Get Outside With Kids

Celebrating our 50th episode! Every time a guest comes on the show, we ask them to share a story of a time when things did not go according to plan. On this episode, we round up the three most shocking epic fail stories. Together, these hilarious stories remind us that getting outside with kids can be pretty darn messy… Enjoy! Listen to the full episodes:  Lauren Maclean (episode 20, “ Taking kids...

What a year it’s been! We have loved bringing you stories and tips from parents, authors, coaches, gardeners, medical professionals, outdoor educators, and all round awesome human beings in 2022.  Today, as our holiday gift to you, we recap our top 10 tips from our guests on the show in 2022! Here are the episodes if you want to catch up: Lauren Maclean (episode 20, “ Taking kids’ education outsid...

Do you really want to play with your kids? Honestly, we kind of don’t. We worry that we will get the game wrong, or that we’ll be bored out of our minds. Today’s guest Reagan Fulton is a professional nanny, a mom, and an outdoor educator, and she has some great tips to help us ACTUALLY enjoy playing with our kids!  Tune in to hear:  How to play with your kid in a way that makes everyone happy How...

Getting outside with kids can be hard at the best of times, but when you have one kid plus a set of twins, you’re just, well, outnumbered! Today’s guest Amy Elvidge takes us through what getting outside with twins looks like in reality and shares her honest thoughts on why it’s a juggling act. We also talk about the grief she experienced just 6 months after her twins were born when Amy’s beautiful...

We are so honoured to be joined by an amazing mama and advocate Laura Van Doormaal. Laura is originally from Ontario and moved to Vancouver with her now husband to be closer to nature. Their outdoorsy lifestyle shifted when their daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease but they are determined to find a way to give her the same experiences they enjoy. Laura is just an all round awesome human and...

Today’s guest Angela Hanscom brings so much expertise in childhood development and the importance of movement! We found her research and experience absolutely fascinating; we could have talked to her all day. Angela is a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook— an award-winning developmental and nature-based program that has gained international popularity. She is also the autho...

Today’s guest Jenny Nielsen doesn’t let big mileage or big vertical scare her away from attempting big peaks with her awesome 5-year-old. She really believes that kids can do hard things, and as you can see from her awesome Instagram account , her kid is walking proof of that. As far as Jenny can tell, at just 5 years old, her kid is the youngest person to have summitted King’s Peak, the highest p...

We know it’s important for kids to get outside. But what about moms? Don’t moms deserve to have some fun and go wild too?!  Today we are joined by Cheryl Zandbergen, founder of Moms Gone Wild, an award-winning organization that redefines motherhood by hosting adventurous, empowering, and rejuvenating events for mothers in Maple Ridge and beyond. Tune in to hear:  How you can start putting yourself...

Epic fails are back! After we shared our most epic fails from the summer earlier this year, we heard that you loved hearing about all the times that things went wrong. So here it is: all our messiest, muddiest, and most frustrating fails from this fall!  Tune in to hear about:  Our last doomed camping trip of the year, which went wrong in so many ways it’s laughable (we still can’t believe how man...

Sue and Peter Le Souef loved traveling and exploring, and saw no reason to stop just because they had kids. Today we are thrilled to have them on the podcast to share their thoughts on raising outdoor kids in the 1980s. They share some truly hair raising adventures that you’ll have to hear to believe! Tune in to hear: How parenting looked in the 1950s and the 1980s compared to today The outdoor ad...

If you really want to get outside everyday with your kids, you need to deal with all kinds of weather. And if you live in a rainy city (like Vancouver), a strong rainy day strategy will help you survive some of the bleakest months of the year without your kids bouncing off the walls.  Tune in to hear:  The tried and tested gear that we love to keep our kids dry, including rain suits, rain pants, a...

Artist and former Parks Canada Park Warden Pete Clarkson has had enough adventures to fill an entire podcast series! In addition to making waves around the world with his colourful and inspiring marine debris artwork, Pete has worked in two of the most iconic National Parks in Canada and raised three kids with his wife in the beautiful town of Tofino. Now that Pete’s kids are adults, he takes us t...

We love mini adventures! But every now and again, we love to plan a BIG DAY OUT with our kids.  How often? As often as you need! And what does a big day out involve? The only requirement is that you and your family or loved ones choose to spend the whole day together, outside. No scheduled activities, no devices, no distractions.  Tune in to hear:  Ideas for what you can do on your big day out How...

