5 Reasons You Should
Take Your Kids to a Creek

When I was a kid I use to love running down the hill in our back yard and exploring the creek with my siblings. I don't know if it was the peacefulness, the exploring, the water or the freedom of no parents around that I loved the most. 

As I became older I still found creeks to be peaceful but creeks and I drifted away for the most part except for the rare occasion when they involved a rope swing or bridge jumping. 

Now that I am a parent I have found myself looking for the next creek to explore with my kiddos. So far every time my husband and I have taken the kids to the creek, they have had a blast. It is crazy how something so simple can bring such joy to a little one's face.

If you haven't been to a creek recently, you need to go find one. Just the peacefulness of a creek can bring joy to your day. Not only are creeks a good place to relax and enjoy nature but they can be fun for the whole family. 

Check out these 5 reasons you should take your kids to a creek:

1. It's Free

I haven't come across a creek yet that isn't free to play in. Yes some are on private property so you aren't allowed to trespass without permission but there are several public creeks that you are allowed to explore. 

Our town has a few creeks that the public can access, it's just a matter of knowing where they are and how to get to them. 

If you are clueless as to where to start, you can ask if anyone knows where any public creeks are in a mom group on Facebook. You can also check with your local forestry department or see if any of your friends own land with a creek you can check out. 

2. You are getting Outside

There are several benefits to getting outside such as breathing in the fresh air to taking in the Vitamin D from the sunlight to walking around and getting in a little exercise.

Sitting inside on the couch or at a desk all day everyday is no fun and can be bad for your body. It's always nice to take a break and go outside for a change of scenery even if it's only for a few minutes.

3. Family Time

Load your kids in the car, grab an ice water, some water shoes and head to the creek. Creeks can be fun for the whole family. There are several things you can do at a creek with your kids or you can just sit back and relax. If it's a nice day you can have a family picnic, don't forget to clean up after yourself!

A trip to a creek can be a fun family bonding experience. Put down your phone unless you're taking pictures and relax. A change of scenery, even if it's fo a few hours can be good for the whole family!

4. Exploring & Learning Experience

Like I said above, there are several things you can do at a creek. Aside from just walking around and looking at the creek, you can explore all that creeks have to offer.

• Go on a scavenger hunt

• See who can catch the most fish or crawdads

• See what animals you can find - frogs, butterflies, snakes, lizards, fish, crawdad, bugs, squirrels

• Look for animal foot prints

• Skip Rocks

• Build a tower or arch out of rocks

• Play in the water

• Have a picnic

• Relax and listen to the peacefulness of nature

• Explore

• Make nature calls

• Hike the creek and see if you can find a mini waterfall

• Take pictures

• Build a mini fort out of fallen branches

Creeks can be a very educational experience for your kids. Just being outside and exploring is great for helping little ones learn!

We found a pet pig on one of our trips to the creek. You never know what you are going to find!

5. Something To Do

When I ask someone what they did today, the majority of answers I hear are watched TV or played video games. Society is slowly becoming boring. Most people would prefer to sit inside and be bored or binge watch their favorite show than go outside. I don't necessarily blame them because some days, it's just way to hot to go exploring but as parents we need to do more with our kids.

Kids need to be able to explore, run off some energy and see all that the world has to offer aside from technology. By taking your kids to a creek, you are opening up a fun, new experience and allowing them to explore and see the world in a different way. The creek is something to do that is different and free so why not give it a try?

Hopefully this post has convinced you to take your family to a creek and go exploring. It doesn't have to be a huge creek, just somewhere that water runs over rocks and is surrounded by trees and animals will do just fine. A creek is a creek which will always be a fun place to explore over and over again because they are always changing and animals never stay in the same place for long. I hope your family has a blast at the creek and you get some much needed family bonding time in. 

Little sis doing what Big brother is doing.

Playing with his boat in the creek

J looking at the map to see what way to go.

J found some leaves to use as stencils and spray painted them.

Stencil design from the leaf...pretty cool.

Throwing rocks in the creek

Having a snack and resting

Below are some of the fun things we got to see on our fun shoreline walk along the creek

Waterfalls and crossing the creek in the shallow water

The shoreline had some unexpected wildlife and look around the bend - stepping stone to cross the creek

Small fish caught in the fishnet

Have a boat race down the creek

We went to Scott Run Creek in Mclean, Va and had a blast. This was the first time we took the kiddos to the creek, so I wasn't too sure if J would like it or not. C is pretty passive so wasn't too worried about her.

Well it was a hit, J had so much excitement that he was like a little boy on speed. We spent 2 hours there and he still didn't want to leave when it was time.

J thought this was the coolest walking in the water with his shoes

Look the boats are going down stream.....love it

How to Take Your Baby on a River Trip

Taking a tiny human floating seems intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be

High Five

Every March, when we’re sick of winter but too impatient to wait for spring, my husband and I drive to the desert to go paddling. The rivers of the Colorado Plateau run muddy with snowmelt, and the sun feels like heaven. Weather on these trips is variable—we’ve been snowed, rained, and hailed on—but the quiet canyons and starry nights are worth the gamble.

This year, though, there was an even bigger variable: our daughter Josephine, who was 11 months old and had never been in a boat of any kind. How would she react to spending hours each day in a canoe or raft? Would she sleep when nighttime temperatures dropped into the thirties? And was it foolhardy to take her so deep into the wilderness that you couldn’t easily hike out?

Still, as the snow continued to fly at our home in Colorado, I couldn’t stop daydreaming of a 45-mile stretch of calm water that flows through Utah’s Labyrinth Canyon. I’d been reading Alan Kesselheim’s book Let Them Paddle, about canoeing with his children, and the fact that he’d taken an eight-month-old on a month-long expedition down the Yellowstone River made my idea seem tame. For additional inspiration, I reread a few chapters from Mardy Murie’s classic memoir Two in the Far North, in which she takes her six-month-old on a four-month Arctic river trip in the 1920s, long before GoreTex and disposable diapers. Clearly, I rationalized, humans have been taking babies down rivers for millennia.

Despite those two books, there’s relatively little information about how to pull off a multi-day river trip with a little one. Apart from a few tips I gleaned from Murie and Kesselheim, we were mostly winging it. As I made lists and packed meals and stuffed clothes into drybags, I was slightly terrified that the minute we were stuck in the bottom of a canyon with a wailing baby, we’d regret leaving the house.

There were indeed a few times when we were stuck in the bottom of a canyon with a wailing baby. But I never once regretted it. Here’s how we pulled it off.

Buy a Good PFD

One of the smartest things I did when pregnant was to use my baby shower to convince friends and family to buy me fancy outdoor baby gear, including this bomber PFD from Level Six. This one is comfortable, doesn’t ride up, and will fit for several years. I also made my daughter wear it around the house for a couple weeks so that she was used to it before we got on the water.

Choose Your Destination and Boat Wisely 

First, your destination: You want water with easyrapids (Class I) or none at all, in an environment where you’re already comfortable with backcountry travel. Then, choose your craft. Kayaks are not practical with a baby. Rafts can haul lots of gear and people but are slow, heavy, and often have standing water on the floor, which means no dry place for an infant to hang out other than in your arms. Canoes, on the other hand, are practically made for babies. The gunwales are the perfect height for a standing baby to hold onto, the hull stays mostly dry and offers a solid surface for playing or napping on, and they’re easy enough for one person to paddle if the other needs to hold or feed the kiddo.

Learn A Paddle Sport

Any sport that requires two people to operate a single machine—like tandem bicycling or canoeing—is a fight waiting to happen if you don’t know what you’re doing. Before you push off with a baby on board, get on a local lake or river and practice paddling with your partner. Master the J-stroke, reverse stroke, and pry and draw, or consider taking an introductory course from an organization like the American Canoe Association. Once you get into the backcountry, there will be plenty of things to stress over; your J-stroke doesn’t have to be one of them.

Kayaking with a Baby:

Tips for Safe and Joyful Water Bonding

Aug 17, 2023 — The rulebook doesn't set an age limit. But, here's the deal: bringing a newborn or infant (0-12 months) on a kayak ride isn't advised.

Canoeing with Babies – The Basics

May 2, 2018 — Keeping snacks, treats, and water readily at hand is vital for the success of any canoe trip with toddlers along. I love my Stohlquist life ...

Give Stand up Paddleboard a Try

PRO TIP: Introducing your baby to SUP - Pau Hana Surf Supply

More Shore Ideas 

What’s in Our Day Pack For Hiking and Water Play With Babies and Toddlers?

We are often asked the question of, “What do you pack in your day pack when out hiking with your son?” This is a complex question since, as your child ages and develops the contents change. So, here’s a break down of what lies within our daypacks when out on wilderness excursions with our kiddos along from birth to toddlerhood! Download our printable day hike checklist Our 12 Essentials for Hiking Regardless of Age Water – Hydration Bladders or water bottles, just be sure to have plenty for everybody regardless of age. If you’re on a trail which has access to…

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Our Top Ten Favorite Adventure Books for Babies and Toddlers

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Give Yourself Extra Time

We spent five days covering just 45 miles (it's a two- or three-night trip for adults). That allowed for a layover day if the weather turned and gave us shorter days on the water, spread out over more time. It was tempting to try to do the trip in as few nights as possible to simplify the logistics, but I’m glad we didn’t. It took a few days to get into the groove of loading the boat each morning, paddling all day with the baby, and setting up camp in the evening, and we wouldn’t have wanted to be getting off the river just as we were hitting our stride.

Pack a Day Bag

When you push off from shore, most of your gear will be hard to access, crammed into drybags and tied to the boat. Make sure you have the essentials in one easy-to-access spot. For us, this meant a 30-liter SealLine Baja drybag that I stashed under my seat, packed with a warm hat and jacket, sunscreen, snacks, diapers, wipes, and a blanket.

Ditch the Cotton Onesies

Sometimes when I dress my infant in her synthetic Patagonia base layers I feel ultra snooty, even though I got them used from the company’s Worn Wear site. On this trip, though, they proved ten thousand times better than cotton onesies: breathable but warm, quick drying, and so durable that Josephine wore them every day on sand and mud and abrasive rocks with no discernible effect.

Take a Rescue Beacon

Emergency beacons—like a SPOT Satellite Messenger or Garmin InReach—let you to call for help from remote areas with no cell  coverage. They’re also not cheap. The Garmin costs $400, and the SPOT is $150 plus an annual or monthly subscriptions. But if I was ever in a sticky backcountry situation with an infant, I’d kick myself if I hadn’t invested in technology to activate a rescue with the push of a button.

Bring an Old Sleeping Pad or Car Seat

I had no faith whatsoever that Jo would nap in the canoe; she’s a fussy sleeper who struggles to drift off. But something about the quiet and the rocking motion lulled her right to sleep. I laid her on an old half-inflated Thermarest in the bow, draped a lightweight blanket over the gunwales for sun protection, and paddled in total bliss while she dozed.

For younger babies, we heard of parents who brought a car seat, put an umbrella over it, and let the baby snooze or hang out there while the parents paddled. If you go this route, make sure not to strap your child into the car seat. That way, if you accidentally flip the boat, your baby isn’t buckled to a heavy object that will sink.

Rock the Boat

The best advice we got was to bring a plastic bucket and fill it with rocks every morning. Apparently every baby on earth gets a kick out of throwing stones into the water from a canoe, keeping them distracted so you can paddle. On shore, too, they made the best play things. I brought a couple toys just in case, but Jo was way more interested in the local geology.

Without hesitation, I can say that our springtime journey through Labyrinth Canyon was the best river trip of my life. Not because of the water or the scenery, which were both plenty nice, but because I got to watch Jo discover the joy of traveling by canoe, tossing rocks overboard and watching the world go by.

When observing a rivers waterfall, help young children to notice its height, the volume of water flowing, the shape of the fall (cascading, plunging, or tiered), the surrounding rock formations, the mist created, any rainbows formed by the spray, the sound of the water, the vegetation growing nearby, and the plunge pool at the base; all of these elements contribute to the unique character and beauty of a waterfall. 

Key aspects to consider:

• Water flow: Is the water flow forceful and powerful, or gentle and cascading? 

• Rock formations: What type of rock is the waterfall falling over, and how does its shape influence the water's movement? 

• Plunge pool: Observe the size and shape of the pool at the base of the waterfall 

• Mist and spray: Notice how the falling water creates a mist, and if it forms rainbows in the sunlight 

• Sound: Listen to the roar or gentle rumble of the waterfall 

• Vegetation: What plants are growing around the waterfall, including any unique adaptations to the wet environment 

• Tiered falls: If the waterfall has multiple drops, observe how the water flows between each tier 

New York Waterfall Location Map

Over 2,000 waterfalls in over 600 locations across New York State, the map plots public, private, and unknown properties to help you find the falls you want to learn more about.

Another fantastic activity that we did this week was the making of waterfalls and river. There are so many waterfalls among the creeks, rivers near my home in the Finger Lakes. They have carved beautiful canyons or gorges that have been made into New York State Parks.

River Exploration and Frog Catching 

August is now in full force and many families have had children head back to school but for us we are grasping onto the last few weeks of Summer! This month’s theme for theNature Book Club is Ponds, Rivers, and Streams! 

We choose books about rivers and ponds to read and are particularly fond ofBy Pond and Riverby Arabella Buckley. You can listen to the audiobook via Librivox for free! The first chapter is all about frogs and then it goes onto share about other creatures who live in or near the pond or river. We have shared a tons of free pond resourcesand ways to learn about frog lifecycle in previous posts but today I am sharing an actual trip to the river!

We love exploring our county park locations since there’s over 20 places that we can walk, hike, explore and play. One of our family’s favorite is a paved bike path that goes along the river just a 5 minute drive from our house. We park in the parking lot and walk a very short distance to access the trail that leads down to the river.

Sometimes we bring the dog’s and other times we bring our nature toolbox, nets, and water boots so we can explore at the river’s edge. I tend to look at the ground to see if the mud is soft enough for animal tracks. I usually do not find much besides a deer or raccoon print. One time there was leaves, boot prints and a spider.

We check the water level of the river to see if it is safe enough to explore past the edge and possibly make it out to the island in the middle. My kids love going to the island to explore and feel all independent. Princess took Bayley over to the island and they both loved exploring. Bayley sniffed all around and Princess got to exercise her dog.

Big Red and Lil’ Red enjoy seeing what is in the water. Sometimes they explore using nets and other times they use simple water droppers and magnifying boxes.

One time we realized the “pebbles” on the ground were moving! We took a closer look and found tiny frogs were hopping all around. Of course the kids just had to catch them! Princess took one of our netsand off she set to catch one.

She got one of those little cuties and brought it over to show us! These little guys are just about full grown for their species.

