Thank you to everyone who participated in the Outdoors Family Challenge last week! We had folks participate across several different social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Here’s a round-up of some of the posts, along with the announcement of the winner of a copy of Vitamin N, courtesy of the Children and Nature Network.
First, I want to give major props to my fellow bloggers who supported the effort, Sandi at Happy Science Mom and Jen at PERMIE KIDs. (I met Jen in person at a Paw Paw Festival two weekends ago and she was just as lovely in real life as online.) They provided some great publicity for the Challenge and even participated in it themselves!
Then, of course, I have to thank my ever-patient and supportive family. Chris took on the task two of the days, even risking life and limb. While the walk to our downtown area was lovely (see below), a bee sting put a quick end to the Day 4 activity.
Even though it’s been a long time since I was a small child, my mom decided to play along as well. She used “Mr. Pickles,” a stuffed toad that my parents picked up in Bar Harbor, Maine, as stand-in for a small child. While I’m dealing with Metro delays and potty training stubborn children, I see my road-tripping parents’ photos and get Facebook-jealous.
When I did the challenge myself, I had a lovely time completing the activities with my own children! We caught sunsets, spotted bugs, created art, and picked apples. More than once, the Challenge motivated me to get outside when I wouldn’t have otherwise. When the day is usually the most chaotic, it grounded my experience with my children in beauty and peace.
Last but not least, I’m so grateful for the participants who were neither related to me nor I specifically recruited to help! I especially appreciate the folks who posted to social media with the hashtag. I hope you enjoyed it and helped inspire others in your social circle.
Without further ado, the announcement of who won the copy of Vitamin N!
The copy of Vitamin N goes to my friend Deb Young, who not only participated in every single day of the challenge but also posted to social media about it. In fact, she was even more consistent about posting than I was!
I’ve known Deb since I was 13; as young teenagers, we spent many an hour mucking about in my backyard and the Adirondacks. While we now live far apart, seeing the photos of her twin girls playing outside brought me so much joy. Deb, you very much deserve the prize. I hope you and your kids have a wonderful time trying out the activities!
Yay! We had so much fun with this challenge. I looked forward to each day’s prompt and then to reading about what you did at the end of the day (even sharing the pain when things didn’t go as planned)! There’s something about doing things together and with a purpose in mind that got us out and about and into nature in a meaningful way that we wouldn’t have otherwise. I guess it felt like one big scavenger hunt. My kids’ favorite part was hunting for bugs as they ask me every day to go outside and turn over the big stones in the back yard to find “pill bugs and inchworms!”
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it so much! I found there to be so much value to getting outside with a purpose in mind too.