OutGrown

Thankful for You Prizes! Hike it Baby's 13 Days of Giving - 2016

  2. Share
Christel Peters Christel Peters
0 0
Hike it Baby is so thankful for all of the past year's Hike Hosts who volunteered their time to bring families together and enjoy the outdoors.  This organization could not be possible without the amazing people who motivate others to join them on hikes submitted to our calendar each day. In honor of these generous Hike Hosts, we are proud to give back during our 13 Days of Giving with some fantastic prizes donated from our sponsors. Lucky winners were drawn from the long list of hosts who submitted events to the Hike it Baby website from Jan-Nov of this year. [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="509511,509513,509508"]

Here is a roundup of the prizes that these hosts won during our 13 Days of Giving!

HIB All Over Track Shirt Katadyn Be Free
Cotopaxi Agua Water Bottle Petzl Headlamp Tikka
Ella's Wool Tights Hike it Baby Polo Hats
Lil Sidekick Cotopaxi Kids Luzon Del Dia
Stonz Booties Adventure Medical Kits First Aid Kit
Cheski Sock Company Catalyst Case for iPhone
Leatherman Zoli Squeak Water bottle
Baby Bjorn Crib 20-pack of HIKE Cards
BOB Revolution Stroller SE Burley Solstice Stroller
Allen Jogger Trailer

Hike Host winners share their thoughts on hosting hikes for their communities:

TearNee Sodders copy-of-copy-of-13-days-of-givingMy number one tip: bring spares, especially for new moms who have young wee ones or who haven't hiked before. A spare cloth diaper or two, a onesie, some sunscreen -- all go a long way for a nervous, new mom hiker! I absolutely love hosting hikes in my area because I love challenging myself and my family to get outside more, and I love encouraging other families to do so, too. It is great knowing my hikes allow for my neighbours to learn new hiking spots and to make connections in their community. Kristin Talcott When I first had twins, I felt very isolated, because I wasn't welcomed at most moms' groups without having a second set of hands. Starting a HiB branch let me connect with other moms in a way that I could and that I loved. I could always wear one baby on the front and one on the back, all while getting out of the house, being active, and introducing my twins to the true beauty of New England. I have met all of my closest friends through the HiB community that we now have! Dawn Lems I've been consistently hosting hikes with Hike it Baby for over a year and a half. It has been awesome getting to meet so many different people and explore so many different places. I love the flexibility of being able to choose when, where, and how often and that being able to change as our family grows and changes! Lauryn Koppes For me, hosting hikes worked well when I designed the experience around the evolving needs of my children. My toddler is a little adventurer, [who is] no longer content to ride on my back, and making space and time for him to explore seems like the natural response. So we left adult-paced hikes behind, but found we were able to stay connected to our Hike it Baby community by leading weekly kid-led hikes and unstructured play times, and these ended up being my favorite Hike it Baby experiences to date. [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="509501,509503,509504"] Stephanie Mayes I have learned that hosting hikes is nothing to be nervous about, most who join us are just looking to have fun, explore, and meet new friends--so the pressure is off! I am always reminding myself to turn off my anxious feelings, and just enjoy showing off a fun park or trail that might be new to someone that day. Jess Boyd Hosting hikes with Hike it Baby (and becoming a Branch Ambassador) has made what could have been a really difficult transition--moving to a completely new place with a toddler while pregnant--sooo much better! It's still been hard, but hosting hikes has basically forced me to get out there and meet new people, stay active and get my daughter and myself outside on a consistent basis. Thanks, HiB!! [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="509505,509506,509507"] Jessica Klein Hikes don't always work out the way I envision them, but I love the accountability associated with hosting hikes because I can be certain that the adventure will begin. Mindy Hilber-Collins Hosting hikes motivates me to get outdoors, especially now that I am back to work full-time. It's a great way to spend time with my child and get exercise! [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="509514,509515,509516"] Miriam Clark We are always happy when Hike it Baby families come to 'Little Hands Can' activities. Such a great way for the community to get involved in helping each other! Anna Bargeron I was nervous about hosting a hike at first, but once I started I couldn't (and still can't) stop! The butterflies that came with hosting those first few hikes don't begin to compare with the joy that comes from walking underneath trees and through open fields with like-minded friends who were once strangers. Kelly Martin I would say that hosting hikes brings the greatest benefits for the least amount of work. The kids, friends, and nature do all of the work for you. [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="509517,509519,509520"]

Congrats to our major prize winners!

