This December I have been brainstorming with fellow parents about how to celebrate the holidays with our kids in a way that is less about what we get and more about what we give. Below are five easy ideas of how to get kids excited about the spirit of giving (very easy, since as we all know, it feels really good to help others)! 1. Delivery worker snack station. I saw this idea on Instagram during covid and loved it. Simply put up a sign and leave out any snacks and drinks you can spare for Amazon, UPS, mail, and other workers who come by your doorstep. If you have ever purchased a snack in a new flavor that no one in the family loved, those can come in handy. We have had that happen with certain flavors of granola bars many times, and I have set those aside for this purpose. Kids love decorating the sign and get so excited when they know a snack was enjoyed by a delivery worker. Check out the blog post from BetweenNapsOnThePorch.net for her detailed tips. 2. Hygiene Kits. Pick out some essentials such as socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes and deodorant from The Dollar Tree or a similar store, as well as large zip loc bags. Kids can help assemble the kits and deliver to your nearest shelter. In Orange County, California we visit the OC Rescue Mission. 3. Donate gently used clothes and toys. This is a win-win. Kids can pick out clothes and toys from their closet to donate to less fortunate families, and you will also de-clutter before the holidays. We also take these items to OC Rescue Mission. 4. Make cards for loved ones and neighbors, especially seniors. A hand written letter with a drawing from a child is sure to brighten up someone's day. Our kids love writing a letter of gratitude to people in our neighborhood who go all out with beautiful holiday light displays to spread cheer. We let them know we appreciate their time and efforts. 5. Wrap a gift for your sibling/family member/teacher. In past years I did not think to really let my kids feel the joy of giving by involving them in wrapping a present. This year we are making sure to include them in the process. I was worried about them wasting time but they absolutely loved helping. I remember reading once that if we don't get kids involved in helping with household chores while they are young (because it takes longer with them), it will be a lot harder to get them to help as teens. Check out this post on ways kids can help wrap gifts that still look super cute! Happy Holidays! Below are other holiday ideas:
Elf Learning Theme: https://socteacher.weebly.com/blog/elf-theme December Play Ideas: https://socteacher.weebly.com/blog/december-play Free and Low Cost Holiday Activities: socteacher.weebly.com/blog/december-activities Gingerbread Theme: socteacher.weebly.com/blog/gingerbread-theme Snow Theme: socteacher.weebly.com/blog/snow Weather Theme: https://socteacher.weebly.com/blog/weather
0 Comments
Our four day trip to Lake Tahoe was two years in the making. Each summer I planned to go and each summer we came across an obstacle. I am now very thankful that we never made it out in the summer. Fall in Lake Tahoe was epic! None of my recommendations are an ad or sponsored in any way. We paid for and researched all aspects of our trip. Fun things to do in Lake Tahoe With Kids: 1. Sand Harbor State Beach
2. Earn a Junior Ranger Badge
3. East Shore Trail
4. Ride Bikes
5. Play in the snow
6. Hike
7. Drive around the entire lake
8. Kayak
Timing: Go in the Fall if you can! We were fortunate to have sunny weather with highs of 55 and no crowds. This was in mid-fall during the Veteran's Day holiday, 2023. I would recommend visiting between September and November if possible, and keeping a close eye on the weather. Transportation: Fly if you can! We flew from Long Beach, California to Reno. The flights were reasonable considering the cost of gasoline if we drove. If I were to drive from Orange County or Los Angeles I would recommend spending a night or two in Mammoth Lakes (we like the Westin Monache). Lodging:
I highly recommend Lake Tahoe for any outdoor loving family. Be sure to dispose of trash properly in order to Keep Tahoe Blue!
Other favorite family trips and tips: Mammoth Zion National Park Tips Junior Ranger Programs More Nature For Kids Camping With Kids Video below previewing some of the books we have found over the years. Many focus on the Caribbean and Puerto Rico including heroes such as Roberto Clemente, Rita Moreno, Jean-Michel Basquiat and more. I found some great books in Target’s Dollar Spot to add to our collection. Hi everyone, psychology is not my area of expertise, I would like to simply share some children's books that as a parent I feel are helpful in building self-esteem and helping kids manage feelings of anxiety. Thankfully there are more and more books on the market to help us guide our children in this area. I have a video review of my favorites below as well as a few tips we have found helpful. The time leading up to the return of school can cause a lot of anxiety. Here's a link to my favorite back to school books: socteacher.weebly.com/blog/august-10th-2021
Time in nature is my personal favorite mental health tool. Here's a link to my favorite nature books for kids: socteacher.weebly.com/blog/diverse-nature-books-for-kids Junior Ranger programs for kids are available at National Parks, State Parks, and National Monuments throughout the U.S. Our family loves this program! Below are steps on how to earn badges. How Can My Child Earn A Badge? 1. Choose a location. You can use this great website called Ranger Trek to find the National Park and National Monuments near you with Junior Ranger programs. https://rangertrek.us/junior-ranger-list/. This PDF has a list of the state programs (not as easy to find State Park details on their websites, and most run only in the summer). 2. Go to the website of the specific National Park, State Park (not all State Parks offer badges), or National Monument you plan to visit. 3. Type in Junior Ranger Program. For National Parks and Monuments, you can download and print the booklet ahead of time or you can go to the visitor center to get a booklet there. Seeing the booklet ahead of time is a nice way to prepare your children for what they will see and learn on your trip. 4. Kids fill out a few pages in the booklet (depending on their age) and may need to attend a Ranger Talk. Sometimes the rangers will ask the kids what they liked most at the park or what they learned. 5. They take an oath promising to take care of the land, water, plants, and animals. Then they are given a Junior Ranger Badge! 6. We have been attaching our badges to a hiking vest, details further down in this post. What my kids like about the Junior Ranger program:
What I like about the Junior Ranger program:
We use this adventure vest that came with a kid's explorer kit from Amazon to keep all of the badges. Some visitor centers also sell youth hiking vests with the National Park badge on them. More details about exploring nature with kids in my previous posts:
Details about our experiences and related materials in the video above. Where near Southern California can my child earn a Junior Ranger badge?
