Run Wild My Child Podcast

In this episode, I’m recapping our 10-day spring break road trip through Western Montana, where we skied three very different mountains, stayed in cozy cabins and ski-in/ski-out lodging, chased fresh powder, went dog sledding, soaked in hot springs, and learned a lot along the way about what actually works when traveling with kids. I’m sharing the details of our itinerary, why Montana in late wint...

In this episode, Sara is joined by Jamie Wagner, mom of two, outdoor enthusiast, travel lover, and founder of A to Z Adventures . Jamie is passionate about helping families say “yes” to adventure, whether that means a cross-country road trip or a simple walk around the neighborhood. We chat all about how to make outdoor time and travel more accessible, less intimidating, and a lot more fun, no mat...

In this deliciously fun episode, Sara is joined by Lydia Gwin, a St. Louis-based culinary instructor, travel advisor, mom of two, and the creative force behind Gwin’s Tiny Kitchen . Lydia has built a career around helping kids (and adults!) connect the dots between food, science, culture, and travel. She teaches hands-on cooking classes to all ages, hosts camps, curates immersive culinary trips, a...

In this heartfelt and empowering episode, Sara chats with new Creative Team contributor Calen Caple to discuss her debut article in the SPLASH issue of Run Wild My Child Magazine , titled "Ditch the Mom Bod Guilt ." Calen opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of postpartum body image, the internal pressure so many moms face to “bounce back,” and the pivotal moment on a beach with he...

In this episode, Sara's joined by the wildly creative Sara Ernst, musician, poet, nature-loving mama, and the heart behind Wild Pickle Press . We dive into the magic of using music and poetry to connect kids with the natural world and spark curiosity about the creatures around them (especially bugs… which we both happen to love). We chat about the creative process, how songwriting and storyte...

Julianne Nienberg is the voice behind @myoutdoorsymom on Instagram and the host of the brand new My Outdoorsy Mom Podcast , where she helps busy parents raise confident, capable kids through the magic of outdoor play. She’s a big believer that letting kids play independently outside builds confidence, not just for the kids, but for moms, too. Her content is full of practical tips, relatable storie...

In this episode, I’m joined by Amanda Lacy, founder of Bijou Build , a company reinventing outdoor play structures for modern families. Amanda shares how her background in children's product development and her experience as a mom of three inspired her to create a modular, collapsible, and beautiful play structure that grows with kids and encourages open-ended outdoor play. We chat about the...

Sara McCarty, founder of Run Wild My Child, is mixing things up and taking a look back at 2024—celebrating the wins and learning from the challenges. Sara shares the business highs of the year, like launching three issues of the Run Wild My Child magazine in print, some incredible travel adventures, and the honor of winning the People’s Choice for Best Online Publication. But it wasn’t all smooth...

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of outdoor challenges and how they can inspire families to prioritize time outside. As we head into a new year, it’s the perfect opportunity to set some meaningful goals, and there’s no one better to talk about this than Amy Bushatz, founder of the Humans Outside 365 challenge. Amy’s challenge—spending at least 20 minutes outside every day, no matter th...

In this solo recap episode, Run Wild My Child founder Sara McCarty dives into her recent experience at the Outdoor Media Summit (OMS) in Missoula, Montana, sharing highlights from the event and the local adventure scene. Activities include llama trekking, hiking, and fly fishing on the Blackfoot River.  Moving into the OMS experience, Sara breaks down the exciting “new gear speed dating” session,...

In this episode, we cover the good, the bad, and the ugly of youth sports. We chat about the elusive balance between organized sports and outdoor free play, the time and cost commitments of participating in youth sports, tips for juggling busy schedules, and why, despite the madness, we choose to participate at all! Whether you’re currently navigating the complexities of your child’s sports schedu...

Wendy Cox is a photographer, gardening instructor, and mom of four. Her family recently moved from San Diego to Virginia. Wendy talks about how she uses nature to ground and connect her children through the changes and transition from moving across the country, how she beautifully captures kids connecting with nature through photography, and how travel can help kids make real-life connections with...

