Syd's Nature Kids

02/24/2026

02/23/2026

We hope to see some friends again Tuesday! It’s going to be a bit colder this week than it has the past couple weeks, but we’ll bundle up & still have fun! 🌲 Let us know who’s coming!

02/18/2026

Last year I read There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda McGurk, and one phrase has stuck with me ever since:

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.”

And I’ve found that to be SO true! Having the right gear has been a total game changer in getting us outside consistently. When we’re comfortable, it makes for happier kids + parents, longer play, fewer meltdowns, and more FUN rain or shine! 🌧️☀️

Here are two things that have made the biggest difference for us:

🧦 Wool undergarments
Wool is incredible for outdoor play in the winter.
• It locks in heat while still allowing the body to breathe.
• It wicks moisture away instead of absorbing sweat like cotton.
• It naturally resists odors — which means it doesn’t have to be washed after every single wear. (Mom win!)
• While it can feel expensive upfront, it truly pays for itself in durability and it holds up which means you can pass it down through your kiddos.

🌧️ A full rain suit
This one is a WIN-WIN.
Rain play becomes pure joy instead of a stressor. Puddles? Mud kitchens? Wet trails? Bring it on. And clean-up is so much easier — peel it off and you’re done. 🙌🏻 (Another mom win!)

Outdoor play doesn’t have to stop when the forecast changes. In fact, some of our richest sensory experiences happen in drizzle, snow, wind, and mud.

If you feel like the weather has been holding you back, I hope this post will help. 🫶🏽

02/17/2026

Just some nature kids enjoying the warmer weather & all the MUD! 👣🪣💦

02/15/2026

I love this post and it’s so true! “Deep play doesn’t need us to lead it, it needs use to protect it.” 🫶🏽

When we accidentally spoil deep play…

Earlier this week, I watched a child sit on the floor with a small collection of wooden blocks.

He wasn’t building quickly.
He wasn’t talking.
He was turning each piece slowly in his hands, testing balance, adjusting, trying again.

For several minutes, nothing else existed.

This is deep play — the kind where learning is sustained, purposeful, and deeply satisfying.

And then… it gets interrupted.

🔹 An adult leans in with a question:
“What are you making?”

🔹 Or joins in with their own agenda:
“Shall we turn it into a castle?”

🔹 Or the space becomes overloaded — more resources added, more choices introduced, more noise created.

The tower wobbles.
The child pauses.
The focus is lost.

Not because the child was finished —
but because the conditions for concentration were broken.

Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do is nothing at all.

No questions.
No redirection.
No adult ideas layered on top.

Just:
✨ time
✨ space
✨ trust

Fewer materials.
Fewer interruptions.
More observing.

Deep play doesn’t need us to lead it.
It needs us to protect it.

💭 A gentle reflection:
When a child is deeply involved today…
will I step in — or will I step back?

🌱 If this resonates, my Hygge in the Early Years™ training explores how to notice, protect and nurture deep play through calm environments and intentional adult practice — supporting children’s wellbeing and your own.

You’re very welcome to explore it when the time feels right.

02/15/2026

Meet at the red barn Tuesday at 3:30! Looks like we’re going to have some nice warmer temps too ☀️ With all the ice melting & now rain.. I’m expecting it to be very wet & muddy. Which makes for great fun!! Bring a bucket & shovel if you want!🪏🪣

Comment below if we should expect to see you 🫶🏽

02/10/2026

Today’s meetup! It was nice getting outside and seeing some friends! We even had a few spurts of warm weather when the sun wasn’t hiding behind the clouds. ⛅️

With all the snow melting there was no shortage of puddles for little feet to splash in! Thank you for everyone who joined!! 💙

02/04/2026

Our February hours outside have been off to a slowwww start but today we’re getting some time in!! It’s finally not so cold it hurts and this is the kinda snow we’ve been waiting for ❄️

02/01/2026

Local friends — is anyone interested in starting a weekly meetup? 🌳

My thought is 3:30-4:30ish over at Meeks Mountain on Tuesdays. We could do a hike or just let the kids run around. It would be a good motivator to get outside in these colder months and also good to have some time with other parents to build community. If you are interested please let me know and I’ll get something setup! 💚

02/01/2026

My January Reads 👇🏼

📖 Boyhood Resurrected

This book felt deeply meaningful and honestly pretty eye-opening. It takes a thoughtful look at how boys are wired to thrive — through adventure, risk, purpose, and meaningful responsibility — and how modern culture often works against those needs instead of supporting them. It provided practical insights on how parents can create environments where boys are challenged, needed, and encouraged to grow into strong, capable, and compassionate men. It left me thinking a lot about the kinds of experiences we’re prioritizing.

📖 Steal Like an Artist

This was a fun and inspiring read. It was a good reminder to stop overthinking and just make the thing. It reframed creativity as something built from inspiration, influence, and action rather than feeling pressured to always create something brand new. It referenced Ecclesiastes 1:9 — “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” which reminded me that we are all just adding our own creative spin to what already exists.

📖 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World

Oooof — this one felt like a loving but firm wake-up call. Technology is not what it was when we were growing up, and the risks facing kids today are deeper, earlier, and more complex than many of us realize. This book walks through the research in a really practical way and challenged me to think hard about screens, smartphones, social media, and the age we introduce them. It made a strong case that as a culture, we need clearer boundaries and more courage to say “not yet” for the sake of our kids’ mental, emotional, and social well-being. Definitely some tough love in here — but I think it’s pertinent for every parent raising kids right now to read. Especially those with tweens and teens!

01/26/2026

Anyone else feeling a little guilty that “all your child has done is play” *inside* the past couple of days?

I’m right there with you. And here’s the reminder I keep giving myself:

💚 Play is the work of childhood
💚 Boredom is a gift

In our house lately, we’ve had some very serious construction happening — pillow trains, clubhouses, roads, and block castles! This is the stuff of childhood! ✨

It’s so easy to feel like we should be entertaining our kids 24/7 or giving them something “more meaningful” to do — especially when our normal routines are disrupted.

But here’s the truth: play IS the meaningful work.

Play is problem-solving.
Play is creativity.
Play is emotional processing.
Play is independence.

You’re not slacking.
They’re not missing out.

They’re doing exactly what they’re designed to do.

10/29/2025

That’s a wrap on Syd’s Nature Kids — Fall Edition! 🍁

Our final session was all about pumpkins! 🎃 The kiddos explored pumpkin textures, scooped out the gooey insides, learned how pumpkins grow from tiny seeds, and even went on a pumpkin hunt!

Through play and exploration, they strengthened fine motor skills, sensory awareness, language development, and curiosity about nature’s life cycles.

I’m so thankful for every family that joined us this season! Thank you from the bottom of my heart 🧡