Kids Who Explore

Can you imagine never having to change a poopy diaper? Can you imagine adventuring with your young babies without wondering where you will set up a diaper changing station? Andrea Olson can, because she did Elimination Communication with all 5 of her kids…basically potty training from birth. We are going to learn the tricks of her trade, and the why behind it! 

Andrea Olson never intended on teaching people about baby potty training, and like many, she didn't even realize Elimination Communication (EC) existed until her mid-20's. Since then, she says it has become her passion, her career, and her motivation. She started Elimination Communication with her first son at birth. Soon after, she started helping other moms practice EC. That turned into a pamphlet, which turned into a book, and more books, and videos, and courses, and...the list goes on! For over 10 years now, Andrea has helped thousands of parents worldwide learn about and practice Elimination Communication.  

Elimination Communication practices using listening and responding to the cries and signals that our kids show us, as early as newborns, that they need to relieve themselves.  

Reminder: Poop, even in disposable diapers, is never supposed to go in the landfill; the poop should be put into the toilet before the diaper is disposed of.  

Elimination Communication Pros: 

• You save a ton of money on diapers 

It is okay to do part-time EC, if daycare or other care providers are not on board. 

Adventuring with EC: 

• Signs they need to relieve themselves in the carrier – they will “buck” and try to get out 

Elimination Communication Cons: 

• Effort! There is the upfront work of being extremely present and learning your baby’s cues 

So, when can you start? Anytime! From birth onwards. Once you hit 12-months, but especially 15-months, you would go directly to potty training, and not practice EC.  

Follow Andrea: 

Websites: https://godiaperfree.com & https://tinyundies.com 

IG: @godiaperfree & @tinyundies 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore

It’s been a year of the Kids Who Explore podcast! Let us reintroduce ourselves. We can’t thank you enough for getting to know us – Adrianna Skori & Lauren Rodych-Eberle…the voices behind the microphones, and learning along with us on this journey.  

Find Adrianna on IG at @adriannaadventures 

CEO and Founder of KWE 

Also a Financial Analyst: Accountant 

Mama to son, Turner  

www.kidswhoexplore.com 

Find Lauren on IG at @laurenrodycheberle 

Communications & Media Manager for KWE 

Also a Music Teacher, Cookbook Author, Blogger 

Mama to daughter, Collins 

www.laurenrodycheberle.com 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.  

Do you ever wonder why kids can see a playground full of shiny equipment, yet they are drawn to the sticks, rocks, branches, trees, logs, fallen leaves, and the list goes on, instead? Ron King wondered this too, but it didn’t take long before he saw all the benefits of natural play and started a family business called Natural Playgrounds, who are the leading experts in building natural playgrounds for kids!! 

For 26 years, the King family has owned Natural Playgrounds, and they have been the leading experts in designing beautiful, intriguing, cost-effective, safe, and philosophically appropriate Natural Playgrounds for K-12 schools, Montessori schools, Head Start programs, childcare centers, and communities.  

Benefits of Natural Play: 

• Contributes to overall physical, cognitive, and emotional development of children 

14 billion dollars in the United States alone are spent on accidents from traditional playgrounds. Some reasons being that kids go beyond their skill level, or they get bored, so they try perform activities that are “too risky.” The age suggestion for equipment is very arbitrary. Natural playgrounds are good for all ages, because you can play to your own skill level and everything is built into the ground.  

Recommendations: 

Shows: Yellowstone & Foundation 

Follow Natural Playgrounds: 

https://www.naturalplaygrounds.com 

https://www.facebook.com/NaturalPlaygroundsCompany 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore

Isolation. The Kelly’s know isolation all too well, but unlike Covid-Isolation, they know it in the most beautiful way! The Australian family of four live on an ultra-remote island called Uepi, located in the Solomon Islands. Not only is their unique lifestyle one that’s of keen interest, they also have taught their children from only weeks of age how to enjoy and respect the ocean. Learn it all here! 

Jase & Katie run an ethical tourist resort (attracting mostly SCUBA divers) and a grass-roots based charity, centred around protecting the incredible natural environment and traditional islander way of life. Jase, with a background in international business, and Katie, a clinical pharmacist, are a pair well-equipped to manage their alternative lifestyle and give back to the local community. Arlo (3.5 yrs) and Ophelia (2 yrs) have been the perfect addition to their island life, encouraging them to explore the ocean through new eyes. Jase and Katie are both keen free divers and especially love exploring untouched islands and reefs around their home island with the kids in tow. 