Since we are long overdue to get back to the river we will prepare by listening to the audiobook in the morning and heading to the river after lunch!

Sensory Bin and Observation Notebooking Page from Jenny at Faith & Good Works
Pond Life Printable Pack from Emily at Table Life Blog
Above and Below a Pond Unit Study and Lapbook from Tina at Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus
Online Book Study about Water Cycle from Dachelle at Hide the Chocolate
STEAM Challenge – Does Water Ever Flow Up?from Erika at The Playful Scholar
Who Was?® What Was?® Where Is?® Book Series: Where is the Mississippi River?from Sharla at Minnesota Country Girl

Exploring the Shoreline

The Beach Sand Maintains and Restores Skin Quality

Walking on fine sand at the beach is just like going for a pedicure. Except it’s free. The sediment will help exfoliate the dead skin off your feet and body, keeping your skin smooth and healthy.

Why The Beach Is Actually Great For Your Health

What The Beach Can Do To Your Brain.

Two Items That Make the Beach More Enjoyable

Inflatable Beach Bags

I want to start by saying that these are fantastic but be warned, if you are an introverted bookworm like me, who hates drawing unwanted attention to yourself then you need to have a beach buddy with you.  Luckily for me, Paul is happy, or rather I should say whinged at until he inflates both beach bags whenever we use them and therefore, I simply stand back and let others watch as he swills the bags around filling them with air.

Trust me.  I know I have now painted an oh-so-not very glamorous picture, these beach bags take very little effort to inflate once you have figured them out and they have to be the most comfortable thing I have ever used. 

Just imagine, you no longer have to worry about sand-covered towels or hard sunbeds, these are like a bean-bag without the beans.  Plus, the added advantage of one of these is that once you are done you simply empty them of air and roll them back up, placing them back into the small carrying bags that they come in. 

This product really is a win-win in my opinion, being both sumptuous to relax on and compact.

Why not buy your very own Red Lazy Lounger so that you too can laze around in comfort next time you head to the beach.

The great thing about these bags…they also float!

Goggles and a Waterproof GoPro

I have a real dislike for the water and refuse point blank to put my head underneath the water.  I don’t care how beautiful a fish maybe I just can’t do it.  It is a phobia I have had since a child and now if the slightest wave knocks me over I am out of the water quicker than the Flash can run towards danger.

Paul, however, is a real water baby.  I often get so engrossed in a book I don’t even notice that he is back in the water either swimming miles out or looking at the life hidden beneath the waves. 

For this reason, we never head off to the beach without a set of swimming goggles in one of our rucksack along with his waterproof GoPro.  This way he can experience the glories of an underwater ecosystem up close and personal and then, thanks to the advances in modern technology, I get to see the striking images he has taken on his GoPro afterwards. 

Family Fun Stuff

If you live anywhere near the coast you can easily explore a shoreline, beach or tidal river, where you are bound to discover and find a wonderful array of fascinating sea life in the intertidal zone.
The intertidal zone is the area of land that in covered by water at high tide and is then exposed at low tide. It can be divided into 3 main areas high, middle and low. Sea life that exists in the high tidal area has to be able to withstand the impact of the waves, keep themselves moist and also be able to avoid predators so they tend to be hardy marine creatures with hard shells like crabs, barnacles and limpets.

You can find a handy guide for interesting things to look out for in the intertidal zone below as well as 17 fun, educational activity ideas for children of all ages to enjoy.

Safety note: please remember that children should be supervised at all times around open water. Please also be aware of the health and safety rules and restrictions of any area you visit.

1. SEARCH FOR SEASHELLS

The easiest and most obvious things to find in the intertidal zone are seashells. Seashells come from marine invertebrates like molluscs which are animals without a backbone. Instead of a backbone they have a shell which forms an exoskeleton to support their bodies and protect them from predators. They build the shells when they are young using sea minerals like calcium, carbonate and salt. When the animal dies it leaves behind its shell which can often get washed up into the intertidal zone.

When you stop to look closely for seashells you might be surprised by the variety of species that you can find. The Marine Biological Association have a brilliant free guide to identifying seashells that you can download here to print off and take with you on your adventures. Don’t forget to look closely at the patterns and textures of the shells as well. Often shells that look very similar in shape size and colour have very different patterns which is a good way to work out the species. You can find some fun activity ideas using seashells below.

* You can find some fun sea shell potato print ideas at the bottom of the page.

2. GO ON A SEA SNAIL SAFARI

Sea snails can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and you can normally find them clinging to rocks and other surfaces along the intertidal zone. You might be surprised to find that limpets are a type of sea snail along with periwinkles, whelks and top shells. How about going on a sea snail safari to see how many species you can spot. The Wildlife Trust have great photo guide to identifying sea snails here.

Limpets use their muscular foot (pictured below) to cling tightly to the rocks. They are mainly herbivores and they use a rasping tongue called a Radula (which is one of the worlds strongest biological structures) to scrape algae of the rocks to eat. Limpets sense vibrations if they sense danger they will suction themselves to the rock incredibly tightly in self defence.

3. MAKE A SEA SNAIL OBSERVATION BOX

Sea snails have a strong muscular foot which they use to crawl and climb around, they propel themselves forward using a combination of strong muscular wave like contractions and mucus. The mucus acts a lubricant reducing friction and also protecting them from rough and sharp terrain. This strong muscular foot also allows them to cling tightly to surfaces to protect themselves from predators and the elements.

You can observe a sea snails foot and the way it contacts and moves by making a simple snail observation box or window. All you need for this is a small recycled cardboard box and a firm sheet of recycled plastic. You can often use recycled food packaging for this,

First cut two windows into the back and front of the box. Then tape or glue the sheet of plastic packaging onto the front window. You need the plastic packaging to be firm and strong enough to safely hold a snails weight. It also needs to be clean and clear.

Finally find a sea snail and carefully and gently place it onto your observation box The children can then lie down and hold the box carefully up to look at the underside of the sea snail. If the slug seems to have securely attached itself to the plastic window you can also carefully tilt the box sideways to look at them from the side.

4. ENJOY CRABBING

There are more than 4,500 species of crabs in the world, 62 of which live in or around the waters of the UK. However you are most likely to only find the 5-8 most common varieties by the shore. There is great guide to identifying any crabs you find here. *You can also find some fun crab potato print ideas at the bottom of the page.

Like many crustaceans crabs shells are made chitin which is a hard wearing and tough substance. But you might be surprised to know that a crabs blood is actually blue because of the copper it contains. They also have 10 legs not 8 as many people believe. Crabs belong to a group of animals called Decapods which means 10 legs. Lobsters, shrimps, and prawns are also Decapods.

Crabbing is a great activity for children of all ages, they are fascinating creatures to find and there is always a lot of excitement when they scuttle about. You can either hunt for crabs by simply looking in rock pools or under rocks as the tide is going out. 

Or you can catch crabs in deeper water using a net, a crabbing line (make sure it doesn’t have a hook attached) and some bait. Leftover bacon or bacon rind is the best bait to use as most of the crabs in the UK are omnivorous meaning they eat both animal and plant matter. The best places for crabbing are often well known local spots along shorelines and tidal rivers. You can often can crab off pontoons, bridges, harbour walls, slipways or a jetty.

Please always handle crabs with care and let them go after a short while so they didn’t become too distressed (they blow bubbles when they are stressed). Crabs are often feisty and will pinch you in self defence, so if you want to pick one up its best to gently hold it either side of its shell or carefully pinch the back of crab in between too fingers so it doesn’t get hurt and it can’t hurt you. You can keep any of the crabs you catch in a bucket (filled with water from the location you are crabbing from) for a short while to observe. 

But remember to change the water or let them go every 10 mins or so, otherwise they won’t have enough air to breath. It’s also best not to overcrowd them as they will fight or become distressed if there are too many crabs together in a small space. You could also add in some seaweed or rocks to give them a bit of shelter to hide in.

5. Identify The Local Seaweed

There are over 600 species of seaweed in the UK which provide food and shelter to a variety of other marine and shore creatures that even the littlest of learners can discover and learn about. All you need to do is download the Big Seaweed Search Guide 

6. GO ROCK POOLING

Rock pools are a fantastic place to find a wide array of underwater sea life like goby fish, jelly fish, sea urchins, starfish and sea anemones Any sea anemones you find above the waterline may resemble jelly like blobs. This is because they have folded themselves inwards under a protective layer to shelter from the elements and would be predators.

When they are under water they unfurl their tentacles to catch food, the tentacles have stinging cells which allow them to paralyse prey. Sea anemones are one of the world’s slowest moving creatures, they mostly attach themselves to a surface and remain there. However they are also one of the longest living marine animals and have the ability to clone themselves.

If you get lucky you may even spot some jelly fish. The most common jellyfish to find on UK shores is the Moon jelly fish which mostly drifts with the currants feeding on plankton. You can identify them by the four circles on the under side of the dome, these circles are actually the reproductive organs. Did you know that jellyfish don’t have brains, hearts or blood and they are 95% made of water?

7. GO FOSSIL HUNTING

A fossil is the preserved remains, imprints or impression of a once living thing like as animal or plant. Did you know the word fossil comes from the Latin word ‘fossilis’ which meant “obtained by diggin” A good place to find small sea fossils is in flint. Flint forms in layers of chalk and is easy to find in the South of England and Essex, you will often find that most of the pebbles on beaches and gardens in these areas are made of flint. Chalk itself is formed from layers of mud and tiny sea creatures that have died and fallen to the ocean floor.

Over millions of years these layers of mud and sea creatures are compacted into chalk. As the chalk compacts it squeezes seawater containing silica (dissolved quartz) into any cavities, gaps or spaces around it forming nodules and layers of flint. Sometimes the flint nodules forms around a small sea creature or shellfish like a sponge (above) or sea urchin below), preserving them in the flint as a fossil.

8. MAKE NATURE ART

Nature art (also sometimes called land art) is a wonderful nature activity that encourages creativity and fine motor skills in children of all ages and abilities. All you need is some imagination and natural materials like pebbles from the shore to create pictures, shapes and patterns with.

Or if you are on a sandy beach you could simply draw and write in the sand, using your fingers or a stick to make patterns and pictures or practising writing skills. Or how about using a combination of materials and marks to make your art.

9. ROCK BALANCING

Rock balancing is also a great activity for developing fine motor skills, coordination and concentration. We find it really therapeutic and good for mindfulness. Simply find rocks of any shape or size and have fun balancing them on top of each other in towers pyramids or to make mini walls. It’s also great fun to knock them down again afterwards.

10. MAKE SHADOW CHARACTERS

Shadow characters are so easy and fun to make on a sunny day. Just draw some simple funny faces or expressions in the sand and then line your shadows up over them. You can then move about in different positions to bring your shadow characters to life. You could also take photos of all the different characters and scenarios you create.

11. SEARCH FOR ANCIENT SEA GLASS

Sea glass is glass that has been weathered an worn down by the sea, a process that can take anything from 20-200 years for the glass to become fully smoothed and frosted by the ocean. The sea glass can come from anything like broken bottles and other rubbish dumped in the ocean to glass windows and tableware from ancient shipwrecks. Safety note: please supervise children when collecting sea glass and make sure they don’t accidently pick up any sharp or newly broken glass.

You can often tell where a piece of sea glass may have come by it’s colour. The most common colours green, brown, white and clear normally come from alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks bottles. Lime green can come from1960’s soda bottles and forest green and soft blues are most likely to be from 19th centaury medicine, ink or soda bottles.

Jade and amber coloured sea glass are more uncommon and are likely to come from old whiskey, spirit and medicine bottles. Other uncommon colours include purple, cobalt and cornflower blues from Milk of magnesia, vicks vapour rub and poison bottles and opaque white which comes from early milk bottles, The rarest colours to find are grey, pink, red, yellow, teal and black. Black sea glass is glass that had iron slag added to it to increases it’s strength and protect liquids sensitive to light damage such as wines. spirits and medicines.

12. BUILD SANDCASTLES AND SAND SCULPTURES

Sandcastles are so simple to make for children of all ages. Simply fill a bucket or container with sand. Pat the sand down firmly and then turn the container over. Tap the bottoms and gently squeeze and tap until the sand comes away from the bucket or container to form a sand castle. Have fun decorating you sandcastles with any natural materials you can find like shells, stones, sticks and seaweed. Or simply enjoy knocking them down and building them back up again.

If you are feeling really adventurous you could try sculpting and shaping sand into different animals, figures, objects or patterns and shapes. You could also use found natural materials like shells, stones, sticks and seawards to give your sand sculptures extra details.

13. MAKE NATURE COLLAGES.

Making nature collages is a fun activity for children of all ages and abilities. It encourages creativity and helps develop fine motor skills. All you need is some paper or recycled cardboard, Firstly you need to draw or paint simple sea creature pictures onto the paper or cardboard. Next collect as many natural objects as you can find on the shore for your collage. You could use leaves, stones, seashells, driftwood, feathers or seaweed. Arrange the materials on top of your picture in any way you like. You could make a frame or a pattern on top of the picture or you could create a mini sea scape for your creatures to live in.

14. MAKE NATURE ART FRAMES

Nature art frames are really simple to make, fun to play with and create some wonderful images. You just need an old piece of cardboard a pen and some scissors. We hate to waste anything and recycling and reusing materials is one of many small things we can all do to help the environment. So instead of chucking used cardboard boxes we like to find ways to use them in crafts and activities.

All you need to make a nature frame is to draw a simple shape or picture like a fish onto cardboard. Your shape or picture should have at least 1- 2 easy to cut out sections that you can then look through. When you have cut out the see through sections of your frames, you can take them outside to hold them up against any of the interesting natural objects, textures, patterns and shapes you can see, like the water, shore, sky, trees, flowers and grass for example.

The picture you see or create with the frames changes as you move the paper around. Its fun to see all the beautiful patterns, shapes and colours of nature bring your pictures to life. You could even take photos of the nature frames as you go to capture the artwork and pictures they create.

15. LOOK FOR HEART SHAPED STONES

Heart shaped stones are often quite easy to find on stone and pebble beaches. You can give them as little love tokens to friends or family or keep them as mementos of your adventures. You could even write kind messages on them and hide them for others to find.

16. FIND ROCKS AND PEBBLES TO PAINT

We love finding painted pebbles and stones when we are out and about, it’s wonderful to see the creativity and love that people put into them. You can easily find pebbles to decorate yourself by looking in your garden, on a nature walk or along the shore. All you need then is some paint or permanent markers to paint or draw colourful designs onto the pebbles or turn them into animals like bees or food like strawberries.

