Family-Outdoors

Snowshoe (Photo credit: Wikipedia) PIERRE, S.D. – Love is in the (cold) air this Valentine’s Day at Custer State Park. The park is hosting the Lover’s Leap Snowshoe Hike Feb. 14, which will give participants the opportunity to take in the winter scenery and learn how to snowshoe. The three-mile guided hike will take snowshoers through a dense pine forest, meandering near Grace Coolidge Creek. It is considered moderate to strenuous. Participants should plan three hours for the hike. Two hikes are being offered, departing the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. MST. There is no fee for the hike; however a park entrance license is required and can be purchased the day of the hike. Snowshoes and basic instruction are provided, but reservations are required by calling the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center at  (605) 255-4464 . Related articles South Dakota State Parks Report Record Camping Numbers (ammoland.com)

The hoots of an owl after dark may cause some to pause and wonder, “What was that?” The deer snacking on a favorite plant may cause one to think, “What can I do?” The field out back may cause one to ponder, “How can I put this to its best use?” The opening of a property tax statement may cause one to react, “How can I reduce this burden?” Answers to questions on these topics, plus 60 more, will be presented at the Minnesota Family Woodlands Conference, scheduled for March 9-10 at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center in Duluth. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is co-sponsoring the event. The first day will focus upon daytime tours, including bird watching, timber sales and wildfire safe homes, plus workshops on using a GPS unit, intergenerational land transfers and chainsaw safety. Late in the day, the exhibit hall will open with displays from a variety of equipment, educational and resource vendors, plus an answer booth and demonstrations. The evening...

JEFFERSON CITY , MO., JUNE 14, 2011 – Kids of all ages are invited to the Children’s Festival Saturday, June 18 at Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site near Ash Grove. The event will feature a number of activities and games for kids , including live music and a 19 th   century pickup baseball game.   The event, which will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is free of charge and the public is invited to attend.              At 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., visitors are encouraged to participate in a game of base, an ancestor of baseball from the 1800s.    Springfield Cardinals mascot Louie the Cardinal will be joining in the morning game.              Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site preserves the last home and grave of Missouri frontiersman Nathan Boone.    The historic site is located 1.5 miles north of Ash Grove on State Highway V. For mor...

Recently we spent some time together in the woods as a family.  It was pretty awesome.  David and Daniel are two pretty awesome young men.  Not too long after we were at this spot, they decided they'd run for awhile through the woods.  They hid from us and then tailed us.  We pretended not to know where they were.  Daniel and David "help" their mom stay on top of the log they are sitting upon. Here we are as a family.  I am glad the bear was willing to take a moment and snap a photo for us.

Image by ~Prescott via Flickr Missouri's excellent Department of Conservation has a program in place called " Nature Families."  It is an effort to help families get involved with nature in a multitude of capacities and in an array of environments. "Discover Nature Families programs are designed to help adults and children explore nature and master outdoor skills together." There are many excellent resources for you and your family at:  Discover Nature Families Also, visit Family-Outdoors for information on Fishing , Hunting , Camping and other outdoors information for families.        

St. Regis River-Adirondack Mountains Copyright 2010 P. Allen Mann III- Family-Outdoors Part of this effort is a call to action.  I am calling on parents to get their families outside into nature in WHATEVER  capacity they feel so led.  This may differentiate my efforts with those of others, in that I have no strong inclinations as to how people should enjoy nature - that so long as they are truly engaged with their surroundings, and that they are engaged in activities not harmful to the environment (as for example can be some motor sports if done recklessly). There is little doubt that outdoor activities increase the well-being of children . The nature of childhood has changed: there’s not much nature in it. American childhood has moved indoors during the last two decades, taking a mental and physical toll on today’s kids. The negative impact of decreased time outdoors includes a doubling of the childhood obesity rate -- accompanied by an incremental hundred ...