How They’ve Taught Their Kids About the Ocean: 

• They submerged their kids in the ocean by 10-weeks-old 

More Advice on Getting Outside with Kids: 

• Keep it close to home 

On their island, they need to be self-reliant, as they don’t have a hospital on the island, so they would need to fly a helicopter in (extraordinary expense)…they have medicines and equipment to handle most situations. 

Katie’s Personal Water Rules While Pregnant: 

• Spent more time in the water 

A day in their life usually looks like 3 meals together, getting in the water with the kids, having an adventure with the kids, and working in between – check out their YouTube channel to see more! 

Tips for Connection during Isolation: 

• Utilize Facetime 

Follow The Kelly’s at: 

Website: https://www.theislandlifeofus.com 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheIslandLifeofUs 

IG: @theislandlifeofus 

Suggestions:  

Podcast: Unruffled  

YouTube: Sailing La Vagabonde  

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore

Kady Lieber’s life was turned upside down when she found out her little Ava, then 17-months-old, had stage 4 brain cancer. After a year of helping Ava fight for her life, Kady and her family made a goal to live every moment to its fullest! Today’s podcast shines light on how to live in the moment and how animal tracking and nature can bond an entire family!  

Animal Tracking/Animal Viewing/Animal Watching Starter Tips: 

• You can choose specific animals to track, or a wide range 

At 17-months-old, Kady’s daughter was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. These were the signs her daughter was showing: 

• She was getting very grumpy  

They were sent for an MRI, which showed a tumor. They were then introduced to a Neuro-Oncologist. After surgery, when Ava was almost 2-years-old, she was like a newborn. Eventually she learned to walk, but lost most of her hearing. The aftermath of a brain tumor is pretty heartbreaking. Now, at the age of 7-years-old, she has the physical ability of a 3-year-old, and has the fine motor skills of a 2-year-old, despite being in therapy for 5 years.  

Kady’s Advice: Live in the moment!! She was originally shocked by that advice from a doctor, but now thinks there are no better words of wisdom.   

Book suggestions: 

The Reign of Wolf 21: The Saga of Yellowstone’s Legendary Druid Pack by Rick McIntyre 

& 

Yellowstone Wolves: Science and Discovery in the World’s First National Park  

Follow Kady on IG: @tavadventures 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore

Hello, 2022! Not only are we welcoming a new year, but we are celebrating a year of Kids Who Explore in the books!! It’s been so beautiful to watch Adrianna Skori’s (the Founder & CEO of KWE) vision on the trail turn into this community that inspires, supports, gives back, and genuinely cares for the humans behind the adventure photos.  

KWE’s Why: 

• Get kids outside 

We want nature to help raise our children! 

KWE’s What: 

• Offer tips, tricks, and education to help families 

In the next year, keep your eye out for: 

• Website (www.kidswhoexplore.com) – affiliations, discounts, blog, our shop, and events 

Thank you to everyone who has make this year possible! More love to come.  

Find KWE: 

www.kidswhoexplore.com 

IG: @kidswhoexplore 

As well as @kidswhoexplorecanada, @kidswhoexploreusa, @kidswhoexploreeurope, @kidswhoexplorecentralamerica, @kidswhoexploreafrica, @kidswhoexploresouthamerica, @kidswhoexploreaustralia, @kidswhoexploreasia 

Find Adrianna, CEO: 

IG: @adriannaadventures 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle & @adriannaadventures from @kidswhoexplore 

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.  

We end 2021 with a simple message…get outside! We know, it can be hard…there will be lots of things standing in your way. But, it will be oh-so-worth-it! The outdoors are calling your childrens' names, and yours! 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore 

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.  

How does taking a 16-day road trip with a baby sound to you? Tara Sliwkanich makes it sound like a whole lot of fun, mixed with hiking, biking, tenting, and of course, nursery rhymes on repeat!! Learn from one of KWE’s Explorer Families about how to make road tripping very do-able, and fun for the whole family!  

Tara Sliwkanich, along with her spouse, Dustin, and their baby explorer, J, who will be 15-months soon, love to explore the trails, slopes, and the water around Alberta, especially around Edmonton, where they live. They love to hike, bike, stand-up paddle board, kayak, camp, downhill ski and cross-country ski as a family. Living in Edmonton means that they are 4 hours away from the mountains, so they have always loved road tripping, notably road tripping down the Oregon and California coasts in a rooftop tent for their honeymoon! Now, they are making their road trips more exciting with little J in tow!  

Small adventures are big adventures for babies; Tara loves taking baby J along on any outdoor time.  

