“Babies thrive out-of-doors. They sleep better, eat better, look better, play better, and learn better.” – Magda Gerber
Every few days, you can often find me pounding the pavement with Kaydes in her pram, legs hanging about. We love to go walking around Alice Springs’ dry river, in Olive Pink Botanic Gardens, and off on day excursions in the outback.
You may imagine Australia‘s outback to be nothing more but red sand, and/or no life. I find it to be the opposite, and just brimming with life! I love showing her different plants and objects, and pointing out wallabies, kangaroos, galahs, etc.
We have recently been out to Jessie Gap in the East MacDonnell Ranges. We were warmly welcomed by a gazillion Australian Zebra Finches cheeping and diving about. They seem to fly in droves, taking turns flying from the safety of the trees, to the waterhole to have a drink. It was a cool spectacle to watch, and point out to Kaydence.
She also loved playing with the sandy pebbles, and sorting them out. And I enjoyed taking photos of her, and diverting most bits from going in her mouth 😂.
After a bit of a rough winter, it is great to see her so happy, (mostly) healthy and enjoying the sunny, warm weather that has made its summer entrance.
I love that she gets a lot of enjoyment from the outdoors like me.
Pinehaven Bush in New Zealand, was one of my most influential and pivotal places for me growing up. So many of my earliest memories are based there, and I feel it has imprinted on my soul.
From playing around its trees, to building dams at the stream. From being tossed onto Pop’s wheelbarrow packed with bags of leaves, to finding a kitten and (probably not) covertly motioning for it to follow us home.
Sandy became her name, and was such a loyal friend for 18 years, but I digress.
The outdoors is a wonderful (and free!) learning environment.
Generally speaking, we all know that it has a huge positive impact on all of our emotional and cognitive functioning. The natural world can help build confidence and self-esteem in a child, and is a great place for us (adults) to reset, aka outdoor therapy.
A year ago, as her birth approached, I thought we would be living in our city apartment with our cats. Viewing over buildings, motorways and pigeons on the balcony, that I would lure for the cats entertainment tbh! Instead we see plenty of gum trees, walking paths and occasionally Lizzy the lizard who sometimes visits our backyard!
So while our lives are now going in a different direction than imagined or planned. I think it’s a plus at least in the outdoors box.
Her birthday is next month 😮 and I’m doing a small ‘First 1 around the Sun’ theme for her.
Lore & Tempo is where motherhood meets adventure. I’m Ren – storyteller, explorer, and single mum in Wellington, New Zealand. I’ve been lucky enough to wander through 45 countries. 15 of them with my +1, Kaydes, either strapped to my front, on my hip, or running ahead on her own adventures. I created this space to share single parent life, travel tips, and the joy of exploring the world.