Once you have finished painting your pebbles you could use them in pretend play, as games counters or hide them in your garden and have a treasure hunt. You could even join a local rock finding group where you show pictures of the rocks you have made and invite people to find them in a local park or a safe, easy to access place. Who knows how far your rocks may travel and the adventures they might have may have along the way. *Safety note please be aware of the choking hazard of pebbles with smaller children.

17. FIND SHELLS AND STONE WITH HOLES IN FOR CRAFTS

Stones and shells that have holes in them are great for making jewellery. You simply thread them onto string, ribbon or wool. (Which is another great activity for developing fine motor skills.) You could also tie a threaded string of shells and stones onto a forked branch/stick to make a stick rattle. This is great fun to play with as it makes a fantastic noise and you can use it in games or as a musical instrument.

Or how about tying strings of threaded shells and stones onto a stick to make a mobile. You could even make a Rainbow stick mobile by painting 6-7 sticks in the colours of the rainbow. When they are dry you then tie them together using a piece of string, ribbon or wool and then you hang your strings of seashells underneath to look like raindrops.

                                               Try A Sealife Safari

WHAT WILL YOU FIND? 

In honour of world oceans day, we set out on an walking adventure searching for sea life on the shore with friends.

The first thing we found was a giant jelly fish washed up on the shore. We turned it over carefully with our boots to get a better look (you must never touch them with your hands) and the cap was surprisingly heavy and solid.

There were also hundreds of winkles, limpets and barnacles and lots of seaweed and shells along the tidal area.

We spotted oysters, mussels, clams and whelks amongst the numerous shells on the shore. Most where empty but we did find a few living creatures still in some of them.

When we turned over large rocks by the waters edge we found lots of crabs in different sizes and colours. It was interesting watching how well they could rehide and camouflage themselves amongst the stones.

We also found these little Goby fish in some rock pools. (We handled them very carefully and put them straight back in the water where we found them)

All in all it was a very successful sealife safari, the children had fun exploring and playing on the shore and there was a lot of excitement every time they found or discovered anything.

On the way home we stopped by the duck pond near the shore to look at all the adorable, fluffy baby ducklings, goslings and cygnets.

Identifying shells and rock balancing on the shore 

Exploring the shore 

Anyone up for catching Crabs?

Crabbing is a great activity for children of all ages, they are fascinating creatures to find and there is always a lot of excitement when they scuttle about. You can either hunt for crabs by simply looking in rock pools or under rocks as the tide is going out.

WHERE TO CATCH CRAB

Several species of crab can be found in saltwater and freshwater bodies throughout the United States.

Some of the most popular saltwater crabs to catch are the king and snow crab, which are common in Alaska, Dungeness on the West Coast, and the Atlantic blue crab, also commonly known as the Chesapeake blue crab. Saltwater crabs tend to like shallow, marshy areas so consider destinations like brackish rivers, bays and inlets. And while you can crab by boat, the great thing about crabbing is that you can have just as much success from land. Crab prefer to be near structures, so when planning your trip, look for spots like docks, piers, and jetties.

Freshwater crabs like fiddler and red crabs are best fished in shallow water near land. Common places you’ll find these species is along the shorelines with places to hide, such as beaches with logs, boulders or grass. Rocky reefs are another popular habitat.

CRABBING EQUIPMENT

What makes crabbing a great activity for beginners is that you don’t need a lot of special equipment. The simplest way to catch crabs is with a dip net. Another easy method is to drop a fishing line with bait at the end. Simply wait for a tug then pull the crab in, catching it in a net. The only downside with the line method is that you can only catch one crab at a time. For a greater take, you may want to use a crab trap.

Crab traps are wire cages attached to a long rope that are lowered to the bottom of a body of water. Depending on your preference – and budget – there are many different types that can be used effectively, including crab rings, pyramid traps, standard square style and more. With any of these, you’ll secure the bait inside with line, wire or a clip, which will attract the crab to walk into the trap. Once you set your trap, you just sit back and wait. A good rule of thumb is to check your trap every 15 to 30 minutes.

When you bring up the trap, you’ll want a net or bucket to contain the crab and keep them from scurrying away. You may also want to get a pair of crabbing gloves to avoid getting pinched.

BEST BAIT FOR CRABBING

Crabs are scavengers, which means you have a lot of possibilities for bait when crabbing. While there are many types, fresh bait tends to be best, and the smellier, the better, since crab will go after pungent options. Some good choices include raw chicken or turkey, fish carcass, and razor clams. You can even use hot dogs!

Exploring the shore – Activities and ideas

Seaweed Activities for Families

Did you know there are over 11,000 species of seaweed in the world, 600 of which can be found in the UK. Seaweed provides food and shelter to a variety of marine creatures as well as producing oxygen, capturing carbon, absorbing toxins and in some cases even reducing the acidity of sea water.

You might be surprised to find that seaweed isn’t a plant, it is actually a type of algae. Seaweed doesn’t use or have stems or roots to transport nutrients or water from the ground to its system. Instead it uses its cells to absorb or develop what it needs from the water as well as absorbing energy from the sun and convert it into food using a process called photosynthesis. A by product of photosynthesis is oxygen which gets re-released back into the atmosphere an amazing 40-50% of the oxygen in our atmosphere is believed to be produced by seaweed.

As seaweed doesn’t have roots it anchors itself to surfaces using a structure called a holdfast instead. Seaweed can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. However they can generally be grouped into three main categories of red, green and brown. They can survive in a variety of marine habitats from rock pools and shore lines, on rock beds along coastal line and even sometimes free floating in the ocean.

Some varieties of seaweed are edible and are considered good sources of nutrients like fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Seaweed has been used throughout human history as a source of food and medicine as well as being utilised for industrial purposes. From paper coatings, adhesives and dental moulds to food additives, fertiliser and edible packaging.

You can find lots of fun seaweed activity ideas below to explore and learn more about this amazing algae.

1. IDENTIFY THE LOCAL SEAWEED

All you need to do is download the Big Seaweed Search Guide here and then visit the seashore with boots, a set of salad tongs(or gloves ) and a bucket. It's amazing how interesting seaweeds can be when you you are not touching them while exploring the different colors, shapes, and funky textures. Drop some in your bucket to explore more, identify, or use in art or for for a side dish for dinner.

2. CREATE A SEAWEED SCRAP BOOK

Collecting and drying seaweed to place in scrapbooks was a popular Victorian past time, especially for women who weren’t often allowed to take part in natural science activities. Even Queen Victoria enjoyed creating a seaweed scrap book as a young girl. All you need for this activity is a scrapbook and pliers or a stick to pick up the seaweed with and carefully arrange it on the pages. You can then leave the seaweed to dry as it is or place blotting paper on top and sandwich it between the pages of the book to dry flatter.

3. MAKE SEAWEED NATURE ART

Nature art is a great outdoor activity that encourages creativity and fine motor skills. It is also a fun and engaging mindfulness activity. Simply collect as many natural objects as you can find around you. You could use seaweed, sand, stone, driftwood, seashells, leaves, grass, bark, fallen fruit and flowers. *But pretty please don’t pick any wild flowers, only collect ones you have grown yourself or fallen ones you find on the floor. Then arrange them into shapes, pictures or patterns.

If you take photos of the nature art you create you can then print them out later as artwork, learning resources or even turn them into cards to give to friends and family. You could also make nature art letters, numbers and words to use as learning prompts for English and maths games.

4. MAKE A SEAWEED SENSORY BOTTLE

You could easily make a seaweed sensory bottle using a recycled bottle filled with seawater and seaweed. Just make sure the lid of the bottle you use is securely fastened or glued on so little hands can’t open it and make sure to chuck the contents of the bottle away after a week or so.

5. MAKE A SEAWEED SUNCATCHER

We love making suncatchers, they are so pretty and effective. To make a suncatcher you will need some clear flat plastic packaging. We hate to waste anything and recycling and reusing materials is one of many small things we can all do to help the environment. So instead of chucking used packaging we like to find ways to use them in crafts and activities.

Paint a thin layer of pva glue over the sheet of plastic and then arrange the seaweed on top in any shape, pattern or position you like. When you have finished arranging the seaweed simply leave it to dry. Hold it up to the light or a window and voila your sun catcher is finished, it really is that simple. You can also add ribbon, wool or string to them to turn them into hanging decorations to place in windows, walls or hang them from trees.

6. MAKE A SEAWEED NATURE COLLAGE

Making nature collages is a fun activity for children of all ages and abilities. It encourages creativity and helps develop fine motor skills. All you need is some paper or recycled cardboard, Firstly you need to draw or paint simple pictures or marine animals onto the paper or cardboard like fish. Next collect some seaweed and arrange it over the picture to create a seascape or scene.

7. MAKE A SEAWEED VASE OR LANTERN

To make a seaweed lantern all you need is a glass jar, pva glue and some seaweed. Simply paint a thin layer of pva glue over the outside of the jar and then arrange the seaweed on top in any shape, pattern or position you like. When you have finished arranging the seaweed simply leave it to dry.

When the glue has dried you should have a beautiful stained glass effect. You can then either use the jar as vase for flowers or a pencil pot . Or you can place a tealight candle in it, to turn it into a beautiful lantern. Be careful to supervise children as the glass can get hot and never leave the lantern unattended as its a potential fire hazard.

Potato printing is a simple activity for children of ages, all you need is a potato cut in half, a bit of inspiration and some paint to get started. You can find lots of easy sea life potato print ideas below for inspiration. From rainbow fish and crabs to jelly fish, seashells and seaweed.

9. SEAWEED STICK PEOPLE

Making stick people is a fun and easy activity for children of ages where you can use any sticks and branches you find to create fun and interesting characters. You can easily bring the sticks and branches you find on walks to life by giving them faces and different expressions using just marker pens or paint.

Older children and adults could also remove the bark at one end of the stick or branch using an old vegetable peeler (Adult supervision required) or sand paper to create a smoother surface to paint and draw the faces onto. You could also give the figures hair and clothes using found materials like seaweed and shells.

10. SEAWEED ICE PLAY

Ice play is a great activity for children of all ages. It is so quick and simple to make and you can easily add extra sensory elements using seaweed, scented herbs, flavoured oils, colouring and textured natural materials. 

Just be careful using seaweed in ice play with younger children as some seaweeds can be toxic and carry bacteria so they shouldn’t be ingested or go anywhere near mouths. This activity is only recommended for older children who should be supervised at all times.

11. MAKE FAKE SEAWEED

It is so quick and simple to make your own fake seaweed for sensory, educational and creative activities. Simply cut crepe paper or fabric straps into wavy strands and fronds and layer them together to create a bed of seagrass.

12. MAKE SEAWEED BOTANICAL DYE

The process of making botanical dyes is very simple, you can easily create some beautiful coloured botanical dyes yourself using just foraged seaweed, plants and vegetable scraps. You can then use it to colour fabrics like cotton, linen and wool or materials like paper, card and wood. Natural dyes are also a wonderful, environmentally friendly alternative to man-made synthetics. You can find a full guide to making botanical dyes here.

How To Have A Safe Lake Trip With Your Baby

Table of Contents

• Purchase an infant PFD (personal floatation device)

• Safeguard against dehydration 

• Avoid Peak Sun Exposure 

• Find a location with shade

• Protect their skin when in the sun 

• Protect their eyes

Purchase an infant PFD (personal floatation device)

A popular lake day activity is boating. While babies are able to board, they too must follow the state laws. Most states require that everyone on board have a PFD. The Stingray Infant PFD is a great choice because it is US coast guard approved and uses bright colors so your baby is easily visible. In addition to these necessary features, this life jacket is made from a durable and quick-drying Nylon fabric with quick-release buckles.

Even if you don’t have plans to boat, it’s best for a baby to wear a PFD anytime they are in the water.

Lifejackets- Babies under 35 pounds are not big enough for a baby lifejacket. They can suffocate if they slip inside the lifepreserver without you knowing.

Safeguard against dehydration 

During a hot day, it’s easy for adults to dehydrate quickly. This is even more true with infants. Come prepared with extra bottles or plan to nurse more frequently if currently breastfeeding. If your baby has reached the age where they can start eating solids, consider bringing a couple of servings of food that are travel-friendly. A great example of this is fruit/veggie pouches. 

Read more- How To Successfully Vacation In Ft. Lauderdale, Florida With A Baby

Avoid Peak Sun Exposure 

A lake day might look a little different with an infant because of the fact that you’ll want to avoid peak sun exposure. These hours generally fall between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Getting an early or late start to the day might also be a great way to beat the crowds! If you can’t avoid these harsh, daylight hours, read below for some additional tips.

Find a location with shade (or take shade tents)

One of the first things you’ll want to do when getting to the lake is finding a great spot with plenty of shade. No sunbathing for the baby! In addition to finding natural shade given by trees, feel free to bring a sun canopy or umbrella that has UPF protection. Trust us, keeping cool not only protects their delicate skin, but it will help with their mood! 

Protect their skin when in the sun 

You probably don’t want to hide out in the shade all day at the lake. This is when you need to be especially careful about sun exposure. The US FDA recommends avoiding sunscreen for infants that are under the age of 6 months. Choose UPF clothing that covers them as much as possible. In addition, always keep a sun hat on your baby that protects not only the tops of their heads but the back of the neck and ears. 

Read more- Baby Travel Essentials For 0-12 Month-Old Babies That Will Save Your Vacation

Protect their eyes

While baby sunglasses don’t seem to be the most practical item to bring to the lake, they can be very helpful! Recent reports have suggested that babies’ eyes lack the ability to block UV rays to the same degree that grown adults can. These may be foreign for a baby to wear so practice several days before getting your baby used to feeling them on. 

Wind Direction Watcher

Build this wind direction watcher and you'll be able to see the wind blow!

What You'll Need:

• Piece of cardboard

• Marker

• Tape

• Small mirror

• Compass

Swoooosh! There goes the wind ... and now you can see it!

Step 1: Mark out north, south, east, and west on the outside edge of a piece of cardboard. Include other directions, like northeast, if you like.

Step 2: Tape a small mirror to the cardboard so that the compass directions form a circle around the mirror. Now you're ready to chase the wind!

Step 3: Place your cloud chaser on the ground so it faces north. You can do this by matching north on your cloud chaser with north on your compass.

Step 4: Lie next to your cloud chaser and watch the reflection of the clouds in the mirror. Once you see which way the clouds are moving, you'll know that's the same direction that the wind is blowing.The next activity is sure to give your imagination a workout

Exploration is key to increasing our understanding of the ocean, so we can more effectively manage, conserve, regulate, and use ocean resources that are vital to our economy and to all of our lives.

3 Ways to Explore the Underwater World

Did you know that sea sponges are older than dinosaurs? Or that thresher sharks use their long tail to stun their prey? The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface… That is a lot of water for us to explore!

