Reflecting on Hike it Baby becoming OutGrown: an essay from Board Member, Blaine
I have been connected with “We Are OutGrown” (formerly known as "Hike it Baby") for more than 2 years because I see the amazing work it does to empower families with young children to step outside and enjoy the physical and mental benefits of growing up in nature.
OutGrown’s mission is to “empower families with babies and young children to step outside and enjoy the physical and mental benefits of growing up in nature.”
I am excited about the next step for this unique organization. Its recent rebranding to “OutGrown” better reflects its true purpose and serves as an umbrella name to encompass three program pillars:
- Turn the Blues Green - which supports new parents in going outside with their newborns which can be a powerful tool for overcoming postpartum depression.
- Bring it Outside - a program to help families build a habit of getting outside and overcome challenges such as accessibility
- Hike it Baby - focused on community-led events such as hikes
Together, these programs are helping families grow up outside, becoming OutGrown.
Turn The Blues Green Program
The first reason that I was drawn to this amazing organization (at that time called Hike it Baby) was because of the importance of hiking with both my children was to me during my paternity leave with them. Both of them were born in the winter, and one was born immediately before the Covid pandemic began. This meant there was a lot of isolation and my mental health wasn’t where I wanted it to be.
One of the most effective ways that I compensated and dealt with this was hiking with them in a carrier throughout D.C. I hiked so much during one month of leave that our entire family hiked every single mile of every single trail of Rock Creek National Park (close to 40 miles).
The Turn The Blues Green Program is a pioneering maternal mental health program. It is our tool, our solution, to help new parents combat the Baby Blues, to reduce that feeling of isolation many new moms face, and to nurture relationships with the natural world from the very beginning.
As one supporter said, "Venturing out on a stroller walk with our newborn was an incredibly freeing experience. It was like we had collectively been holding our breath since becoming new parents, and getting out into nature allowed us to finally exhale and realize we could manage this new parent thing!"
Bring it Outside Program
One of the issues I have seen over and over again in my professional work defending public lands is the lack of accessibility and diversity for those enjoying our public lands. One of We Are Outgrown’s pillars of work is The Bring it Outside (BiO) program—which meets families where they are and supports them in getting outside in the ways that work best for their families.
Experiencing the benefits of being outside doesn’t need to be about climbing the biggest mountain or hiking the Appalachian Trail, it needs to be about whatever works for you. BiO develops tools and activities and hosts workshops and events for families year-round. This helps break down accessibility issues and gives them opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in whatever way works for them.
Hike it Baby Program
Hiking clubs are ubiquitous in our country, but what is far more rare is a nationwide hiking club that is focused on hiking with young children, and provides the infrastructure and support to volunteer leaders to make it easy and welcoming.
That’s exactly what the Hike it Baby program does— it specifically works to help families build a habit of getting outside, despite challenges such as accessibility. OutGrown was started as a small hiking club in Portland, Oregon, but now exists in more than 270 communities.
If you are looking for a family-oriented hiking club, I would highly encourage you to join. And whether you are looking for a hiking club or not, if there is a way for you to support this organization, please do!
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