Menstruation, the Trailhead and You

Six years ago this month, Hike it Baby completed its first hike. Since then, the organization has grown tremendously. And for its "birthday" this year, Hike it Baby is teaming up with Deuter and Leave No Trace™ Center for Outdoor Ethics for the Together We Hike trail cleanup event. Hike it Baby is commemorating its very first hike by focusing on giving back to the trails and the natural spaces in the communities in which we hike. The trail cleanup event will encompass all of Hike it Baby's core values: supporting all families, building community and celebrating nature. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUIttomc6to&feature=youtu.be This month, we hope you will join us and challenge yourself to host, participate in or independently clean a trail or natural space. Inviting members of the community can encourage everyone to clean up the communities while learning from each other. If an official Hike it Baby cleanup hike doesn't work for your schedule, feel free to get out on your own and clean a local trail at your convenience. To find family-approved locations to host a cleanup hike, use the Family Trail Guide. Or to join a cleanup hike, you can look through already submitted hikes that are labeled "Together We Hike." Celebrate Hike it Baby If you can't join a HiB cleanup hike, try to get outside and celebrate Hike it Baby’s birthday anyway. As a teacher, I find myself unable to participate in most HiB hikes since they are scheduled while I'm at work. Since joining Hike it Baby, however, I find myself making sure we get outside as a family, whether it's a trip to the park, walking in our neighborhood or hitting the trails. This organization has truly opened my eyes to the importance of nature for children, getting involved in the community, celebrating everyone's unique differences and how we, together, make up this great organization. While raising a generation to love nature and the outdoors, a trail cleanup is a great way to get children involved in taking charge of their communities and making sure these natural areas are protected and safe for years to come. Challenge the children on your hikes to try and collect as much trash as they can to help protect the trail. While cleaning up, talk to your children about the importance of the leave no trace principles, which include staying on trail, respecting wildlife, leaving what you find and being kind to others. Practicing leave no trace and sharing it with others will help ensure our trails and nature stay protected for future use. https://youtu.be/VQYDDGsNlaI Make it a social affair Whether you host or participate in a HiB trail cleanup or clean up your local greenspace with your family, your impact will help ensure that the community will be enjoyed by others now and into the future. For more information on the However you participate, share on social media how you are celebrating with @hikeitbaby to provide inspiration to all HiB communities by adding #HikeitBaby #TogetherWeHike at Instagram - @hikeitbaby // Facebook - facebook.com/hikeitbaby // Twitter - twitter.com/hikeitbaby. Help build community 1. HiB summer community T-shirt campaign  We’re celebrating our value of supporting all families through the first Hike it Baby Community Campaign. Get a unique Hike it Baby shirt and 10% of proceeds will be donated to OUT There Adventures, an organization that supports LGBTQ+ kids to get outside. Fulfilling our goal to get ALL families outside is a big task and we are so excited for the opportunity to support another organization doing this work. Campaign ends 7/31/19. Options available from infant to adult. 2. Deuter dirt bag & LNT card Donate $30 and as a thank you from us, receive a one-of-a-kind Hike it Baby Deuter dirt bag & a Kids Leave No Trace resource card. 30% of proceeds will be donated to Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, which works to protect the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly. Donations are tax-deductible. The campaign runs while supplies last.   Read more: 5 Tips for trail cleanup safety Giving back -- Trail cleanup hikes How to teach kids to be trail stewards 10 Ways to have a positive Hike it Baby environmental impact in the new year Featured photo by Jessica Human. This blog post is sponsored by Deuter.            

Did you celebrate Earth Day this year? Kristi reflects on how we can positively impact our environment and encourage our children to become stewards of the Earth. This Earth is truly a magnificent place. Its resources are unique to this planet. As the only known planet habitable for humans, we must take care of it. Every year, on April 22, the importance of this is brought to the center stage. But what if we took further action? If we can take a stand for one day and put forth action in ways that will protect our precious planet, then imagine what we can do with a whole year.  Moreover, what if we took those changes we made in a year and passed them onto our children? Imagine the change we could initiate. Here are some ideas to continue this cause throughout the year.   Make a Recycling Pact With Your Family A great place to start is to begin recycling at home. As a family, sit down and make a list of what can be recycled. Learn about the different ways the recyclables are turned into new items. This is a great way to get everyone involved. Teach kids how to separate items and create a bin for each group. As the amount of trash in the can is decreased and the recyclables increase, point out to the kids the difference they are making. They'll feel accomplished and proud.   Plant a Tree This can be done right in your own backyard. Gather up the family and head to your local nursery.  They'll have different trees to choose from and the kids will love being involved in the decision making. Once you've decided on the chosen one, take that gorgeous tree home and make an afternoon of it.  Kids love to dig. Let one dig the hole. Others can assist in its placement...and done. You can make a plan to plant a couple trees each year. And as you gaze out your window, not only will you have beautiful trees to look at, but precious memories of planting them as a family.   Do a Clean-up Hike We love this idea because it can be done often throughout the year. Anytime you plan to head outdoors with the family, make a goal to clean up the trails. You can make this into a game with the kids also. Whoever gathers the most pieces of trash gets a prize! Maybe organize some group clean-up hikes in your area every couple months. This is a great way to gather the community and get other families involved.   Plant a Garden Sit down and plan out what you want to grow in your garden. What works in your area? What is most likely to be used in meals? Make a garden plan and set out to make it happen. This is another one to get the kids involved with. Let them get down in the dirt prepping the area and planting seeds with you. This can be a great learning experience. And as you're gazing out at the beautiful trees you've planted as a family, you can admire the freshly picked tomatoes and onions right there from your very own garden.  No room for a garden? No problem! Find the local community garden or join in a co-op with some friends! What a delicious way to help keep it all local!   Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference Small changes can be made in every purchase. You can buy refillable water bottles. Purchase reusable baggies and straws to use on hikes. Buy eco-friendly toys for your kiddos or as gifts. There are so many options out there, and they are only a Google search away. You matter. What you do matters. Pass these on to your children and make those small changes, on April 22nd, and every other day of the year. Photos courtesy of Ashton Miyako, Ashley Scheider and Yanna Bennett