Pumpkin Patches, Outdoor Fun, Apples & Creeks
10 Tips for Exploring Pumpkin Patches with Kids
~:: Go Explore Nature ::~
Heading to a pumpkin patch in October is a tradition in our family. We look forward to picking our pumpkins, navigating a corn maze and taking a hayride.
Thing is, pumpkin patches have come a long way since I was a kid. Even the smallest pumpkin patch these days is likely to offer more than just pumpkins. Many farms create elaborate harvest festivals that could occupy families for an entire day.
After having our share of pumpkin patch meltdowns and mishaps, we’ve learned a thing or two. Here’s how we keep our visits a success these days.
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ABOUT DEBI: Debi Huang is a Los Angeles-based wife, mom and adventure guide for two young boys. Her blog at Go Explore Nature is all about getting kids and families outdoors and connected to nature – whether in your own backyard or beyond.
Follow Debi on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.
Head to Debi’s post and leave a comment for your chance to win a Bonbon Break coffee mug!!
7 Simple Ideas for Creating Memorable Moments Outside
~:: Famiglia & Seoul ::~
On April 1st my toddler and I began a new challenge: to get outside for at least 15 minutes each and every day. We are now seven months into the challenge and we are enjoying every moment we spend together experiencing nature in all of her glory. The beauty of this challenge is that you can make your moments outside as simple as you would like, while incorporating play, educational activities, or (my favorite) imagination. Each week we share our memorable moments outside as a family in hopes to inspire others to join in on our outdoor fun!
ABOUT GINA: Gina is former 4th grade teacher turned stay-at-home mom to a 2 year old toddler who is always on the move, with a perpetually hungry belly. She now blogs at famiglia&seoul in the form of a diary written to her son, while also recording their adventures during their their 365 Days Outdoors Challenge.
Gina feels that a parent should help their child experience nature, arts, meaningful play, and how to simply be a kid, which will help guide them to develop their own unique talents as they grow. You can also find famiglia&seoul on Facebook and Pinterest.
Harvesting Our Apples
~:: The Herban Gardener ::~
The most welcome problem I’ve ever encountered is going on right in our own back yard — we’ve got an avalanche of free organic apples coming off the tree just steps from our back door.
The only problem aspects of this true blessing would be hardly enough time, energy, or canning jars to keep up! They’re wormy and, evidently, the Grade B ones, after our squirrels picked off the cream of the crop. But you can be absolutely sure that every single usable slice has gone into the stock pot to make the most incredible applesauce I’ve ever tasted.
ABOUT LINDSEY: Lindsey blogs at Herban Gardener and believes that homesteading is, foremost, a mindset — independent of location or living situation. She and her hubby live in an ordinary urban neighborhood in sunny Colorado where they garden organically, hang clothes out to dry, brew kombucha, make sauerkraut, forage the back-alleys of the city, maintain a no-car household, and strive each day for simplicity and contentment.
Up the creek…
~:: Hike. Blog. Love. ::~
A couple of weekends ago, our family hiking group visited a lovely nature park filled with several kid-friendly hiking trails. Since this park was new to me, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but had heard good things about it. Luckily we were not disappointed! After a short hike, we came upon a spectacular shallow creek that ran against a bluff line in the woods. The creek was teaming with small fish, crawfish, salamanders and even snakes. It was so much fun to get a little wet and muddy while exploring such a diverse habitat. We ended up staying and playing in the creek much of the time, letting the little hands explore and discover to their hearts content. I love finding such a jewel in the woods!
About Lauren: I’m a lover of nature, an avid hiker, a former biochemist and a mama to two boys adopted from across the globe, one who happens to have significant special needs.
I use this blog to chronicle all of our adventures and to also connect with others in the adoption and special needs communities. I love to write and you can see all the other places I write for here. In my spare time I can be found teaching college chemistry and even sometimes never cleaning my house. At the end of the day, if the kids are happy and healthy, mama’s happy too.
On this blog you will see that we love to hike, camp, canoe, kayak, SCUBA dive, cave and explore new places. Most of all, we just love doing life together as a family. Follow Lauren on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
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