National Parks, National Monuments, and State Parks: 1. Sequoia King Canyons National Park 2. Yosemite National Park 3. Joshua Tree National Park 4. Death Valley National Park 5. Channel Islands National Park 6. Pinnacles National Park 7. Cabrillo National Monument 8. Cesar E. Chavez National Monument 9. Manzanar National Historic Site 10. Mojave National Preserve 11. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 12. Crystal Cove State Park 13. Doheny State Beach 14. Bolsa Chica State Beach 15. Devil's Postpile National Monument 16. San Onofre State Beach 17. San Clemente State Beach 18. Antelope Valley Indian Museum 19. Leo Carrillo State Park 20. Malibu Creek State Park This summer we have been exploring the free programs our local library and local state parks/beaches have to offer. State Park Junior Ranger summer programs: Over the last few years my kids have enjoyed earning their junior ranger badges at National Parks we have visited. This year we learned that state parks also have junior ranger programs along with free workshops. Library summer programs: When it’s peak heat in Southern California the library is a life saver. The AC is pumping, the kids have to be quiet, and there are so many great programs. This week my kids loved earning a free kid’s meal from Raising Cane’s. I found some of the kids shows to be too crowded so I prefer going when the special events are not happening. Shopping Center summer programs: I was very impressed to find that our local malls and shopping centers also have excellent free events for kids. The most recent one had a camping theme. We made s’mores, got balloon art, face painting, a camping kit with a flash light and first aid kit, plus 3 free crafts! The next one near us has a Stars and Stripes theme.
If you live in Orange County California I highly recommend the OC Parent Guide. I paid $4 for a daily calendar of free and low cost events near me. She has a one week free trial. Even if you only use this resource until school starts it would be well worth the $8 to have so many events at your finger tips. Last summer I shared what I do to help my kids keep their learning from the year fresh and prioritize free play. I am adding to that list here. (Click here for last summer's post) Low-key summer:
Math: I don’t normally love workbooks, but we have already done tons of hands-on math activities to build number sense. So to keep it simple for summer, I decided to go on Amazon and purchase the homework workbook that the local school district uses. It was $8 and allows my kids to review concepts easily. I purchased for the grade they just completed rather than the grade ahead. I just want to keep things fresh for them, not dive into new learning. So far only the 1st grade workbook has arrived but I actually think that has worked out well. This allows my child that has finished 2nd grade to review and solidify foundational math concepts. Reading: Going to the local library and signing up for the summer reading program can be a great incentive for kids who love reading for pleasure as well as those who need a nudge. The Orange County library has a suggested summer reading list and reading challenge. I allow my kids to read whatever they choose and have plenty of non-fiction options available. The non-fiction books allow for social studies and science to be touched upon. I really like the Scholastic Vocabulary Readers I came across on Amazon. These include Space, Weather, Human Body, Life Cycles, and Animals. Writing: I encourage my kids to write a few times a week in some way, shape, or form. I did purchase the Spectrum Reading workbook on Amazon for $10. Again, workbook pages are not something I normally gravitate towards, but the fact that this combines reading and writing practice in a quick way allows us to use our free time to ride bikes and go swimming. A few days a week days my kids will read a passage and answer the reading comprehension questions. They also write lists of things they want to do and sometimes take a blank book or journal to the park. You can find a blank draw and write journal on Amazon for $6. Nature: We have a state park pass and regional park pass for Orange County, California. We have already explored quite a few new parks and my kids like to take their On The Nature Trail book with them ($10 on Amazon). If you live in the area, the Fun Orange County Parks website has a great description of local parks and the passes. The author also has wonderful detailed blog posts with photos of every park. That's all for our low-key and low-cost summer plans. No camps or trips planned thus far. If we get a chance to travel and camp we hope to. How do you like to spend the summer?
