OutGrown

Together We Hike 2021

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Eva Valadrian Eva Valadrian
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Can you believe Hike it Baby has been at it for eight years?

Eight years of empowering families to confidently take their first steps outside Eight years of connecting families with nature and each other Eight years of normalizing the idea that getting outside is for everyone  Eight years working to redefine outdoorsy Photo: Michelle Craig @theroamschoolfamily

Hike it Baby means community and support as we instill a love of nature and exploration in the hearts of our little ones. It means coming together to witness the beauty of little eyes, ears, hands (and sometimes mouths) taking everything in, and appreciating the little things we’ve forgotten how to appreciate ourselves. Suddenly, we find ourselves being able to look at the world through fresh eyes and, with the support of our community, we seek out new adventures wherever we can find them. - Anna, HiB Portland

To celebrate, we invite you to join us for a weekend of giving back!

Photo: Deanna Curry @shinydayadventures

 

As an organization that thrives on community events, we invite you to help us do good this weekend! We’ve put together a list of 25 ways to give back for you and your little ones to complete together. Finish them in one weekend, take the month - we’re just thrilled to have our community come together to be there for each other. 

  1. Pick an errand you can complete by walking or biking instead of driving
  2. Take a walk around the block and pick up trash
  3. Pick up trash at a local park
  4. Write an encouraging card for a neighbor and walk it to them (leave on their porch or near their door, etc)
  5. Write happy chalk messages on the sidewalk
  6. Choose your own way to give back
  7. Make cards for your local children’s hospital or nursing home
  8. Choose some gently used toys or books to donate
  9. Learn about recycling in your neighborhood and start if you’re not already!
  10. Facetime a family member or friend who you haven’t seen in a while, bonus points if they live alone. 
  11. Send a friend or family member a card/picture in the mail
  12. Bake treats (muffins, cookies, etc) and drop them off to a couple of friends, family members, neighbors (if you don’t feel comfortable baking and it’s in the budget, you could drop off pre-packaged treats) with a fun note! 
  13. Hold the door for someone
  14. Write a thank you note for your mail carrier 
  15. Leave a note of encouragement in a library book 
  16. Let someone go ahead of you in line
  17. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
  18. Make a thank you sign for your sanitation workers
  19. Take reusable bags to the grocery store
  20. Make a thank you card for your librarian
  21. Help your caregivers with a household task around your home
  22. Help your caregivers make a meal
  23. Say please and thank you
  24. Make or ask for a donation to Hike it Baby!
  25. Make or ask for a donation to a local nonprofit organization that helps families

 

I have so many awesome Hike it Baby memories. Like so many people, this group has changed my life: it changed the way I parent, it helped me meet so many wonderful people, and it saved me at some of the toughest times in my life to just have somewhere to go where I could be with other parents who “got it”. -Elizabeth, HiB Brockville

Photo: Laura Castro At the heart of all we do is our desire to give back. Making a difference is why we continue to show up and do what we do. And we’re excited for what’s next as we continue to roll out and introduce you to all our new programs! We 're working hard to lower barriers of all types so families can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside together.

Help us do good together and cheers to eight years! 

Hike it Baby has been such a great outlet to have. Such a great community of like-minded people. It has strengthened my relationship with my children for sure. I’m sure we would have a great relationship regardless, but now we have a space where we disconnect online and connect with each other. - Willow, HiB Brockville

And just for fun, you might enjoy this scavenger hunt we put together with L.L. Bean!   

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From school to activities, the workweek to weekend adventures, life as a family is always in motion. We believe in the importance of being active, of spending time together, and being outside. And we know that it's super important that we keep our kiddos (and ourselves!) fueled for our adventures. In fact, snacks are often our favorite trail motivator when our kiddos hit the wall and we are a mile from the car. But did we mention, life is busy (understatement alert!).  This is where our Life in Motion Initiative comes in. Life in Motion is our favorite parent-sourced adventure-snacking tips rolled into fun activities, complete with new printable activity pages and our Biking Workbook. It's all you need to kick off your summer fun, so get out and get moving! Fruit Snack Power-Ups "My kids LOVE fruit snacks because they are a treat they only get when they are hiking.  When they were littler, I used to hand them a fruit snack to "power them up" and then they would run like crazy on the trail, and stop when they were out of power. Then I'd give them another one to power them up and keep moving.  This saved us on many hikes!" -Jen, HiB PA Cheers to Nature "We do toasts on the trail when the kids are “not thirsty.”Clinking water bottles to the trees, animals we've seen or talked about, and the adventures yet to come." It's a fun way to keep kids hydrated on adventures. -Elicia, HiB WA " Set a Snack-Spot "When we go on hikes, I always tell my kids where the snack time stopping spot is.  The faster they get there, the sooner they snack. This works because they know most of our local trails by now and are SUPER food motivated." This is also a great way to get your kids an extra boost of energy part-way through your outing, and will keep them going until the end! Find Your Favorite Trail Snack "Pouch/packet snacks like apple sauce and fruit slurry's are our favorite. These are good because they are malleable and can really fit anywhere and not get crushed like crackers or goldfish. Also, I've had a baby food pouch save a mama from passing out on a really long hike- she was getting light-headed we stopped several times to help her get her bearings, finally I was like hey I have this baby food pouch want to see if it helps- sure enough it did the trick!" "Trail mix is a favorite of the 3-year-old. It's only a stop snack, but makes everyone happy, especially when there are chocolate treats." Snack Break! Download our newest activity pages for some extra fun on your next adventure! English: Español:   My Biking Workbook Summer have you in the mood for a family bike ride? Download our My Biking Workbook below! 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.
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