When you live in northern Michigan like we do, there’s a strong sense of urgency when summer arrives. The season is short so we try to pack in as much sun and fun as we can, while we can.
Judging by the throngs of people at the beach, on the trails, out riding bikes, and on boats in the region, we’re not the only ones who have rushed out to soak in what the warmer days have to offer.Kids Crave Experiences Over Things, Too
You’ve probably heard about the research that shows that adults derive more happiness from spending their money on experiences than they do on things. Unlike material possessions that are satisfying at first, but quickly lose their luster, experiences get better over time. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University, conducted a study in which he asked people to report their happiness with major material or experiential purchases. Initially, people rated them about the same. Over time, however, their satisfaction with material objects decreased while their satisfaction with experiences increased.Gilovich explains that our experiences become a much bigger part of our identity than our possessions. “You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences,” he said.

This research really resonates with us. There is no doubt that our kids are more content and get along better with each other, and with us, when they are experiencing new things rather than playing with toys or watching TV at home. And it’s not the size of the experience that matters—they seem to be as happy at a local beach as they are on a spring break trip to a new destination.
Simple Ways to Create Outdoor Experiences
Spending more time outside as a family is great, but it’s not always easy. With all of the alternatives available to them, kids often resist the idea of a “boring” afternoon exploring with their parents and siblings. And it’s not always easy for parents to find the motivation or energy to pull things together for a family outing on the weekend. Here are a few ideas to help plan more fun, active time outside.Time is precious, and feeling the pressure of trying to plan something fun and adventurous while time slips away on a Saturday morning is not a good way to start the weekend. Just as you plan your shopping list, spend 30 minutes during the week mapping out your outdoor family activities. That way you can have a planned agenda, bags packed, and driving directions set in advance. Then you and your family can get out the door and off to your adventure with anticipation instead of stress.

If you’re motivated to raise kids that love the outdoors, you probably love the outdoors yourself. It’s important, therefore, to schedule your own time for outdoor recreation. It’s obviously more difficult to find that time once you have kids, but it’s necessary in order to stay motivated while nurturing your family’s love of nature. Plus, it’s good for kids to see their parents hurtling down the trail on a mountain bike, or cruising across the bay on a paddle board.