Whether it is from under the water or from the surface, there are many cool ways that you can explore the ocean and all of the interesting things that live there.

If you are an experienced scuba diver who wants to enjoy the underwater world in fun new ways, or if you are a nervous newbie who has never even dipped a toe in the ocean, we have got you covered. We have three exciting ways that you can explore the ocean, no matter who you are or what your experience level is.

Because where there is a will, there is a wave!

1.Snorkeling

Snorkeling is a simple and really fun way to explore underwater. You just float at the surface with your face submerged, and look down to watch the marine life.

You only really need two pieces of equipment to snorkel: a mask and a snorkel. A snorkeling mask is similar to swimming goggles, except it also has a part that covers your nose. Masks come in various styles, sizes, and colors, the best way to select the right mask for you is to try a few different ones on and see which feels the most comfortable. The snorkel is a plastic tube that can be attached to the mask. One end of the snorkel stays in your mouth, and the other above the water. This is how you breathe while you have your face in the water.

Other pieces of equipment could be added to improve your snorkeling experience, such as a buoyancy aid to make floating easier, fins to wear on your feet to make kicking more efficient, and perhaps a wetsuit if you are snorkeling in colder waters.

If you plan to go snorkeling in a new place, it is a good idea to join an organized snorkel tour or seek a snorkel guide. Local scuba diving centers can usually arrange this for you. Never snorkel alone, especially if you are unsure of currents, tides, or weather in that area.

Snorkeling is ideal for people who are new to exploring the ocean, and for children as it is easy to do, low-risk, and it is inexpensive.

2. Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is a little more adventurous than snorkeling, but can still be enjoyed by people who are nervous or inexperienced in the water. You just have to be able to swim a short distance, and be over ten years old to start learning to scuba dive.

Scuba diving is a way to explore the ocean from depth, and still breathe air as you go. This allows you to see a lot more than snorkeling and get a closer view.

The basic equipment required for scuba diving is a mask and snorkel, fins, a tank of air, a buoyancy control device (a jacket that can be inflated and deflated underwater to keep you at the desired depth), and a regulator (tubes that connect the air from the tank to your mouth and to the BCD). A wetsuit may also be desirable.

Scuba diving can be strange at first but soon becomes very relaxing. It is an incredible way to spend a long time under the water. Scuba diving is fun, and easy once you know how, but it requires a certain amount of safety and technique that has to be learned. As a beginner, your two main options are:

Try Scuba Diving: The SSI Try Scuba Diving program is a taster of scuba diving, without having to commit to the full first course. If you sign up for a try dive, your instructor will first introduce you to your equipment and explain a little about how scuba diving works. Then you head to the shallows to give it a go. You start with some simple skills, and then you are scuba diving! The instructor stays very close to you the entire time and you can relax and enjoy the view. The maximum depth for this program is 12m deep.

Open Water Diver: The SSI Open Water Diver course is the first real step in your scuba diving journey. After you complete the course you are certified to dive recreationally for the rest of your life. During this course you learn a variety of skills that prepare you for scuba diving, as well as vital safety practices, and lots more. It is information-packed, and super fun! The maximum depth you will be certified to is 18m deep.

After your Open Water Diver course you can go on to do many more courses if you wish. There is always more to learn!

3. Freediving

Freediving is the practice of holding your breath underwater. Most people learn how to freedive so that they can explore the ocean, but some go on to compete in freediving competitions, or use it to improve their spearfishing.

Freediving is an excellent way to see the underwater world, it allows you to dive down and stay underwater for a while. It is obviously important to learn how to do this in a safe way, and to always freedive with buddies. If you would like to start freediving, your first step would be to take a course. Similar to scuba diving courses, you will learn a lot of information about technique and what to do in a diving emergency. Here are your two main options to get started:

Try Freediving: Similarly to the Try Scuba Diving program, the SSI Try Freediving program allows you to have a taster of what freediving is all about. You will learn some basic theory about equipment, equalization, and breathing techniques, before hitting the confined water to give it a go with an instructor close by.

Freediving Level 1: The SSI Freediving Level 1 course is the first proper certification on your journey as a freediver, you will learn in depth knowledge about freediving, as well as vital safety procedures.

There are further courses that you can go on to take, and steps you can follow once you are certified as a Level 1 freediver.

Another form of freediving is mermaiding. If you would like to become a real-life mermaid, we have a course for that too (a few courses actually). The SSI Mermaid courses teach you skills to use a mermaid tail efficiently and elegantly underwater, while staying safe.

Those are the three main ways to explore the underwater world. Which one will you choose?

Read further for deep dive into the ocean’s influence on
 our mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.

"I find comfort in the rhythm of the sea.” 

Have you ever stared out at the ocean, totally in awe of its size and beauty, and felt a deep connection with it? This is not uncommon for most of us, as our emotional relationship with water and the ocean is largely unconscious and likely dates back to the origin of our species. In fact, many scientists believe the human species originated in the ocean and that humans were once  semi-aquatic.

As humans in the 21st century, we still maintain this unconscious, biological connection with water because of how our bodies developed. We all began our lives immersed in the fluid-filled environment of the womb. When we were first born, our bodies contained around 70% water with concentrations within the brain reaching 80% water. As we age, this percentage drops, however, the density of the human body and water always remains very similar, which explains why we are often able to experience floating. Additionally, the mineral composition of the water found within our bodies is also very comparable to the water found within our oceans.

Exposure to Vitamin D while at the beach is a major benefit, including bone health, teeth, and muscles as well as improving the immune system, digestive health, and mental well-being. Negative ions, generated in nature when air molecules are broken apart by sunlight or the movement of air and water (1), are found at beaches and waterfalls. There’s a lot of talk that they can improve mood, relieve stress, and aid sleep. 

Being at the beach is also an extra special sensory experience. The sound of the waves, the smell of the seaweed, the touch of the sand between your toes, the taste of the salt in the water and in the air, the weightlessness that floating in the water brings…it’s immersive. There is nothing quite like it in the world.

We are often inspired by the spiritual, mental, and physical connection we have with water and the ocean, and we can use their healing powers to our advantage to help restore our bodies and minds. In this article, we discuss the some of the many physical and mental health benefits of the ocean.

Coral Reef Ecology & Biodiversity

Although they cover less than 0.1% of the earth’s surface, coral reefs are the most biodiverse marine ecosystem in the world.

Coral reefs are home to:

• 4,000 species of reef fish

• 840 species of corals

• Over 1 million species of other animals

Why are coral reefs so important?

• 275 million people live within 19 miles (30km) of coral reefs.

• Over 100 countries benefit from the recreational value of coral reefs.

• 350 million people travel to coral reefs each year.

Coral reefs are at the center of many coastal and island cultures around the world. For example, in the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian creation chant, the coral polyp was the first organism created, and from that all other life forms sprung forth.

Though coral reefs face numerous threats, we can save them by keeping them healthy.

Find Out How

Primary Sidebar

• CORAL REEF ECOLOGY

• How Reefs Are Made

• What Do Corals Reefs Need to Survive?

• Where Are Coral Reefs Located?

• How Coral Reefs Grow

• How Corals ReproduceTypes of Coral Reef Formations

• REEF THREATSGlobalDirect

• WHY CARE ABOUT REEFS?BiodiversityCoastal ProtectionFoodMedicineTourism

• HOW CAN YOU HELP?

So what exactly is coral and the reef system? According to Maui Nui Marine Resource Council,

“Coral reefs are made up of millions of living, breathing animals known as coral polyps. Related to jellyfish and anemones, coral polyps have a single opening surrounded by tentacles that are use to capture food. There are two types of corals: hard corals and soft corals. Hard corals – known as reef building corals – excrete a hard, protective “cup” of calcium carbonate (limestone). This rigid skeleton forms the framework for coral reefs. Soft corals (for example seafans) do not build calcium carbonate skeletons and are not considered reef builders.”

But more than this, the reef ecosystem consists of not just the coral but the sea life that co-exists with it including fish, sea turtles, invertebrates and mammals.

And why are coral reef and the reef systems so important?

“Coral reefs are considered one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet. Dubbed the “rainforests” of the sea, reefs play a critical role in maintaining natural diversity and providing a home to thousands of species.
Corals also support healthy human communities, and are responsible for providing:
• Food
• Recreation
• Tourism (economics)
• Medicine
• Protection from large storm and wave events”

Coral reefs are considered one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet. Dubbed the “rainforests”

Embrace ‘Pono’

So let’s discuss what we can do as visitors to Maui when enjoying this amazing, fragile living organism. Here’s where the ‘pono’ comes in. In Hawai‘i, ‘pono’ is an overarching principle that essentially means to do what is right or proper.

While we know that three of the primary drivers behind Maui’s declining coral reefs are 

1) Land-based pollutants, 

2) Over-fishing and poor enforcement of fishing regulations and insufficient ‘resting’ (kapu) sites that protect marine life by providing time and space to recover from these stressors and 

3) rising ocean temperatures, there are two lesser known extremely significant drivers, chemical sunscreens and recreational overuse. Hawaii's tourism industry brings thousands of people into contact with its reefs. Uninformed and unsupervised divers and snorkelers who touch or accidentally trample living corals can have a cumulative and significant impact over time, especially when concentrated in small areas. Further, studies show that the use of chemical based sunscreen products are actually causing ‘coral bleaching’. To give you some insight, the film, ‘Reefs at Risk’, released earlier this year, raises awareness of the harm that certain chemicals, like Oxybenzone, do to Hawaii’s reefs.

Outrageous Ocean Sports to

5 Reasons You Should
Take Your Kids to a Creek

When I was a kid I use to love running down the hill in our back yard and exploring the creek with my siblings. I don't know if it was the peacefulness, the exploring, the water or the freedom of no parents around that I loved the most. 

As I became older I still found creeks to be peaceful but creeks and I drifted away for the most part except for the rare occasion when they involved a rope swing or bridge jumping. 

Now that I am a parent I have found myself looking for the next creek to explore with my kiddos. So far every time my husband and I have taken the kids to the creek, they have had a blast. It is crazy how something so simple can bring such joy to a little one's face.

If you haven't been to a creek recently, you need to go find one. Just the peacefulness of a creek can bring joy to your day. Not only are creeks a good place to relax and enjoy nature but they can be fun for the whole family. 

Check out these 5 reasons you should take your kids to a creek:

1. It's Free

I haven't come across a creek yet that isn't free to play in. Yes some are on private property so you aren't allowed to trespass without permission but there are several public creeks that you are allowed to explore. 

Our town has a few creeks that the public can access, it's just a matter of knowing where they are and how to get to them. 

If you are clueless as to where to start, you can ask if anyone knows where any public creeks are in a mom group on Facebook. You can also check with your local forestry department or see if any of your friends own land with a creek you can check out. 

2. You are getting Outside

There are several benefits to getting outside such as breathing in the fresh air to taking in the Vitamin D from the sunlight to walking around and getting in a little exercise.

Sitting inside on the couch or at a desk all day everyday is no fun and can be bad for your body. It's always nice to take a break and go outside for a change of scenery even if it's only for a few minutes.

3. Family Time

Load your kids in the car, grab an ice water, some water shoes and head to the creek. Creeks can be fun for the whole family. There are several things you can do at a creek with your kids or you can just sit back and relax. If it's a nice day you can have a family picnic, don't forget to clean up after yourself!

A trip to a creek can be a fun family bonding experience. Put down your phone unless you're taking pictures and relax. A change of scenery, even if it's fo a few hours can be good for the whole family!

4. Exploring & Learning Experience

Like I said above, there are several things you can do at a creek. Aside from just walking around and looking at the creek, you can explore all that creeks have to offer.

• Go on a scavenger hunt

• See who can catch the most fish or crawdads

• See what animals you can find - frogs, butterflies, snakes, lizards, fish, crawdad, bugs, squirrels

• Look for animal foot prints

• Skip Rocks

• Build a tower or arch out of rocks

• Play in the water

• Have a picnic

• Relax and listen to the peacefulness of nature

• Explore

• Make nature calls

• Hike the creek and see if you can find a mini waterfall

• Take pictures

• Build a mini fort out of fallen branches

Creeks can be a very educational experience for your kids. Just being outside and exploring is great for helping little ones learn!

We found a pet pig on one of our trips to the creek. You never know what you are going to find!

5. Something To Do

When I ask someone what they did today, the majority of answers I hear are watched TV or played video games. Society is slowly becoming boring. Most people would prefer to sit inside and be bored or binge watch their favorite show than go outside. I don't necessarily blame them because some days, it's just way to hot to go exploring but as parents we need to do more with our kids.

Kids need to be able to explore, run off some energy and see all that the world has to offer aside from technology. By taking your kids to a creek, you are opening up a fun, new experience and allowing them to explore and see the world in a different way. The creek is something to do that is different and free so why not give it a try?

Hopefully this post has convinced you to take your family to a creek and go exploring. It doesn't have to be a huge creek, just somewhere that water runs over rocks and is surrounded by trees and animals will do just fine. A creek is a creek which will always be a fun place to explore over and over again because they are always changing and animals never stay in the same place for long. I hope your family has a blast at the creek and you get some much needed family bonding time in. 

Little sis doing what Big brother is doing.

Playing with his boat in the creek

J looking at the map to see what way to go.

J found some leaves to use as stencils and spray painted them.

Stencil design from the leaf...pretty cool.

Throwing rocks in the creek

Having a snack and resting

Below are some of the fun things we got to see on our fun shoreline walk along the creek

Waterfalls and crossing the creek in the shallow water

The shoreline had some unexpected wildlife and look around the bend - stepping stone to cross the creek

Small fish caught in the fishnet

Have a boat race down the creek

We went to Scott Run Creek in Mclean, Va and had a blast. This was the first time we took the kiddos to the creek, so I wasn't too sure if J would like it or not. C is pretty passive so wasn't too worried about her.

Well it was a hit, J had so much excitement that he was like a little boy on speed. We spent 2 hours there and he still didn't want to leave when it was time.

J thought this was the coolest walking in the water with his shoes

Look the boats are going down stream.....love it

How to Take Your Baby on a River Trip

Taking a tiny human floating seems intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be

High Five

Every March, when we’re sick of winter but too impatient to wait for spring, my husband and I drive to the desert to go paddling. The rivers of the Colorado Plateau run muddy with snowmelt, and the sun feels like heaven. Weather on these trips is variable—we’ve been snowed, rained, and hailed on—but the quiet canyons and starry nights are worth the gamble.

This year, though, there was an even bigger variable: our daughter Josephine, who was 11 months old and had never been in a boat of any kind. How would she react to spending hours each day in a canoe or raft? Would she sleep when nighttime temperatures dropped into the thirties? And was it foolhardy to take her so deep into the wilderness that you couldn’t easily hike out?