10 Tips For Technology with Children Ages 2-8. Disclaimer, do what works best for your family. This is what I feel works best for ours. 1. Avoid it under age 2. One way to get ahead of the potential addiction is to wait as long as possible to introduce screens. Some research on that here. 2. Look for engaging open-ended toys that will allow you to get things done. Some favorites of kids ages 2-8: Lego, magnetic tiles, magnetic cubes, washable paint sticks, interactive flip the flap books. Toys and coloring books featuring their favorite show characters are also great. After my kids watched an episode of Super Wings, they loved playing with their little Super Wing plane figures. 3. Use audio books and podcasts. This is my favorite tip. Apps like Epic! and Audible, as well as free sources such as Circle Round, have lots of audio books that can be used when your kids want to chill but you want to avoid a screen. Some of my kids' favorite audio books series: The Boxcar Children, The Puppy Place, Amber Brown, Marty McGuire, and Rainbow Fairies. Audible and the PBS website also have podcasts that go along with some of their popular cartoons. My kids are enjoying the podcast for Molly of Denali. They also have podcasts for Pinkalicious, Odd Squad, Ryan and Cece's Mysteries, Highlights Mystery Theater, Highlights Ask Arizona, and The Adventures of Cairo. Of all these options the Boxcar Children stories are not just my kids' favorite, but also my favorite because the stories are 1.5-2 hours long. My kids will play with Legos and color while they listen to a story with no complaint. They work well for road trips as well. Apps for audibooks: Epic!, Audible, Sora, Hoopla, and your local library app. 4. Time limits. When I do allow my kids to watch a show, I keep to a time limit of 45 minutes. Ideally, 1 hour would be a good maximum a day for ages 3-8, and if kids are attending school full time, consider using it just a few times a week since they likely use screens at school. We also avoid it first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. Screens can disrupt creative thinking in the morning and disrupt sleep in the evening. 5. Make time for nature and free play outdoors a priority. As many days as possible, I take my kids to the park and allow them to unwind there. I prefer going to a park with snacks as a way to decompress from a day of school, rather than the kids watching a show directly after school. Balancing screen time with plenty of active, unstructured time, especially outdoors, is key for me. After I have seen my kids spend time riding bikes, passing a football, and exploring nature, I feel a lot better about them watching a show. You can view my post More Nature For The New Year for more tips about how we make this work. 6. Avoid allowing your child to freely scroll YouTube. I found better options are PBS Kids and Amazon Prime. If YouTube is used, parents should be monitoring and able to hear and see what the child is viewing. Use the parental controls. Appropriate YouTube channels in my opinion: Art For Kids Hub (drawing tutorials), Jack Hartman Kids Music Channel (lots of phonics and math videos for preschool through1st grade), Cosmic Kids Yoga, The Cozy Chair (story read alouds), Mystery Doug and Mystery Science, and Brain Pop (social studies). 7. Choose high quality educational content. I look for shows that display positive social interactions, science, social studies, and STEM concepts. In no particular order our favorites are: Daniel Tiger, Dinosaur Train, Dino Dan, Alma’s Way, Wild Kratts, Story Bots, Magic Schoolbus, Molly of Denali, Mira Royal Detective, Xavier Riddle, Hero Elementary, Octonauts, Rocketeer, DocMcStuffins, Ada Twist Scientist, Miles in Tomorrowland.
Starfall.com is a great educational app for kids that I also used with my students. With so many educational programs now available, there is no reason my kids need to be watching other kids open toys on YouTube. 8. Have a set and predictable time for when screens will be used (late afternoon is what I prefer). I feel this is the best way to avoid it being something they ask for all the time. 9. Be mindful of your own screen time when around your kids. This is where I struggle the most. I try to set a limit for myself, not just my children. I also try to make a point to give them increased eye contact and make time to engage in conversation. 10. Let them be bored. One thing I do not do to minimize screen time is jam pack my kids' schedules. I do not like the sibling fighting that often comes when I let them get bored and figure things out, but I do like for them to know that I am not going to find ways to entertain them every waking hour. They usually end up making up a fun game (and a mess) after the whining about being bored dies out. I prefer this to running around to endless activities. I do believe boredom breeds creativity even if it is not easy to get there. 10+ Tips For Rookie Camping With Kids We are rookie campers. You can learn from our mistakes and feel assured that if we can do it, so can you! In addition to general beginner camping tips, I’ll share some details about places I have camped in Southern California: Lake Arrowhead’s SkyPark, Lake Hemet Campground, Joshua Tree National Park, and San Clemente State Beach Campground. 1. Try a campground. True you will not get the seclusion and privacy that off-grid, dispersed camping (also known as boondocking) offer, but if you are true rookies like us, then that is something to work up to.
I will not deny that being at a campground can feel like camping in a parking lot, but there are ways to minimize that. 2. Use the map on the campground website.
3. Preview your location. In addition to looking at the campground map on their website or Recreation.gov, you can also often find videos on YouTube that show each and every site. There is a YouTube channel called Campsite Photos where you simply view a glimpse of all the sites offered. This can help you choose a site that feels a bit more private. 4. Read reviews. Websites like TheDyrt.com have lots of reviews. Look for a few things:
5. Read the campground rules in detail on their website prior to booking. Check-in and check-out times are important to know as well the number of people allowed at each site.
