WILD CHILD: Outdoor Play from a Parent's Perspective

Tandy shares how letting her children play outside has built their relationship and trust.

WILD CHILD: What do I do if my little one doesn't want to go outside?

We know outdoor play is super important for children to spend time outside, so what is a parent to do when you hear “I don’t want to go outside!”? Tandy writes about problem-solving this issue with her children.

Blog, Wild ChildChildreachOctober 8, 2020outdoor play, wild child

WILD CHILD: Nature Documentation

Are you looking for ways to be more deliberate in your time outside? Tandy shares about using a nature journal to slow down and enjoy nature with her children.

Blog, Wild Child, spring, summer, winterChildreachOctober 3, 2020Blog, wild child, Documentation, Journaling

What to Wear for Cold Outdoor Play

What do you wear to stay warm in cold weather? It’s easier than you think!

Blog, family, home child care, ParentConnect, parenting, play, Wild Child, winterChildreachOctober 1, 2020clothing, cold, gear, get outside, outdoor play, tips, wild child, winter

WILD CHILD: The Stick

Did you know that a stick was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2008?! Whether it’s part of an imaginative game, building materials for a fort, or simply tossed into a creek, sticks provide unlimited opportunities for play.

Blog, Wild ChildChildreachSeptember 18, 2020creativity, curiosity, development, forest, imagination, play, stick, tree, wild child

Wild Child Lesson: Be Curious

Curiosity inspires learning, creativity, and new adventures. Read about how Wild Child campers harness their curiosity and learn to trust themselves.

Blog, Wild ChildChildreachSeptember 17, 2020adventures, answers, camp, curiousity, frogs, fun, learning, problem solving, questions, wild child

WILD CHILD: The Power of Storytelling

Children love to tell us their stories, here are some ideas to help children share their outdoor stories without picking the flower or catching a frog to bring home.

Blog, Wild ChildChildreachSeptember 16, 2020connections, documentation, ecosystems, environmental stewardship, experiences, fauna, flora, how learning happens, identification, nature, relationships, respect, senses, Wild Child I Spy, wildlife

WILD CHILD: Safety Game

Risky play and outdoor adventures can be nerve wracking as the parent. Tandy shares how a game has allowed her to manage the risk.

Blog, ParentConnect, parenting, play, Wild ChildChildreachSeptember 15, 2020independence, instructions, responsibility, risky play

Wild Child: Week 2 – A Lesson in Collective Impact

The forest provides excellent opportunities for campers to naturally build their leadership and teamwork abilities. These campers set a goal and worked together to achieve it.

Blog, Camp, Wild ChildChildreachJuly 15, 2020brainstorming, camp, caring, collaboration, forest, friendships, helping, leadership, nature, partnerships, ponds, problem solving, sharing, social skills, solutions, teamwork, together, wild child

Wild Child: A Lesson in Accepting Challenges

Read how Wild Child campers challenge themselves.

Blog, Camp, ParentConnect, parenting, play, Wild ChildChildreachJuly 7, 2020camp, challenge, confidence, forest, fun, growing, independent, leadership, learning, lessons, outdoors, physical literacy, playing, resilience, risky play, teamwork, wild child

Wild Child: A Stick in the Mud

What can a child do with a stick? Read about some of the creative ideas the Wild Child campers came up with.

Blog, Wild ChildChildreachJune 30, 2020camp, communication, cooperation, creativity, frogs, learning, solutions, stick, summer, wild child

WILD CHILD: Encouraging Kindness in the Forest

Tandy shares some of the strategies she uses with children to encourage thoughtful and careful interactions with nature.

Blog, family, ParentConnect, parenting, play, spring, Wild ChildChildreachJune 30, 2020animals, birds, curiosity, education, environmental stewardship, forest, nature, outdoor play

WILD CHILD: The Stick

Did you know that a stick was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2008? Here are some fun ideas of things to do with sticks.

Blog, Wild ChildChildreachJune 25, 2020creativity, curiosity, development, forest, imagination, play stick, sticks, tree, wild child

WILD CHILD: Assessing Risky Play

Is it safe? Do you think I can let my child do that? Here are some strategies to help you feel confident making these decision in the forest.

Blog, parenting, play, Wild ChildChildreachJune 24, 2020accomplishment, adventure, assessment, capability, climbing, cold, confidence, falls, forest, injury, outdoors, plan, potential, preparation, preparedness, prevention, risky play, safety, self regulation, situation, water, wild child

What to Say Instead of “Be Careful”

Do you find yourself saying “be careful!” more often than you would like? Ashley shares some strategies she uses.

Blog, ParentConnect, parenting, Wild ChildChildreachJune 22, 2020child-led, play, climbing, dangerous play, hanging, jumping, outdoors, parenting, risky play, sticks, wild child, words

WILD CHILD: The Cycle of Life

Sarah shares resources for talking with children about life and death in the forest.

Blog, ParentConnect, parenting, science, Wild ChildChildreachJune 15, 2020animals, answers, books, conversations, curiousity, death, emotional, forest, grief, life, literacy, parenting, questions, sensitive

EXPLORE + PLAY to Exercise your Body and Grow your Brain

Playing outdoors makes children smarter, healthier and happier! Here are some ideas to get you started.

Blog, fall, family, parenting, ParentConnect, play, spring, summer, Wild Child, winterChildreachApril 27, 2020#2000Words, creativity, explore, family, forest, free, fun, grow, ideas, imagination, ldnont, learn, mental health, outdoor play, physical activity, physical literacy, play, wild child

WILD CHILD Wintermisson Challenge: Snowball Fights

Snowball fights are a fantastic opportunity for our family to practice showing kindness to each other and to learn self-control while having lots of fun. Read about how Tandy helps her children have fun with this experience.

Blog, parenting, play, teaching, Wild Child, winterChildreachJanuary 6, 2020boundaries, caring, control, direction, early years, empathy, establishing rules, family, free, fun, ground rules, guidelines, kindness, limits, outdoor play, playing fair, responsibility, risky play, snow, wild child, winter

WILD CHILD Wintermission Recap

Have you heard about the Wintermission challenge to find joy in winter. If you have missed some of our adventures, then here is a list of fun things to do outside with or without snow.

Blog, play, Wild Child, winter, WintermissionChildreachDecember 24, 2019wintermission, Winter, Outdoorplay

WILD CHILD Wintermission: Go Sledding

WILD CHILD Wintermission: Go sledding. Embrace the snowy weather before it melts.

Blog, play, Wild Child, winter, WintermissionChildreachDecember 19, 2019wintermission, Winter, Outdoorplay