Still, as the snow continued to fly at our home in Colorado, I couldn’t stop daydreaming of a 45-mile stretch of calm water that flows through Utah’s Labyrinth Canyon. I’d been reading Alan Kesselheim’s book Let Them Paddle, about canoeing with his children, and the fact that he’d taken an eight-month-old on a month-long expedition down the Yellowstone River made my idea seem tame. For additional inspiration, I reread a few chapters from Mardy Murie’s classic memoir Two in the Far North, in which she takes her six-month-old on a four-month Arctic river trip in the 1920s, long before GoreTex and disposable diapers. Clearly, I rationalized, humans have been taking babies down rivers for millennia.

Despite those two books, there’s relatively little information about how to pull off a multi-day river trip with a little one. Apart from a few tips I gleaned from Murie and Kesselheim, we were mostly winging it. As I made lists and packed meals and stuffed clothes into drybags, I was slightly terrified that the minute we were stuck in the bottom of a canyon with a wailing baby, we’d regret leaving the house.

There were indeed a few times when we were stuck in the bottom of a canyon with a wailing baby. But I never once regretted it. Here’s how we pulled it off.

Buy a Good PFD

One of the smartest things I did when pregnant was to use my baby shower to convince friends and family to buy me fancy outdoor baby gear, including this bomber PFD from Level Six. This one is comfortable, doesn’t ride up, and will fit for several years. I also made my daughter wear it around the house for a couple weeks so that she was used to it before we got on the water.

Choose Your Destination and Boat Wisely 

First, your destination: You want water with easyrapids (Class I) or none at all, in an environment where you’re already comfortable with backcountry travel. Then, choose your craft. Kayaks are not practical with a baby. Rafts can haul lots of gear and people but are slow, heavy, and often have standing water on the floor, which means no dry place for an infant to hang out other than in your arms. Canoes, on the other hand, are practically made for babies. The gunwales are the perfect height for a standing baby to hold onto, the hull stays mostly dry and offers a solid surface for playing or napping on, and they’re easy enough for one person to paddle if the other needs to hold or feed the kiddo.

Learn A Paddle Sport

Any sport that requires two people to operate a single machine—like tandem bicycling or canoeing—is a fight waiting to happen if you don’t know what you’re doing. Before you push off with a baby on board, get on a local lake or river and practice paddling with your partner. Master the J-stroke, reverse stroke, and pry and draw, or consider taking an introductory course from an organization like the American Canoe Association. Once you get into the backcountry, there will be plenty of things to stress over; your J-stroke doesn’t have to be one of them.

Kayaking with a Baby:

Tips for Safe and Joyful Water Bonding

Aug 17, 2023 — The rulebook doesn't set an age limit. But, here's the deal: bringing a newborn or infant (0-12 months) on a kayak ride isn't advised.

Canoeing with Babies – The Basics

May 2, 2018 — Keeping snacks, treats, and water readily at hand is vital for the success of any canoe trip with toddlers along. I love my Stohlquist life ...

Give Stand up Paddleboard a Try

PRO TIP: Introducing your baby to SUP - Pau Hana Surf Supply

More Shore Ideas 

What’s in Our Day Pack For Hiking and Water Play With Babies and Toddlers?

We are often asked the question of, “What do you pack in your day pack when out hiking with your son?” This is a complex question since, as your child ages and develops the contents change. So, here’s a break down of what lies within our daypacks when out on wilderness excursions with our kiddos along from birth to toddlerhood! Download our printable day hike checklist Our 12 Essentials for Hiking Regardless of Age Water – Hydration Bladders or water bottles, just be sure to have plenty for everybody regardless of age. If you’re on a trail which has access to…

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Our Top Ten Favorite Adventure Books for Babies and Toddlers

When we became parents we realized that we had many things to teach and instill in the tiny human beings that we had created together. A love for the outdoors and adventuring was clearly one thing we wanted to encourage in them from the start. Another, was a love for reading. We knew that these two passions could be combined together, and work together, to help our children grow up with senses of adventure, curiosity, and a desire to explore and learn. It has become a family tradition to get a book at every National Park/Monument/Forest that we visit as…

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Give Yourself Extra Time

We spent five days covering just 45 miles (it's a two- or three-night trip for adults). That allowed for a layover day if the weather turned and gave us shorter days on the water, spread out over more time. It was tempting to try to do the trip in as few nights as possible to simplify the logistics, but I’m glad we didn’t. It took a few days to get into the groove of loading the boat each morning, paddling all day with the baby, and setting up camp in the evening, and we wouldn’t have wanted to be getting off the river just as we were hitting our stride.

Pack a Day Bag

When you push off from shore, most of your gear will be hard to access, crammed into drybags and tied to the boat. Make sure you have the essentials in one easy-to-access spot. For us, this meant a 30-liter SealLine Baja drybag that I stashed under my seat, packed with a warm hat and jacket, sunscreen, snacks, diapers, wipes, and a blanket.

Ditch the Cotton Onesies

Sometimes when I dress my infant in her synthetic Patagonia base layers I feel ultra snooty, even though I got them used from the company’s Worn Wear site. On this trip, though, they proved ten thousand times better than cotton onesies: breathable but warm, quick drying, and so durable that Josephine wore them every day on sand and mud and abrasive rocks with no discernible effect.

Take a Rescue Beacon

Emergency beacons—like a SPOT Satellite Messenger or Garmin InReach—let you to call for help from remote areas with no cell  coverage. They’re also not cheap. The Garmin costs $400, and the SPOT is $150 plus an annual or monthly subscriptions. But if I was ever in a sticky backcountry situation with an infant, I’d kick myself if I hadn’t invested in technology to activate a rescue with the push of a button.

Bring an Old Sleeping Pad or Car Seat

I had no faith whatsoever that Jo would nap in the canoe; she’s a fussy sleeper who struggles to drift off. But something about the quiet and the rocking motion lulled her right to sleep. I laid her on an old half-inflated Thermarest in the bow, draped a lightweight blanket over the gunwales for sun protection, and paddled in total bliss while she dozed.

For younger babies, we heard of parents who brought a car seat, put an umbrella over it, and let the baby snooze or hang out there while the parents paddled. If you go this route, make sure not to strap your child into the car seat. That way, if you accidentally flip the boat, your baby isn’t buckled to a heavy object that will sink.

Rock the Boat

The best advice we got was to bring a plastic bucket and fill it with rocks every morning. Apparently every baby on earth gets a kick out of throwing stones into the water from a canoe, keeping them distracted so you can paddle. On shore, too, they made the best play things. I brought a couple toys just in case, but Jo was way more interested in the local geology.

Without hesitation, I can say that our springtime journey through Labyrinth Canyon was the best river trip of my life. Not because of the water or the scenery, which were both plenty nice, but because I got to watch Jo discover the joy of traveling by canoe, tossing rocks overboard and watching the world go by.

When observing a rivers waterfall, help young children to notice its height, the volume of water flowing, the shape of the fall (cascading, plunging, or tiered), the surrounding rock formations, the mist created, any rainbows formed by the spray, the sound of the water, the vegetation growing nearby, and the plunge pool at the base; all of these elements contribute to the unique character and beauty of a waterfall. 

Key aspects to consider:

• Water flow: Is the water flow forceful and powerful, or gentle and cascading? 

• Rock formations: What type of rock is the waterfall falling over, and how does its shape influence the water's movement? 

• Plunge pool: Observe the size and shape of the pool at the base of the waterfall 

• Mist and spray: Notice how the falling water creates a mist, and if it forms rainbows in the sunlight 

• Sound: Listen to the roar or gentle rumble of the waterfall 

• Vegetation: What plants are growing around the waterfall, including any unique adaptations to the wet environment 

• Tiered falls: If the waterfall has multiple drops, observe how the water flows between each tier 

New York Waterfall Location Map

Over 2,000 waterfalls in over 600 locations across New York State, the map plots public, private, and unknown properties to help you find the falls you want to learn more about.

Another fantastic activity that we did this week was the making of waterfalls and river. There are so many waterfalls among the creeks, rivers near my home in the Finger Lakes. They have carved beautiful canyons or gorges that have been made into New York State Parks.

River Exploration and Frog Catching 

August is now in full force and many families have had children head back to school but for us we are grasping onto the last few weeks of Summer! This month’s theme for theNature Book Club is Ponds, Rivers, and Streams! 

We choose books about rivers and ponds to read and are particularly fond ofBy Pond and Riverby Arabella Buckley. You can listen to the audiobook via Librivox for free! The first chapter is all about frogs and then it goes onto share about other creatures who live in or near the pond or river. We have shared a tons of free pond resourcesand ways to learn about frog lifecycle in previous posts but today I am sharing an actual trip to the river!

We love exploring our county park locations since there’s over 20 places that we can walk, hike, explore and play. One of our family’s favorite is a paved bike path that goes along the river just a 5 minute drive from our house. We park in the parking lot and walk a very short distance to access the trail that leads down to the river.

Sometimes we bring the dog’s and other times we bring our nature toolbox, nets, and water boots so we can explore at the river’s edge. I tend to look at the ground to see if the mud is soft enough for animal tracks. I usually do not find much besides a deer or raccoon print. One time there was leaves, boot prints and a spider.

We check the water level of the river to see if it is safe enough to explore past the edge and possibly make it out to the island in the middle. My kids love going to the island to explore and feel all independent. Princess took Bayley over to the island and they both loved exploring. Bayley sniffed all around and Princess got to exercise her dog.

Big Red and Lil’ Red enjoy seeing what is in the water. Sometimes they explore using nets and other times they use simple water droppers and magnifying boxes.

One time we realized the “pebbles” on the ground were moving! We took a closer look and found tiny frogs were hopping all around. Of course the kids just had to catch them! Princess took one of our netsand off she set to catch one.

She got one of those little cuties and brought it over to show us! These little guys are just about full grown for their species.

Since we are long overdue to get back to the river we will prepare by listening to the audiobook in the morning and heading to the river after lunch!

Sensory Bin and Observation Notebooking Page from Jenny at Faith & Good Works
Pond Life Printable Pack from Emily at Table Life Blog
Above and Below a Pond Unit Study and Lapbook from Tina at Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus
Online Book Study about Water Cycle from Dachelle at Hide the Chocolate
STEAM Challenge – Does Water Ever Flow Up?from Erika at The Playful Scholar
Who Was?® What Was?® Where Is?® Book Series: Where is the Mississippi River?from Sharla at Minnesota Country Girl

Exploring the Shoreline

The Beach Sand Maintains and Restores Skin Quality

Walking on fine sand at the beach is just like going for a pedicure. Except it’s free. The sediment will help exfoliate the dead skin off your feet and body, keeping your skin smooth and healthy.

Why The Beach Is Actually Great For Your Health

What The Beach Can Do To Your Brain.

Two Items That Make the Beach More Enjoyable

Inflatable Beach Bags

I want to start by saying that these are fantastic but be warned, if you are an introverted bookworm like me, who hates drawing unwanted attention to yourself then you need to have a beach buddy with you.  Luckily for me, Paul is happy, or rather I should say whinged at until he inflates both beach bags whenever we use them and therefore, I simply stand back and let others watch as he swills the bags around filling them with air.

Trust me.  I know I have now painted an oh-so-not very glamorous picture, these beach bags take very little effort to inflate once you have figured them out and they have to be the most comfortable thing I have ever used. 

Just imagine, you no longer have to worry about sand-covered towels or hard sunbeds, these are like a bean-bag without the beans.  Plus, the added advantage of one of these is that once you are done you simply empty them of air and roll them back up, placing them back into the small carrying bags that they come in. 

This product really is a win-win in my opinion, being both sumptuous to relax on and compact.

Why not buy your very own Red Lazy Lounger so that you too can laze around in comfort next time you head to the beach.

The great thing about these bags…they also float!

Goggles and a Waterproof GoPro

I have a real dislike for the water and refuse point blank to put my head underneath the water.  I don’t care how beautiful a fish maybe I just can’t do it.  It is a phobia I have had since a child and now if the slightest wave knocks me over I am out of the water quicker than the Flash can run towards danger.

Paul, however, is a real water baby.  I often get so engrossed in a book I don’t even notice that he is back in the water either swimming miles out or looking at the life hidden beneath the waves. 

For this reason, we never head off to the beach without a set of swimming goggles in one of our rucksack along with his waterproof GoPro.  This way he can experience the glories of an underwater ecosystem up close and personal and then, thanks to the advances in modern technology, I get to see the striking images he has taken on his GoPro afterwards. 

Family Fun Stuff

If you live anywhere near the coast you can easily explore a shoreline, beach or tidal river, where you are bound to discover and find a wonderful array of fascinating sea life in the intertidal zone.
The intertidal zone is the area of land that in covered by water at high tide and is then exposed at low tide. It can be divided into 3 main areas high, middle and low. Sea life that exists in the high tidal area has to be able to withstand the impact of the waves, keep themselves moist and also be able to avoid predators so they tend to be hardy marine creatures with hard shells like crabs, barnacles and limpets.

You can find a handy guide for interesting things to look out for in the intertidal zone below as well as 17 fun, educational activity ideas for children of all ages to enjoy.

Safety note: please remember that children should be supervised at all times around open water. Please also be aware of the health and safety rules and restrictions of any area you visit.

1. SEARCH FOR SEASHELLS

The easiest and most obvious things to find in the intertidal zone are seashells. Seashells come from marine invertebrates like molluscs which are animals without a backbone. Instead of a backbone they have a shell which forms an exoskeleton to support their bodies and protect them from predators. They build the shells when they are young using sea minerals like calcium, carbonate and salt. When the animal dies it leaves behind its shell which can often get washed up into the intertidal zone.

When you stop to look closely for seashells you might be surprised by the variety of species that you can find. The Marine Biological Association have a brilliant free guide to identifying seashells that you can download here to print off and take with you on your adventures. Don’t forget to look closely at the patterns and textures of the shells as well. Often shells that look very similar in shape size and colour have very different patterns which is a good way to work out the species. You can find some fun activity ideas using seashells below.

* You can find some fun sea shell potato print ideas at the bottom of the page.

2. GO ON A SEA SNAIL SAFARI

Sea snails can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and you can normally find them clinging to rocks and other surfaces along the intertidal zone. You might be surprised to find that limpets are a type of sea snail along with periwinkles, whelks and top shells. How about going on a sea snail safari to see how many species you can spot. The Wildlife Trust have great photo guide to identifying sea snails here.

Limpets use their muscular foot (pictured below) to cling tightly to the rocks. They are mainly herbivores and they use a rasping tongue called a Radula (which is one of the worlds strongest biological structures) to scrape algae of the rocks to eat. Limpets sense vibrations if they sense danger they will suction themselves to the rock incredibly tightly in self defence.

