by Lori Lite
Let’s just say that hiking, kayaking, canoeing and fly-fishing are not normally in my wheelhouse. However, after overcoming my aversion to sweating,
I jumped into my chest high waders with a smile on my face and hope in my heart. The Adirondacks offer visually stunning and diverse landscapes for all levels. A place for me to challenge myself, reflect, breathe, de-stress, and see how family outdoor activities reduce stress.
Here are a few not so obvious benefits of hiking, kayaking, canoeing, fishing:
Strengthen Family Bonds: Taking siblings out of their familiar day to day surroundings can promote working together and interacting in new ways. Mom and Dad paddling a canoe are sure to provide various scenarios that the kids will laugh at and talk about for years to come. Creating memories and family stories strengthens family bonds. Children with strong, happy, loving family connections are better equipped to handle daily stressors. Thanks to Adirondack Lakes and Trails Outfitters for equipping me up for a day of canoeing.
Build Self-Esteem: Hiking is a wonderful way for children to see that they are capable. St. Lawrence County in the Adirondacks offers trails for all levels. It is important to note that there are beginner trails that actually lead to waterfalls. Show a child they can hike to a waterfall and you show them they have unlimited potential. Children with their self-esteem intact are less likely to be stressed out. My hike up Mount Arab culminated with a climb to the top of the abandoned Fire Tower Station. Thanks to my New York State licensed bird guide Joan Collins.
Increases Responsibility: Children experience responsibility when they are taught to pack and carry their own backpacks. A new sense of ownership and responsibility is achieved the minute they reach in for their snack or water. Added bonus: Mom and dad start to feel human instead of feeling like a pack mule. Children that feel capable and have some sense of self-reliance feel grounded and less anxious. Thanks to Holly Pelland of Boomerang Kayak and Bike rental for my 1000 Island experience.
Expand Imagination: Traveling, interacting with new people, and connecting with nature all help children to expand their imaginations. A sense of wonder parlays into inspired learning, creating, seeking, and living. Fishing is the perfect opportunity for children to use their imaginations, practice patience, and spark conversations. Create imaginative stories by asking your child conversation starting questions. “What do you think the fish are doing under the water?” If you were a fish and you saw the bait, what would you do?” What color fish would you be? Thanks to my Orvis endorsed guide Ken of Kalil’s Upstate Outfitters for teaching me to fly fish on the AuSable River in the Adirondacks.
Taking the time and putting effort into a weekend, week, or few hour adventure is invaluable. “Time in nature is not leisure time; it’s an essential investment in our children’s health (and also , by the way, in our own). ~ Richard Louv
Many thanks to ROOST- Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism for sponsoring this trip. I experienced NY from a completely different perspective. All opinions in my post are my own.
For more on my adventure look for Stress Free Kids using hash tag #EatPlayLoveNY on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube
Other sites to help you plan your adventure:
Lori Lite is a content focused blogger, parenting expert, author, Twitter expert, and founder of Stress Free Kids. She is passionate about helping like hearted entrepreneurs bring their message, product, event, or travel destination to parents. Lori’s award winning books received national attention on Shark Tank and her sort after accessible tips have been featured in hundreds of publications to include: CNN Living, Real Simple Magazine, USA Today, Family Circle, Working Mother Magazine, and Web MD. Lori’s constant upbeat presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest make her a real-time resource for anyone seeking practical advice for stress free living.
This sounds like a trip I would love to take one day and it looks like you had a great time. Thanks for sharing.
Great thoughts on how these activities can bring a family together! Glad you had a great time and stepped on a limb with us to try something you not have normally 🙂
I reckon a family trip to the Adirondacks would be the perfect way to reduce stress. So much opportunity to be outdoors and enjoy the wilderness!
If ever I have a family I’ll be sure to revisit. If only to go back to the Wild Center!
I reckon a family trip to the Adirondacks would be the perfect way to reduce stress. So much opportunity to be outdoors and enjoy the wilderness!
