Kids Who Explore

By Kids Who ExploreKids & Family

Kids Who Explore episodes

November 15, 2022Ep. 94 Teaching Toddlers to Snowboard with Dr. Ashley Top
Teaching toddlers to snowboard can start at home…literally. Dr. Ashley talks us through all the steps and gear needed to help her daughter fall in love with snowboarding, all before the age of 2-years-old!

Dr. Ashley Toporowski is a dentist in Saskatchewan, Canada, and a mom to two kiddos! She shares all her dental wisdom on her IG page, so she can help many more caregivers and children. Her family loves to get outside through snowboarding, hiking, biking, and fishing.

She started teaching her daughter around 15-months-old. Dove deeper around 17-months-old.

Snowboarding Gear [can buy, rent, or look into secondhand]:
Burton Snowboard (size 80, “after school special” – comes with bindings)
Burton Snowboard Boots (smallest size is 7) – can also use regular boots, but it feels very different. Added thick wool socks!
Burton Riglet Reel (so helpful for learning!...attaches to board as a rope to assist)
Helmet (Anon) and Goggles Outerwear (Check out our 3 Layer Rule at: https://kidswhoexplore.com/podcasts/ep-36-the-three-layer-winter-rule/)
MDXOne (optional) – adult backpack harness for ringlet reel, so you can board with them!

Stages for Learning:
Pull them with the riglet reel indoors – pull on carpet, allowing them to get used to the stance. Can add gear when comfortable
Add incline indoors (with riglet reel) – use balance or wobble board turned upside down to make a rainbow shape (cushions on either side)
Pull on flat surface outdoors – the backyard works great!
Go down gradual hill (with riglet reel) – pull them up, get them ready, then slowly let them down
Let them try! - have adult at bottom; start when you find you don’t need to assist much with riglet reel anymore
Learn how to stop and use edges to control speed – once they have great balance, you can teach more control. The backpack harness is helpful for this, to be behind them and teach them when to lift toes and when to turn and slow down
Once you’re both ready, you can get on your board too!!

Other Advice:
Keep it short and sweet –max 1 hour on board (or what seems suitable for your family), then warm up, and can try another 15-20 minutes, if desired
Lessons can start private at age 3, usually, and group at age 5. Ski lessons often earlier!

Follow Dr. Ashley on IG: @drashleytop

Thank you to Keen Footwear for sponsoring today’s podcast! Check out www.keenfootwear.com
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
27 min
November 08, 2022Ep. 93 Living an Iceland Adventure with Ulfar Andresson
Does making hot chocolate while bathing in a hot spring sound fantastic to you? How about playing ice hockey on a crater? This is just a regular day in the life of Ulfar Andresson, who runs Iceland Activities.
Ulfar was born and raised in a hot spring! Iceland Activities has been a family company since 2010. He loves involving his two kids in all the outdoors has to offer. Many of the locations they take their guests to are hidden gems that they have all to themselves.

Icelandic Tradition:
They don’t name their children until they are 3 months old. This was previously because they had to wait for a priest. Now, the naming also includes a party/big event. Plus, parents don’t want added germs/sickness around the babies until they are older, stronger, and have vaccinations.
The sooner you do things with kids, the more they love it, and the sooner they can do it on their own! “Creating play partners for life!” That being said, don’t push anything they aren’t into, and just keep offering until they are ready.

Hot Springs:
Wait until kids are 6 to 8 months old to go in
Adults can be in the hot springs for 1.5-3 hours if well-rested and fed [Ulfar has stayed past 5 hours]
If the temperature outside is colder than body temperature (in winter), staying in the hot spring for only 30 minutes is best

Book Recommendation:
The Yule Lads

Follow Ulfar on IG: @icelandactivities

Thank you to Keen Footwear for sponsoring today’s podcast! Check out www.keenfootwear.com
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
38 min
November 01, 2022Ep. 92 Learning to Enjoy Winter with Erin Gallimore
For some, winter may be their favourite season, and for others, they may need to learn to embrace it, and maybe even enjoy it! Erin Gallimore believes that teaching her son to love all seasons and all weather, starts with her. You’ll be making a winter bucket list after this episode!!

Erin was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and she currently lives in Tacoma, Washington. A foster mom for 6 years, she is now mom to her one and only biological son, Graham. Erin and her husband both work full-time in healthcare, so they plan outdoor adventures on the weekends and holidays. Last year they checked off 12 Washington State Bucket List adventures and plan on more this year. An enneagram 2 and extreme extrovert, you will find Erin running the KWE Washington FB page and planning group hikes to make new friends!

To Embrace Winter:
Determined what DIDN’T need to be on her list – skiing and snowboarding
Chose activities they could enjoy – sledding, snow shoeing, and weekend trips in the mountains
Chose new places to explore and put it all in the calendar!
Next year – winter camping!!