3. MAKE A SEA SNAIL OBSERVATION BOX

Sea snails have a strong muscular foot which they use to crawl and climb around, they propel themselves forward using a combination of strong muscular wave like contractions and mucus. The mucus acts a lubricant reducing friction and also protecting them from rough and sharp terrain. This strong muscular foot also allows them to cling tightly to surfaces to protect themselves from predators and the elements.

You can observe a sea snails foot and the way it contacts and moves by making a simple snail observation box or window. All you need for this is a small recycled cardboard box and a firm sheet of recycled plastic. You can often use recycled food packaging for this,

First cut two windows into the back and front of the box. Then tape or glue the sheet of plastic packaging onto the front window. You need the plastic packaging to be firm and strong enough to safely hold a snails weight. It also needs to be clean and clear.

Finally find a sea snail and carefully and gently place it onto your observation box The children can then lie down and hold the box carefully up to look at the underside of the sea snail. If the slug seems to have securely attached itself to the plastic window you can also carefully tilt the box sideways to look at them from the side.

4. ENJOY CRABBING

There are more than 4,500 species of crabs in the world, 62 of which live in or around the waters of the UK. However you are most likely to only find the 5-8 most common varieties by the shore. There is great guide to identifying any crabs you find here. *You can also find some fun crab potato print ideas at the bottom of the page.

Like many crustaceans crabs shells are made chitin which is a hard wearing and tough substance. But you might be surprised to know that a crabs blood is actually blue because of the copper it contains. They also have 10 legs not 8 as many people believe. Crabs belong to a group of animals called Decapods which means 10 legs. Lobsters, shrimps, and prawns are also Decapods.

Crabbing is a great activity for children of all ages, they are fascinating creatures to find and there is always a lot of excitement when they scuttle about. You can either hunt for crabs by simply looking in rock pools or under rocks as the tide is going out. 

Or you can catch crabs in deeper water using a net, a crabbing line (make sure it doesn’t have a hook attached) and some bait. Leftover bacon or bacon rind is the best bait to use as most of the crabs in the UK are omnivorous meaning they eat both animal and plant matter. The best places for crabbing are often well known local spots along shorelines and tidal rivers. You can often can crab off pontoons, bridges, harbour walls, slipways or a jetty.

Please always handle crabs with care and let them go after a short while so they didn’t become too distressed (they blow bubbles when they are stressed). Crabs are often feisty and will pinch you in self defence, so if you want to pick one up its best to gently hold it either side of its shell or carefully pinch the back of crab in between too fingers so it doesn’t get hurt and it can’t hurt you. You can keep any of the crabs you catch in a bucket (filled with water from the location you are crabbing from) for a short while to observe. 

But remember to change the water or let them go every 10 mins or so, otherwise they won’t have enough air to breath. It’s also best not to overcrowd them as they will fight or become distressed if there are too many crabs together in a small space. You could also add in some seaweed or rocks to give them a bit of shelter to hide in.

5. Identify The Local Seaweed

There are over 600 species of seaweed in the UK which provide food and shelter to a variety of other marine and shore creatures that even the littlest of learners can discover and learn about. All you need to do is download the Big Seaweed Search Guide 

6. GO ROCK POOLING

Rock pools are a fantastic place to find a wide array of underwater sea life like goby fish, jelly fish, sea urchins, starfish and sea anemones Any sea anemones you find above the waterline may resemble jelly like blobs. This is because they have folded themselves inwards under a protective layer to shelter from the elements and would be predators.

When they are under water they unfurl their tentacles to catch food, the tentacles have stinging cells which allow them to paralyse prey. Sea anemones are one of the world’s slowest moving creatures, they mostly attach themselves to a surface and remain there. However they are also one of the longest living marine animals and have the ability to clone themselves.

If you get lucky you may even spot some jelly fish. The most common jellyfish to find on UK shores is the Moon jelly fish which mostly drifts with the currants feeding on plankton. You can identify them by the four circles on the under side of the dome, these circles are actually the reproductive organs. Did you know that jellyfish don’t have brains, hearts or blood and they are 95% made of water?

7. GO FOSSIL HUNTING

A fossil is the preserved remains, imprints or impression of a once living thing like as animal or plant. Did you know the word fossil comes from the Latin word ‘fossilis’ which meant “obtained by diggin” A good place to find small sea fossils is in flint. Flint forms in layers of chalk and is easy to find in the South of England and Essex, you will often find that most of the pebbles on beaches and gardens in these areas are made of flint. Chalk itself is formed from layers of mud and tiny sea creatures that have died and fallen to the ocean floor.

Over millions of years these layers of mud and sea creatures are compacted into chalk. As the chalk compacts it squeezes seawater containing silica (dissolved quartz) into any cavities, gaps or spaces around it forming nodules and layers of flint. Sometimes the flint nodules forms around a small sea creature or shellfish like a sponge (above) or sea urchin below), preserving them in the flint as a fossil.

8. MAKE NATURE ART

Nature art (also sometimes called land art) is a wonderful nature activity that encourages creativity and fine motor skills in children of all ages and abilities. All you need is some imagination and natural materials like pebbles from the shore to create pictures, shapes and patterns with.

Or if you are on a sandy beach you could simply draw and write in the sand, using your fingers or a stick to make patterns and pictures or practising writing skills. Or how about using a combination of materials and marks to make your art.

9. ROCK BALANCING

Rock balancing is also a great activity for developing fine motor skills, coordination and concentration. We find it really therapeutic and good for mindfulness. Simply find rocks of any shape or size and have fun balancing them on top of each other in towers pyramids or to make mini walls. It’s also great fun to knock them down again afterwards.

10. MAKE SHADOW CHARACTERS

Shadow characters are so easy and fun to make on a sunny day. Just draw some simple funny faces or expressions in the sand and then line your shadows up over them. You can then move about in different positions to bring your shadow characters to life. You could also take photos of all the different characters and scenarios you create.

11. SEARCH FOR ANCIENT SEA GLASS

Sea glass is glass that has been weathered an worn down by the sea, a process that can take anything from 20-200 years for the glass to become fully smoothed and frosted by the ocean. The sea glass can come from anything like broken bottles and other rubbish dumped in the ocean to glass windows and tableware from ancient shipwrecks. Safety note: please supervise children when collecting sea glass and make sure they don’t accidently pick up any sharp or newly broken glass.

You can often tell where a piece of sea glass may have come by it’s colour. The most common colours green, brown, white and clear normally come from alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks bottles. Lime green can come from1960’s soda bottles and forest green and soft blues are most likely to be from 19th centaury medicine, ink or soda bottles.

Jade and amber coloured sea glass are more uncommon and are likely to come from old whiskey, spirit and medicine bottles. Other uncommon colours include purple, cobalt and cornflower blues from Milk of magnesia, vicks vapour rub and poison bottles and opaque white which comes from early milk bottles, The rarest colours to find are grey, pink, red, yellow, teal and black. Black sea glass is glass that had iron slag added to it to increases it’s strength and protect liquids sensitive to light damage such as wines. spirits and medicines.

12. BUILD SANDCASTLES AND SAND SCULPTURES

Sandcastles are so simple to make for children of all ages. Simply fill a bucket or container with sand. Pat the sand down firmly and then turn the container over. Tap the bottoms and gently squeeze and tap until the sand comes away from the bucket or container to form a sand castle. Have fun decorating you sandcastles with any natural materials you can find like shells, stones, sticks and seaweed. Or simply enjoy knocking them down and building them back up again.

If you are feeling really adventurous you could try sculpting and shaping sand into different animals, figures, objects or patterns and shapes. You could also use found natural materials like shells, stones, sticks and seawards to give your sand sculptures extra details.

13. MAKE NATURE COLLAGES.

Making nature collages is a fun activity for children of all ages and abilities. It encourages creativity and helps develop fine motor skills. All you need is some paper or recycled cardboard, Firstly you need to draw or paint simple sea creature pictures onto the paper or cardboard. Next collect as many natural objects as you can find on the shore for your collage. You could use leaves, stones, seashells, driftwood, feathers or seaweed. Arrange the materials on top of your picture in any way you like. You could make a frame or a pattern on top of the picture or you could create a mini sea scape for your creatures to live in.

14. MAKE NATURE ART FRAMES

Nature art frames are really simple to make, fun to play with and create some wonderful images. You just need an old piece of cardboard a pen and some scissors. We hate to waste anything and recycling and reusing materials is one of many small things we can all do to help the environment. So instead of chucking used cardboard boxes we like to find ways to use them in crafts and activities.

All you need to make a nature frame is to draw a simple shape or picture like a fish onto cardboard. Your shape or picture should have at least 1- 2 easy to cut out sections that you can then look through. When you have cut out the see through sections of your frames, you can take them outside to hold them up against any of the interesting natural objects, textures, patterns and shapes you can see, like the water, shore, sky, trees, flowers and grass for example.

The picture you see or create with the frames changes as you move the paper around. Its fun to see all the beautiful patterns, shapes and colours of nature bring your pictures to life. You could even take photos of the nature frames as you go to capture the artwork and pictures they create.

15. LOOK FOR HEART SHAPED STONES

Heart shaped stones are often quite easy to find on stone and pebble beaches. You can give them as little love tokens to friends or family or keep them as mementos of your adventures. You could even write kind messages on them and hide them for others to find.

16. FIND ROCKS AND PEBBLES TO PAINT

We love finding painted pebbles and stones when we are out and about, it’s wonderful to see the creativity and love that people put into them. You can easily find pebbles to decorate yourself by looking in your garden, on a nature walk or along the shore. All you need then is some paint or permanent markers to paint or draw colourful designs onto the pebbles or turn them into animals like bees or food like strawberries.

Once you have finished painting your pebbles you could use them in pretend play, as games counters or hide them in your garden and have a treasure hunt. You could even join a local rock finding group where you show pictures of the rocks you have made and invite people to find them in a local park or a safe, easy to access place. Who knows how far your rocks may travel and the adventures they might have may have along the way. *Safety note please be aware of the choking hazard of pebbles with smaller children.

17. FIND SHELLS AND STONE WITH HOLES IN FOR CRAFTS

Stones and shells that have holes in them are great for making jewellery. You simply thread them onto string, ribbon or wool. (Which is another great activity for developing fine motor skills.) You could also tie a threaded string of shells and stones onto a forked branch/stick to make a stick rattle. This is great fun to play with as it makes a fantastic noise and you can use it in games or as a musical instrument.

Or how about tying strings of threaded shells and stones onto a stick to make a mobile. You could even make a Rainbow stick mobile by painting 6-7 sticks in the colours of the rainbow. When they are dry you then tie them together using a piece of string, ribbon or wool and then you hang your strings of seashells underneath to look like raindrops.

                                               Try A Sealife Safari

WHAT WILL YOU FIND? 

In honour of world oceans day, we set out on an walking adventure searching for sea life on the shore with friends.

The first thing we found was a giant jelly fish washed up on the shore. We turned it over carefully with our boots to get a better look (you must never touch them with your hands) and the cap was surprisingly heavy and solid.

There were also hundreds of winkles, limpets and barnacles and lots of seaweed and shells along the tidal area.

We spotted oysters, mussels, clams and whelks amongst the numerous shells on the shore. Most where empty but we did find a few living creatures still in some of them.

When we turned over large rocks by the waters edge we found lots of crabs in different sizes and colours. It was interesting watching how well they could rehide and camouflage themselves amongst the stones.

We also found these little Goby fish in some rock pools. (We handled them very carefully and put them straight back in the water where we found them)

All in all it was a very successful sealife safari, the children had fun exploring and playing on the shore and there was a lot of excitement every time they found or discovered anything.

On the way home we stopped by the duck pond near the shore to look at all the adorable, fluffy baby ducklings, goslings and cygnets.

Identifying shells and rock balancing on the shore 

Exploring the shore 

Anyone up for catching Crabs?

Crabbing is a great activity for children of all ages, they are fascinating creatures to find and there is always a lot of excitement when they scuttle about. You can either hunt for crabs by simply looking in rock pools or under rocks as the tide is going out.

WHERE TO CATCH CRAB

Several species of crab can be found in saltwater and freshwater bodies throughout the United States.

Some of the most popular saltwater crabs to catch are the king and snow crab, which are common in Alaska, Dungeness on the West Coast, and the Atlantic blue crab, also commonly known as the Chesapeake blue crab. Saltwater crabs tend to like shallow, marshy areas so consider destinations like brackish rivers, bays and inlets. And while you can crab by boat, the great thing about crabbing is that you can have just as much success from land. Crab prefer to be near structures, so when planning your trip, look for spots like docks, piers, and jetties.

Freshwater crabs like fiddler and red crabs are best fished in shallow water near land. Common places you’ll find these species is along the shorelines with places to hide, such as beaches with logs, boulders or grass. Rocky reefs are another popular habitat.

CRABBING EQUIPMENT

What makes crabbing a great activity for beginners is that you don’t need a lot of special equipment. The simplest way to catch crabs is with a dip net. Another easy method is to drop a fishing line with bait at the end. Simply wait for a tug then pull the crab in, catching it in a net. The only downside with the line method is that you can only catch one crab at a time. For a greater take, you may want to use a crab trap.

Crab traps are wire cages attached to a long rope that are lowered to the bottom of a body of water. Depending on your preference – and budget – there are many different types that can be used effectively, including crab rings, pyramid traps, standard square style and more. With any of these, you’ll secure the bait inside with line, wire or a clip, which will attract the crab to walk into the trap. Once you set your trap, you just sit back and wait. A good rule of thumb is to check your trap every 15 to 30 minutes.

When you bring up the trap, you’ll want a net or bucket to contain the crab and keep them from scurrying away. You may also want to get a pair of crabbing gloves to avoid getting pinched.

BEST BAIT FOR CRABBING

Crabs are scavengers, which means you have a lot of possibilities for bait when crabbing. While there are many types, fresh bait tends to be best, and the smellier, the better, since crab will go after pungent options. Some good choices include raw chicken or turkey, fish carcass, and razor clams. You can even use hot dogs!

Exploring the shore – Activities and ideas

Seaweed Activities for Families

Did you know there are over 11,000 species of seaweed in the world, 600 of which can be found in the UK. Seaweed provides food and shelter to a variety of marine creatures as well as producing oxygen, capturing carbon, absorbing toxins and in some cases even reducing the acidity of sea water.

You might be surprised to find that seaweed isn’t a plant, it is actually a type of algae. Seaweed doesn’t use or have stems or roots to transport nutrients or water from the ground to its system. Instead it uses its cells to absorb or develop what it needs from the water as well as absorbing energy from the sun and convert it into food using a process called photosynthesis. A by product of photosynthesis is oxygen which gets re-released back into the atmosphere an amazing 40-50% of the oxygen in our atmosphere is believed to be produced by seaweed.

