Welcome to Day 2 of the Outdoors Family Challenge! This is a seven day challenge to help get you and your kids outside, living more sustainably, and connecting more with nature and each other. You can read about our experience yesterday or check out the archived prompts on the Outdoors Family Challenge page.  If you would like updates each morning with the activities, sign up for the email list or like my Facebook page.

Walk or bike to a destination.

One of the best ways to get outside and connect with your community is to walk or bike places for transportation. Many of my favorite memories as a child were formed from behind a set of handlebars. Now, my family regularly walks to the park and grocery store. 

Pick a location that’s fun and relatively close. Ice cream parlors, a friend’s house, the library, and parks are all good options. For walking, start with less than half-mile each way, especially if your kids are walking on their own power. For biking, try a 2-3 mile trip.

If you’re walking, pick a route where you’re confident there is a continuous sidewalk. If you’re biking, select “biking” in Google Maps’ directions. It will then lay down an overlay of bike trails, bike lanes, and “bike-friendly” roads. If you’re not sure, you can always scope out the route by car beforehand.

As you walk or bike, pay attention to what is going on around you. Besides being safer, it also makes the journey more fun! Take the chance to wave hello to neighbors, notice the flowers, and enjoy the weather.

For a lovely book on the beauty you can find on a walk home if you only pay attention, read Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith.

During and after the trip, think about what it was like and if you noticed anything you may have missed if you had been in a car. We invite you to post it to the We’ll Eat You Up We Love You So Facebook page, to your Twitter account, or to your Instagram account with the hashtag #outdoorsfamilychallenge!  At the end of the week, we’ll be giving away a copy of Vitamin N to a random participant courtesy of the Children and Nature Network.