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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Forsaking ‘Angry Birds’ for Bird Songs, CAMPING TURNS KIDS INTO NATURE LOVERS

“Whether urban or rural, children in our state average 4.5 minutes outdoors and four hours in front of a screen every day,” says Barbara Erickson, president of The Trustees of Reservations conservation nonprofit, in Sharon, Massachusetts.

One way to disconnect kids from electronics is to go camping. Such educational, fresh air exercise is inclusive and inexpensive. David Finch, superintendent of the Dunes Edge Campground, in Provincetown, Massachusetts, suggests borrowed gear for the first outing. A backyard campout can be a rewarding trial run; each child can ask a friend to stay over and a parent and the family dog can participate.

Once kids have the hang of sleeping somewhere outside their own bedroom, consider an overnight program at a local or regional zoo. Kids get a kick out of watching the animals and learning about their behaviors, diets and habitats. The Toledo Zoo, in Ohio, offers Snooze at the Zoo, including a pizza dinner, breakfast and admission the next day. Children sleep near one of the exhibits or in a safari tent. The program teaches animal adaptations, food chains and ecosystems and meets requirements for scout badges in a fun setting.

HK_0714_CampingBoy_620x350The Irvine Nature Center, in Owings Mills, Maryland, near Baltimore, offers a rich outdoor experience. Organizers provide food, activities and camping equipment. Children first attend a fire safety class, and then help cook a meal and make s’mores. At night, participants learn how to mimic owl hoots and practice their new skills, often receiving hoots in return. Night walks sometimes include sightings of deer, bats or flying squirrels, while morning walks showcase groundhogs and birds.

Jean Gazis, with the women’s and girls’ rights nonprofit Legal Momentum, in Brooklyn, New York, observes, “It’s easier to camp with small, even tiny, children, than with older kids. Babies are portable.” She recalls taking her 7-week-old infant along and nostalgically comments, “Now that the kids are 11 and 14, they don’t have as much free time.”

Drive-up camping in a state park that offers facilities and planned activities sets up a good time. Gazis feels that a destination four hours away is the limit for car trips with small children. She advises giving everyone duties. “My young son once had a great time digging a ditch around the tent when it began to rain,” she recalls. “He kept the sleeping bags dry and got to play in the mud.”

“It’s not how fast and how far you go, it’s what you see, smell, touch and listen to along the way. You might move only five feet in 15 minutes, but what you see and discuss will help children grow into respectful explorers and lifelong campers. Take photos and bring a journal; a child’s adventures are the best keepsakes.” ~ Stephanie Rach, founder of the Let’s Go Chipper play-based learning program, in Corte Madera, CA
Jeff Alt, of Cincinnati, Ohio, author of Get Your Kids Hiking, suggests, “Start them young and keep it fun. Get the kids involved in the planning. My kids have gone along since they were born. We stayed at a lodge when they were small because little trekkers have a lot of gear. During the day we were out in the park exploring, always keeping in mind that kids tire out fast.” His mandatory equipment includes good walking shoes, sunscreen and bug spray. Adhering to such rules as never leave the trail or wander off and don’t pick flowers or touch animals is non-negotiable.

Stephanie Wear, a biologist for The Nature Conservancy, working in Beaufort, South Carolina, has found that it’s easy to make the experience lively. “We like to do observational scavenger hunts—find the flower, the mushroom or the tree that looks like a picture and make a list of what you see. Getting out in nature sharpens observation skills, boosts creativity and improves physical and mental health,” she says. Wear notes that her kids have listed 70 forms of life in the family’s backyard alone. Visit a local park or NatureRocks.org to take part in more activities and explore different locations. “Nature presents a great parenting tool,” she remarks.

Summertime camping helps every member of the family unplug, unwind and wander along new paths.

Avery Mack is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect via [email protected].


 

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Budget Gear

by Avery Mack

Budget Gear by Avery MackIf family members enjoy their initial camping experiences, it’s time to invest in gear. Goodwill Industries and other thrift stores may have some items, although finding what’s needed will be a hit-or-miss endeavor. Note that sleeping bags at thrifts will most likely be for indoor use only—not waterproofed or suitable for colder weather. Military surplus stores are a better bet.

Check these sites for bargains or discounted prices:

Thrift shops often have inexpensive flatware and plastic/reusable dishes (cuts paper waste at the campsite), as well as clothing that carefree kids won’t have to worry about ruining; pick gender-neutral colors so T-shirts can be passed down or shared.

Budget Gear by Avery MackWhen packing, give each child a personally labeled travel container with clothing, toothbrush and other essentials, and a current checklist to be sure each item is packed (and repacked at camp). Include other items of their choosing but if any of them don’t fit in, they don’t go along.

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Leave No Trace

  • Know the rules beforehand and be ready for inclement weather.
  • Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Use existing trails.
  • Dispose of waste properly.
  • Leave plants undisturbed.
  • Minimize campfire impacts.
  • Use a lightweight stove instead of a fire.
  • Respect wildlife. Do not follow, feed or approach animals.
  • Keep dogs tethered so they can’t chase or harm wildlife.
  • Be courteous to other visitors (no loud music). Happily share the trail and experiences.
Find more tips from the Center for Outdoor Ethics at lnt.org/learn/7-principles.

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Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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