Encouraging Curiosity and Wonder Outside This Summer

Nature is one of the most powerful tools we have to support healthy development and physical and mental well-being. The outdoors, regardless of where you live, is a complex and content-rich space where children learn, explore, and experience the world on their own terms. 

Despite a heightened awareness of this, caregivers struggle to find the confidence to get our kids outside safely and consistently. An increasing number of caregivers have had limited childhood experiences in nature. Our outdoor experiences may have been more focused on organized sports and structured summer camps, so we feel ill-equipped to get outside and explore the local creeks and preserves in our own backyards. Some of us spent lots of unstructured time outdoors but we have been inundated with negative messages about the environment, from climate change and wildfires to flooding. This makes it difficult to sift through information and still have fun outside.  

We’ve got you, grownups! Summer is the perfect time to introduce your young children to the great outdoors and there's no better place to explore than the Wissahickon Watershed. With 12 beautiful preserves in Montgomery County, offering a variety of trails and streams, the Wissahickon provides countless opportunities for adventure and discovery. Whether you have an hour to spare or an entire afternoon, connecting with nature can happen anytime, and there are many points of access to make your visits convenient. This summer, we invite caregivers to enjoy family-friendly events, to peruse resources on our website, and to sign up for weekly texts that include tips and tricks to make outdoor fun simple and easy. 

To get you started, here are some quick tips: 

1. Be prepared….but keep it simple. Plan to take the things that will make your experience more enjoyable, like sunscreen, water, snacks and a nice wide-brimmed hat.  Leave behind the non-essentials to lighten your load.  
2. Take your time.  Let kids guide you and explore what grabs their attention.  Focus more on how much time you are spending outside and less on how many trails or miles you log. 
3. Old clothes are perfect outdoor gear. Generally, we don’t need specialized outdoor gear to enjoy nature.  Old clothes, sneakers that can get muddy and washed work great. 
4. Be curious and focus on asking more questions.  Kids are natural explorers and love to investigate nature. When they ask a question about something they have found, practice asking questions like “what do you notice, what surprises you, how can we figure out the answers”? 

Getting outside with kids is generally a very safe activity and supports physical and mental well- being and healthy development.  Here are some helpful tips to get your family outside safely. 

Set expectations in advance.  As your family’s group leader, provide boundaries that help you feel comfortably keep everyone safe.  As you gain confidence, you can extend these boundaries.

Here are a few to get started:  

1. Stay behind the leader  

2. Leave large rocks and sticks on the ground.  As you gain confidence, allow children to pick up small rocks, the size of the palm of their hand and sticks that measure the length of their wrist to their elbow. 

3. Wait for an adult before wading into the water.  

4. Set a timer for how long before heading back. 

Sun Protection. Prevent sunburn by applying sunscreen before you get outside.  It’s easier to apply sunscreen on young children in a controlled environment, and this also provides time for sunscreen to absorb into the skin and be most effective.  Sun protective clothing and hats can also limit sun exposure. 

Ticks live outside -- if you find one, don’t panic.  It is not uncommon to find a tick on you or your clothes after spending time outdoors.  Ticks generally must be attached for several hours before disease transmission can occur.  One of the most effective ways to prevent ticks is a thorough tick check and hot shower after spending time outdoors. Check out the Center for Disease Control’s tick prevent website for detailed information. 

Poison plants like poison ivy and poison sumac can cause an allergic reaction on the skin. To reduce your risk of exposure to poison plants, check out this ID chart.  If you find yourself exposed, here are some helpful tips.  Generally, cleaning the area thoroughly with poison ivy scrub will help remove the oils and reduce the risk of a reaction.  

To learn more, and explore our resources, trails, and tips, visit WissahickonTrails.org or sign up for texts by texting “summer” to 215-330-5072.