and his book is packed cover-to-cover with heart-warming stories and discussion on how to best raise a new generation of nature-lovers and learners!

Dr. Scott's guide is easy to pour through and is a great, accessible empowerment tool for parents who are new to the nature play scene!

Hold down on the book image or click HERE to grab a copy for yourself.
(Yes, yes, yes... you've seen these before! These are indeed affiliate links! Should you choose to purchase through these links, our playschool will gain a small commission which will be put towards supplies and further development. These opinions are my own, and I would much rather hand you the copy off my own bookshelf free of charge... but I link here so you can get a copy for yourself wherever you may be, if you so choose!)

​"The woods were my Ritalin. Nature calmed me, focused me, and yet excited my senses." - Richard Louv

The New York Times Bestseller, Last Child in the Woods, has become the flagship of the modern movement for nature play and outdoor education. He coins terms like "Nature Deficit Disorder," and "Vitamin N," calling for a complete upheaval of the manner in which our littles are raised.

In these pages, Louv explores a growing body of research into the physical and emotional health of our young people and the newly-found impacts liked to exposure to nature.

He digs deep into the differences in experience between modern day children and the muddy, magical childhoods their parents and grandparents once enjoyed. 

If you're looking for a next step read diving into the ties between the health of our children and the health of our Earth, this book that sparked the "No Child Left Inside," movement is a must - grab yours HERE. 
​

"Movement through active free play, especially outside improves everything from creativity to academic success to emotional stability. Kids who don't get to do this can have so many issues, from problems with emotional regulation - crying at the drop of a hat - to trouble holding a pencil, to touching other kids using too much force." ​- Angela Hanscom

Angela J. Hanscom is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, and in her breakout book, she delves through research and personal experience that point towards the dire importance of unstructured outdoor play, sensory experiences, and reasonable risk-taking for the physical and emotional development of our children. 

You can grab your copy HERE.

Parents with children in elementary school will find mountains of useful and pressing information from Page 1; Parents who have children not yet school-aged, skip straight to the chapter "When Is My Baby Ready for the Outdoors?" I PROMISE, you won't be sorry =)
​

There are just so many wonderful resources I can recommend to you, it is hard to keep this list so short! If you burned your way through these three books and are ready to get your hands on more, please click on the covers below to check out some more amazing reads:

​I get the question all the time: 
"What do you do?"

"I'm an outdoor educator!! I take children outside and teach them about the world around them... I create resources to help families everywhere get outdoors! "

This is often met with curiosity. Many wonderful folk still don't know what it is us outdoor educators do or more importantly WHY we do what we do! 
​

Most children don't have to be told that nature is good for them - they inherently want to play in the great outdoors!

I know this is not always the case in the growing age of technology, but as a whole, most children under the age of 5 don't know that they should be outside, but rather that they want to be outside. 

Still, lucky for us, we have a growing body of research that supports all the things we've always known (but us adults sometimes forget): nature is good for us! We are at our best when we spend time regularly outdoors. ​

Here's what the research says:
​

Children who enjoy free play in nature daily score higher on tests measuring concentration and self-discipline; score higher on overall cognition assessments; and have improved reasoning capabilities in comparison to their peers.

​In fact, children who experience ADHD noticed a marked reduction in symptoms after spending time outdoors, or even sitting by a window with a view of the outdoors!
​
Studies show us that children who experience the outdoors as a part of their normal school day learning (not just recess) score better on standardized tests in almost every subject. 

Children who experience outdoor play with more natural elements and structures appear calmer and exhibit better listening to their teachers than children who attend schools with less natural elements present outdoors (think blacktop vs. natural hills, boulders, and jumping logs).
​

Research tells us that those among us who spent time often in nature as children are more likely to be conservation-minded, take actions to care for and protect the earth, continue to spend personal time outdoors as an adult, and have a lifelong love for nature. 

This means we can literally be a force for protecting nature just by letting our kids play in it! 

Children with greater exposure to the natural world develop greater reasoning capabilities, heightened self-awareness, and observation skills than their counterparts in addition to exhibiting more independence, exercising autonomy, and practicing creative problem-solving strategies. These are crucial life skills developed in their youth that they can carry with them for a lifetime!

Children who spend time in the outdoors exhibit greater resistance to stress and adversity, and preliminary studies support the theory that this is true of adults as well! This means raising nature-lovers is a way of raising strong men and women who will practice meaningful self-care outdoors for life!

Early experiences in the outdoors have been positively linked with the development of imagination and a sense of wonder. Wonder has been found to be a significant motivator for life-long learning and inquiry! 

Children who play in the outdoors develop more advanced motor skills, demonstrate better agility, balance, and coordination than their peers who spend more time indoors. They are even sick less often with less missed school days and fewer doctor visits! 

In addition to demonstrated skills, children who play outside partake in more physical activity and carry a lower risk for both childhood and adult obesity, and obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and a great host of other health issues. 
​
Children who garden and grow their own food consume more daily servings of fruits and vegetables, show better awareness and interest in overall nutrition, and are more likely to maintain healthy eating habits into their adult life. 

Spending time outdoors raises your child's concentration of Vitamin D, which medicine tells us supports healthy immune systems and lifelong bone growth and health. 

​​What's more, spending time outdoors reduces a child's risk of myopia, the fancy medical term for near-sightedness, which means they'll be less likely to need glasses or contacts. 

As it turns out, children who play outside engage in more cooperative play with other children, more imaginative play, and they fight less with friends! 

Even more, children are less likely to partake in bullying or demonstrate aggressive behaviors toward other children while they play in a natural environment. 

​​Stronger observation skills and self-awareness honed by time in the outdoors also help promote lifelong healthy relationships full of empathy and communication. 

​

While long-term research is still ongoing, scientists theorize that many of these findings for children will hold true for adults as well. By appointing yourself lead outdoor educator for your child, you will be partaking in wonderful self-care that can impact you for a lifetime. 

We all know that we are better parents when we take care of ourselves, but it can be so difficult to carve out that time. Research suggests that we don't just have to get time alone to start taking care of ourselves today. Daily or weekly time in the outdoors has been linked to lower instances of depression, anxiety, abusive relationships, and more! 

So, do yourself and your child a favor and GET OUT AND PLAY!


If you're feeling unsure and need some practical tips before you brave your local trail, check out this post for 5 Safety Tips You Should Know before Your First Toddler Hike! 

If you're local to Dayton, OH and ready to cultivate more amazing nature play for your child, hop over to our Playschool page to learn about our upcoming programming!

If you search "Backyard Play Ideas," on Pinterest, I assure you, you will find dozens upon dozens of pins revolved around giant wooden treehouses and magnificent forts, build your own chalkboards and amazing sand pits that will make your children trilingual and assure they get into Harvard by the end of summer...

But I promise you, and please believe me when I tell you:
You do not need a special space to just get out and play. 
​
No matter what your backyard looks like - gravel, patio, grass, forest... nature is the great equalizer. Use these three tips to find a way to play in any circumstance.