As seaweed doesn’t have roots it anchors itself to surfaces using a structure called a holdfast instead. Seaweed can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. However they can generally be grouped into three main categories of red, green and brown. They can survive in a variety of marine habitats from rock pools and shore lines, on rock beds along coastal line and even sometimes free floating in the ocean.

Some varieties of seaweed are edible and are considered good sources of nutrients like fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Seaweed has been used throughout human history as a source of food and medicine as well as being utilised for industrial purposes. From paper coatings, adhesives and dental moulds to food additives, fertiliser and edible packaging.

You can find lots of fun seaweed activity ideas below to explore and learn more about this amazing algae.

1. IDENTIFY THE LOCAL SEAWEED

All you need to do is download the Big Seaweed Search Guide here and then visit the seashore with boots, a set of salad tongs(or gloves ) and a bucket. It's amazing how interesting seaweeds can be when you you are not touching them while exploring the different colors, shapes, and funky textures. Drop some in your bucket to explore more, identify, or use in art or for for a side dish for dinner.

2. CREATE A SEAWEED SCRAP BOOK

Collecting and drying seaweed to place in scrapbooks was a popular Victorian past time, especially for women who weren’t often allowed to take part in natural science activities. Even Queen Victoria enjoyed creating a seaweed scrap book as a young girl. All you need for this activity is a scrapbook and pliers or a stick to pick up the seaweed with and carefully arrange it on the pages. You can then leave the seaweed to dry as it is or place blotting paper on top and sandwich it between the pages of the book to dry flatter.

3. MAKE SEAWEED NATURE ART

Nature art is a great outdoor activity that encourages creativity and fine motor skills. It is also a fun and engaging mindfulness activity. Simply collect as many natural objects as you can find around you. You could use seaweed, sand, stone, driftwood, seashells, leaves, grass, bark, fallen fruit and flowers. *But pretty please don’t pick any wild flowers, only collect ones you have grown yourself or fallen ones you find on the floor. Then arrange them into shapes, pictures or patterns.

If you take photos of the nature art you create you can then print them out later as artwork, learning resources or even turn them into cards to give to friends and family. You could also make nature art letters, numbers and words to use as learning prompts for English and maths games.

4. MAKE A SEAWEED SENSORY BOTTLE

You could easily make a seaweed sensory bottle using a recycled bottle filled with seawater and seaweed. Just make sure the lid of the bottle you use is securely fastened or glued on so little hands can’t open it and make sure to chuck the contents of the bottle away after a week or so.

5. MAKE A SEAWEED SUNCATCHER

We love making suncatchers, they are so pretty and effective. To make a suncatcher you will need some clear flat plastic packaging. We hate to waste anything and recycling and reusing materials is one of many small things we can all do to help the environment. So instead of chucking used packaging we like to find ways to use them in crafts and activities.

Paint a thin layer of pva glue over the sheet of plastic and then arrange the seaweed on top in any shape, pattern or position you like. When you have finished arranging the seaweed simply leave it to dry. Hold it up to the light or a window and voila your sun catcher is finished, it really is that simple. You can also add ribbon, wool or string to them to turn them into hanging decorations to place in windows, walls or hang them from trees.

6. MAKE A SEAWEED NATURE COLLAGE

Making nature collages is a fun activity for children of all ages and abilities. It encourages creativity and helps develop fine motor skills. All you need is some paper or recycled cardboard, Firstly you need to draw or paint simple pictures or marine animals onto the paper or cardboard like fish. Next collect some seaweed and arrange it over the picture to create a seascape or scene.

7. MAKE A SEAWEED VASE OR LANTERN

To make a seaweed lantern all you need is a glass jar, pva glue and some seaweed. Simply paint a thin layer of pva glue over the outside of the jar and then arrange the seaweed on top in any shape, pattern or position you like. When you have finished arranging the seaweed simply leave it to dry.

When the glue has dried you should have a beautiful stained glass effect. You can then either use the jar as vase for flowers or a pencil pot . Or you can place a tealight candle in it, to turn it into a beautiful lantern. Be careful to supervise children as the glass can get hot and never leave the lantern unattended as its a potential fire hazard.

Potato printing is a simple activity for children of ages, all you need is a potato cut in half, a bit of inspiration and some paint to get started. You can find lots of easy sea life potato print ideas below for inspiration. From rainbow fish and crabs to jelly fish, seashells and seaweed.

9. SEAWEED STICK PEOPLE

Making stick people is a fun and easy activity for children of ages where you can use any sticks and branches you find to create fun and interesting characters. You can easily bring the sticks and branches you find on walks to life by giving them faces and different expressions using just marker pens or paint.

Older children and adults could also remove the bark at one end of the stick or branch using an old vegetable peeler (Adult supervision required) or sand paper to create a smoother surface to paint and draw the faces onto. You could also give the figures hair and clothes using found materials like seaweed and shells.

10. SEAWEED ICE PLAY

Ice play is a great activity for children of all ages. It is so quick and simple to make and you can easily add extra sensory elements using seaweed, scented herbs, flavoured oils, colouring and textured natural materials. 

Just be careful using seaweed in ice play with younger children as some seaweeds can be toxic and carry bacteria so they shouldn’t be ingested or go anywhere near mouths. This activity is only recommended for older children who should be supervised at all times.

11. MAKE FAKE SEAWEED

It is so quick and simple to make your own fake seaweed for sensory, educational and creative activities. Simply cut crepe paper or fabric straps into wavy strands and fronds and layer them together to create a bed of seagrass.

12. MAKE SEAWEED BOTANICAL DYE

The process of making botanical dyes is very simple, you can easily create some beautiful coloured botanical dyes yourself using just foraged seaweed, plants and vegetable scraps. You can then use it to colour fabrics like cotton, linen and wool or materials like paper, card and wood. Natural dyes are also a wonderful, environmentally friendly alternative to man-made synthetics. You can find a full guide to making botanical dyes here.

How To Have A Safe Lake Trip With Your Baby

Purchase an infant PFD (personal floatation device)

• Safeguard against dehydration 

• Avoid Peak Sun Exposure 

• Find a location with shade

• Protect their skin when in the sun 

• Protect their eyes

Purchase an infant PFD (personal floatation device)

A popular lake day activity is boating. While babies are able to board, they too must follow the state laws. Most states require that everyone on board have a PFD. The Stingray Infant PFD is a great choice because it is US coast guard approved and uses bright colors so your baby is easily visible. In addition to these necessary features, this life jacket is made from a durable and quick-drying Nylon fabric with quick-release buckles.

Even if you don’t have plans to boat, it’s best for a baby to wear a PFD anytime they are in the water.

Lifejackets- Babies under 35 pounds are not big enough for a baby lifejacket. They can suffocate if they slip inside the lifepreserver without you knowing.

Safeguard against dehydration 

During a hot day, it’s easy for adults to dehydrate quickly. This is even more true with infants. Come prepared with extra bottles or plan to nurse more frequently if currently breastfeeding. If your baby has reached the age where they can start eating solids, consider bringing a couple of servings of food that are travel-friendly. A great example of this is fruit/veggie pouches. 

Read more- How To Successfully Vacation In Ft. Lauderdale, Florida With A Baby

Avoid Peak Sun Exposure 

A lake day might look a little different with an infant because of the fact that you’ll want to avoid peak sun exposure. These hours generally fall between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Getting an early or late start to the day might also be a great way to beat the crowds! If you can’t avoid these harsh, daylight hours, read below for some additional tips.

Find a location with shade
(or take shade tents)

One of the first things you’ll want to do when getting to the lake is finding a great spot with plenty of shade. No sunbathing for the baby! In addition to finding natural shade given by trees, feel free to bring a sun canopy or umbrella that has UPF protection. Trust us, keeping cool not only protects their delicate skin, but it will help with their mood! 

Protect their skin when in the sun 

You probably don’t want to hide out in the shade all day at the lake. This is when you need to be especially careful about sun exposure. The US FDA recommends avoiding sunscreen for infants that are under the age of 6 months. Choose UPF clothing that covers them as much as possible. In addition, always keep a sun hat on your baby that protects not only the tops of their heads but the back of the neck and ears. 

Read more- Baby Travel Essentials For 0-12 Month-Old Babies That Will Save Your Vacation

Protect their eyes

While baby sunglasses don’t seem to be the most practical item to bring to the lake, they can be very helpful! Recent reports have suggested that babies’ eyes lack the ability to block UV rays to the same degree that grown adults can. These may be foreign for a baby to wear so practice several days before getting your baby used to feeling them on. 

Wind Direction Watcher

Build this wind direction watcher and you'll be able to see the wind blow!

What You'll Need:

• Piece of cardboard

• Marker

• Tape

• Small mirror

• Compass

Swoooosh! There goes the wind ... and now you can see it!

Step 1: Mark out north, south, east, and west on the outside edge of a piece of cardboard. Include other directions, like northeast, if you like.

Step 2: Tape a small mirror to the cardboard so that the compass directions form a circle around the mirror. Now you're ready to chase the wind!

Step 3: Place your cloud chaser on the ground so it faces north. You can do this by matching north on your cloud chaser with north on your compass.

Step 4: Lie next to your cloud chaser and watch the reflection of the clouds in the mirror. Once you see which way the clouds are moving, you'll know that's the same direction that the wind is blowing.The next activity is sure to give your imagination a workout

5 Tips for Boating With Babies
+ baby boating accessories

Summer is here y’all! And in Florida, we pack up our things and head to the boat ramp! Boating with babies can be a very safe and fun activity in the summer, as long as you are well prepared and follow certain safety regulations, such as always having a life vest properly sized for your babe! If you’re looking for a life vest for an infant under 30 pounds, Amazon (the place that has everything) has this one which is the most comfortable. We have a similar one, that was handed down to us but the size range is different, and we love it. I don’t consider this a tip, however, I do consider it a NECESSITY!!

 1.  BE PREPARED FOR BOATING WITH BABIES

As a momma, this is basically the number one tip/rule in your life regardless of where you are going. Always be prepared! I can’t stress this enough for the boat! You are basically in the middle of the water somewhere, and the last thing you want to do is have to go back to land every so often to get whatever it is that you forgot.

When I’m packing my bag/diaper bag for boating with babies, my essentials go as follows :

• Diapers (duh! BRING EXTRA!!!)

• Wipes (another obvious – never go anywhere without these!)

• SUNSCREEN!! (an absolute necessity! Baby skin is so sensitive, this is a must!!)

• Towels (my favorite are the hooded – but anything works!)

• Extra onesies (I usually bring just plain white onesies, that I’m okay with getting salty and sweaty!)

• Reusable swim diaper (oh my goodness- this ones the best!! So easy for a dip, especially since the smallest size disposable swim diaper is 16 pounds!)

• Jelly shoes (since infants do not walk, this provides enough feet protection, with the ability to still get wet and cool when going for a dip in the water!)

• Hat (keep that babe nice and shady!)

• Fan (battery operated – but nice to give the babe cool relief in the heat!)

• Bouncer seat (not to be used when the boat is in motion at all! We use it when we are either anchored out and not moving, or anchored up to an island and we bring it onto the island under our pop up tent!)

2. WEAR YOUR BABY ON THE BOAT

I love this bit of advice. Baby wearing is basically the best, for so many different reasons and this is one of the atypical reasons! When getting on, and off of the boat – wear. your. baby. It is so important that during this transition from the land to water and vice versa that they are almost literally glued to you! NEVER pass your baby from person A to person B to get onto the boat! For mom it is SO much more comforting knowing that are right on you and basically can’t move without you. Accidents can happen in a split second, so always be extra cautious even with baby wearing them onto the boat. Make sure there is somebody on the boat guiding you down, and somebody on land behind you kind of hovering you! Safety is obviously key here, so you can never have too much help! Continue to wear your baby until you get from point A to point B! NEVER pass them around during the time that the boat is in movement. You can read more about my love for baby carriers (and get a little free surprise) by clicking here!

3. FIND YOUR SAFE SPOT ON THE BOAT

If you’re like us, and have grown up on a boat/the water you probably have never really thought about sitting in the “safest” spot because to us they are all safe! Which is true! But it’s very important that you sit in a sturdy seat. Mostly for the comfort of the baby aspect, but it does also make you feel much safer and more secure! Usually, depending on the type of boat you are on, there is a seat, kind of like a captains chair, just not behind the steering wheel! Usually this seat gets splashed by water the least, and is a little higher up so you don’t feel the boat hitting the waves as hard! If you sit in those lower seats, your little babe is going to be constantly bouncing up and down, and constantly shaken, which obviously is not good for their fragile bodies/heads! 

4. KEEP YOUR BABY COOL ON THE BOAT

The Florida heat is no joke, and I’m sure wherever you are located 80+ degrees, is 80+ degrees! HOT HOT HOT! A risk factor of SIDS can be overheating, so it is so important that you keep your babe as cool as possible! Depending on the degree of the water, we will put a reusable swim diaper on her, and dip her in! Make sure you change them almost immediately after a dip in the water to protect against infections caused by sitting water, such as UTI’s (yes – boys can get them too)! Most boats have some type of Bimini or covering that you can set your babe under in their seat. If the boat you are on only has a T-Top or nothing at all I highly suggest bringing an umbrella.  Shade is crucial in keeping them protected from the sun (as well as sunscreen)! and in turn keeping them cool! We also bring a handy dandy 02 Cool fan with us. It is battery operated, so it’s great to face towards her when we feel like that she is getting too hot! 

5. HAVE FUN WHILE BOATING WITH BABIES!

I know, such an obvious one! But really y’all! Have a blast! I know sometimes being a parent in these situations is nerve-wracking, because again, accidents happen in a split second! But enjoy these moments with your babe while they are still little! They grow up so fast, and these memories are ones you don’t want to miss! Take lots of pictures, as always! As long as you are being as safe as humanly possible, you should be just fine, and completely able to enjoy yourself!

All of these tips are based on boating with experienced boaters and passengers. If this is your first time on a boat, or your operators first time operating a boat, then leave that babe at home until you get comfortable and familiarized!

Enabling Environments

10 Fun Boating Day Trip Ideas for Kids

Check out these fun and easy day trip boat ideas for an afternoon boating getaway on the water that your kids will love

My kids love any day on our boat – but sometimes its fun to mix up the routine and go somewhere or do something out of the ordinary. Those special days that you plan the unexpected outing or chart a different course of activities on the boat – those are the memories that stand out to our family and keep us loving the boating lifestyle.