Did you grow up spending time in the outdoors? If you didn’t, you’re not alone. As adults, it can be hard for us to pick up the skills we need so that we can go on amazing outdoor adventures. Today we are talking to Christina Tutsch from the Wonder Outdoor School on the Sunshine Coast here in B.C. all about how adults can learn skills that will help them explore the outdoors (safely!). We also had...

Our guests today have literally climbed massive peaks and go on some of the most amazing backcountry adventures with their kids here in British Columbia, Canada. Tyson and Shannon, the couple behind @restlesscrusade , are parents to adorable 4-year-old twin girls, who join them on backcountry hiking trips in the mountains. We asked them all about how they actually do this and had a great conversat...

If you’ve always wanted to try gardening with your kids, this is the episode for you! We are joined by the fantastic Bri Brunner, who is a mom, volunteer, and community garden activist, as well as the force behind the Moms2Tables account on Instagram. Bri’s journey into gardening started right after she received a serious diagnosis for her kid, and has brought so many benefits.  Tune in to hear: ...

We love a mompreneur! And Jocey Newman is such a great example. On this episode, we speak with Jocey, the founder of First Peak baby and toddler clothing, about how she started her clothing line to help families feel more confident outside.  Tune in to hear:  How a trip to Yosemite with her baby changed Jocey’s view about kids’ clothing forever. Why Jocey and her husband packed up their toddler, t...

Let’s be honest, kids are not always excited about hiking. If they’re anything like our kids, the allure of their favourite playground might be so strong that they outright refuse to go hiking. So today we’re applying some marketing tactics to the problem! Tune in to hear:  The words we use to pique their interest, and the “h” word that we definitely DON’T use The things we pop in our backpack to...

Today we are laying it all out for you. Cue: the messiest, muddiest, silliest mistakes we made this summer! We’ve seen it all in just 3 months: injuries, gear fails, accidents, sunburned bums, mud, illness, kid meltdowns, regret… we tell you about all of it so that you can either avoid these pitfalls, or just have a good laugh with us. You don’t want to miss this episode, it’s easily our favourite...

This week we are sharing what we learned from our kids’ very first overnight backpacking trips! Our eldest kids were 4 and 5 and a half when they did their first overnight camping trips, and we definitely learned a lot!! Tune in to hear: How to pick a trail How to prepare your kid What gear to pack Our snackegy (you know we’re making it a word) and the food we recommend The things we regretted! Ge...

Hot weather and kids aren’t the greatest combo! Today we are sharing all the tips and tricks we use to keep our little ones cool (and to stay sane ourselves!). Tune in to hear: How to plan your day to avoid burning your kids’ bum on a hot slide Our favourite water activities Our favourite icy activities and tricks! How to stay cool yourself! Connect with us on Instagram for more tips @getoutsidewi...

We love hiking around Vancouver with our kiddos! Today we’re sharing our favourite hikes in the region, along with all the tips and tricks that we’ve picked up along the way. Tune in to hear all the details about our favourite hikes, including: Sasamat Lake, Admiralty Point and Jug Island (Belcarra Regional Park) Lynn Loop (Lynn Canyon Park) High and Low Knoll (Minnekhada Regional Park) Lower Fall...

Diversity and inclusion have become hot topics in so many fields. But how do these topics actually apply to the outdoor world?  Today, we dive into this huge topic with Rike Moon, a passionate advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. Rike works for a park agency here in B.C. and identifies as LGBTQ2S+ (and she’s also a mama in the making!)  Tune in to hear:  Why it’s important to create welco...

Camping with kids under the age of 6 can be amazing, and, well, intense. Today we are sharing our hacks to make the most of your camping adventure by:  bringing the right toys (think open ended toys like buckets, spades, bubbles, and even bikes if you have the space),  choosing the best location in the campsite,  researching hikes and walks in the area before you leave home, and  encouraging littl...

Sometimes you have to drive to get to cool outdoor locations. And unfortunately, kids and car trips are not always a great match. Today we share our tips for smoother and more enjoyable car trips with kids. Listen in to hear:  What our kids love to listen to in the car The games we’ve invented to occupy our kids Our snack strategy (snackegy?!) to prevent those “but i’m huuuuuuungry” moments How to...