What Mom Really Wants for Mother’s Day

Rebecca P. Cohen | Last Updated: January 8, 2016

For me, Mother’s Day is the best with an outdoor experience that engages multiple generations. In my new book, Fifteen Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids, I describe a day trip to Shenandoah National Park for an easy one-hour hike with 4 to 64 year olds that turned into a blissful, three-hour adventure of meaningful time together. This year, I’m taking the same crew for a morning flat-water kayak experience at a local nature preserve that is sure to please everyone in the bunch, especially me!

It’s not too late to turn your family’s Mother’s Day into time outside that creates lasting memories:

15 Minutes Outside by rebecca Cohen — Rebecca Cohen's book provides parents creative ways to make the outdoors a part of every day.

No matter how old your kids are, what often matters most to Mom is a meaningful experience together as a family. Here are more outdoor gift ideas that don’t cost
much (if anything!) and are at the top of Mom’s list:

Take a scenic hike. With a basket of wildlife guides, binoculars, a magnifying glass, and snacks, plan an easy hike at a nearby local, state, or national park. If your children are small, a one-mile loop can be a fun and easy way to get fresh air. If you don’t know where to go, try the NatureFind to find the right park or trail for your family.

Prepare a picnic. Even with a blanket in the yard, taking the time to prepare a favorite lunch with lemonade and a bouquet of flowers shows your appreciation for all Mom does for the family every day.

Visit a garden. There are wonderful local gardens open for Mother’s Day and you can present this idea to Mom with some window boxes or hanging baskets with flowers that you planted for her.

Give Mom an adventure. Ask Mom what she has always wanted to do outside and take her. Whether going on a biking trail or visiting to a lake and renting a canoe, ask what would be most fun for her.

Excerpt from 15 Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with your Kids (Sourcebooks)

When my family is outside, we are laughing and having fun together. Here’s to making this Mother’s Day a treasured outdoor experience for your memory books.