When To Go? 6. Try to go when least busy. If you can manage a weekday and/or shoulder season you might find your campground significantly less crowded. In Southern California, private campgrounds like Lake Hemet and SkyPark have their own websites to reserve a spot. Many other locations are on Recreation.gov (one of the most popular) and ReserveCalifornia.com. Some Orange County regional parks use OC.usedirect.com. You can put your dates into their websites and see what pops up. 7. Try to go when the weather is expected to be mild. Spring and Fall months are great for camping in Southern California. September in Lake Arrowhead had a low temperature of 65 degrees and high of 80. Lake Hemet in October was a low of 60 degrees and high of 75. San Clemente was a high of 65 low of 50 and because it was very sunny we felt really comfortable. It is important to know the night time lows so that you have the correct gear to stay warm while you sleep. Our sleeping bags are rated at 20F and I have read it's best to have a sleeping bag that is rated at least 20 degrees less than the expected coolest night time temperature. I never want to worry about it being too cold at night for my kids. In addition to sleeping bags, add a mat or air mattress to provide a barrier between yourself and the cold ground. It’s a good idea to take a few extra blankets, both down and flannel, just in case. I also recommend continually checking the weather reports to see if there are any changes. 8. What to pack? View packing guides online. YouTube has so many great videos for beginners to help you figure out what to pack. I’ll link those below as they are made by very experienced campers. My favorite packing videos:Scroll to the bottom for a list of what we packed based on the videos above. (You might note in the video that we packed propane for our butane stove so that did not work out, and we learned to test the stove before going). I’ll leave you with a few random tips for campgrounds: 9. Bring multiple ways to make a fire/cook. On one of our trips we did not have the butane for our little camping stove. Our back up was to make a fire to cook with. Thankfully we had firestarter bricks with us and were able to purchase fire wood. Then the next day the gas in our utility lighter went out. Fortunately, I had enough food with us that did not need to be cooked like peanut butter, bread, and fruit, but we learned we should have multiple lighters as well as matches. 10. Take cash. We didn’t plan on using the market on our most recent trip but when we realized we needed firewood I was thankful we had a stash of cash. The shop’s internet went out so there would not have been any way to use a credit card or Apple pay. 11. Be friendly to the people camping near you. Offer help if you over hear they need something, compliment their dogs, chat about their kids, break the ice in any way you can. These people can be life savers if you forget something you need, and even if not, it helps to have a pleasant vibe with neighbors during your stay. 12. If you live in Orange County California, I think a great place to camp for the first time is O’Neil Regional Park. Other places to consider: Caspers Wilderness Park, Catalina Island, SkyPark Lake Arrowhead, Serrano Campground Big Bear, San Clemente State Beach, San Onofre State Beach, and El Capitan Campground in Santa Barbara. Try 1-2 nights and a place less than 2 hours away from your home, in case you decide you want to come home early. 13. Get your kids excited about the trip by checking out nature books at the library. Some of my favorites listed here: socteacher.weebly.com/blog/diverse-nature-books-for-kids Wilderness survival unit for kids here: https://socteacher.weebly.com/blog/wilderness-survival-bushcraft-theme Can we really do this? Yes. My camping experience is extremely limited. I have camped five times in my whole 40 years of life. With the limited experience I have, I assure you, if I can do this, so can you. Reviews of the campgrounds:
We would love to hear your tips and questions. Our Packing List:
Shelter and Safety
I am a camping rookie myself, so I learned along with my kids for this wilderness survival unit. Of all of the resources we used, the book Maker Comics Surviving The Outdoors is my favorite. Unit overview in video below: Reading:
Math:
Science:
Social Studies:
Writing:
Spelling/Phonics:
Life skills:
Here is a link to a previous camping unit we have done.
Here is a link to my favorite books about nature for kids. We recently visited Mammoth Mountain, which is an inactive volcano. On our next trip I hope to visit some of the volcanic craters, hot springs, and other unique geological features. Details about our volcano unit below: Video details about the unit above Social Emotional Learning: listening to the read aloud My Mouth Is A Volcano, a story about interrupting. Science: we made lots of volcanoes of course! We predicted which combinations would create the biggest reaction (baking soda, vinegar, and dish soap versus baking soda, citric acid, and dish soap). My kids never get tired of doing this so did many variations. Our plastic volcano mold is a from a kit I got on Amazon that has lots of different experiments and demonstrations. We also plan to make our own volcanoes out of different materials such as magnetic tiles, Legos, and salt dough. Math: DIY board games (details about how I make these here).
Writing: after reading about Volcanoes I asked my kids to write 3 volcano facts and be sure to use capitals, punctuation, and adjectives. We also practiced spelling volcano related vocabulary and how to stretch out sounds of longer words. Reading: my kids read and listened to fiction and non-fiction books about volcanoes at various reading levels, from easy phonics comics to chapter books. The audio book Boxcar Children Black Pearl Mystery takes place in Hawaii and is available to listen to on Epic.
Art: the kids created models of the earth's layers using play dough and painted volcano scenes, discussing warm versus cool colors. Physical Education: we visited lots of play grounds and looked for the ones with the best apparatus for playing the floor is lava. Play: The kids played the Floor is Lava game which includes reading and math trivia, as well as drama/acting challenges.
