10 Ways to Love Nature this Valentine's Day

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.            

Winters can be hard on trails. Many will need both cleanup and maintenance come springtime. You can contact your local or state park system to see if they have anything planned, or you can plan your own trail cleanup hike with your Hike it Baby branch! Hike it Baby offers lots of information on organizing a trail cleanup, and safety is a consideration when participating in a trail cleanup. Some of these things may seem like common sense, but it’s always nice to double check your preparedness whenever you try something new (or for the first time in a while). 5 Tips for Trail Cleanup Safety 1. Bring proper cleanup supplies Certain supplies will come in handy during a trail cleanup. This would include gloves, trash grabbers and bags. It’s a good idea to have the littles carry the trash bag instead of picking up trash. They may not know what they should and shouldn’t touch. 2. Work in pairs or groups Sticking together and staying in communication with the organizer are very important. Make sure you have a charged cell phone or walkie-talkie with you. A compass could also come in handy if you're off the beaten path. Make sure someone knows exactly what area your group will be working in. Check in often with the organizer and stay close to your partner or group. Or, if you're hosting the hike, help the group stay together and communicate the meet up locations and times. 3. Bring your normal safety supplies All normal hiking injuries can occur on a trail cleanup. In fact, after winter, the trail will likely be in worse shape than usual, so be prepared. Make sure you pack your typical first aid kit, plus plenty of water and snacks. 4. Give the kiddos simple tasks The concept of trail cleanup is super important to share with our kids beginning at a young age as it teaches them to be stewards for our trails and parks. It’s even better to reinforce as they get older. That being said, not every trail cleanup is organized with young children in mind. If attending a hike organized by another group or parks department, speak to the cleanup organizer before deciding whether or not you will bring young children. Make sure there will be tasks suitable for their age and ability. With supervision and proper gloves and grabbers, tiny people are great at holding trash bags, spying trash, and they love to use trash grabbers! Older kids can also be great to pair with younger kids. If hosting your own hike, make sure you communicate what supplies to bring and provide safety tips during Welcome Circle. 5. Use caution Don't ever touch anything sharp or lift anything too heavy. While you will typically feel totally awesome after participating in a trail cleanup, you might not if you cut yourself and get an infection. After winter, there could be trees or large branches across the trail. Don’t try to be the hero and lift something too heavy on your own. Even professional bodybuilders use a spotter to lift. Bring a notepad with you and document anything you can’t handle. Then give this list to the trail cleanup organizer so that the proper crew can address it. (Or, if you're hosting, contact the parks department with the information.) For toddlers and little kids, have them spot the trash ("I spy!") instead of picking it up. This will ensure they aren't picking up anything dangerous or unsanitary. What are your safety tips for trail cleanup? Have a question about safety while participating in a trail cleanup? Leave a comment or a question below! Read More: 11 Tips for Safety on Trail 3 Trail Safety Tips You Must Know Photos by Vong Hamilton. Hike it Baby hikes are hosted by volunteers who have no professional training and are not experts to guide families on hikes. They are people who want to raise a generation to love the outdoors and they accomplish this by facilitating outings for all to join. Our tips are gathered from collective experience. As with any physical activity, please be sure to check with your healthcare provider and other experts when hiking with your children. 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.