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Friday 23 June 2017

You Just Can't Beat Getting Out and About ...

a windy day at the South Coast - taken by Eddie on his mobile phone

No matter whether you are young or old, or somewhere in-between, you just can't beat getting out and about. It can help relax you, put a spring in your step - you just feel better for it. You may not get down to the sea, you may not get down to the woods ... but I'm sure there must be a space nearby where you can go! The options below were written with children (grandchildren) in mind, but really whatever our age you just can't beat getting out and about ...
Consider these options.

1. Go rock-pooling ...
Poking around in tide pools on the beach is one of the best parent-child shared experiences. Coaxing your little one to press a finger into ruby anemones and feel the corresponding suction, discovering skittering crabs hiding in seaweed, making a fabulous collection of strange-shaped, sea-smoothed stones, pretty shells and, if you’re lucky, fossils, these are just some of the fabulous finds awaiting you. And then of course there’s the pure physical joy of running in and out of surf and leaping down sand dunes.

2. Or pond-dipping ...
Streams, rivers and ponds hold an endless fascination for children. (Make sure you give little ones your full attention.) You can spend hours making a dam together, playing Poohsticks, chasing darting minnow and pond-dipping. All you need is a net and a bucket to examine underwater creatures scooped up, including pond snails, frogs, toads, water beetles and perhaps even a newt.

fishing with Grandad can be fun too - even if it was raining

3. Visit a farm ...
Shockingly, one in three children have never heard a real cow go “moo” or a sheep go “baa”. That’s according to a poll of 1,000 children by farming group LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), which organises open farm days throughout the UK every year. The annual
Open Farm Sunday was on 11 June 2017 this year, and will be on the 10th June in 2018. Each Open Farm event is unique with activities ranging from machinery displays, tractor and trailer rides, through to demonstrations and opportunities to collect eggs, see cows being milked and feed animals. The picture below, although taken a while ago, shows two of our grandchildren having fun when they went down to the farm ...

You don’t need to be near countryside to get a taste of life on the farm, with
city farms making a great family summer trip. Many have a variety of tame animals to pet such as chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, ponies, rabbits, guinea pigs and donkeys and children can help at feeding times too.


4. Build a den in the woods ...
Den-building came out as parents’ favourite childhood memory in a recent survey, which makes perfect sense. There is something magical about creating a special hideaway, and even better if it’s in the woods. You could make a den from branches and logs laid against a bigger tree, with bracken on top, or find a perfect climbing tree to claim. The picture shows one of the grandchildren enjoying his den, it was pouring with rain when he was sitting here, he didn't mind one bit.


5. Simple pleasures ...
Simple really can be best with kids, especially if they’re basking in your total attention with all the time in the world, no school runs or homework. Here are some suggestions: teaching them to skim stones or blow a grass whistle, making daisy chains while you loll in the sun chatting, lying back and cloud-watching with big debates about what the different shapes are, catching grasshoppers or watching ants feverishly shoring up their nests.
Simply enjoying a walk and discovering a different colour letter box to the usual UK red one, as two of our grandchildren did earlier this year ...why is it gold, more details here


6. Under and over ...
If you want your children to have a curiosity and sense of wonder in the natural world, encourage them to look under and above. Turning over stones and logs or peering into hollow tree trunks will uncover a crowded mini-world of millipedes, centipedes, slugs, snails and, if you’re lucky, a frog or toad looking for cool shelter. Help your children learn to climb trees to enjoy the challenge and thrill of being King of the Castle with a whole new viewpoint of the world below.

ooh look, a tiny bug!

three of our grandchildren - cousins together
walking and skipping - the thrill of being outside

I hope you enjoyed reading, most words were taken from an article here.
I did however add a few personal anecdotes. All the pictures you see are personal ones, taken on mobile phones, showing our five grandchildren. Eddie and I are certainly looking forward to more fun times and getting out and about with them later in the summer ...

Have you got any outings planned or thought about?

All the best Jan

28 comments:

Jules said...

Some great ideas Jan. It's quite surprising and sad as to just how many children don't get these opportunities.
As you have read, I am always getting out and about with Lily. We are very fortunate we live in an area that enables us to do this and the best thing is these activities don't cost us anything. X

Lady Fi said...

How lovely to get out to the coast!

Valerie-Jael said...

Lovely ideas for kids old and young! Lots of things there that I like doing! Hugs, Valerie

eileeninmd said...