The Eastern Sierras are simply gorgeous. The drive from Orange County and Los Angeles is 5-6 hours, and is a scenic straight shoot. No winding roads. You won’t even realize you have reached 8,000 feet elevation because it happens so gradually and you never loop around a mountain. Below is our itinerary. Day 1 Our drive out was 5.5 hours. We stopped in Bishop for lunch. We arrived at the Westin Monache (very happy with this hotel, great customer service and love that they have rooms that include a full kitchen), checked in and explored a short trail right next to the hotel called Uptown Mountain Bike Trail. We had dinner at the Mexican restaurant and walked around the village. The village has a summer outdoor free movie and concert series. Day 2 Ate oatmeal for breakfast in our rooms. Headed out early to bike around Horseshoe Lake. This is one of my favorite parts of the trip. It’s a good mountain biking trail for kids and beginners. We had a picnic by the lake for lunch (I packed PBJ sandwiches, fruit, and carrots in a small cooler) then we rode another loop around the lake. We then biked down to Lake Mary and Twin lakes on the paved bike path. Lots of people rent bikes and e-bikes and use this path to view all of the lakes in the basin. If you have your own kayak or SUP any of these lakes would be a fun place to float around. Lake Mary has rentals. After we returned our bikes to the hotel (they will valet your bikes for free) we walked around the Village, ate ice cream at Hugs and did some coloring in the hotel due to rain storms. We grabbed pizza from the Village for dinner. If not for the rain, the pool at the hotel is also a good option. Day 3 Breakfast in the room. There is Vons nearby if you need groceries. We drove back to the parking lot for Horeshoe Lake (10-15 minutes from our hotel) but this time we hiked up to Lake McLeod. We took snacks but I would recommend taking your lunch. It’s a short hike but it’s uphill and in the high altitude it was not as easy as I thought a 1 mile hike would be. If it's not too cold for you, swim in this beautiful lake! We ate our packed lunch there and then headed to Lake George. This lake is so pretty, lots of people were fishing and we saw beautiful birds and cute chipmunks. Another great place to try your kayak. From Lake George we hiked up a steep 1 mile trail to T.J. lake. We swam in this lake and had it to ourselves. We passed another lake on the way that was not very pretty or full at the time (August 2022). There are even more lakes to hike to from there but rain started again (not common) so we headed back to our hotel. We had some dinner at the island themed restaurant in the village and walked around. If you bring your s’mores supplies there are fire pits around the Village. Day 4 Breakfast in the room and then we checked out and headed to Convict Lake. We hiked around this stunning lake and ate our packed lunches. We returned to Mammoth a month later to continue exploring this beautiful region. Day 5 June Lake. This lake is 25 minutes from Mammoth Village. The water here is very beautiful and shallow. We all swam in this lake and tried out our inflatable kayak for the first time. Be sure to take a canopy or umbrella with you as well as stakes for when the wind kicks up. We ate our packed sandwiches here and then went to June Lake town for some ice cream. Day 6 Mammoth Adventure Center. Our kids loved the ropes course (challenging), pump track, archery, and rock climbing wall. You do get a bit of a discount if you stay at one of the local hotels or lodges. If you plan to go to the bike park (open from June till mid-September) you can do these in one day for a bit of a discount as well. We opted to go to Twin Lakes to have our sandwiches instead. There are many shady areas to sit and enjoy the view of the waterfalls here. After that we sat on a free trolley to take a fun trip around the town. The trolley dropped us off near Vons so we could pick up a few groceries. Once we returned to the hotel the kids spent a bit of time at the pool. Day 7 Mammoth Mountain Bike Park. I was extremely nervous about getting my kids on the ski lifts up the mountains (flash backs of childhood fears when skiing in Big Bear) but I am so glad my husband and son pushed for us to do this. The staff was extremely helpful, the Discovery Chair was not scary, and they had lots of fun riding down the beginner and intermediate trails. The trails we did with our kids were Discovery, Adventure, Discotech, and the Downtown Loop (the last one does not require a ski lift ride.) Even on a very busy Labor Day weekend the line to get on the lifts was only 5 minutes and they were able to get in many runs. I look forward to going back and trying the longer trails next summer. After mountain biking, we took the Gondola up via the scenic line (no bikes, just hikers). This was definitely scary for me because we went super high but the views at the top were really nice. Then we had nice dinner at Tooley’s and checked out the free concert in the village. Day 8 Checked out of the hotel and went back to Convict Lake on our way home. I love this lake. The water is so clear and it is not very crowded. We tried fishing but did not catch anything. My husband and I swam (it was a bit chilly for the kids) and then we all got out on the kayak again, which was a great way to see the fish, rock formations, and plants under the water. They also have boat rentals here. We headed back home and I cannot wait to return in the Fall. We still have so much left to see in the area. Next time we hope to check out Mono Lake, the many hot springs, Rainbow Falls, and hopefully ski. If you have any tips to share or questions to ask, I would love to hear from you. Instagram @RunLoveLearn. The selections below are those I have found that interest my children, are not too dense, not too simplistic, include diverse character depictions, and teach valuable lessons about our earth. I have linked YouTube read alouds to most of the stories below so you can preview them before checking them out at the library, purchasing for your family/classroom, or looking on Epic. Best to introduce what to expect while camping:
Best for discussing the therapeutic effects of nature, mental health, and mindfulness:
Best science connections:
Best for explaining outdoor exploration etiquette:
Best Wilderness Survival books:
Cultural connections:
Video overviews of my favorites and not-so favorites:
Non-fiction series for early readers:
Video walk-through of titles we found at the library: Best for babies and toddlers: My First Nature and My First Animals have beautiful photographs. Other recommended titles:
What are your favorite children's books about nature? I would love to hear from you. Looking for kids hiking paths in OC and tips? Find that post here. Looking for kid's biking paths? Find my Orange County, CA list here. Looking for kid's mountain biking tips and paths? Find that list here. Want some ideas on how to get in more nature time? Find that here. Traveling National Parks (And Other Outdoor Destinations) With Kids Below is a compilation of family travel tips we have gathered from friends, bloggers, and experience over the past few years. We are by no means experts in outdoor travel or camping. We are learning along the way, and sharing what has been useful. BEFORE YOU GO 1. TIMING. Try to travel during the shoulder seasons. If possible, Fall and Spring travel is ideal for beating the crowds. Not only is this a more peaceful way of enjoying nature, but less people also mean less lines, and likely happier kiddos. November in Yosemite NP was stunning as was early March in Zion NP . October at Joshua Tree NP was very pleasant. Prices are also cheaper at these times. I would watch the weather carefully to make sure there isn’t still snow or expected storms, because roads can be shutdown with inclement weather. Similarly, avoiding weekends when feasible can make a huge difference. If you have to go on a weekend try the weekend before or after a busy one (weekend before Memorial Day, weekend prior to 4th of July, weekend after Labor Day). 2. LOCATION: It may seem obvious, but I suggest you start with the nature closest to you. Even though we would ideally love to see Yellowstone, Olympic, and Redwood National Parks, these are all well over 10 hour drives away from our home. We did the Sequoias first because it is a 4 hour drive from us. I wanted to see how we did with that drive before increasing. Another location tip that can help avoid crowds is to pick a State Park or National Forest instead of a National Park. Many of my favorite places to enjoy nature in California are outside of the National Parks system (such as Crystal Cove, Irvine Regional, and Mammoth Lakes). 3. RESEARCH. If you are going to a National Park, be sure to check out the National Park website. Each park has its own website full of visitor information, and yet people often forget to look there. The websites are especially helpful for determining which hikes are suitable for your family. You can find trail ratings as well as distance for each hike. When I see one that seems like a good fit, I then look it up on YouTube to see if the sights are interesting. 4. RESEARCH. YouTube research. I always find great vlogs on YouTube when I search “____ with kids ” (Yosemite with kids in the fall, for example). My husband does not like to look at a lot of videos because he likes to be surprised by the beauty of nature, but I personally love seeing what to expect. This step also helps me weed out any hikes or sites that don’t seem like they would interest our family. I do let me kids see a few videos as well so they can see other kiddos out biking, hiking, and enjoying the natural wonders. 5. RESEARCH. Find a Facebook Page. Facebook has tons of useful groups like Visiting Zion, Tahoe Bound, and Hiking and Camping California. You can ask questions and find family itineraries. You can also often chat with people who have just been to your location to get real time information on closures or changes in rules. 6. BUILD EXCITEMENT. Hit up the library for books about your destination. If you go to your library’s website you can usually filter books by audience. I select “primary non-fiction.” Then I put books on hold related to our destination. It usually takes my local library 3-5 days to get books from other branches. This is great way to build up anticipation for my the kids. (Click here for my list of favorite nature books for children.) You can also head back to the National Park website and find out about each park’s Junior Ranger Program. You can download booklets ahead of time or pick them up at the park’s visitor centers. Kids complete a number of activities (depending on age) and can earn a Junior Ranger Badge. Consider getting in some trial hikes in your neighborhood before you go if your kids are not used to hiking. Building up their stamina beforehand can help minimize the chance of a meltdown on the trails (minimize not eliminate). 7. RESERVE. Get the closest accommodations possible. Ideally if you can reserve a camp or lodge inside the park that is best. After a long drive, no one wants to drive their kids daily to points of interest. In the Sequoias we were able to stay at the basic lodge within the property, even though our trip was planned very last minute. It’s not fancy, but super convenient. One thing that has worked well for us is reserving a room at a nearby hotel that has a 48 hour cancellation policy (full refund) and meanwhile continually checking to see if something opens at a closer location. People often plan and reserve these trips well in advance, and cancel the week of, so keep checking. This goes for campgrounds as well as hotels and lodges. Some National Parks also require that you get a reservation to enter during busy seasons. Buying a park entry pass ahead of time may also allow you to drive in more quickly if there are separate lanes. 8. PLAN: I create a loose itinerary for our trip based on all the above research. I make an effort not to pack too much into each day. We usually plan a hike, lunch, rest, then smaller hike or bike ride. One you select trails or sites to see, use the park maps to determine which ones are closer together so they can be done on the same day. Being flexible is really important. Sometimes I have a 3 day plan set, and then I revise after day 1 in the park because I get a better idea of the layout and demands of the trails. A great tip a friend gave me for the drive is to screen shot directions beforehand because you often lose cell phone reception as you get close to the entrances. AT THE PARKS
WHAT WE PACK
Some of our favorite trips: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park, Crystal Cove State Park, and Mammoth Lakes. What tips do you have? Where have you gone for outdoor adventures with kids? Any questions? Would love to hear from you. More on Instagram @RunLoveLearn Hiking and biking are our favorite ways to promote perseverance, love of nature, physical activity, relaxation, and appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. Kid friendly hiking tips:
If you live in Orange County California here are 7 recommendations: Citrus Ranch Park is great if your kids have never hiked before, it’s short, the lemons smell amazing, and the view at the top gives a sense of accomplishment. Oak Canyon Nature Center has lots of creeks and shade. This one is my personal favorite. It is really beautiful and a great option for a hot day. Santiago Regional Park has creeks, bridges, and a high chance of seeing horses. Environmental Nature Center has good amount of shade, creeks, and places to stop and sit. They also offer wonderful nature classes for kids. Upper Newport Bay is mostly flat with water views. I would not go here on a hot day but it is lovely at sunset. Oso Creek Trail in Mission Viejo has a fun maze and the creek is usually pretty full. Peter’s Canyon has great hills if you want a fun challenge, but it also has flat options. This place is beautiful in early Spring. All of these are gorgeous sites with options to make the hike as short or long as you like. There are many other options in Orange County. These are just the ones we go to most often. What are your favorite OC hikes? Looking for kid's biking paths? Find that list here. Looking for kid's mountain biking tips and paths? Find that list here. Want some ideas on how to get in more nature time? Find that here. I’m also on Instagram @RunLoveLearn We took a trip to beautiful Mammoth Lakes, and of course we learned a bit about lakes and birds beforehand. Science:
Art:
Writing:
Read about our Bird Unit here.