Boating trips don’t need to be a multi-day adventure. They can be as simple as cruising to a different destination then you normally do for an afternoon, or planning new activities out on the boat. Kids get excited about trying new things on the water and will enjoy something out of the ordinary.

Here are some fun ideas for boating day trips with your kids that will create memories for years to come.

1. Explore a new cove or anchorage

Almost every weekend we take our boat to the same cove to anchor out for the day (unless we have a bigger trip planned). We like our “spot”, but sometimes it can be fun to try a new anchorage location. Even if its just down the river a few minutes further, or on the opposite side of the lake, it can be fun to drop the hook somewhere different with new scenery and water to explore.

2. Make a picnic on a beach

Have a good old fashioned picnic on the beach along the shoreline of a new destination (or even a familiar one if its easier). Pack all your essentials for lunch and find a spot to set up a picnic. If your boat is small enough you can pull up close to the beach, or you can drop anchor and transport everything to shore on your dinghy or raft. If its night (and allowed on the beach) you could even have a bonfire to toast marshmallows.

3. Go on a fishing expedition

A kid’s fishing expedition can be as simple or as complex as you would like to make it. You can spend the day visiting different fishing spots if you want to make it more of a trip, or you can simply drop anchor at a new spot to see what you can catch. If you are not into casting a line, you can go crabbing or even hunt for clams in the sand. We have a cove we frequent that is great for digging up clams. The kids love seeing how big their clam collection can get (sadly they are too full of sand and not very tasty so we normally toss them back in!)

4. Learn about a historic waterfront

Chances are you boat near some well known (or not so well known) historic waterfront locations. Most waterfronts have a rich history as a fishing town or historical landmark… or you may be lucky enough to be close enough by boat for a day trip to an attraction like an aquarium or museum. Find a location worth exploring and make it an educational outing for your kids to learn about the history.

5. Have a kids scavenger or treasure hunt by boat

The kid’s version of a poker run, make a scavenger hunt where you need to stop at multiple destinations to gather essential items and fulfill your hunt. They can even dress up like pirates to get into the spirit. You can get very creative and actually make up clues to solve that take you to a new boating destination – and then eventually to a final destination where a treasure chest of prizes awaits.

6. Plan a mega raft-up

Depending on where you raft-up for the day, this may or may not be a big boating trip. But that’s OK – its about a fun activity on the water for the day. You could use the raft-up as an opportunity to visit some old friends that you haven’t seen in while by making the boat trip to a location you don’t normally frequent.

7. Join a boat parade

Many waterfront towns or marinas hold annual boat parades where you decorate your boat and follow a line of boats for a parade on the water. Our river holds an annual 4th of July boat parade where boats get decorated and parade past crowds gathered at marinas. Its a fun way to spend the afternoon as the kids wait for the evening fireworks – and definitely a short boat trip activity.

8. Visit a kid friendly marina

Visiting other marinas by boat is a good activity when the weather is not quite warm enough for swimming.  Pick a marina with a restaurant and facility that offers something for kids – like a nice playground. You can usually dock for free at marinas with restaurants for at least a few hours. So after lunch the kids can run around and check out a new spot.

9. Go on a boat tour

Don’t have your own boat, or looking for something else boating related to do? Take a boat tour or charter when visiting a new town (or play tourist in your own). And it doesn’t have to be a stuffy dinner boat cruise that would bore kids. If you are a power boater you can take them on a sailboat charter. Many local towns also have unique attractions that involve boats that kids will enjoy.

10. Plan a boat trip – destination unknown

Sometimes the best boat trips are the completely unexpected – where you don’t quite know where you are going, but you’ll know it when you get there. It can be fun cruising to new nearby rivers or coves and then dropping the hook. Or deciding to spend the night at a new marina so you can check out the town. Be sure to pack plenty of provisions so you can fully enjoy your spontaneous boat trip… especially if your day trip turns into a overnight one!

More Kid’s Boating Activities

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Safe Boating Tips as a Family with Kids

Baby Infant Boaters, Boat Safety, Kid boaters, Kid's Boating Activities, Safety Tips, Toddler Boaters

Basic tips to make boating as a family both safe and enjoyable (for you and the kids) Boating can be one of the most enjoyable ways to spend time together as a family. Family boating is a great way to slow down the pace of your daily life – getting back to nature, cruising to...

10 Activities to Keep Kids Busy on Rainy Boat Days

Kid boaters, Kid's Boating Activities, Kids Boat Life, Older Kid Boaters, Toddler Boaters

Boredom-buster ideas and activities to keep kids entertained on board when you have a rainy boat day Boating is nothing but fun in the sun for kids – the nonstop action of swimming, tubing, fishing and cruising keeps them constantly entertained. But the reality is that not all days are sunny. Sometimes there are rainy...

Local Boating Courses, Programs and Clubs for Kids

Kid boaters, Kids Boating Activities, Kids Boat Life, Older Kid Boaters

Find a youth boating course or program in your area to get kids involved on the water Youth boating organizations are a great way to get kids involved on the water. They can learn more about a certain aspect of boating, meet new friends, learn new skills and develop a lifelong love of boating. By...

Kids Boating Activities

Getting Kids Ready for Boating Season

Kids Boating Activities, Kids Boat Life, Safety Tips

From water safety prep to planning summer cruises, get your kids ready for a fun season on the boat For seasonal boaters, there is a lot to do to get ready each year for boating season. Our season may start in April or May, but usually around February or March we are starting to plan...

3 Ways to Explore the Underwater World

Did you know that sea sponges are older than dinosaurs? Or that thresher sharks use their long tail to stun their prey? The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface… That is a lot of water for us to explore!

Whether it is from under the water or from the surface, there are many cool ways that you can explore the ocean and all of the interesting things that live there.

If you are an experienced scuba diver who wants to enjoy the underwater world in fun new ways, or if you are a nervous newbie who has never even dipped a toe in the ocean, we have got you covered. We have three exciting ways that you can explore the ocean, no matter who you are or what your experience level is.

Because where there is a will, there is a wave!

1.Snorkeling

Snorkeling is a simple and really fun way to explore underwater. You just float at the surface with your face submerged, and look down to watch the marine life.

You only really need two pieces of equipment to snorkel: a mask and a snorkel. A snorkeling mask is similar to swimming goggles, except it also has a part that covers your nose. Masks come in various styles, sizes, and colors, the best way to select the right mask for you is to try a few different ones on and see which feels the most comfortable. The snorkel is a plastic tube that can be attached to the mask. One end of the snorkel stays in your mouth, and the other above the water. This is how you breathe while you have your face in the water.

Other pieces of equipment could be added to improve your snorkeling experience, such as a buoyancy aid to make floating easier, fins to wear on your feet to make kicking more efficient, and perhaps a wetsuit if you are snorkeling in colder waters.

If you plan to go snorkeling in a new place, it is a good idea to join an organized snorkel tour or seek a snorkel guide. Local scuba diving centers can usually arrange this for you. Never snorkel alone, especially if you are unsure of currents, tides, or weather in that area.

Snorkeling is ideal for people who are new to exploring the ocean, and for children as it is easy to do, low-risk, and it is inexpensive.

2. Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is a little more adventurous than snorkeling, but can still be enjoyed by people who are nervous or inexperienced in the water. You just have to be able to swim a short distance, and be over ten years old to start learning to scuba dive.

Scuba diving is a way to explore the ocean from depth, and still breathe air as you go. This allows you to see a lot more than snorkeling and get a closer view.

The basic equipment required for scuba diving is a mask and snorkel, fins, a tank of air, a buoyancy control device (a jacket that can be inflated and deflated underwater to keep you at the desired depth), and a regulator (tubes that connect the air from the tank to your mouth and to the BCD). A wetsuit may also be desirable.

Scuba diving can be strange at first but soon becomes very relaxing. It is an incredible way to spend a long time under the water. Scuba diving is fun, and easy once you know how, but it requires a certain amount of safety and technique that has to be learned. As a beginner, your two main options are:

Try Scuba Diving: The SSI Try Scuba Diving program is a taster of scuba diving, without having to commit to the full first course. If you sign up for a try dive, your instructor will first introduce you to your equipment and explain a little about how scuba diving works. Then you head to the shallows to give it a go. You start with some simple skills, and then you are scuba diving! The instructor stays very close to you the entire time and you can relax and enjoy the view. The maximum depth for this program is 12m deep.

Open Water Diver: The SSI Open Water Diver course is the first real step in your scuba diving journey. After you complete the course you are certified to dive recreationally for the rest of your life. During this course you learn a variety of skills that prepare you for scuba diving, as well as vital safety practices, and lots more. It is information-packed, and super fun! The maximum depth you will be certified to is 18m deep.

After your Open Water Diver course you can go on to do many more courses if you wish. There is always more to learn!

3. Freediving

Freediving is the practice of holding your breath underwater. Most people learn how to freedive so that they can explore the ocean, but some go on to compete in freediving competitions, or use it to improve their spearfishing.

Freediving is an excellent way to see the underwater world, it allows you to dive down and stay underwater for a while. It is obviously important to learn how to do this in a safe way, and to always freedive with buddies. If you would like to start freediving, your first step would be to take a course. Similar to scuba diving courses, you will learn a lot of information about technique and what to do in a diving emergency. Here are your two main options to get started:

Try Freediving: Similarly to the Try Scuba Diving program, the SSI Try Freediving program allows you to have a taster of what freediving is all about. You will learn some basic theory about equipment, equalization, and breathing techniques, before hitting the confined water to give it a go with an instructor close by.

Freediving Level 1: The SSI Freediving Level 1 course is the first proper certification on your journey as a freediver, you will learn in depth knowledge about freediving, as well as vital safety procedures.

There are further courses that you can go on to take, and steps you can follow once you are certified as a Level 1 freediver.

Another form of freediving is mermaiding. If you would like to become a real-life mermaid, we have a course for that too (a few courses actually). The SSI Mermaid courses teach you skills to use a mermaid tail efficiently and elegantly underwater, while staying safe.

Those are the three main ways to explore the underwater world. Which one will you choose?

Read further for deep dive into the ocean’s influence on
 our mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.

"I find comfort in the rhythm of the sea.” 

Have you ever stared out at the ocean, totally in awe of its size and beauty, and felt a deep connection with it? This is not uncommon for most of us, as our emotional relationship with water and the ocean is largely unconscious and likely dates back to the origin of our species. In fact, many scientists believe the human species originated in the ocean and that humans were once  semi-aquatic.

As humans in the 21st century, we still maintain this unconscious, biological connection with water because of how our bodies developed. We all began our lives immersed in the fluid-filled environment of the womb. When we were first born, our bodies contained around 70% water with concentrations within the brain reaching 80% water. As we age, this percentage drops, however, the density of the human body and water always remains very similar, which explains why we are often able to experience floating. Additionally, the mineral composition of the water found within our bodies is also very comparable to the water found within our oceans.

Exposure to Vitamin D while at the beach is a major benefit, including bone health, teeth, and muscles as well as improving the immune system, digestive health, and mental well-being. Negative ions, generated in nature when air molecules are broken apart by sunlight or the movement of air and water (1), are found at beaches and waterfalls. There’s a lot of talk that they can improve mood, relieve stress, and aid sleep. 

Being at the beach is also an extra special sensory experience. The sound of the waves, the smell of the seaweed, the touch of the sand between your toes, the taste of the salt in the water and in the air, the weightlessness that floating in the water brings…it’s immersive. There is nothing quite like it in the world.

We are often inspired by the spiritual, mental, and physical connection we have with water and the ocean, and we can use their healing powers to our advantage to help restore our bodies and minds. In this article, we discuss the some of the many physical and mental health benefits of the ocean.

Coral Reef Ecology & Biodiversity

Although they cover less than 0.1% of the earth’s surface, coral reefs are the most biodiverse marine ecosystem in the world.

Coral reefs are home to:

• 4,000 species of reef fish

• 840 species of corals

• Over 1 million species of other animals

Why are coral reefs so important?

• 275 million people live within 19 miles (30km) of coral reefs.

• Over 100 countries benefit from the recreational value of coral reefs.

• 350 million people travel to coral reefs each year.

Coral reefs are at the center of many coastal and island cultures around the world. For example, in the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian creation chant, the coral polyp was the first organism created, and from that all other life forms sprung forth.

Though coral reefs face numerous threats, we can save them by keeping them healthy.

Find Out How

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• CORAL REEF ECOLOGY

• How Reefs Are Made

• What Do Corals Reefs Need to Survive?

• Where Are Coral Reefs Located?

• How Coral Reefs Grow

• How Corals ReproduceTypes of Coral Reef Formations

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• HOW CAN YOU HELP?

So what exactly is coral and the reef system? According to Maui Nui Marine Resource Council,

“Coral reefs are made up of millions of living, breathing animals known as coral polyps. Related to jellyfish and anemones, coral polyps have a single opening surrounded by tentacles that are use to capture food. There are two types of corals: hard corals and soft corals. Hard corals – known as reef building corals – excrete a hard, protective “cup” of calcium carbonate (limestone). This rigid skeleton forms the framework for coral reefs. Soft corals (for example seafans) do not build calcium carbonate skeletons and are not considered reef builders.”

But more than this, the reef ecosystem consists of not just the coral but the sea life that co-exists with it including fish, sea turtles, invertebrates and mammals.

And why are coral reef and the reef systems so important?

“Coral reefs are considered one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet. Dubbed the “rainforests” of the sea, reefs play a critical role in maintaining natural diversity and providing a home to thousands of species.
Corals also support healthy human communities, and are responsible for providing:
• Food
• Recreation
• Tourism (economics)
• Medicine
• Protection from large storm and wave events”

Coral reefs are considered one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet. Dubbed the “rainforests”

Embrace ‘Pono’

So let’s discuss what we can do as visitors to Maui when enjoying this amazing, fragile living organism. Here’s where the ‘pono’ comes in. In Hawai‘i, ‘pono’ is an overarching principle that essentially means to do what is right or proper.

While we know that three of the primary drivers behind Maui’s declining coral reefs are 

1) Land-based pollutants, 

2) Over-fishing and poor enforcement of fishing regulations and insufficient ‘resting’ (kapu) sites that protect marine life by providing time and space to recover from these stressors and 

3) rising ocean temperatures, there are two lesser known extremely significant drivers, chemical sunscreens and recreational overuse. Hawaii's tourism industry brings thousands of people into contact with its reefs. Uninformed and unsupervised divers and snorkelers who touch or accidentally trample living corals can have a cumulative and significant impact over time, especially when concentrated in small areas. Further, studies show that the use of chemical based sunscreen products are actually causing ‘coral bleaching’. To give you some insight, the film, ‘Reefs at Risk’, released earlier this year, raises awareness of the harm that certain chemicals, like Oxybenzone, do to Hawaii’s reefs.

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