5 Ways To Get Your Kids Excited To Be Outside

Getting kids outdoors these days is much harder than it used to be. With television, Disney delights, video games, online kiddie sites, texting, Facebook, and Wii games, the outdoors seem like a relatively dull place compared to these technological temptresses.

Nature seems like weak competition for fast-moving avatars, peer-propelled instant texting, and lifelike video graphics. Or so it seems. Here are five creative ideas to get your science-saturated youngster excited about the outdoors.

Camping and Stars. Camping can seem like a major bore for most kids, but if you combine it with some of the universe's most powerful weapons, you have a fighting chance. Take the day to point out the things you so enjoy, but keep building to the big night surprise.

Mountainous areas and areas away from all the city lights offer outstanding views of the stars and galaxies. And if you do it in August, you can get an extra show with the annual meteor showers. The next day you can spend time learning constellations and make a game of finding them the next night.
Waterfalls and Rapids. Rushing water is, well ... a rush. Many waterfall areas allow people to walk in behind them, under them, and some you can even drive under, though walking will expose the little minds to the spray and power of the falls.

And there's nothing quite like shooting the rapids. Finding a good outdoor adventure outfit to spend a day trying to stay in the boat can give any child a healthy respect for nature's dominance. And don't worry if they start complaining during the "gentle" beginnings of a trip. Once they hit the first set of wild rapids, they'll be eager to do it again.

Bikes and ATVs. Mountain bikes, motorbikes, and youth ATVs can add an extra thrill and eagerness to be outside. Mountain bikes will require them to power the motion themselves and that's not a bad thing. The youth ATVS, while not exactly natural, can give the hardcore tech heads something to get excited about and they are designed for extra safety for the more timid.

Wildlife and Wildflowers. Sometimes all it takes is being able to observe nature's children. Moose, deer, fox, bears, and sometimes even big cats and wolves can be a thrill even the adults will never forget.

And if you hit the right time of year, a large swath of wildflowers is just breathtaking. Count the colors, petals and kinds, see how many they can name. The colors of nature's wildflowers will dwarf the colors they see on TV.
Caves and High Places. There's nothing quite like entering a mysterious cave or hiking up to the tallest peaks. Going into the creepy underground or viewing the world from great heights can make a memory of a lifetime.

So, no matter how technology appears to trump the outdoors, if you show your children the true power of nature, they'll be hooked.