Positives Found in Winter Adventure:
Accomplished hikes they wouldn’t in the summer
Found it quieter and peaceful

Winter Tips:
Get ice cleats/crampons when the snow isn’t snowshoe deep
Pack hand warmers, especially for toddlers who don’t want to keep gloves on
Plan shorter trails for snowshoeing – it’s a big workout!

Locations Mentioned:
Mount Rainier
Hurricane Ridge

Blog Post About Warm Drinks:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/a-fun-way-to-stay-warm-on-winter-adventures/

Show Recommendations :
Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip
Next Level Chef
Chuggington – for kids
Blippi – for kids

Follow Erin on IG: @gallimore.family.adventures
KWE Washington Facebook Pages

Thank you to Keen Footwear for sponsoring today’s podcast! Check out www.keenfootwear.com
Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
27 min
October 25, 2022Ep. 91 Taking Your Kids Skating for the First Time
Embracing winter. Enjoying winter. That is our theme this winter. One way we embrace winter is taking our kids out skating. Today we discuss what we did to take our toddlers skating for the first time last year.

Our Skating Comfort Level:
Adrianna was a competitive speed skater, and taught that!
Adrianna’s husband coached hockey growing up
Lauren’s husband is a professional hockey player
Lauren can’t stop on skates…

What We Did:
We chose outdoor locations - the mountains, frozen lake, outdoor rink…free!!
Chose not too cold and not too windy days
Indoor rinks would be good too
Kept it short and sweet (small exposures are key)
Pause for warm drink, and go again!
“Practise” in gear with skate guards at home

Gear:
Bundled up in our 3 layer rule – https://kidswhoexplore.com/podcasts/ep-36-the-three-layer-winter-rule/
Many equipment rental options!
Hockey helmets – Bauer, Youth, Adjustable (with cage option)
Skates – Bauer, Size 7 (borrow or second-hand options)
Bring a sled with blanket
Warm beverage!

Allow your child to take the lead in their comfort level! You build the experience, and they can choose their own adventure within that. Also, you can always invite friends! The seasons go by so fast – enjoy it!

Thank you to Keen Footwear for sponsoring today’s podcast! Check out www.keenfootwear.com
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
17 min
October 18, 2022Ep. 90 When The Going Gets Tough, Get Outside
Adrianna Skori had quite the postpartum this time around. What was an “easier birth” and postpartum initially, turned into illness upon illness upon illness. Yet she always found peace in the outdoors, even if it was walking around the hospital.

Some Ways She Let Nature Reset Her:
Walking around the hospital
Allowing visitation between Turner and Nash (brothers) via the playground
Sitting by window in hospital and taking in sunrise and sunset
Playing in the backyard
Nature walks – taking her time, listening to her body, asking for other adult help!

She recommends to reach out to your community and your family and ask for help! Invite in all the love to fill your space. Embrace the beautiful chaos!

Thank you to Keen Footwear for sponsoring today’s podcast! Check out www.keenfootwear.com
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
12 min
October 11, 2022Ep. 89 Living on Wheels as a Family of 7 with Anna Roberts
The Roberts are a family of 7 who lives in a 40-foot school bus that they converted themselves, travelling all over the USA! Learn the pros and cons of living in such close quarters where adventure is a daily endeavour, with Anna Roberts! Now, the question is, will they travel by boat next?!

Fun Facts About the Roberts:
At the time of recording, they had visited 32 of the 50 states, and 36 of the 63 national parks
Kids range from age 18-months to 12-years-old
They keep track of their locations on sticker maps and notes in phone
For homeschooling, they follow a particular curriculum. Usually work from 9am-12pm, then get outside! They do more school in the summer, so they can take travel days and various times off
Their mail gets sent to family and they send pictures. Or they do general delivery to nearest post office, or use Amazon Lockers

Some Noteworthy Destinations So Far:
Joshua Tree
Everglades
Yosemite
All California Parks!
Grand Teton
Glacier National Park

Pros of This Lifestyle:
Time with family
Exploring new places
All the new adventures
They get to make memories with their kids NOW

Cons of This Lifestyle:
Not being able to “hide things” when cleaning
Potential bus breakdowns, and not knowing where that will happen
Proximity to hospitals, if needed

The Roberts did not have everything perfectly planned out! Or ginormous savings. They didn’t have a perfect scenario. Plus, Anna got pregnant! Anna says, if you have a dream or have this idea, just figure out the first step! Don’t let fears and doubts get in the way. Just learn a little bit at a time. They worked so hard for this, and they did not have the perfect scenario. But they just made it happen!
Follow on IG, TIkTok, Facebook: @therobertswerehere
Recommendations:
Kids Ride Shot Gun – the seat (for younger kids) and tow rope for older kids. They use it for their 6-year-old. Great when you have big age ranges in kids, or lots of kids, or to be able to help kids keep up - https://kidsrideshotgun.ca
Listening to: American History Story Tellers – season 6 is all about National Parks

Thank you to Keen Footwear for sponsoring today’s podcast! Check out www.keenfootwear.com
Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
29 min
October 04, 2022Ep. 88 Rattlesnake Safety with Brighton Peachy
We hope you can all avoid rattlesnake bites, and Brighton Peachy has tips for that, but in case you or anyone you know ever gets bit by a rattlesnake, we want you to know all the steps to take. Today’s episode is very important! The more you know, the better prepared you can be.

