A Childhood in: San Diego, California

Gabrielle Fox lives with her husband Ryan, son Reed, and dog Rocky near Mission Bay in San Diego, California. Here's what she has to say about playing outdoors with her boy!

1. Please tell us a little about your family and about life in San Diego.

My husband Ryan and I met 11 years ago and we now have a 3 yr old son named Reed. I am a family & wedding photographer (Gabrielle Fox Photography) and Ryan works for a solar powered event & production company, (Alternative Power Productions). 

Places I can recommend in San Diego are Coronado beach, dog beach in Ocean Beach and Torrey Pines in Del Mar. Our favorite hiking trails are Mission Trails (in Santee, good for kids!), San Miguel Mountain (in Chula Vista) and Mt Woodson (in Poway). Torrey Pines has nice hiking trails too. 

2. What do you love most about the nature where you live?

Living in San Diego near the beach we are very beach-oriented. We go to the beach & bay multiple times a week. Our dog also loves going to dog beach. There are lots of hiking spots nearby that I am actively exploring. I'm looking forward to when my son is able to hike with me!

3. What are your son's favorite outdoor activities? 

Beach and water play, playing at the park, riding in his bike trailer behind our beach cruisers, and camping.

4. Do you have a tip for other parents on how to make nature-play more exciting for days when their kids are resistant to going outside?

Make an outdoor playdate with other kids, put together a fun game like a nature scavenger hunt.

5. Tell us about a nature project that your boy had a lot of fun with!

We collected fall leaves and made a collage. Reed brought his to school to show everyone.

6. What do you pack before heading outdoors?

Lunch and snacks, plenty of water... nothing fancy. If we're going to the beach we bring sunscreen and sand toys. But we like to pack pretty light!

7. Tell us about some of your most trusted brands for children's outdoor gear. 

The BOB stroller has been a god send... we still use it all the time and can go pretty much anywhere in it. When he was little I used to wear him in the Ergo carrier.

8. Who instilled a love for nature in you as a child, and how? Please share one of your favorite childhood memories of being in nature.

Growing up between Bolinas, California and Boulder, Colorado, I was exposed to nature quite a bit! Honestly, I didnt grow to love nature until I was an adult. I do have some fond memories of camping in the Sierras as a child, swimming in lakes, listening to Bob Marley and going to natural hot springs. My dad was the one who took us camping.

9. Why is the child-nature connection so important for your children? What do you hope they will gain and learn from it?

I hope that he will find a connection to the awe and wonder of god's creation. It is such a grounding and spiritual experience. I hope that he continues to enjoy exploring the ocean. Like I said, I grew to love nature later in life and now I can't imagine my life without a connection to nature. I hope that my son experiences it at an earlier age because I think it helps to grow up with nature as an outlet.

All photos courtesy and property of Gabrielle Fox, Gabrielle Fox Photography

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Outdoor Project: Sensory Play with Toddlers

A fun way to expose toddlers to nature is by introducing them to the different textures, smells, and even tastes of organic things. My friends and I held a playdate back when our children were toddlers and set up a circle of trays with different things for them to explore with their hands. 

Here are the things we used that day:

We knew that our kids were likely to put things in their mouths, so we made sure to only include items that were not toxic or poisonous. 

Don't worry if your child puts things like a pine cone, a leaf, or sand in their mouths, as long as you have collected these from areas where dogs and other animals don't frequent. 

Hope you have a great time with this sensory-play project!

COMING UP NEXT ON A CHILDHOOD IN NATURE:

Reed's Mama Gabrielle shares a little about their time in nature in California!

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Gear: Nature in a Baby Carrier / A Papa Post

Hi Readers, I'm Dawn's husband and Rafael's father, Ramon. I want to tell you about my experience using a baby carrier, mainly the Baby Björn.

We live surrounded by forest, with dirt paths that aren't always suitable for a stroller or buggy. I wanted to stay active, and didn't want to limit myself to flat pavement. As long as Rafael couldn't walk, using a carrier made it possible to off-road it comfortably, which made a huge difference in our every-day lives.

We had three different baby carriers, but the only one that fit my frame comfortably was the Baby Björn. I was really glad we found one that was easy for me to put on and that wasn't awkward for my body shape and size like the others were. I went on hikes with Rafael in two other brands and it was awful. We were both uncomfortable for most of the time, so we couldn't really relax and have fun. Having the right gear was key to enjoying the time I spent out in the wild with my son.

I went on countless walks with Rafael in his Baby Björn and we made beautiful memories. I especially loved doing pull-ups with him as extra weight, or getting a good workout from hiking with him in his carrier on sunny days. Being active outdoors is something I love, and it's a good feeling to know that I've shared that with my boy from an early age on. If you share things with your kid that you are genuinely interested in, they'll feel that. And your enthusiasm will be contagious. So I'm sure the love I have for the nature we have here has rubbed off on him.

I definitely recommend both parents or partners trying on the baby carriers before buying them. Every body frame is different, and not every carrier will be comfortable on every shape. So unless only one of you will be carrying the baby, definitely try to find something that is comfortable for everyone!

COMING UP NEXT ON A CHILDHOOD IN NATURE: Sensory Play with Toddlers!

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Indoor Project: Charting the Growth of a Narcissus

Buy some Narcissus bulbs (mine cost 99 cents a pot), add some moss, pine cones, and little toy animals, and tell your little one that they won't believe how fast those little green shoots will grow into sweet-smelling flowers.

If you want, you can add dramatics by waving a wand over the shoots before bed time and saying something like "Abracadabra, grow little shoots, grow!"

You'll have a nice little morning ritual for the next few days, measuring the height of your tallest stalk. We used three different colored pencils.

You will all be amazed at how quickly your plant grows.

As you can see, ours towered over the top of our 'chart' after only a few days!

COMING UP NEXT ON A CHILDHOOD IN NATURE:

My husband Ramon shares his experience using a baby carrier. (Hint: Mamas, unless you're the only one that's going to carry your baby, make sure you get a baby carrier that's comfortable for your partner too!)

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