Erin Betz I enjoy hosting hikes year round, but especially during the quarterly HiB30 Challenges. During this past November Challenge I hosted a weekly walk along a popular paved path. By doing so I added almost 15 miles to my log and it made getting our miles and time in so easy! Krissa Deans I joined Hike it Baby in January 2016 and there wasn't always something on the calendar for my local branch. I knew that the group would only be what members put into it so I decided to invest. By jumping in and leading hikes, I am able to encourage other families to get out and share my knowledge of trails in the area. Gabriela Morrison I was so nervous to host, but my husband wanted to be able to join so we started an evening hike a few months ago and it was so worth it! Anyone considering hosting a hike should try it out, you could end up making awesome friends for you and your kids! [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="509509,509510,509512"]
Hosting hikes for your community is not only fun and easy to do - you are automatically entered to win monthly Host a Hike prizes and the annual 13 Days of Giving at the end of each year. Submit a hike to the Hike it Baby calendar today and inspire other families to get outdoors!

Comments

To leave a comment, login or sign up.

Related Content

0
Special event for Military Families June 8
We are so excited to be participating in the Brushwood Center’s kickoff event for military families on June 8, 2024! “Brushwood Center works collaboratively with community partners, artists, health care providers, and scientists to improve health equity and access to nature in Lake County, Illinois, and the Chicago region.” While there are many programs that encourage kids to get outside in nature, very few focus on families with babies and young children. OutGrown specializes in bridging the baby nature gap, connecting families to nature from birth. We are excited to help extend the Brushwood Center's reach to serve a wider audience of military families. If you are a military family and in the Greater Chicago area, be sure to check out the Military Kids Fest from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. to enjoy the beautiful trails of Ryerson Woods, art activities, games and food with us. We will bring our Footprints activity (sponsored by our partners at L.L. Bean), handouts, a Wander Walk adventure, and a baby carrier library to try on different types and sizes. Photo credit: Jenn Canjar We know how important it is to find support and other families—your village—as you adapt to new surroundings and raise your kids while in the military. Events like this provide a great opportunity to try new things and find community in your new backyard. Here’s what some of our military families have had to say about finding community with us over the years: “I found Hike it Baby (now OutGrown) when I needed it most at our previous duty station. My husband was working super long hours, we had no family nearby, and I was desperately trying to get my son (who was 8 months old at the time) and myself out of the house. I struggled to find a community that felt like the right “fit” until I stumbled upon OutGrown. Everyone was so welcoming and non-judgmental! When we PCS’ed a few years later, I was happy to find a nearby branch at our new duty station, and it has provided an instant community full of wonderful people with similar interests for both my son and me. I’m not sure what we would have done without it!” ~Becca, Kitsap Peninsula, Washington Branch (Navy) “It made it so easy to find friends with similar interests and lifestyles. My entire community here is built from OutGrown!” ~Heather, Colorado Springs, Colorado Branch (Air Force) “In a duty station that wasn’t connected to a base... OutGrown gave me my first few friends and thus insight into a new location. It also got us out and about... no wallowing in despair here!” ~Jenyfer, Eugene, Oregon Branch (Navy) Find a community near you at: https://weareoutgrown.org/find-your-community ABOUT OUTGROWN Here's a little more about OutGrown: We're a national, 501c3 nonprofit with over a decade of experience helping families get outside with their babies and young children. We believe it is critical to include and center families from birth because it is a crucial developmental time for both the infant and the parent, where we can create a life-long, multi-generational impact. We know that we protect what we love and we're helping families build a loving connection with the outdoors so they can value and protect it for generations to come. As a community-driven organization, we have been working with indigenous, Latine, BIPOC, immigrant & refugee, and rural families to co-design multilingual and culturally relevant solutions in our programming. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteers. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org. ABOUT THE BRUSHWOOD CENTER Our Vision We work toward a future of resilient and connected communities, both human and ecological, where all lead healthy and thriving lives. Our Mission Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods works collaboratively with community partners, artists, health care providers, and scientists to improve health equity and access to nature in Lake County, Illinois, and the Chicago region. We engage people with the outdoors through the arts, environmental education, and community action. Brushwood Center’s programs focus on youth, families, Military Veterans, and those facing racial and economic injustices. More information can be found at: https://www.brushwoodcenter.org/ EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.