Brighton Peachy, is a Wilderness EMT & a mom of 3 little boys (ages 5,4, and 1). Her family loves getting outdoors through climbing, backpacking, & mountain biking. They recently converted a van that they lived in for the summer as they travel across the country. Before kids, Brighton got her Bachelor's degree in Wilderness Rescue. She has worked as an EMT for the last 8 years in the ER and has also worked on Salt Lake County Search and Rescue Team. She teaches Wilderness First Aid courses to help people feel more prepared going into the backcountry.

Brighton is naturally very afraid of snakes. But learning more has made her feel more confident when coming across them. Summer is “peak” snake season in Utah.

Things You Can Do to Avoid Rattlesnakes and Their Bites:
Listen for the sound of a rattlesnake – they sound like a distinct rattle; try locate direction of rattlesnake, so you don’t get closer
Stay back! – they can strike up to 5 feet and usually forward, so move back and diagonally (or sideways and back)
Teach kids not to approach (keep kids close) – practise this ahead of time
Do not throw rocks or sticks at snake – will cause the snake to attack more; it’s also illegal to hurt a rattlesnake in some areas
Alert others! – determine if it makes sense to continue on adventure or not, because there will likely be more rattlesnakes
You cannot hear baby rattlesnakes, but they will usually hang out on rocks or between rocks, or in the cracks

If Someone Gets Bit by a Rattlesnake:
Move away so you don’t get bit again; Stay calm and remain still - stress and tension can spread the venom (breathe and think of next steps)
Remove restrictive clothing, jewellery, shoes – swelling is common
Position bite below heart - so venom doesn’t spread
Call 911 for help and/or to let hospital know you’re coming – not all hospitals have the anti-venom and they need time to prepare
Carry the person who was bit or immobilize site – do not run, because again, we don’t want to increase heart rate
Rinse with water and soap – ideally not hand sanitizer; this step can be done in ambulance or at hospital, or earlier if you’re on a backcountry trip

Some No-No’s After Rattlesnake Bites:
Do not suck out venom
Do not apply tourniquet
Do not apply ice
Do not drink caffeine or alcohol
Do not take blood thinning medications like pain killers
Do not increase heart rate
Do not try catch the snake

Do not let the fear of snakes keep you from getting outside! Be prepared.

Pendleton Blanket Recommendation (found at Costco):
https://www.pendleton.ca/

Podcast Recommendation: Out Alive

Follow Brighton on IG and TikTok: @brightonpeachy

Thank you to Keen Footwear for sponsoring today’s podcast! Check out www.keenfootwear.com
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
26 min
September 27, 2022Ep. 87 Less Waste & More Earth Love with Launne Kolla
Raise your hand if you care about our planet! Launne Kolla says she is not perfect, and none of us should expect to be, but trying our best with the knowledge we have can make our earth a little bit greener. Launne graciously does all the hard research for us, to make our gentle footprint a little bit easier to navigate.

Back on episode 64, we met Launne, when we talked all things birding and bird watching. Not only is Launne a Wildlife Biologist for EDI Environmental Dynamics, where she gets to love up on wildlife, she is also on a mission to take care of the earth and teach others how to do the same, with her account Do More Good. Raising two daughters, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, she is also teaching them to love, respect, and nurture the earth!

Episode 64 on Birding: https://kidswhoexplore.com/podcasts/ep-64-birding-bird-watching-with-launne-kolla/

Garbage Takeaways:
Buy/consume less and use what you have
Vote with your dollar – think about what you purchase before you buy it, as in where it was made, who made it, what it is made from, and how long it will last
Purchase items with less packaging
Corporations need to make a change – support the “good” ones
Shop in bulk
Bring your own produce bags, or don’t use produce bags

Recycling Takeaways:
Most of the things you throw in your recycling bin cannot get recycled – don’t “wish recycle” – know what can go in there, because wrong items can contaminate the whole bin, or cause harm to the system or workers
Generally, plastics with number 1-7 in the middle of recycle symbol can be recycled
Generally, they only accept items bigger than a deck of cards
Be intentional

Compost Takeaways:
In Calgary, currently, compostable packaging – compostable plates etc., cannot be composted. https://www.calgary.ca/waste/residential/how-composting-works.html[In Seattle they can] Check with your city!
Check if your city has an app
Tips to Compost on your own: Check out Vermicompost – using worms; Mix the browns and the greens – yard waste with food; Sometimes places have a compost drop off, or big gardens or food banks asking for compost
App = Share Waste (can find compost in the area) - https://sharewaste.com

In Canada, there is a single use plastic ban starting in 2022, and will be completed by 2025.

