If you look back in time, you’ll be reminded of endless days of outdoor adventure where running around in the park was always the norm. In stark contrast, children are now living in the new age era where iPads entertain and video games are a staple for “adventure”. It’s easy to fall into a routine where kids are more apt to switch on a device than run around the park. And while digital is the new normal, switching to it for adventure can be detrimental for your child's health. So if you want to raise adventure seeking kids, you’re going to have to dig deep, go back to your own childhood memories and show them how it’s done. And being adventurous isn't always about the outdoors. There are ways one can seek adventure in their own homes too.
Here are a few activities that are an absolute must try:
1. Go Hiking-
You don’t have to live in the mountains or far away in some cabin to get your boots wet on a trail. Look for open lands, forest preserves, state parks and even hike trails to find hikes the entire family can enjoy together. Along the way, try and keep the kids engaged by having them find their own walking stick – and take back home with them for future hikes.
2. Camping in your own backyard-
While planning a camping trip requires some hardcore planning, equipments and a little know-how, backyard camping is the ideal place to start. Really, if you actually consider it, all you need is a decent tent and a flashlight. You don’t even have to worry about sleeping bags, just grab some cosy blankets and pillows and wait for a warm, clear night. It’s the perfect intro to get your children into liking the concept before you can plan a getaway for an entire weekend.
3. Building a fort-
Whether it’s outside in your backyard or in your basement, let your child’s imaginations run wild! Let them build something where they can plan out, hide, have secret meetings with their friends and otherwise enjoy creating something all on their own that I like to call “real-world Minecraft”.
4. Planning a picnic-
While it may not sound too adventurous, here’s the catch. The kids do it all – picking the spot, planning the menu, packing the goods and facilitating the entire adventure themselves. Giving kids the control of the entire process gives them the confidence and sheer satisfaction that leads them to want to plan even more on their own.
5. Trying something new together-
If your child isn’t interested in joining a sports team or trying out for the usual school activities, try something new, together as a family. Whether it’s heading to an amusement park or a rock climbing gym on the weekend, or taking a baking class, there are plenty of non-traditional activities that can be super fun and can kick-start their sense of adventure.
Sounds easy? Of course it isn’t. Watching your child climb a tree can be very scary. Seeing them struggle hurts. A LOT. Supporting a child through any difficulty is harder than simply rescuing them.
Sometimes, you may get it wrong. But remember this- perfect parents don’t raise adventurers — brave ones do. So, as parents, let’s be #brave, not perfect. Let’s let the wild, crazy adventures grow. So now that I’ve spoken so much about activities you can try out with your children, I’m eager to know about your adventurous traditions so that maybe i can pick a few for my child too. Send us your favourite adventure traditions with your child. Let’s get sharing!