Ethan, Adrianne and I are excited to announce that we are teaming up with the National Parks Trust (NPT) and Northside USA to promote the 7th Annual Kids to Parks Day! Last year over 731,000 people pledged to go to a local, state or national park. We’re hoping this year’s event will be even bigger!
For Kids to Parks Day 2016, our group enjoyed a scavenger hunt as they hiked to Lake Solitude, located in Sunapee NH. It was the first of many short hikes for my young family last year and I’m hoping this year’s event will kick off another great season of family hiking! NPT encourages families to use Kids to Parks Day as the first of many days spent outdoors to help develop more active, healthy lifestyles. The day brings families together and exposes participants to the many physical, mental and social benefits of outdoor play, as well as creates some great memories! Here are some of our favorite outdoor memories from 2016:
On a personal note, those that read this blog know that I am huge believer in the mental and physical benefits of hiking and spending time outdoors. Over the last four years I’ve made an effort to share this with Ethan, hoping to create some lasting memories while encouraging his sense of awe, wonder and adventure.Through participating in this event and continuing to explore the outdoors throughout the year, I hope others will do the same for themselves and their children.
In an effort to help make the outdoors accessible for everyone, Northside USA has strived to manufacture quality footwear that families can afford. Northside is an independent, family owned and operated business that believes expensive equipment is not needed to enjoy the outdoors and that the right footwear helps get families outside. Northside has graciously given HikingGeek.com a promotion code good for 1 free pair of shoes! You can enter the raffle here to win this promotion code here: Northside USA Boot Giveaway!
To register and be counted on Kids to Parks Day, please visit KTP.org. Registrants are automatically entered into another giveaway (separate from the Northside giveaway above) and may win one of NPT’s cool prizes including a special camping package from The North Face (4 sleeping bags, tent, and duffel bag), a family hydration pack from CamelBak, a Jr. Ranger package (including an annual park pass) from Eastern National, or kids park and nature books from National Geographic! Northside is also offering a 25% off code to all Kids to Parks Day 2017 registrants. The code is good through May 20th .
We really hope you’ll join us or create your own adventure for Kids to Parks Day 2017!
Ethan, Adrianne & Lyndon
HikingGeek.com