Eco Child’s Play

Temperatures in Jackson, Wyoming, ranged from -6 to 30 during my visit over the weekend. And yet folks were much more likely to be found outside than in. Perhaps that is because the “outside” of Jackson, Wyoming, is so beautiful and offers so much in the way of wonderful outdoor activities, from skiing (alpine, nordic and telemark) to snowboarding to snowshoeing through the magnificent Grand Teton National Park, to name the most obvious. I think the beauty of the scenery and the thrill of the activity keeps us warmer than the temps suggest. This notion occurred to me when I overheard a seemingly non-sensical statement during my trip. As we waitied for a shuttle on one particularly chilly morning, it was -4 at the time, a woman waiting beside me told her friend,

You know, with these temperatures back home, it’d be freezing!

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My first thought was, Yeah, -4 is freezing pretty much EVERYWHERE! But then I considered her Yogi Berra-ism for what she meant, rather than for what she said. She wasn’t cold; she was excited (and well-layered). I was excited (and well-layered), too. Further, the excitement and the beauty of the scenery more than made-up for the dropping mercury.

Of course, one needn’t be in a resort town to experience this. For while I was away in Wyoming, my kids were having as much fun as I in the first (and perhaps only!) snowfall of the year back home in Charlotte. As with my new Wyoming friends, the kids’ excitement (and their layers) helped keep them warm. And this suggests to me that the scenery is replaceable; but the excitement isn’t.

So, as cabin fever starts to creep up over this winter and as both you and your kids start to get the itch for the outdoors, sprinkle in some excitement into your outings. Ice skating perhaps (your ego may bruise but probably not too much else)? How about a winter visit to your typical summer destinations? Seeing natural areas during multiple seasons is a wonderful learning opportunity for kids. Moreover, with the vegetation largely gone, possibilities for finding new and different parts of your favorites parks to explore may come into view. And don’t forget the tips for better hiking with kids. They work in the winter, too, and they just might ratchet up the excitement for your kids  just enough to offset the winter chill they may otherwise feel.

Image: Josh Thomas

 

 

 

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