Summer Outdoors

As the school year draws to an end, I find myself closing my presentations with a plea to the students to not waste their summers in front of the television and video games and instead to get outdoors and explore nature every chance they get. I am a bit dismayed when I hear the sounds of disappointment at this statement emanating from the youth.
As parents we are facing a troubling time when we must try to compete with the electronic world our children have fallen in love with. Our first challenge is to teach by example and get ourselves outdoors and ignore the electronics that we have drawn ourselves to depend upon.
So how do we make the outdoors more appealing to our children? That’s a no brainer. Make it fun and exciting. Take part in outdoor activities that the whole family will enjoy. Take a hike at a local park or nature preserve and make it an adventure in discovery. Any of the Buffalo Audubon preserves are a great place to discover nature. Take up orienteering or letterboxing. These turn an average hike into an adventure. If you can’t hang up the electronics totally, grab your GPS and try your hand at Geocaching. All these activities can be done on a low budget and are fun for all ages.