Lily has always loved the outdoors.  When she was a baby and cried and cried.  When we didn’t know how to soothe her, there was one trick that she taught us early on.  We’d simply walk her out onto our balcony that overlooked open space, a lagoon and ducks.  The moment she felt the cool air on her face and could see the lagoon, she’d immediately calm down.  It was as though she inhaled some magic dust that immediately created peace with her shaking body.

Later, when she was a year old, I’d carry her in a backpack out to the beach with our dog, Griffin.  The salty ocean breeze from Playa Del Rey’s inlet would blow through her hair and she’d giggle uncontrollably like she was being tickled by a million fingers.  At three, the family went on an outing near Palm Springs.  We took the Palm Springs Aerial Tram up from the desert floor to show Lily her first real snow   It was a wonderful adventure for her to float above the desert and see the world from a moving tram.   We traveled up up the mountain several thousand feet to experience a winter wonderland  leaving 80 degree temperatures below.  Well, when we arrived at the top it was close to sunset.  We wandered into the woods on a cement path, and Lily was thrilled.  So thrilled that she began leaving the path and heading off into the woods on her own adventure.  At first, it was very heartwarming, seeing this little girl with tiny legs plodding through two feet of snow, slipping and sliding drawn mysteriously by some distant destination.  But, as the sun began setting and we were getting further and further from the man-made trail, I wondered if we’d be show up as one of those headlines “Father and young daughter found frozen on San Jacinto Mountain.”  I began reasoning with her about the approaching darkness, but she just kept repeating.  “Just over here, dad,”  as she headed further into the woods.  Eventually I was  able to convince her to return to civilization, and we made it back down to the parking lot safely before dark.

As we were leaving the trees and mountain,   I thought about Lily’s determined draw to go deep into nature, and the importance of acknowledging this desire in young children.  It reminded me of Richard Louv’s book “Last Child In The Woods”.   I believe this drive is a natural part of us at a young age – the ‘Call Of The Wild’, a natural attraction and desire to connect to all life on the planet. It was Lily’s birthright and instinct that was calling her to go deep into the heart of the forest.  It’s a beautiful quality that is often lost as we become ‘civilized’.  It’s a quality that seems to be growing stronger with this new young generation.  Perhaps, because these kids are more aware, on a deep level, that they must connect with Mother Nature, or we all could be lost.   As parents, I believe we can nurture and grow this innate, instinctual quality.  So often, we forget that a simple walk in the woods, a breath of fresh air, a trip to the beach can bring so much enrichment and enjoyment to a child.  We get wrapped up in the man-made world and our toys and gadgets.  To a child, some of the best ‘toys’ are a stick, a rock or a tree to climb.

This summer, we went camping, which is a great way for kid’s to go into the wild.  (See Karen’s 7/7 Blog “Camping Fun”).  We went with Lily’s best friend, Chloe, and her parents, Rob  and Nancy.   After finding a wonderful campsite in the redwoods outside of Mendecino, Karen read  Lily and Chloe a wonderful children’s book,  “We Are Bears” while we set up camp.  The book describes two baby cubs and a Mama bear’s, with lines like “we are climbers, we are searchers”.

On a hunt for food, the Mama bear encourages her cubs to “Trust in your senses… always trust your nose. Now, let’s see if you can find us something good to eat.”    After Karen had finished the story and we are busy organizing what was for dinner from our  store-bought packages, I look up to see Lily and Chloe playing “Bears”.  First, I have to tell you that Chloe is one of those children who is very selective what she’ll eat.  Like most kids, she loves bagels, candy, pizza, cookies… the fun stuff.   Her mom, Nancy, is constantly working on her to eat veggies, but that’s not usually too much fun.  But, on this day, deep in the forest, Chloe is no longer a little girl she’s a bear cub.  She’s climbing trees and playing with her mama bear, Lily, who is now out searching for bear food for her cub.  As you’ll see in the video, bears have no problem eating greens.  To a bear cub, veggies and green food are ‘fun’.  Chloe, the bear, sits contentedly devouring ‘sour flowers’, which her mama bear friend, Lily, has gathered in the woods.     Maybe playing outdoors and connecting to nature can help our kids understand that eating healthy can be also be fun.   We might also want them to understand that connecting too close to nature can give you poison oak. Lily the Bear is just getting over hers.   So, if your kids decide to play Bears searching for food, remember to let them know ‘Leaves of Three, let it be”.  Or, at least ask them to wear long pants!

Stay Playful,

Bryan