5 Tips to Get Off The Couch — And Get Outside!

The holidays are over. The prospect of three more months of winter seems, well, HORRIBLE. Everyday I seem to find more reasons to

  1. Tether myself to my couch
  2. Surf Twitter, Flickr and Facebook
  3. Catch up on my Netflix

This is especially sad, because I coordinate www.greenhour.org – NWF’s website that encourages kids and their parents to go outside. Shouldn’t I be able to resist the lure of the many screens in my home?

Yes – and, in fact, I WILL RESIST!

While working here, I’ve discovered amazing tools to get me off the couch and into the great outdoorsand I thought I’d share.

5 tips to make outdoor adventures part of your family’s winter routine:

  1. By Charlie ArchambaultLayer it up: Wear several layers of clothing. What keeps you warm is the heat you capture in between the layers! (Hint: Mittens are warmer than gloves, because fingers retain more heat when they touch each other.)
  2. Stay dry: Nothing chills you like wet skin. For optimal warmth, your base layer should be made of a material that wicks away sweat from your body. Popular fabrics include polypropylene and silk. Your outermost layer should be water- and wind-proof.
  3. Geocaching and Letterboxing: Now that you’re warm, look for hidden treasure (and get some fresh air at the same time.) There are about 20,000 letterboxes hidden in North America and 707,904 geocaches around the world. Go find one!
  4. Find nature nearby: Find a park or nature center near you, then head out for a walk. First, download a Wildlife Observation Checklist or a Nature Scavenger Hunt list to make it interesting.
  5. Watch the neighbors: Fill your birdfeeders and see what visitors come. Learn how to make a nesting box for your feathered friends.

HAVE FUN!