Outdoorsy families? How do you manage it?

[Naturelover5]

If you have l an outdoorsy family what do you do? How do you do it?
We're such a disorganised family, the type with bags for life at the beach...!
Not looking for tips as such (yet!) just interested in what other families are doing... Dc aged 9 & 11, enjoy being outdoors but I'm clueless... We live on the outskirts of a small city but have plenty of green areas around us..

A really good starting point is the National Trust’s 50 things to do before you are 11 and 3/4. It’s based on research that says if children have an appreciation for the outdoors and nature before 12 they will have one for life.

Lots of NT places facilitate the activities. This is the list: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/50-things-to-do-before-youre-11--activity-list

You can pick up a free check list at any property or buy the book pretty cheaply online.

Where does everyone find the space for all this equipment and outdoors clothing for everyone? My house is rammed as it is already and there's always a child who's coat or boots are suddenly too small. It's that sort of organisation I can't seem to manage

We have ‘stuff’ already packed in a plastic crate in the car boot. Waterproof backed picnic blanket, a selection of clothing to suit the season, basic picnic things (mugs, knives, teaspoons and plates), wet wipes, small rucksack, first aid kit including suntan cream.
Ready to go, or access if we are staying local.

We have ponies and an allotment plus ds does watersports.

And then we don't really do softplay so outdoors playdates like walks, nature reserve, takes his mates to allotment (he is 8).

Main thing is making sure you have weather protection (suncream, wellies, warm coats, sunhats) and snacks and wetwipes. That's literally it. Comfy clothes like joggers and a hoodie, just go out! City farm, park, beach, walk round the res, mooch round a nature reserve. At 9 and 11 they will have opinions on what they like doing, push their boundaries a bit. So if they like sports, find a club. If they like nature, find a reserve etc.

Utility room and a 7 seater car.

House is still a complete mess though 🤣

There's nothing wrong with bringing a bag for life to the beach. The best way to start enjoying more outdoor activities is to just do it, with whatever you currently own. The worst way is to do what lots of people do, go out shopping for every thing they can think of, all new stuff, special clothes, every little gadget. Then barely use that stuff.

Start by making a list of what items you need for which activity. I kept this in notes on my phone. Pack the night before. I don't need to refer to the list any more because I know what we need now, but I found it invaluable when the DC were younger. At the beginning of each "season" I make the DC try any thing on and replace as required.
I have crates in the utility room for water gear, hiking gear etc. The DC each have their own backpack and water bottle and are expected to carry rain gear, tissues, sun hat and glasses and their water. (Youngest is 10, we carried the water until a couple of years ago )

@DrFoxtrot mine need raincoats throughout the year for walking to school so it's not a surprise if it's getting too small. Same for boots, mine wear their hiking boots as their winter boots. I expect them to tell me when their stuff is getting tight else they have to wait for a replacement. It's still useable for a few weeks even if it's "too small".

I’m really enjoying reading this thread (in the sofa with my G&T 😂), as though I’m the least outdoorsy person ever, I just love the idea of it….but we just never manage to be like that in practice.

We do have an allotment and NT membership and try to get to lots of outdoor places during the holidays, but realistically we’re very far from outdoorsy. But this thread is great inspiration!!

I make up packed lunches the night before, have a rucksack ready to fill next morning and off we go! I have four DC, and we just get out as a family most free days.

This week we have been on two forest walks. Going to spend time at another outdoor countryside place at the weekend. Younger ones enjoy picking up sticks and just running free. We tend to choose quiet locations so it's a vast area for them to be safe.

Yyyy, to snacks!!!! I have food at the ready when out and about. Always in my rucksack.

Same here. My home is a sh*t tip as I am always outdoors!😂

We also have a pail in our van, so if there are no toilets immediately available after a long walk, we just have quick access....

We're an outdoorsy family. We live a five minute cycle from the beach so go there all the time. We have seats on the front of our bikes for the kids so we can ride with them and a big rucksack (4 & 6)

Often we just pop down to the beach after dinner for a walk/watch the waves while the kids dig in sand.

