About Linda Bernardi & her Blog
Linda is a winner of Top 25 Outdoorsy Moms - 2013
What's your favorite affordable outdoor activity to do with your kids?
Hiking! Many hiking trails are free, while others have just a small parking fee. Dress for the weather, pack a picnic lunch, plenty of water, and lots of snacks, and head on out. To ensure a good time, follow the tips in this article, "Five Tips for Joyful Hiking with Little Kids"... http://anaturemom.com/2012/03/14/five-tips-for-joyful-hiking-with-little-kids/ .
What tips do you have for spending time outdoors when its cold?
Purchase quality outdoor clothing and gear. With the right clothing, playing outdoors when it's cold or wet is just as much fun as during the warmer months. What you need depends upon the climate where you live. Where we live, in the San Francisco Bay Area, snow and super-cold weather aren't an issue. For the winter months, we get by with a warm fleece jacket, a rain jacket, rain boots, and hiking boots. With the appropriate clothing, we can head outdoors and do the same activities during the winter as we would during the summer - hiking, bike riding, camping, and playing at the beach or park.
What's a great vacation destination for families that want to spend time outside?
Our favorite outdoor vacation destinations are nearby National Parks and California State Parks. "Nearby" to me means within a 5-6 hour drive. The number-one vacation destination for our family is Yosemite National Park. It has what we love best... beautiful mountain scenery, great hiking trails, bike trails, lots of campgrounds, beaches for picnics, rocks to climb, rivers for wading, and lakes for swimming. Interested in visiting Yosemite with young children? Check out this article... "10 Things To Do In Yosemite Valley With Little Kids"... http://anaturemom.com/2012/07/02/10-things-to-do-in-yosemite-valley-with-little-kids/ .
What are your favorite Blog Posts?
Linda's Answers
Can you recommend a great toy that costs less than $10? Please share a link to a photo.
My son LOVED the Toysmith 4M Dig a Dino Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton Excavation Kit. It's currently $9.65 through Amazon. My little paleontologist is crazy for these kits, and now wants the Mammoth kit! After we excavate them, we get more use out of the "fossils" by hiding them in the dirt in the backyard, and finding the skeletons again and again and again.
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Have you found a terrific printable toy? Share the link, and let us know what ages it's best for.
Kids love to make and play with paper airplanes! Find free printables here at http://www.funpaperairplanes.com/ . They offer beginner, intermediate, advanced, and novelty levels, so you can choose the right level for your child, anywhere from age three and up.
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How did you feel dropping off your child on the first day of school? Please share a link to a picture if you have one!
I dropped my son off for his first day of kindergarten only an hour ago. I feel sad. But so proud of my boy, too. Our school offers a "Boo Hoo or Woo Hoo Coffee Event" for parents after drop off. For me, however, this is something I have to process alone, not in the company of others. Yes, deep sadness is what I feel right now. My little boy is growing up...
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What's one of the worst messes your child has made? Please share a link to a photo if you have one.
My son is a strangely clean child. He cleans up his toys after himself. He doesn't spill food on his clothes. Even when we play outside (which we do daily... I encourage interaction with dirt and mud... it's healthy for kids!), he somehow confines his messiness to his hands. This finger painting photo is a great example...
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What's your favorite toddler bedtime book?
With so many wonderful books out there, how to choose just one? I guess it would have to be Snuggle Puppy: A Little Lovesong by Sandra Boynton. My son had me read (and sing) this book to him over and over and over. He'd snuggle in while I read it to him and couldn't wait to receive the kisses. What a loving way to end a day.
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What's a great toy for outdoor play that costs less than $15? Please share a photo or link if you have one.
Sticks, rocks, and water... simple, fun, free! A great toy to add to this would be a magnifying glass. Melissa and Doug make some cute ones for under $10.00.
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