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How to help your kids connect with nature as the weather cools down

With the cold months approaching at an alarming rate, it is critical that your child continues to experience and enjoy everything that the great outdoors has to offer. We all know that as the weather gets colder, you want to stay inside and be warm. Katherine Watts discusses several ideas for encouraging your child to stay connected to nature even when it is cold outside. Examples include:

  • Dress for success – Knowing how to dress for the weather and wearing appropriate clothing makes all the difference in every season.
  • Work with the season – Keep your outdoor activities interesting and seasonal by working with the seasons (i.e., picking pumpkins in the fall).
  • Let them have some control over your outing – Allow your child to make some decisions about what activity you are doing; this will almost certainly make the activity more enjoyable for your child and result in a more positive attitude. We all know that the more positive and well-behaved our child is, the more smoothly the activity goes for everyone involved.
  • Game-ify nature time – Connect the activity to a videogame, movie, or TV show your child enjoys.
  • Add a cozy destination (that involves hot chocolate)
  • Share your own enjoyment of the season – The more positive you are about the outdoors, the more likely your child’s attitude about the outdoors will be. “If our kids are listening to us complain about the weather and watching as we rush to get indoors, they’ll learn that being outside in the cold is undesirable,” Katherine says. Kids are always watching and learning from our reactions.

 

Spending time outside has numerous advantages, regardless of the time of year or season. Create positive attributes and scenarios for your children, as well as get them comfortable with the outdoors, and they will be more likely to enjoy and want to spend time outside throughout their lives. Look at the linked article to learn more about Katherine Watts’ ideas for getting your child to stay connected to nature no matter the temperature. Enjoy!

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