subject: Rv Owners Exploring Nature [print this page] Nature. It's all around us. It's the weather, the weeds that grow up through the cracks in the sidewalk. Nature is trees and sun and birds and ants. Because so many kids are hooked on technology, or live in cities, they can become removed from nature and what nature has to teach us. One of the easiest ways to share nature with kids is with an RV vacation to a National Park, National Forest or National Monument. Submerge them in the beauty of nature and those impressions will last a lifetime.
*As children, we absorb the world around us. Curiosity is endless. What better way to engage children with nature, than by loading up the RV as soon as kids can walk and talk and get them out into nature. Not every kid is going to love it. There may be tons of complaints about achy feet, or being hot, but what you are doing is giving them an opportunity. An RV vacation in nature let's kids know what's out there. What you teach when they are young may stay with them throughout their lives. You never know how it may change their lives or shape their lives when they get older.
*Take vacations that don't break the bank. No matter how great a vacation was, if people feel like they have overspent, it can often dampen the experience. Not to mention, it's a lot cheaper to drive down a dirt road and camp under the stars then paying money to stay in a hotel, or even some campgrounds.
*Make it relevant and fun. Continue to nurture an interest after the trip is over. Collect rocks or leaves and then research them on the Internet once the trip is over. Take time with kids to look up the history or geologic information surrounding a rock formation. Look up the history of a National Park, or medicinal uses for plants and herbs. Another option is to take a guidebook and create a treasure hunt for native species and animals. First one to see a chickadee, pinecone, lake, and piece of quartz wins.
*Kids are social creatures for the most part. By telling them they can't have any technology on a nature trip can create resentment. Instead, how about letting them make movies about their experience, or upload pictures of the day to friends back home. This fosters conversation and lets kids talk share nature with others.
*Give kids independence. It is crucial for kids to be able to play unsupervised. This doesn't mean dropping them off in the forest alone, but let them play in the backyard or Local Park if it's safe. Let them get dirty, catch a frog or swim in a lake. Teach them safety first and then trust them. It will do wonders for their self-esteem and sense of who they are.
Nature is all around us, but with busy lives, it's often easy to forget it even exists. While we may have played outdoors for hours as kids, our sense of fear and concern for our kids' safety has us keeping a constant eye of them. Kids need to be independent. They need the opportunity to learn about nature and feel comfortable in nature. Encourage kids to play outside. Plant the seeds of a love of nature now and some day it will sprout!
