Story Extras

Need a Nature Adventure? Here's What We Would Do in One Click!

The world is full of nature adventures. From glorious forests, lakes, and mountains to the tiniest little dandelion growing in the cracks of the pavement, all you need to do is look around you to find the delights of nature. You don’t need a lot of money or even a lot of time, just a bit of creative thought and intentionality to craft nature adventures that enrich your family culture for generations. Read on for the Sparkle Team’s best tips and tricks!

Part 1: Preparing for Your Nature Adventure

Set Realistic Expectations - The world is big — and there is a lot of nature to explore! Begin by making some decisions about time and energy. Do you have a few hours in the afternoon for your adventure? A whole week of family fun? Or perhaps just an overnight trip? Clarify your parameters around your calendar, your pocketbook, and your unique family dynamics. Then start planning!

Start with Thoughtful Planning - Use the resources around you to find opportunities for time in nature. Take a look at any tourist literature your area provides and zoom in on the kid-friendly nature activities. Is there a park you’ve never been to? A hike you have never taken? A scenic overlook you haven’t had the time to explore? Now is your chance! - If you’re planning a bigger or longer trip, dig into the resources available at your destination. If you’re wide open, consider looking for places that specifically offer special nature experiences. If your kids are no longer babies, you might be even be able to tackle something like a treetop trekking excursion, a zipline experience, or a ropes course!

Pack Smart - Anytime you’re traveling into nature, make sure you have the basics accounted for. Water? Snacks? Preparedness for a bathroom emergency? Some of us have been known to hike with a little shovel and a roll of toilet paper just in case. If it’s on the warm side, a spray bottle filled with water can make the trip more refreshing for all. Don’t forget bug spray and sunscreen! And a hot tip for beach days: pack a bottle of baby powder to help get the last bits of sand off between little toes at the end of the outing. Get kids involved by helping them make an Explorer Bag and pack it with everything you might need.

Prepare for Discovery - Creating records of adventures amplifies the fun for all! Bring along a notebook for observations or drawings, or bring a bag along to gather treasures for pasting into books at home. For more inspiration, look into our tutorial for our Sparkly Summer Travel Journal craft here!

Part 2: Taking Your Nature Adventure

Once you’ve decided what kind of adventure you like, it’s time to plan the details! Nature adventures can be big, small, or in-between — so look through the collection of time-tested ideas from our Sparkle Team and find some fun possibilities that resonate with your household.

To the Great Beyond — Ideas for Big Journeys - Check your area for the most kid-friendly hiking trails and go for a hike! To make the hike extra fun, try printing out our Nature Scavenger Hunt to inspire your kiddos to take in their natural surroundings. - Take those kids on a camping trip! There are so many options to explore. Look into your local State or National Parks. Reach out to local friends about the best camping options around you and get ready to sleep under the stars. - Slightly older kids will enjoy nature adventures that require a bit of coordination. You can enjoy a treetop trekking excursion with the family, look into a ropes course in a forest setting, or take a mountain bike ride through the woods. Remember to pay attention to safety instructions and protective equipment (like helmets) and then let the adrenaline flow!

Nature Nearby — Ideas for Local Parks and Walks - Have you ever taken a Bug Walk? It’s a blast! Go for a walk and see how many different types of insects you can find. Draw them in a nature journal! - Go on a nature hike and collect items for a nature collage or store them in a shadow box or nature bracelet. These treasures can hold memories for a lifetime! - A sneaky way to add joy to your neighborhood: Paint rocks and hide them in your area for others to find. - Neighborhood walks can feel a lot different in the dark. Take a nighttime nature walk and listen to the way the world changes after the sun goes down. - A classic not to be forgotten: Take a picnic to your backyard or local park. It’s astounding how everything changes when you put a picnic blanket down on the grass. - Still feeling uninspired? Listen to these stories that feature some of our favorite characters exploring local parks — you’ll be buzzing with ideas before you know it.

In Your Own Backyard — Ideas for Staying Close to Home - A camping trip doesn’t necessarily have to involve a state park. Try camping at home in your backyard or in a friend’s backyard. You can also just set up a fun Collapsible Play Tent for daytime outdoor adventures! - Learn more about your local creatures through bird watching! You can start keeping a (handmade) bird log, and maybe even build a homemade bird house for your feathered friends. Learn to identify bird calls through old-fashioned means (and you can check your work later with an app). - Build a fairy house. Our little friends always appreciate a custom-made home, so gather your materials and design something fun! Whether it’s simple or intricate, fairies will know that it was crafted with love. - Create your own backyard games and obstacle courses! A few ideas to get you started: dig as deep of a hole in the ground as you can (you can pair this with some gardening), learn to do a handstand, do a neighborhood scavenger hunt or a backyard scavenger hunt. We have a number of fun outdoor activities to explore on our blog as well, like: - pollination game - soda bottle rocket - capture the flag - If you’re in need of some quiet, lie on the ground and watch the clouds go by. Imagine that they’re making different shapes and compare ideas. Once you’ve noticed several, learn about different cloud formations. - Make potions with things you find in the garden. Sylvia’s Magic Belly Tea is a great place to start! - Climb a tree in your backyard. For even more fun, download this free printable that helps kids identify a tree by studying its branches.

Art in Nature - Embrace nature through art just like Martin & Sylvia in the story "Trail Art"! Look into these Sparkly nature art ideas: - Mudball Critters - Flower Crowns - Hidden Earth Art - Outdoor Nature Art - Rock Stacking - Nature Weaving - Printmaking with Leaves - Pressing and Waxing Flowers and Leaves - Nature Mandalas

Building a Lifetime of Wonder

The adventures you build together in nature will generate joyful family memories and bond your crew together. These ideas are just a way to get started. You know your own family best and can develop custom plans that highlight your own family delights. As always, Sparkle Stories is here to help with loads of stories, crafts, and recipes to help!

Looking for more Adventure!? Be sure to check-out our entire Adventures topic here. We also have a topic dedicated entirely to Nature too!

Happy adventuring, Sparklers!

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