It was 81 degrees and 60% humidity and only 8 a.m. The day wasn’t going to get any more pleasant. Sweat refused to evaporate. Instead, a glisten formed over my son’s brow. Yet, here we were, determined to be outside. Gaining for ourselves that hour of sunshine, dirt, woodchips, faint breezes, and sounds of geese. We walked as slowly as a two-year-old sometimes can. Each ten feet purchased only ...
I have a secret that I’m ready to share: I hate hosting toddler-led hikes.
However, I have another, more valuable secret: A park and play is just about the best thing in the world to do with a toddler. Stroller walks and adult-paced trail hikes are fun, but they just don’t stack up against a great park and play.
My now almost-2-year-old and I went on our first hike with Hike it Baby when he w...
On August 25, 1916, a bill, known glamorously as the Organic Act, was signed into law creating the National Park Service – the first federal bureau with a mission of conservation and connecting Americans to nature. Charged with a mission to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by suc...
It's time to get ready for our next Hike it Baby 30 Challenge! This September, join us in the challenge to hike 30 miles in 30 days or get outside 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week.
Families have a fantastic time getting outside together and hiking during the Hike it Baby 30 Challenge. Below, past Challengers share their favorite memories, photos, accomplishments, and personal goals.
"Our first ...
I am an advocate for experiencing nature and the outdoors. It's a priority for me to teach my son to love to be outside. However, I have a confession to make. I love technology.
I love my laptop, my tablet, my phone, the apps that come with them. Mileage trackers, social media apps, e-book readers, and the ability to deposit a check with the push of my mobile device's camera button. I am addict...
Fall is a welcome respite from the heat of summer. The colorful leaves and the crisp air give fall a beauty unlike any other season. With fall comes the opportunity for so many fun family activities outside! Choose a few to do with your family. You can even incorporate these activities into your HiB30 Challenge in September!
Apple Picking
The whole family will have fun picking apples together...
Hike it Baby members love to spend time outdoors but also love to read about nature! These book reviews are some of our members' favorite books that are hiking or outdoors related. From infant board books to adult page turners, these books can help inspire the family to love being outside.
Jenn Haunold, Corvallis
Bringing the Outside In by Mary McKenna Siddals
This rhyming book takes the reader...
Jenifer Lacey is a Branch Ambassador for Hike it Baby Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Recently, she met Shanti Hodges, the founder of Hike it Baby, while out on a hike. Jenifer explained that she was already very passionate about Hike it Baby and its mission: to raise a generation to love the outdoors. After meeting Shanti, she was even more inspired to be active in the movement. Jenifer's story its...
When we planned the hike the week before, the temperature was forecast to be in the low- to mid-70s. Perfect! But the morning we set out, it was already climbing into the 90s. It was the hottest day so far in the year.
I dressed myself and my 2-year-old son lightly. The three-liter Camelbak water bladder was full and in place. The rest was packed lightly: One diaper, a small plastic travel wipe...
I haven't been able to hike much during this pregnancy. My body doesn't do pregnant well. Nothing severe, but lots of misery, sick, tired... you know the way it goes. I looked on with envy at those active moms who are still hiking and adventuring during their pregnancies while I was throwing up every ten minutes and trying to survive teaching Nature Kindergarten full time while still having an...
