Kids glued to their screens? 5 tips to get them to love the outdoors
The Idea: All three of Steven Rinella’s kids were born in cities and currently live in Bozeman, Mont., but he says adventure can occur even when you’re flipping stones. The 49-year-old host of “MeatEater," a Netflix hunting show, says he’s gotten his children to the point where you can put any kind of bug in their hands and they don’t scream “EW!" Perhaps they have gotten too comfy: One recently came home with a scorpion, a situation Rinella takes in stride. “Anxiety in the parent creates anxiety in the kid," he said.
The Takeaway: Although one can come across risky situations (and critters), Rinella says it is important to learn how to deal with them. Bring things back to your microscope and learn everything you can. “An ordinary scorpion isn’t going to kill you," he said.
The Idea: If you want kids to stop staring at their phones (or iPads), suggests Susie Spikol, 55, you should disconnect too. “Put down [your] device and go out together," said the community-programs director for the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock, N.H. She says her students have come to enjoy looking out for owls.
“Owls have really unique calls. At night, you can imitate the call of an owl and an owl will call back," she said. Your kids can do this without you, and will get fired up to grab a pair of child-friendly binoculars.
The Takeaway: “It is powerful to feel like you’re communicating with another creature," she said. One student she’s taught is now known as the local 12-year-old-birder. “He is now a better birder than I am," she said.
The Idea: While on a fishing expedition with 30 kids, ranging in age from 10 to 16 years old, Juan M. Muñoz Jiménez, 35, knew he had to get creative to keep them engaged. Then it came to him.
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