There is a reason why it is called the great outdoors.  Sometimes a family needs to just unwind and unplug the electronics for a weekend and embark on an adventure in the fresh air and open skies. Kids need to be introduced to nature now more than ever with a recent study revealing that a majority of children spend less time outside than U.S. prisoners.  With that kind of shocking research, it may be time to pack up the family and go away for a weekend.  Initially, your kids may have a meltdown to be away from the comforts of home, but you will be making memories as a family that will last a lifetime.

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TAKE YOUR FAMILY CAMPING

Sometimes there is no family vacation that is more simple and fun than a weekend camping trip.  All you need is a tent, some sleeping bags, and a destination.  Telling stories by the campfire and cooking some hot dogs and s’mores is a great way to bond with the family and the kids will love it too. There are a vast amount of campgrounds in any area of the country to choose from and many of them are free.  So get the car packed and have fun in nature.

GET TO THE WATER

Whether it is the local lake, river, swimming pool or water park, most kids love the water.  A weekend by your local watering hole is a fantastic way to bond with your kids.  If your kids are not swimmers or the lake is a little cold that day, you can always grab a fishing pole and find a spot to have great conversations with your kids while waiting for the fish to bite.

GEOCACHING

Can’t get away for a weekend?  Well geocaching is a great idea for a day trip and the perfect solution to get your kids out of the house and on a modern day treasure hunt.  The idea is simple:  you need a handheld GPS device (many phones have geocaching apps), a backpack to store supplies, and some caches to replace the caches you find.   

Once you have your supplies simply go to a geocaching website to find all the caches around your area and start hunting.  Not sure if there are any caches in your area?  According to tenrandomfacts.com, there are approximately 2 million current caches worldwide that have been hidden and the U.S. is a leader in the world of geocaching activity.

No matter if you travel near or far there are great ways to get the entire family out into nature.  After a few days or even a few hours in the fresh air, your kids will have memories and stories for years to come.