Taking the Kids: and Combating Nature Deficit

These days, of course, we are all looking for activities that can help a family bond and Louv is convinced that wherever you are, "a walk in the woods can go a long way."

Don't think of getting the kids outdoors as one more chore either, he urges, but rather as a way to de-stress your family life. Studies have shown that to be the case. There are also life lessons to be learned about self-sufficiency and being part of a team.

You'll save money too. A single backpacking trip costs far less than a night in a motel and may stay with your child for years to come, suggests Sara DeLucia, the adventure programs manager for the Appalachian Mountain Club, which offers special Family Adventure Camps with planned activities, meals and skills building in the White Mountains and Maine. Check out their Kids Guide at www.outdoors.org/kidsguide, which includes how-to advice and a link to trip ideas and lower rates for kids.

But what if kids -- especially teens -- don't want to go? "They don't want to go to school or clean their rooms either," Richard Louv observes wryly. "Don't underestimate what kids take away from experiences that they don't tell you." Parents often tell him their college kids recount fond memories of long-past camping trips that they'd complained bitterly throughout.

The Appalachian Mountain Club experts suggest that as you plan, try to think like a kid. That mountain vista at the end of the hike isn't nearly as exciting as the dead cricket on the trail. Having a repertoire of glow sticks, songs, fire-making tricks, ghost stories, knock-knock jokes, card games, harmonicas and a Frisbee can help.

So can inviting another family with kids the same ages. Especially with young kids, plan much shorter outings and have a Plan B (or C) in case of bad weather, foul moods or tired legs. We once decamped for a B&B in New Hampshire when it was pouring.

Borrow or rent what you need from a company like REI (www.rei.com). Have a trial run in your back yard to make sure all of your gear is working and you know how to use it.

Always ask the kids where they want to go. The more they're involved -- whether planning a day hike, a weekend camping trip or a longer adventure -- the more excited they'll be.

Of course, not every experience will be a winner. It never is when you're taking the kids. It might rain. Someone might fall into some cactus (yes, that happened to us). Someone may get poison ivy. But even misadventures make for good memories.

"You don't know when that transcendent moment is going to happen in a child's life," Louv suggests. "If you put them in the right place, it is more likely to happen."

Let's hope so.

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For more on Eileen's adventures outdoors with kids, read her trip diaries at www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.