0
10 Benefits of Spending Time Outside
This blog was written in partnership with our friends at Turtle Fur. Every season has its challenges when it comes to finding the motivation to get outdoors. It could be too hot or too cold; too wet or too dry; too dark, windy, smoggy or muddy. We feel stuck indoors and our physical, mental and emotional well-being can take a hit because of it. “Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being.” American Psychological Association. That’s why it’s so important to try to spend at least 10 meaningful minutes outside each day. The health benefits of spending time outside Getting a breath of fresh air can do more than improve our lungs—there are many proven benefits for the whole family to spending time outside. Benefit: Increased serotonin Exposing the body to sunshine naturally increases serotonin levels—those "happy" boosters we produce that impact things like our memory, stress, digestion and sleep.   Benefit: Increased Vitamin D Sun exposure is also a great way to naturally absorb vitamin D. We need vitamin D for healthy bone growth but also to help control cancer cell development, infections and inflammation in our bodies.   Benefit: Reduced cortisol levels
 Cortisol is the hormone that helps give us the energy we produce to wake up in the morning and also helps us fall asleep and rest as levels lower in our body. When we have high levels of cortisol we can suffer from things like anxiety, weight gain and heart disease.   Benefit: Burned calories
 Exercise outdoors has the added benefits of natural inclines, wind resistance and varying terrain—all of which add to more calories being burnt from something as simple as a stroll around the block.   Benefit: Improved memory, focus and attention Studies show that nature directly contributes to enhanced brain development in children who spend quality time outdoors. Nature itself helps to decrease the heart rate and blood pressure, regulate body temperature and helps with cognitive skills, memory and attention.   Benefit: Decreased risk of heart disease The combination of increased vitamin D, reduced cortisol and easing physical tension in our bodies from time spent outdoors contributes to a decreased risk of developing heart disease.   Benefit: Improved sleep Falling asleep can be difficult when your body isn't in the right rhythm or is too wound up to get restful sleep. Spending time outdoors helps our brains sync with a sleep/wake cycle and fall into a more healthy pattern of day/night energy.   Benefit: Eased depression symptoms
 Spending more time outdoors increases the likelihood of feeling connected to nature—and can therefore lead to feeling less isolated and depressed.   Benefit: Boosted immune function
 It's not just a breath of fresh air that helps us feel better as we escape from indoor germs and bacteria—sunlight may activate T cells in our immune system to fight infections and some plants release immune-boosting phytoncides into the air.   Benefit: Increased happiness and peacefulness When we soak up natural sunlight, breathe fresh air and appreciate the beauty of nature on a consistent basis, we increase our ability to feel true happiness and peace. We feel more connected, less confined and at ease from all the benefits of spending meaningful time outdoors regularly. Make it a habit to get outdoors every day Try to make it a habit to spend time in nature every day by starting small and finding others to motivate you and your family. Take a little extra time as you do your daily activities outside—like when you are walking into work, school or running errands. Find accountability buddies or communities with like-minded goals and inspire others while you achieve yours! Soon, it will become "natural" to spend more time in nature and you will reap the benefits of improved mental, physical and emotional well-being. Want to view more studies and learn more? We think this article is a great resource. Looking for a fun way to support our Hike it Baby program? Check out the Totally Tubular Comfort Shell from our partner, Turtle Fur! ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org    EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.
OutGrown
Powered by Cause Machine. All rights reserved.