Do your kids hesitate at going outside to play?
Want to find out how to use a stick to inspire creativity and get your kids running for the door?
To learn how to transform a stick into an adventure with your kids, I interview Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks for this episode of the Parenting Adventures podcast.
More About This Show
The Parenting Adventures podcast is a show from My Kids' Adventures.
It's for parents (and grandparents) who are looking for creative things to do with their kids.
The show format is on-demand talk radio (also known as podcasting).
In this episode, I interview Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks, authors of seven books, including The Stick Book: Loads of Things You Can Make or Do With a Stick, as well as The Wild Weather Book and The Wild City Book. They are both experts in helping kids connect with the outdoors. They blog at GoingWild.net.
Jo and Fiona share ways to use a stick to get your kids excited about going outside for an adventure.
You'll discover why it's important for kids to play outside and how playing with sticks can help with creativity and highlight the importance of our environment.
Share your feedback, read the show notes and get the links mentioned in this episode below!
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Here are some of the things you'll discover in this show:
Stick Fun
How Jo and Fiona came to write books about outdoor activities for kids
Jo and Fiona met on a preschool playground about 18 years ago, when their young sons became best friends. They soon discovered they had a similar mission in life: to help kids develop a love of being outside.
Jo worked in educational psychology before she transitioned to photography, and Fiona came from an ecology background and worked in environmental education.
Back then, they both had a passion for the outdoors, and thankfully it's something they've been able to pass onto their kids.
They soon discovered that other kids didn't have the same opportunities. They wanted to show other parents the different, fun outdoor things that are available, even when time and money are limited.
You'll discover the types of things you have to say to your kids to tempt them to run for the door and have some outdoor fun.
Whether you've got 20 minutes or 3 hours, there are really fun things you can do with no preparation. You definitely have to make sure that it's fun, otherwise your kids won't want to do it again.
Fiona explains that the The Stick Book was a joint idea, and their reason for choosing this topic to write about.
The approach was to be as broad as possible, with the hope that it would appeal to as many people as possible.
Listen to the show to find out how they combined their backgrounds to write The Stick Book.
Why it's important for kids to explore outside
Fiona shares the variety of benefits kids get when they play outside and how you can get kids past their resistance to outdoor activities.
The challenge to get kids outside has become increasingly difficult. The number of electronic devices kids have available now makes it more tempting to stay indoors.
Once you get them outside, they realize how much fun it can be. Not only do they have great adventures, but they also expand their creativity.
It's also good for their physical and mental health. It's a way for them to stay physically active, improve their face-to-face communication skills and help them judge risk in a sensible way.
You'll discover the lessons that kids learn when they climb a tree, and why this can help them do better in school.
Outside exploration is also critical for the environment, because without the environment we can't exist. Our kids must explore our diverse world, and understand biodiversity and ecology, so they care about it and keep it alive in the future.
Jo and Fiona feel that when kids play in nature and have fun, they create cherished memories,