Bird watching is a great fun! Details about this unit below: Science:
Summer Fun and Enrichment If you are looking for some light educational ideas for the summer, I have outlined a few things we are doing below. My goal is mainly to review skills and keep things fresh, while allowing plenty of time for unstructured play, riding bikes, swimming, meeting friends, and outdoor exploration. I also leave time for my kids to get bored and create their own fun (despite the fighting that comes with it). Light and fun learning tools for summer (screen free ideas):
Library Card
Blank Books
Board Games
I Spy Phonics Coloring Pages
Audiobooks
Honorable mention: Travel If your family is going on a trip, I would just take some books to read, a journal to write in, and maybe some dice for math games. I think travel in itself is a fantastic educational experience. Have a great summer! More game-schooling ideas: Our Island theme led us to a nautical unit. Math:
Social Studies:
Religion:
Reading:
Phonics:
Science and STEM:
We are starting off the summer with an unit about islands and hopefully a little trip to Catalina. Unit details in the video below: Below is our child-friendly three day itinerary for Zion National Park. One of the best things about Zion is that you can truly enjoy its beauty without embarking on advanced trails if you have young kids, seniors, or those with limited mobility in your family. Day 1. Emerald pools hike. This beautiful hike was a great way to start our trip. When you approach the trail head over the bridge, head right. Walking behind the waterfalls is a fun part of this trek. We hiked to the lower and middle pools, we did not push to the upper. I had reasearched trail difficulty ahead of time so I knew what to expect. You can find that information on the park website, which I highly recommend reading before your trip. We packed sandwiches prior to the hike that we enjoyed eating once we reached the lower pools view point. After we made it back down this trail, we ate a full lunch at Zion Lodge, which was tasty and did not take as long as expected. Their deck was a great place to enjoy a meal. We then went back to the same trail head and walked left this time, down Sand Bench Trail. We saw lots of deer on this path. The kids enjoyed playing by the river edge near the bridge. Day 2. Pa’rus Trail on bikes (we brought ours from home). This paved trail can also be done on foot. A lot of people rent e-bikes to get around Zion, and zoom by on this trail. You can rent regular bikes or e-bikes at Zion Outfitters (next to the visitor center). Once again, the kids played quite a bit at the river (look for paths that take you down) and ate peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches we had packed. Then we attended the Junior Ranger program talk by the visitor center. The kids filled out their booklets and loved getting their badges. We ate by the visitor center at the Zion Canyon Brew Pub (just ok, took a long time) and then headed up to River Walk trail head (we drove our car, as the shuttles were not running that day). This is the trail that leads to the famous Narrows hike, which we chose not to do. Day 3. Drive up to Checkerboard Mesa. On this drive beautiful drive, we got to see the arch from many angles. You will also pass the Canyon Overlook trail head. It is recommended for kids since it is only 1 mile and has great views, but the parking was full each time we passed it, so we did not do this hike. I actually did not mind missing this hike because I felt we saw great views on the drive up there, and it did seem to have some steep cliff drops. To hike around Checkerboard Mesa, keep going till you see the larger parking lot (maybe 10 spots). Then you can hike down (below the sign that tells you about the mesa). Hike all the way to the tunnel and head left through it, to play at the base of the mesa. This was my daughter’s favorite part of the trip because of the snow. We then drove back to the visitor center and grabbed food at the small coffee shop near Zion Outfitters called Perks. If the Zion Lodge and Brew Pub restaurants are busy, this is a place where you can quickly pick up sandwiches and smoothies. We ate at the picnic benches. Afterwards we started the hike to Watchman trail, but decided to play by the river instead of making the full trek, since we were pretty wiped out. Day 4. On this day we drove into St. George to check out Snake Hollow Bike Park. This place was super fun and completely free! It has some flow trails along with the multiple BMX style jump areas. There are also paved biking trails in the area if you don't want to mountain bike. Bear Claw Poppy was another mountain biking trail that I had researched in the area to check out, but we did not make it out. Timing: We had a wonderful trip to Southwest Utah March 19th-23rd, 2022 with kids ages 5 and 6. This was great time of year to go due to less crowds, but mild pleasant weather. The crowds do not get as bad until the last week of March when more schools have spring break. From what I read, Zion is extremely crowded spring through summer. I believe September and October would also be great times to visit. Virgin River bacteria: We did not let our kids dunk their heads in or drink the water. It has a toxic bacteria. We made sure to wash hands after playing by the river (skipping stones and exploring) and take super soapy showers each night. The rangers can let you know the level of the toxic bacteria at the time of your visit. Lodging: I would love to camp in