It’s a perfect time to get outside into nature, but sometimes the kids in your life would rather sit and stare at their screens. So what will lure them to explore the great outdoors? Wild Solitude Guiding's Norther Emily offered some tips on the City Cast Portland podcast:
Find Some Water
Even if you’re not going boating or swimming, playing or exploring water is a sure bet. ”Water, especially moving water, has a universal appeal to all children,” says Emily.
Check out Elk Rock Island in Milwaukie when the river level is low enough, like it already is this summer. “ The island is really cool,” says Emily. "There is a place along the beach where you can like, break apart some little basalt rocks and pick tiny crystals out. And there's some swim spots. Really cool views. It's funky. It's different.”
You can also hike the Lower Macleay Trail, which crisscrosses a stream and appeals to a wide range of ages, especially with its urban legends about The Witch's Castle.
Make It Easy
If you want to convince your kids to try hiking, pick something flat that’s no more than a mile — and call it a hike. Build up from there. “ You gotta like give them a really positive experience, and then you can ease them into doing more difficult things,” says Emily.
Once they're ready, check out Mirror Lake and Frog Lake near Mount Hood.
Make It Fun
Bring snacks. Make it an opportunity for getting some junk food — or a seemingly endless supply of fruit, like blueberries.
Play games. Have a stick boat race. (For the uninitiated, everyone picks a stick and you see whose goes fastest down a stream.)
Or bring a hammock. They’re good for swinging. Or you can stretch one across a creek and make it a lazy afternoon cooling off when it gets hot.
“ I'm thinking of the McKenzie River, but there are some creeks around there that just come right out of the ground at 34 degrees,” Emily says. “It burns your skin to put your hands or feet in it. That's the perfect thing. That's like nature's air conditioner. You hang your hammock over that creek and lounge.”