We sometimes plan days out in advance, other times just get up and decide on the day.

We have paddle boards, windsurf kit, bikes, skateboards, scooters.

I go swimming in the sea at least once a week while the kids play.

We go to junior parkrun every Sunday.

Our house is full of kit and there is always sand everywhere 😁

I have most of the kit organised and grouped in shelves in the utility room so it's easy to pack whatever we need. We have a selection of backpacks and rucksacks.

Oh god yeah the house is horrific most weekends because it’s not a priority to do housework when we could be outside 😂 and the utility room should be renamed the kit room!!

Just get each of your kids a little rucksack and put a drink, a pasty some, crisps in. Make sure your phones fully charged and off you go.
Find a public footpath (there is one on nearly every country lane - just look for the wooden post with an arrow on) and explore it for an hour, have your picnic.

Back in the car/on the bus and home.

Just do a little at a time till you get used to what you like

DD8, DDOG and I are very outdoorsy.
Twice a year I repack the "stuff we're going to need while out and about" bags in both cars.
We have gathered supplies as required (sale or chazzer mostly!) And I'm always the one in the park with my Mary Popping handbag/backpack and a swarm of gannets round me wanting fed/watered/plasters etc.
Am happy to provide lists of items, but the crux of the car luggage is onesie, wellies, cross, socks, towels/towel robes, drinks, snacks, dog water bottle and rain coat, human waterproofs, sun cream and a comprehensive first aid kit.

We don't have a rucksack for each DC - they all get a turn to carry the rucksack 🤣 keeps the clutter to a minimum.

YY to the shit tip house as we're never home! So to the boxes of sport related stuff within easy access in the garage and big plastic boxes filled with various sizes of Crocs/wellies etc for when friends join us.
I've found my people here 😊.

We do lots of walks (moorland and forstry) bike rides, National trust visits and walking the parkland, inflatable kayaks, camping, bodyboarding, surf lessons, beach bbq's etc. We go out even if it's raining it's never as bad as you think. We are keen to add paddle boards to our collection this summer. I think it depends where you live, people are very outdoorsy here but it's harder if you have a long drive to get to suitable locations.

Prekids DH and I both did/ had done a variety of outdoorsy activities. Me - Downhill MTB (competitively), Windsurfing (Competitively), Yacht Sailing, Rock climbing, Ice climbing, Mountaineering, Running, Open water swimming. DH - MTB, Diving (Padi instructor), Rock climbing.

Since having DD (4) we now both have eMTB with a seat between us and DD (Macride) which we do blue and red loops at trail centres on (dog chases us round), we have a SUP and wetsuits for the local lake, and we take DD climbing, but predominantly indoors sofar.

We don't take DD on long miserable, whingy walks in inclement weather, and we follow her lead for how long she wants to spend doing stuff.

I would like to introduce her to more of the activities that I have enjoyed, but windsurfing is pretty antisocial and not at all family friendly (might do a Mark Warner/Neilson holiday one day for a bit of fun), and I think i'll have a nervous breakdown if she ever goes ice climbing!!

We are very outdoorsy but tbh we moved somewhere very outdoorsy so it's just easy to get out all the time. We wouldn't be able to if we still lived in a busy city!

I always have spare clothes for everyone in the car and boots/wellies and coats/gullets and towels incase a paddling opportunity presents it’s self.
i tend to walk and the DC cycle the youngest is pushed on her trike.
We are just in the habit of spending a few hours outside everyday. I pick easy places that I know well. we go to the forest, different parks, often just for a walk in the lanes nearby.
I bought a good quality cool box last year and can now keep ice lollies frozen for a couple of hours.

Rip Neilson holidays are fab - we didn't discover them until our DS was 16 (& he scoffed 'I'm not joining in the kid's stuff') but it was a fantastic holiday & we returned the following year when he was 17. All the children & adults (even non sporty ones like me) were having a wonderful time.

Great tips, thanks so much! Love the idea of being outdoorsy & sporty just need to get my ass in gear!!