Hello, wonderful family photos. The first scene and photo are beautiful, makes me wish I was there. Simple pleasures are the best kind. Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend!

Rose said...

Great ideas, Jan, but the second part of enjoying all these activities is doing them with grandchildren--there's nothing quite like seeing all these simple pleasures through the eyes of a child to feel young and refreshed again. I like the fact, too, that all of these involve interacting with nature in some way. Kids, even the little ones, spend way too much time on tablets and other electronic devices these days; playing outside or enjoying outdoor activities provide a host of benefits that all children need. Hope you have a wonderful summer, Jan, and get to enjoy even more days with your grandchildren.

Mac n' Janet said...

All good suggestions, we always took our daughter out and about when she was young. Now that she's grown she's out on her her a lot.

Catarina said...

Let's keep moving!
I am planning a brisk walk in the park near Lake Ontario... weather permitting!
Enjoy your outings.

Breathtaking said...

Hello Jan!:) Lovely family pictures!:) Loved all your ideas about sharing the outdoors with our grandchildren. Have been there,...and done that, many times, and have the fondest memories of sharing the moment my granddaughter found her first star fish, and my grandson his first fossil. Now in their 30s, they are still interested in nature, and all our family often share walks in the country. My granddaughter Sara is a keen photographer, and like myself enjoys looking for her next nature capture. Thank you for bringing back happy memories of when my grandkids were youngsters.:) Have a great weekend,...perhaps outdoors, doing something with the grandkids!:)

Christine said...

What wonderful times with your adorable grandkids!

River said...

I LOVE windy days on the coast, watching the waves rolling and breaking against the rocks, feeling the wind through my hair. I always come home feeling 110% better than when I went out.

Martha said...

So many adventures await us outdoors! Your grandkids are really adorable.

Mary Kirkland said...

Aww your grandkids are too cute.

Elephant's Child said...

Nature gives us amazing solace - and beauty. Out and about works for me.

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Jan, all of these activities are wonderful for us and the grands. Such sweet photos of your's. Great thoughts about getting out and about. Have a lovely weekend. ♥

Lisabella Russo said...

What wonderful suggestions! The kids look like they are having so much fun.

Carla from The River said...

Hi,
I enjoyed this. Simple is the best. I remember giving my boys a huge cardboard box when they were little. We built a house. They had so much fun with a simple cardboard box.
Happy Summer,
Carla

Sandra Cox said...

Aw, what sweeties. Looks like they're having a grand time.

After reading your article on turmeric awhile back, I picked some up.

Have a great weekend, Jan.

Adam said...

I live near a farm myself, I hear a few cows every now and then

happyone said...

Oh I did enjoy seeing all the pictures. Nothing like being outside.
Nothing special planned but I spend a LOT of time outside.

Sue (this n that) said...

A lovely heartwarming post Jan. Brings back happy memories of when our children and then grandchildren were littlies - we had as much fun as them!

Phil Slade said...

Hey Jan. You forgot birding. "beg, steal or borrow a pair of binoculars and get into the great outdoors and enjoy wildlife in the British countryside and coast."

Snowbird said...

Some lovely ideas, I totally agree that children benefit from being in contact with nature, it's a shame how many live indoors playing computer games. Love the pics of your little angels....gorgeous.xxx

Carol Blackburn said...

Looks like loads of fun. Love that little den.

Conniecrafter said...

Oh Jan I enjoyed your post about getting out, I so agree with what you said, getting out and doing something other than your normal daily duties sure does make one feel energized and full of life, now that we no longer have any pets we are getting out more and even going over night to new places farther away from home, so fun to explore. How precious to have fun with your grandkids, our daughter has decided not to have kids and it is so sad, I will miss being a grandma.
You have some great ideas here and great pictures!

Crafty Green Poet said...

Great post, always a good idea to get out and about

Prunella Pepperpot said...

I love all of these wonderful suggestions.
Some children just don't experience the great outdoors as I once did before coloured telly and computers.
Have a great outdoors week :)

Rue said...

Hi Jan :)

I think your ideas are lovely and as you know we get out and about quite often. It's essential! :)

Also, your post about chicken was brilliant. I wanted to stand up and applaud lol

Lovely to see your grandkids :)

xoxo,
rue

Magic Love Crow said...

Such a beautiful post Jan! Thank you for all the suggestions! I have been outside lots this year!! Big Hugs!