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Enjoying Nature Moments with Your Family

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Nature Valley believes that getting outside in nature is vital for both children and adults. To help encourage Canadians to embrace the outdoors, they have graciously sponsored this post and a giveaway for my readers. Be sure to enter below!

Summer is winding down but my family and I are planning to make the most of these last days. The sun is shining, there’s a little breeze in the air, and we need to enjoy every bit of this beautiful summer weather. Did you know that according to a Nature Valley survey conducted by Vision Critical, today’s kids spend much less time outdoors than their parents did? I practically LIVED outside all summer long when I was a child. My dad and I spent hour upon hour hiking nature trails. My friends and I loved to build forts and go for bike rides down that little path through the meadow. If we weren’t doing that, you could bet that we were in the pool. You might have mistaken us for fishes, we spent so much time there!

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There are so many temptations inside these days. But, there is just nothing like breathing in the fresh air and spending time revelling in all that nature has to offer. Nature Valley believes that there is amazing joy in reconnecting with nature. Nothing else can compare when it comes to bringing us together as a family, as a community. It’s incredible to think that nature can calm us, energize us, invigorate us, and uplift us in its own unique way that nothing else can do. Research shows that spending time outside brings with it mental and physical healthy benefits and helps relieve the stress we may have in our everyday lives.

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Recently, my family spent a long weekend at a cottage on the edge of a lake. We walked on the beach, went swimming, and took long walks around the “neighbourhood”. If we weren’t sleeping, we were outside! All of us felt happier, more relaxed, and more connected as a family. Did you know that by spending time as a family bonding in the outdoors, you’re helping instill positive traits in your children and reinforcing them in yourself? I can attest to that! It took me right back to those carefree days of my youth and I vowed to spend more time outside even once we returned home.

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It’s easy, though, in our everyday life to overlook nature. After all, it’s always out there just waiting for us. So, we can do it later, right? We have other things occupying our time and we sometimes forget about the benefits of nature. We need to be reminded to go outside, embrace it, and enjoy it. We may not live by a lake the rest of the year but our own backyard is a great place to play catch with the dog. Or to chase each other around in an impromptu game of tag. Or even to challenge each other to a light sabre battle.

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According to Nature Valley research, parents feel tremendous societal pressure to enroll their kids in organized, structured activities, instead of letting them play freely in nature. As a result, scheduled activities tend to fill up kids’ free time – in addition to dinner time, homework time and bed time. I remember coming home after school, dropping off my school bag, and then racing back outside. I wanted to soak up as much time out there as I could before it started getting dark. When dusk hit, we always knew that Trisse’s mom would start ringing that hand bell she had, signalling that it was time to come home. And once that happened, all our moms would use that as their cue to call for the rest of us too.

But these days, I often have excuses. It’s too hot out. It’s too cold out. There are too many bugs. I’m too tired. It’s too much work. I think it’s time to cast those excuses aside and make time in nature a priority for my family and myself!

Nature Valley wants to help make enjoying nature easy and accessible for Canadians. That’s why they developed 100 #NatureMoments for 100 Days of Summer. They want to inspire Canadians to connect with nature, with 100 easy and fun nature moments that demonstrate that nature is closer than we think. As a family, we have pledged to make nature moments a regular part of our routine. We know that simple changes – just little baby steps, one at a time – can make a big difference.

You can make a difference for your family too! Visit NatureValley.ca to access a list of 100 Nature Moments for 100 Days of Summer and get inspired! (PS – even once summer is over, there are still tons of ways we can get outside and enjoy nature with our kids. Some of these ideas will work in any season!)

giveawayNatureValley

NATURE VALLEY 100 NATURE MOMENTS FOR 100 DAYS OF SUMMER GIVEAWAY:

One lucky winner will receive the following from Nature Valley:

  • Binoculars
  • Sand Castle set
  • Kite
  • Frisbee
  • Beach Mat
  • Large Chalk
  • Variety of Nature Valley bars

Enter below.


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Comments

  4. Brandee H says

    I love to play at playgrounds and splash pads with my son! It’s so much fun to be outside and enjoy the sunshine together!

    Reply

  6. Andrea Amy says

    We enjoyed going to the beach this summer. It was the first time the boys have gone because we don’t have beaches/ocean in Calgary (we drove out to BC from Calgary). For at home, the boys love going to the waterpark.

    Reply

  7. Florence Cochrane says

    My favorite outdoor activity is hiking. I love this time of year to be able to also pick wild berries.

    Reply

  34. kristen visser says

    my favorite outdoor family activity is going for our family walks! we also love going to the splash pad, play with bubbles and go to the park

    Reply

  35. Viv Sluys says

    Swimming at the lake and hiking are my family’s favourite outdoor activities. We also love kayaking and playing at the playground.

    Reply

  38. Carey Hurst says

    Our fave outdoor activity is taking treasure walks around and seeing what we can find, from money to toys and cool things we find it all. It is fun to see what treasures we can find. We take nature treasures as long as they have already come a part from their tree etc, otherwise we take a picture

    Reply

  48. Sab Edwards says

    for us its either fishing or boating in the summer…we avoid outdoors like the plaque in the winter… SK is not really a friendly winter place…I walk to work and I wear winter boots up to my knees, ski pants and a jacket that was my dads that goes to below my knees…as well as a toque and gloves, a scarf . With windchills and such and winter being a reg -30C its hard enough making it to work each day lol

    Reply

  50. Lynda Cook says

    I enjoy hanging out in the backyard or sitting on the swing with my granddaughter, plus we like going for walks as well

    Reply

  51. Doreen Lamoureux says

    Nature Trail Walks and Conoeing are my favorite outdoor summer activities. Thanks for the post and the giveaway.

    Reply

  65. Rosanne Robinson says

    My favourite outdoor family activity is picnics in the local parks. We have a huge family, Mom has 8 children (sadly Dad has passed away), 19 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. The little ones have a blast playing in the splash pad, playgrounds, & playing ball, while the older generation share laughs while strolling along the beach.

    Reply

  66. Heidi P says

    Favourite outdoor activity is nature walks at different parks, love the outdoors, discovering new trails, sometimes even biking them. LIke to also bring our pups with us for a good refreshing walk.

    Thanks @creativecynchronicity.com for this great giveaway

    Reply

  69. Kim D says

    We do a lot of gardening. Well, I’m in the garden and my kiddo is digging in the dirt, but it’s still great to spend time outside together.

    Reply

  76. travelbuds says

    My kids and I love picnics at the beach. We have a local spot that has picnic tables all along the beach. We just love it there.

    Reply

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