Zion or stay at Zion Lodge, but we planned this trip just two weeks before departing, and those places get booked up 6 months to a year in advance. *You may want to check availability one week before your trip dates, to see if there are any cancellations. We stayed at the Driftwood Lodge and we really liked it. It’s newer, clean, and on a beautiful property. After our first day at Zion, the kids played at the hotel where the river runs through the back of the property. Crowds: be flexible because this situation is unpredictable. Randomly on a Monday during our trip, the line to drive into Zion from our hotel was miles long and would have taken 1.5 hours. Thankfully we had our bikes and biked in (15 minutes). If that had not been an option, the line did die down by noon. If you go during a crowded time you might have better luck if you avoid the 7am-11am crowds, and go in later. We gave ourselves 4 days to explore the park just in case crowds made it difficult to see as much as we wanted. We were able to hike and take in everything we wanted to see in three days and spend the fourth day at the mountain biking park in St. George. Dinners: Night 1 King's Landing, excellent food for adults, the kids did not love their chicken breast option. Pricey. Recommend for adults. Night 2: Spotted Dog, everyone loved their food and excellent customer service. Reasonable. Recommend for families. Night 3: Switchback Grill. Kids loved the steak, adults did not care for our meals (steak and sea bass). Good customer service. Very pricey. Do not recommend. Last tip: Don't lose your entry receipt! We payed $35 for 7 days of entry for the family, I took a picture of the receipt in the event I lost it. Turns out they don't accept that, so make sure you keep it safe. I hope you find these tips helpful. More on Instagram @RunLoveLearn
Plus location tips for Orange County, California Why I Love Biking
2. You compete with yourself. Out on the trails, it’s you versus the terrain, not you versus an opposing team. Each time you can challenge yourself to try something you shied away from on the previous run. 3. Mental challenges. Mountain biking is much more than physical. Risk management and executive brain function are fully engaged on the trails. 4. Therapeutic. I always say nature is my free therapy. The challenges of mountain biking actually help me relax. Since I have to concentrate so much on which line to take to avoid soft sand, divots, or large rocks, I don’t have time to worry or think about anything else (even my kids). I just pray at the start of our ride that we stay safe, and my husband has equipped them with tons of safety gear. So somehow, this is one of the few settings that allows me to zone out. I consider it a type of meditation. 5. It’s not organized. My kids can stop at any time to climb a tree, investigate a bug, or throw stones in a creek. We stop for picnics, we enjoy the views, and head back when we get tired. 6. It’s in nature. My husband and I actually were into road cycling before we had kids. At the time we lived by the beach so it was very scenic riding from Redondo Beach to Santa Monica and back. The hills in Palos Verdes were a great physical challenge and offered some panoramic ocean views as well. I never imagined myself on a mountain bike. But I am so glad my husband insisted that I give mountain biking a try. It allows us to feel fully immersed in nature. 7. It’s fun. Being one with your bike and catching speed on your descent is such a pure, simple joy. I am hoping that showing my kids how and where to seek out natural sports-based highs will keep them away from seeking out other highs as they become teenagers (on a prayer). How We Started:
What we take:
OC Locations:
Where do you like mountain biking with young kids? Any tips? Any questions?
Instagram @RunLoveLearn Details about our snow unit in the video above.
Link to our previous unit on weather here: https://socteacher.weebly.com/blog/weather This is our second time doing a Space Unit. There is so much to learn. Details in the videos above. A link to our previous unit here.
A unit on New York City with a dash of Spiderman. STEM: build a New York skyline with wooden cubes. What are some ways we can get our Lego Spiderman to stick to the structures we created? Read “Spiderman. Down To A Science”
View Mystery Doug video clip "What's The Tallest Skyscraper Anyone Can Build?" Create a chain reaction using the block city and dominoes. Art: Read about architecture. Paint the skyline. Make a night scene of the city. Phonics: review short and long vowels reading about super heroes who defend cities. Literature: read books that take place in New York and discuss setting. Little Elliot Big City is a very cute one. Listen to read aloud of “City Mouse Country Mouse” Math: make “buildings” out of unifix cubes to display place value and compare numbers. Buy and sell slices of pizza using play coins. Writing: Write an opinion piece on which type of community you would prefer to live in and why (urban, suburban, rural). Or write an opinion piece on why you would or would not want to visit New York. Or write an opinion piece on your favorite Super Hero who defends big cities. Social Studies: types of communities, urban city, rural, suburb. Discuss notable landmarks of New York city. View HomeschoolPop video about New York City. Read The Little House and view the Walt Disney short of The Little House. Compare and contrast. Music: Listen to Frank Sinatra and Alicia Keys' tributes to New York |
AuthorMediha Din |