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Women in the Outdoors Camping

10 outdoor activities for
mother-daughter bonding

The gift of nature lasts a lifetime. Why not give it to your daughter? Here are 10 sure-fire ways to bond with your young one outside, even if you only have a few minutes.

  1. If you have a moment: Take a daily photo of a tree near your home. As the year progresses, your daughter will develop a deep appreciation of the changing seasons. Make a photo album or scrapbook at the end of the year.
  2. If you have an hour: Walk in the rain. Run, jump, dance in the puddles! Bring rubber ducks and let them float. Discuss different ways animals are designed for rain. Ducks? Worms? Deer?
  3. If you have two hours: Grab a bird book and go birdwatching. Binoculars, though great, aren't necessary. Learn what birds are common in your area. Find them. Look for birds in your backyard, a park, forest, pond, beach or stream. Imitate their sounds. Make notes of their color and size. Discuss differences and similarities.
  4. One morning: Go on a nature scavenger hunt. Before heading out, make a list of items found in your area. Some obvious, some not. Let the hunt begin! Make a treasure box to keep items you find and display them in your house.
  5. On a clear evening: Stargaze. All you have to do is grab a seat outside and look up. To identify constellations, your daughter can make a star finder with the help of NASA.
  6. Go fishing. If your daughter doesn't have a rod, buy her one. Keep it simple. Check out www.takemefishing.org for places to fish near you. Buy a license, pick a spot and go.
  7. Go camping. Plan and pack together. Find a place you and your daughter would both enjoy. Hike. Bike. Fish. Tell stories around a campfire. Go to a naturalist class. Visit someplace new or someplace old, even your backyard. Use a tent. Rent a cabin. State park campgrounds are a good launching point. Check out your state's website. Consider making it an annual event.
  8. Attend a hunter safety education class together. A refresher course for you; a step in the right direction for her. Visit your state wildlife agency website to find a class.
  9. One week out of each month, pick an animal as a theme. Plan your own shark, turkey, frog or deer week. Read books about the animal. Learn about its habitat. Go on a hike and hunt for the featured animal. Take a sketchbook and record your findings.
  10. Plant a garden. It is quite possibly the best investment of time with your family. You can go big or small. In the ground or containers. Plan your garden in the winter: find the right spot. Or, plant a herb garden in a windowsill planter, if you're strapped for space. Look to your local cooperative extension to find which crops grow well where you live. Then think seeds: Which flowers are good for butterflies and birds? What foods do you like to eat? Start the seeds inside to later transplant them. Water. Weed. Harvest. Cook. Compost. Freeze. Enjoy your bounty as the weather turns and start the cycle again. — Beth Dumbauld