National Parks Service
Woohoo, finally a weekend when nobody has a soccer game, ballet lesson, baseball practice, or school tutoring! Yippee- we can go for an overnight car camping trip into the mountains.
Planning ahead is the key. If your family is as nuts about outdoor sports and hobbies as our family, you will probably need a fair amount of equipment.
Here are a few of the things we like to do when outside:
Fishing- Got bait? Got poles? Got fishing gear?
Firsbee- If you are going someplace near water, you might want to leave the flying saucers at home. You don’t want a little one to run into hazardous water after the sailing UFO. Otherwise, do pack them. They’re small and easy to pack.
Croquet- A great and under-appreciated sport. It teaches precision, strategy, and anticipating necessary action towards the goal.
Marshmallow- Now, you might not consider roasting marshmallows to be a sport, but it is in our house. We go for the fine detail of a perfectly and lightly browned white bobble! If you are into adding graham crackers and chocolate, be sure to bring those too.
Eating- Yes, sorry, but we consider eating a family sport too. It seems like as soon as you get outdoors in that luscious fresh air, everyone’s appetites increase big time. So we pack plenty of food. Snacks are excellent to bring along too.
Balls- A simple ball toss with the children makes for memorable moments. It’s a fact that kids grow up all too soon, so savor and appreciate this simple joy.
Hiking- Besides your compass, GPS, and cell phones, be sure that each child has sturdy shoes for the trek, as well as appropriate jackets and/or rain gear. These are the kinds of things that get forgotten in the dash for the door of departure.
Cameras- Now that digital cameras exist, everyone can get a chance to take pictures of Nature’s beauty. As long as a child can manage safe-keeping of the camera, they can take a few photographs.
Even just a night away can be revitalizing for family closeness and for stress relief. You’ll be surprised what a great value a sports and outdoor weekend can be.
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