Great idea 🙂
Absolutely wonderful! Sounds like a great way to get the family together and the kids interested for sure! You make it come to life and make me feel like I’m almost there with you! Great read!
I love the North Country and deeply appreciate the way you r portraying it on your blog.. It makes me want to go back more and more! Ty
Love this! Teaching has taught me that kids need more time outdoors to build the skills you’ve talked about. The bonds created through these outdoor adventures is like nothing else.
The hikes are a great idea!
This would be awesome to go on with my kids and husband its awesome
This is awesome!
What a wonderful idea! I’ve never been but would LOVE to go one day!! It is true that being active is definitely healthier!!
Sounds like a wonderful adventure! Thanks for sharing.
This sounds like a wonderful way to bond with your family. I am not usually an outdoor type person but reading all this certainly makes me want to consider doing adventures like this with my family. Thanks for sharing!
sounds awesome
My family is always looking for ways to avoid stress when planning and taking our summer vacation. These are great ideas that I will share with my wife and implement next week for our end of summer vacation. Thanks and love your products by the way. My kids listen to your CDs every night.
Great article and so true. I try to get my kids out of the house and enjoy nature as much as possible. In today’s electronic world, kids do not spend enough time outdoors! They are so stressed with State testing, and the changes with our educational system (not for the better).
Get out, ride a bike, hike, and enjoy nature!
Never considered vacationing in the Adirondacks before your article. It’s now on the bucket list!
This is a great share. i grew up in the outdoors and my absolute best memory, even now, is camping trips with the family. We carried on with that tradition with my nieces/nephews with a once a year week long camping/skiing/boating/swimming adventure at the lake. I was in the Air Force and would still take leave to come down and go. Sometimes my kids would get to come with me, depending on if they were with me or my ex at the time. Talking to my nieces/nephews, these adventures are great memories in their mind.
Thanks for sharing and I hope many people will take up this type of adventure with their kids.
This sounds like an awesome vacation! There’s some very neat ideas here!
Our kids love being outside and taking trips. I, like you am not the most adventurous, but after reading your post I think I can muster up a little more courage. Thanks for the encouragement and tools for our weekend trips.
Sounds like a great way to get away from it all and spend quality time with the family. The benefits that come from these activities are priceless!- for our children and for us adult kids too! Sounds like you had a fabulous adventure. Would love to get up to the Adirondacks again someday.
Living in the heat of Florida, hiking in the Adirondacks seems like a wonderful change from the tropics. I miss the mountains and I’m living vicariously through you. 🙂
The Andirondacks have special meaning to me as this is where family vacations started and bonding with cousin’s became fun and not just at family Holiday dinners dressed in holiday clothes. Here we were out in nature,with bodies of water learning water safety and fishing!!!!! Favorite memory was grandpa having my dad drive us to a dump site to watch the black bears eat… Our family was not the norm needless to say… So happy YOU had a wonderful adventure !!!!!!
Sorry I missed the article link https://medium.com/@tw_jaymount/are-you-looking-to-get-active-with-kids-2fcec46c0082
Regular exercise, with attention to your mental and physical fitness—especially in the outdoors, surrounded by nature’s calming effects—can bring you deep, restorative relaxation. This restorative relaxation is the immune-system boosting, stress-reducing kind—the kind you’ll never get on the couch, or even at the gym.
Great article! Outdoor activities really improves one’s health. I like the hiking the most, because it will also do good in developing self confidence and decision making 🙂 Here’s the reason why traveling makes you a happier person: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacada-travel/11-reasons-why-travel-makes-you-a-happier-person_b_6908918.html
This is definitely what me and my family need! I just hope I can get them on board with this idea. Kids nowadays are so into technology that the thought of going through a day without it gadgets would create havoc. Any tips on how to convince my kids? Great job on this article by the way.
If you keep the adventure interesting and they are busy learning they seem to forget about checking their cell phones. Some travel destinations use smartphones to compliment the tour event which puts the technology to good use. Thanks for writing in.