In this episode, we discuss everything parents need to know when planning their first international trip with kids. Co-host Michelle Garrett is planning her first international trip with kids. She speaks with RWMC founder Sara McCarty (who just took her kids to Belize) and Travel Expert Jen Barnes (@gofamilyadventure) about topics such as how to pick an international destination, what documentatio...

Laura Stroup is a mom of 3, nature study creator, author, podcaster, and founder of School of the Wild.  Laura has a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Ecology with an emphasis in natural resource education. A former wildlife conservation educator and upper school science teacher, she loves traveling, hiking, and reading. Laura talks with us about her nature school and resources, her new book an...

Emily Liebel, mom of three, runs an Instagram account called @inclusivelibrary, where she uses books to educate, promote inclusion, understanding, justice, and inspire adventure and creativity. Emily loves showing families how reading and being outdoors can overlap in exciting ways! She currently lives in Utah and explores both mountain and city outdoor spaces weekly with her kids and friends and...

Amy Bushatz is an outdoor enthusiast and mom to two boys in Anchorage, Alaska. An accomplished reporter and editor, in 2017, Amy redirected her talents to a passion project known as Humans Outside, a movement to spend at least 20 minutes outside, every day. She hosts the Humans Outside podcast, which is all about her personal experiences of spending time outside, as well as travel, adventure, and...

Sara & Michelle chat about the upcoming holiday gift-giving season and share their recommendations for the best gifts for outdoorsy kids. Gift categories include outdoor adventure gear, outdoor games, backyard toys, classic toys, experience gifts, hands-on nature STEM gifts, gifts for older kids and teens, family gifts, memberships and subscription boxes, and so much more! For info on each of...

Elizabeth Newcamp is a Colorado-based homeschooling mom of three boys. She is the co-host of Slate's Parenting Podcast Mom And Dad Are Fighting and author of the expat travel and parenting blog, Dutch Dutch Goose. Elizabeth loves the outdoors and has a passion for engaging her children within the world around them. She’s here with us today to talk about travel, outdoor adventures, parenting a...

Meghan Garriott is a Physical Therapy Assistant, photographer, and mom of 3 in rural central Illinois. At nine days old, Meghan's oldest son was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), meaning he was born without an immune system.  Meghan donated her bone marrow and saved his life. In order to protect a compromised immune system, their family tur...

Tiana Kubik is a nomadic mom of two, currently residing in Austin, Texas. A city girl through and through, Tiana has not always been thrilled with outdoor adventures. However, after learning the importance of nature and play through earning a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education she’s learning to embrace the outdoors and all that nature has to offer. Tiana and her husband run a photography...

Araceli Gonzalez is a full-time working mom of three. She and her husband have made it a priority to raise their children with a strong bond for the outdoors and a sense of adventure. As working parents, they accomplish this by being weekend warriors. That’s when they take the family on long weekend adventures camping, hiking, crabbing, fishing, beaching, and road-tripping as a family. Araceli tal...

Lissy Perna is the go-to resource for all kid-friendly things to do outside on Cape Cod. Any given day, you can usually find info in her Instagram feed and stories about nature discoveries on the beach, in the woods, or on the trails. She loves identifying plants, fungi, insects, and animals, as well as finding sea glass and learning about the history of her area. She's also passionate about...

RyAnn Peverley is a Washington mom of four kids between the ages of 6 and 21. RyAnn works as a youth program instructor for Mountaineers.org,  as well as an outdoor adventure guide for a local army base where she leads army families on outdoor adventures. RyAnn chats with us about raising children and teenagers who love the outdoors, mountaineering, climbing, how to get started backpacking, and mo...

Co-founder of Outdoor School Shop and Minnesota mom of 2, Alyssa Marsh joins us to chat about outdoor schools and outdoor kids gear. We discuss the various types of outdoor education (farm schools, forest schools, nature preschools, etc.), what they teach, how to find an outdoor school near you, and what kids need (gear-wise) to spend so much time outside. Outdoor School Shop is the premier online...

Leslie Alvis is an Ohio homeschooling and homesteading mom of four. Her family recently purchased property in the country and they are beginning the process of building a homestead from the ground up, doing most of the work themselves, along with their children. They're not only building their home with lumber milled from their own property, but raising animals, growing a garden, battling poi...