Getting kids off the couch and outside is sometimes easier said than done, especially if you're raising your family in an urban or suburban setting where "outside" isn't necessarily all that pretty (or safe). That makes this handy list of ten ways to help your family connect with the great outdoors a keeper. Compiled by Tiffany of the Natural Family Living blog, these are expert suggestions from someone committed to sustainable living.
Ideas as simple as incorporating books about nature into the reading rotation, or tending houseplants if you can't manage an outdoor garden, are such easy ways to bring your kids closer to the world around them. I love the "build a birdhouse" suggestion, and I'd add an even simpler one: Get a hummingbird feeder. You won't be entertaining a variety of birds with it, but it's hours of entertainment nevertheless and you don't have to lift a hammer to make it happen.
Something that could have been fleshed out better on the list: exploring the state and national parks in your area. Many parks have "junior ranger" type programs where your kids can learn all about the various flora and fauna native to the area, and depending on where you live you may not even be obligated to sleep in a tent or eat over a campfire (some California parks, for example, have pretty great on-site restaurants and lodges). And if your local parks are close enough, ask about day programs. Last time we camped at a nearby state park, about half of the people attending the evening "campfire session" were locals.