Ep. 31 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle for the Planet with Michelle Dias –
https://kidswhoexplore.com/podcasts/ep-31-reduce-reuse-recycle-for-the-planet-with-michelle-dias/

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Swaps:
·      Bring your own coffee mug and water bottle
·      Use bar shampoos and conditions
·      Use safety razor
·      Swap bees wax wraps (or containers), instead of Sarah Wrap
·      Turn off sprinklers when it’s rainy
·      Unplug “ghost power”
·      Delete emails! [1 person sending 65 emails is the same as driving a km in your car]
·      Pick up garbage you see outside
·      Pay for carbon offsets [Carbon Zero, vetted by WestJet, or Less Emissions, used by Air Canada]
·      Shop secondhand
·      Don’t return clothes unless you KNOW they are going back on the shelf
·      Say no to Palm Oil, unless it’s “responsible palm oil”

Follow Launne on IG: @do.more.good
Launching blog soon.

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
34 min
September 20, 2022Ep. 86 Getting Babies Outside (in the Womb) with Supriya Rajaraman
Getting babies outside starts in the womb! Supriya Rajaraman grew up in India, and has now been living in Canada for the last 10 years. She feels like she is breaking barriers in her family and culture by exploring the outdoors, especially while pregnant, and now with her little explorer.

Supriya, along with spouse Karthik, and baby explorer, Tanish, who is 9-months old, love exploring the outdoors together. Keeping it simple, and starting with neighbourhood walks at just 5-days old with Tanish, they now love taking their baby explorer hiking, and plan this year to explore all that Kananaskis Country has to offer.

Some Interesting Discussions:
The different feelings about activity in pregnancy in different cultures
Listening to your body and your intuition with activity in pregnancy, as well as your care providers' recommendations
Mothering the mother – caring for the mother postpartum

Book Recommendations:
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May
To Have and to Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, and the Modern Dilemma by Molly Millwood, PhD

Don’t be afraid to break barriers and do what works for your family, in all areas of parenting.

Follow on IG: @suppreya
Or on the KWE Calgary Regional Facebook Group

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/

Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
26 min
September 13, 2022Ep. 85 Neurological Benefits of the Outdoors with Itzel Fernández Camacho, M.D.
We know the outdoors feels good, but did you know it's actually wiring and re-wiring our brains too? Itzel Fernandez Camacho, M.D. is here to tell us all about it!

Itzel Fernandez Camacho is a mom of two, a lifelong learner, and M.D. She previously worked in pediatric rehabilitation, and she considers the outdoors to be the perfect environment to stimulate gross and fine motor skills, coordination, and sees nature as a sensory playground where children have endless opportunities to improve their neurodevelopment. Now, if that’s not a reason to get outside…!

She grew up in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She is currently travelling 3 continents with her family. She enjoys hiking, camping, paddle boarding, walking barefoot, climbing trees, swimming in the ocean, and exploring new cultures.

In Med school, Itzel noticed that they didn’t teach anything about the outdoors. After kids, she thought that rehabilitation should include the outdoors!!

Our Brains in the Outdoors:
Even just looking outdoors or having live plants - your senses are all stimulated
Allows for better concentration, focus, and the ability to memorize better!
Improves behaviour, happiness, and reduces anxiety and depression
Grey matter in brain positively impacted - creating new connections, because the brain is very plastic, especially in the first 3 years of life
Can prevent metabolic disease, help cardiovascular health, lower ADHD symptoms
Exposes you to vitamins that help with bone and muscle growth - giving our children a healthier life!!
Risky play – gets them to make decisions together, work on concentration, and work on physical ability

We are meant to be outdoors. We need to find ways to be exposed to the outdoors every day, and the more time we can.

Grounding in All Seasons with Dr. Laura Koniver episode - https://kidswhoexplore.com/podcasts/ep-40-grounding-in-all-seasons-with-dr-laura-koniver/

Give children time to explore. Don’t rush them. Let them choose what they love. Try not to direct and organize too  much

Book Series Recommendation [on Audio Book]: The Expeditioners

Follow on IG: @tribupassport

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/

Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
29 min

About Kids Who Explore

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Adrianna Skori, founder and CEO of Kids Who Explore, shares weekly episodes covering all things exploring with kids, from simple walks outside to camping in the backcountry. Expect interviews with…

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Kids Who Explore

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About Kids Who Explore