Where Tara Road Tripped for 16 days near Alberta: 

• Edmonton 

Tips for Planning a Road Trip: 

• Make a skeleton plan, and then wing the rest  

Tips for the Car: 

• Time limit in car before breaks for baby is about 2-3 hours (or earlier, if baby wakes and needs a stretch!) 

Tips for Tenting: 

• Do a trial run of tenting with baby at home 

Tips for Biking: 

• Recommends: Thule Chariot Sport 2, with infant sling (attaches to adult bike) - https://www.thule.com/en-pf/strollers/double-jogging-strollers/thule-chariot-sport-2-_-10201023 & https://www.thule.com/en-pf/bike-trailer-accessories/thule-infant-sling-_-20101000 

Tips for Hiking: 

• Choose not too challenging of hikes with big pay offs, like ones with amazing views 

Tips for Food While Travelling: 

• Pre-plan meals, so you can have some groceries ready 

Tara is on KWE’s Inclusion Committee. She continually tries to learn from the lived experiences of BIPOC and LBGTQ+ communities in the outdoors. She encourages others to learn how to act in allyship when they are in the outdoors, so that it can be a safe space for all who are out exploring. Let’s use our privilege to break down barriers and welcome more people into the outdoors! 

Suggestions: 

• iLids – lids that fit on mason jars, to turn them into cups with straws or for storage (BPA-free) - https://www.intelligentlids.com 

Follow Tara on IG: @tsliwk 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.  

When your kiddos say goodbye to diapers, adventures look a whole lot different. Easier or harder? You decide! But there may be a period of time where you’re adventuring with a toilet in tow, until they master the outdoor squat. Don’t worry – you can still get outside, even in the learning-phase. We have expert Jamie Glowacki on today’s podcast, to talk all things toddlers and poop!  

Jamie Glowacki is an internationally recognized potty training and parenting expert. She is the author of both Oh Crap Potty Training and Oh Crap I Have a Toddler.  

When to Start Potty Training: 

• “Wait until they are ready” is the biggest myth (tune in to learn why) 

How Much Time Is Needed to Stay Home to Focus on Learning the Toilet (and how can you also get outside): 

• Devote at least 4 days to staying home 

Tip: A post-it note, or wet toilet paper, over automatic-flush sensors will stop toilet from automatically flushing when a little one is sitting on it 

Follow Jamie at: 

IG: @jamie.glowacki 

Website: https://www.jamieglowacki.com/homepage 

Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:

Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore 

Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music 

If you take nothing else away from this episode when it comes to avalanche safety, please remember this: avoid, avoid, avoid! The best thing you can do to protect yourself from an avalanche is to avoid it! That being said, there is so much more to know. That’s why Russell Bruder is on the podcast today – let’s learn about avalanche safety! 

Russell Bruder was born and raised in Pincher Creek, Alberta. His bio is quite extensive, but today we are focusing on his role as a snowmobile, ATV, and UTV Safety Instructor. He is an expert in everything from winter survival, to ATV & Snowmobile Operations, to first aid, CPR, GPS/map/and compass navigation, and Avalanche safety. He has 23 years experience with Pincher Creek search and rescue, and 30+ years of snowmobile and ATV experience. 

Know Where Avalanches Are: 

For Canadians, check Avalanche Canada, and look at the forecast zones. Always submit information if you know it, to help protect others. Ie. if you see natural slides, or were in waist deep snow, report that.  

www.avalanche.ca 

Get Certified: 

• Book AST Level 1 or 2 

Things You’ll Want to Know/Learn: 

• How to recognize avalanche terrain 

If You Witness Someone Caught in an Avalanche: 

• Watch where the person went down, so you know WHERE to search 

Each area has their own avalanche forecast. Ski hills do safety assessments before they open each day.  

The Sad Statistics: 

• If someone gets stuck in an avalanche (90% of the people triggered the avalanche) and you do not have time to go get help 

Talking to Kids About Winter Safety: 

• When they are young, talk to them about how to dress in winter, animal safety, fire safety, and snow! 

Winter safety: If you’re a motor sports enthusiast, you can go farther on an snowmobile in 15 minutes than you could walk in 8 hours. You could go farther in an hour than you could walk in a day. So, from a risk standpoint, ask yourself how quickly someone could get to you if you were in trouble. You may need to be prepared to keep yourself and your family safe overnight, if they couldn’t get a helicopter in! 

Some Other Reminders: 

• Be prepared!!!  

Suggestions: 

• Life Proof Phone Case: https://www.lifeproof.com 

Thank you to Headster for supporting today’s episode. Check out https://headsterkids.com for all the awesome style they have to offer! 

Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore