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The mamas behind the scenes at Kids Who Explore, share weekly episodes covering all things exploring (with kids), from simple walks outside to camping in the backcountry. Expect interviews with explorers from all over the world and lots of takeaways for your own future adventures! Instagram: @kidswhoexplore Facebook: Kids Who Explore Website: www.kidswhoexplore.com
Episodes
Monday Mar 21, 2022
Monday Mar 21, 2022
Kathryn Farrell says that in the outdoors her family’s spirit is better! Isn’t that the truth for all of us? So, even working in a dark, operating room all day, and living right in the city, she has found a way to prioritize the outdoors. Not only are her words hang-on-your-wall quote worthy, but she has many great takeaways for all of us surrounded by concrete!
Kathryn Farrell has a Masters in Health Science, a Degree in Nutrition, and as she says, she loves to get nerdy with her two kids and sneak in science lessons. For the past decade she has worked as a Physician’s Assistant. She designed the CO Carrier after struggling to find a baby carrier that fit all her needs - comfortable enough to wear outside in her hot summers, quick and simple to put on, and compact enough to bring on her daily outings. Nearly her entire life has been spent in the Southeast, in Atlanta and Florida. She grew up camping, swimming, and rarely playing indoors. By high school, she fell in love with the sport of running, and since has competed in many marathons.
Outdoor Adventure Ideas While City-Living:
- Go in the backyard
- Learn about all things in nature!
- Head for a hike
- Go on a bike ride
- Go swimming
- Take a walk
- Visit a park
- Play soccer (or other sports)
- Roll cars down a hill
- Experience the whole world!
And don’t forget to incorporate those science lessons into your adventures! Just talk…answer all the “why” questions. Notice things changing in the environment, or what things are made of, or what creatures are doing. Be curious about how things work.
Items to Have Ready in a To-Go Bag:
- Backpack (with drink holders)
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Towel
- Diapers (depending on age)
- Spare Clothes
- Carrier
- Wet Wipes
- Water and Snacks
- Some toys
Getting Outside When It’s Hot:
- Spend time in water
- Find shade
- Take regular sips of water
Kathryn’s CO Carrier can go all directions, can hold up to 35 pounds, is light weight, and folds up easily.
Book Suggestion:
Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky
Find Kathryn at CO Carrier:
@cofamilyco – IG, Facebook, & TikTok
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
How do you transition a friendship from wild (possibly reckless) adventures to family-friendly, safe adventures with kids literally ALWAYS in tow? Adrianna & Lauren did that exact thing, and they have found some key takeaways that help them maintain their friendship, and have even watched it flourish with the addition of their mini adventurers!
Some Key Lessons/Tips:
- Plan next adventure after each adventure, so you always have the next one pencilled in
- Give 30-minute arrival windows!
- Agree on difficulty level of adventures, type of adventures, temperature, etc.
- Have Plan A, B, and C – alter activity if you need, but honour that time you have scheduled together
Remember: Your summit doesn’t have to be the top of the mountain. It can be whatever you want it to be - a rock pile, a lake, a spot in the city, a coffee shop!! Choose your summit. The language and perspective of that will take you far!
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
Melissa Bald had a burning desire to explore, but the Van-Life simply wasn’t going to work for her family. So, what did she do? She found a way! The Balds sold their home and rented their way through the USA for a year, allowing her husband to work virtually, and her to homeschool her kiddos! Learn how a year as nomads taught a family how to find adventure in their own backyard!
Their Favourite Outdoor Adventures:
- Nature scavenger hunts
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Enjoying the mountains!
A Memorable Location:
Keystone, Colorado
Pros from a Year of Travel:
- So much family bonding time
- They felt safe during the pandemic, because they were their own little bubble
Challenge from a Year of Travel:
- Learning what/how to pack for different climates and homeschool, which all needed to fit into their SUV
- Packing monthly to “move” again
- Finding rentals for the duration they wanted (4-6 weeks each time)
Advice for Those Wanting to Take On Something Similar:
- You can create adventure in smaller stints (start small, if you need)
- You can rent out your house to make it more financially-feasible (they sold, as it was the right time for them)
- Book as you go, so you can gauge how long you want to spend in each place
- You can often use your current address for shipping items you may need, such as contact lenses, or medicine, for example
- Other mail can be forwarded to a (willing) relative, if you don’t have a PO Box
A key takeaway: The Balds had a drive and desire to see everything where they were, and now they bring that into their permanent home/stationary suburb “normal life”!
Show Recommendation:
Alone (on the Discovery Channel)
Follow Melissa:
IG: @melissbald
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions.
Music: @michaelferraro_music
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
We all want to be present with our children, right? That’s what is so beautiful about swimming – there’s no place that you could be more present. You need to be exactly where you are! Talking to Kaylee Kennedy, the founder of many swim schools, not only inspired us to get in the water with our children, but also taught us the best safety measures to take, and methods to teach to foster a love for the water.
Kaylee Kennedy, taught her oldest son to swim as a baby, and it bonded them in such a strong way. It inspired Kaylee to open up Saskatoon Swim School in the Fall of 2014 when her son was just a year old. Her overall philosophy of teaching beginners to swim is to do so as effectively and safely as possible. But it did not end there. In came K&K Swim School throughout Canada. Then, with the pandemic, came a whole new vision - teaching babies and toddlers to swim in their own bathtubs at home - watermellow (previously, KKOnlineSwim)l was born.
Start Swimming with Kids:
- Can start as young as 3-weeks-old
- The younger, the better! [definitely before 14-months-old is ideal]
- Can start in the bathtub
- Can also learn in a hot tub that is set to 90-91 degrees [what you need for kids until around 3-years-old is depth, more than length]
- Kids should be swimming once a week, or at least twice a month, so their body doesn’t forget
Tip: Bring goggles for anywhere with a hot tub or a big bathtub!
Teaching Water as a Caregiver:
- A large part is going under the water with your kids and having fun!
- If you’re not a confident swimmer, a swim school should be able to teach you that with your child
- Once you want your child to learn technique, they can join swim lessons
- Get in the water with them and hold them by their underarms and be their floatation device! The lighter your fingers, the more independence they have
- Tip: Wear a T-shirt in the water – it allows your child to grab onto you
Typical Swim Groups [Swimming Doesn’t Have to be Competitive]:
- Synchro
- Diving
- Water Polo
- Swim Team
Why We Are Not Fans of Self-Rescue Lessons:
- Some methods of self-rescue can include listening to the child’s input
- Lots of aggressive forms of teaching self-rescue doesn’t stay attuned to child’s feelings and progression
- The word “rescue” alone brings a fear to the water – a child should never have to rescue or save themselves in the water – if a child feels like they are going to die, that’s a very traumatic experience (and then imagine that trauma over and over and over again)
- The mindset doesn’t match the intention; instead focus on learning to breathe, have fun, and swim, so children can become independent in the water
Let’s Talk Water Safety:
- Always, always, always, make sure child is at arm’s reach from an adult [100% supervision]
- Teach children to respect the strength of water by teaching them submerging, breath control, and calm controlled movements in the water
- Kids learn by submerging again and again and again
- The danger comes when kids don’t know what water is capable of, so exposure is key!
- Have a gate around pools and an alarm at the back door (and no doggy door) – remember non-swim times are the largest concern, so we need to teach our kids that they do not go in the water without us
- When you go to a place with water, make going in the water the first thing you do, and watch what your kids do, so they learn boundaries
PFDs, Lifejackets, and Puddle Jumpers:
- These products should never be used as a replacement for parental supervision
- They are meant to be used for if you were to fall off a boat and be knocked unconscious
- Kids should not “learn to swim” in these - doesn’t allow them to submerge and doesn’t allow them to be in a horizontal position
- It’s not a great idea to wear them outside of the pool either, because it gives a false sense of security [that being said, you need to know your situation, and if you can be physically present with all your kids]
Book Recommendation:
Finding Chika & The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom
Follow Kaylee’s Swim School:
Websites: http://watermellow.com & http://kkswimschool.com
Facebook: Watermellow & KKSwimSchool
Instagram & TikTok: @watermellow.swim @knkswimschool
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions.
Music: @michaelferraro_music.
Tuesday Feb 22, 2022
Tuesday Feb 22, 2022
We can all picture that moment where the adult lets go and the kid keeps pedalling…they are doing it, they are biking on their own!! Mike Chan calls that the PedalHead moment. We want every kid to have that moment, not only for their own self-confidence and the opportunity to learn a life-long sport, but also for the quality family time that comes along with it. Today’s podcast shares all the bike tips and tricks, from how to get started, to how to fit a helmet correctly!
Mike Chan is a dad to a 2-year-old, and 6-year-old, plus they often have their dog in tow in the outdoors! They love to find new playgrounds, go on hikes, and play in the snow when it visits them in Vancouver, BC. Mike is also the Marketing Manager for PedalHeads.
PedalHeads has kids programming across North America. They are most known for their biking, but they also offer swim lessons and trail riding programs. They are all about bringing families together by adding a confidence to riding!
Starting Kids Biking:
- Get kids on a bike around age 2, for comfort (you can start indoors)
- Watch other kids biking
- Join PedalHeads camp as young as 2-years-old, with parent and tot option
- Benefits of starting with a balance bike: gives them the feeling of gliding
- Benefits of starting with training wheels: learns the pedalling motion
- Get off training wheels & learn to ride with Pedalheads - https://youtu.be/hoZX59J1JqA
- Learning to Bike Game (water the flowers) - https://youtu.be/TP95YuMbaes
- Learning to Bike Game (lines and circles) - https://youtu.be/slNrJk7MjnA
Biking with Babies:
- Add a chariot to your bike
- Add a bike chair to your bike, once child has proper neck strength and can wear a helmet (after 1-year)
You don’t need the latest, greatest, most expensive bike – the most important part is getting the right size. Check second-hand bike stores, Facebook Market Place, or hand-me-downs from other siblings/friends.
Choosing a Helmet:
- Helmets should not be secondhand
- Follow the 4 S’s: check strap, sticker on there for how old it is, shake your head to check tightness, retention system on the back is ideal for loosening or tightening according to a child’s head and it will fit them better
- Helmet should protect the forehead and back of head - only two fingers (horizontal) should fit above eyebrows
- Brand doesn’t matter, as long as it fits properly!
- [However,] Brands Mentioned: Giro Scamp & Louis Garneau Raid
- Bike and Helmet Fit - https://youtu.be/0mpz1cj2caE
If You Choose to Bike in Winter:
- Watch for ice (be cautious)
- Be aware of traffic
- Have reflective gear, so you can easily be spotted
Recommendations:
Books: The Elephant and Piggie Series by Mo Willems
Show: Ted Lasso
Podcast: Finding Cleo
PedalHeads is Located In:
- Canada: BC, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec
- USA: Washington State, Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, DMV Region, Massachusetts
Follow PedalHeads:
PedalHeads on Facebook, IG, Twitter & YouTube
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
Let’s face it – not everyone in a family is always going to like the same activities. So, how do you create a balance? How do you compromise? How do you allow space for each other? We may not have the perfect answers for everyone, but we have the perfect answers for us! Come along and hear more!
What We’ve Learned:
- Our spouses don’t have to be everything to us
- Talk it out and find the compromise that works best for your family
- When you go along on an activity that you don’t enjoy, bring your positivity!
Our Rule of Thumb:
- Find an outdoor and indoor activity that you both truly enjoy together (can be more than one!)
- Activities that the other doesn’t enjoy, the role can be filled by other family members and friends
- Dedicate a few times a year for each person to come along on the other’s activities
- See if you can find a compromise in the activities (ie. hike to a fishing location)
- Alternate who plans the adventure (works great when you have multiple kid voices chiming in!)
Other Podcast Episode Mentioned:
Ep. 37 Risky Play & Nature Education with Brittany Williams
We want to hear how your family finds this compromise – head over to our IG, @kidswhoexplore, to tell us!!
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.
Tuesday Feb 08, 2022
Tuesday Feb 08, 2022
Can you imagine never having to change a poopy diaper? Can you imagine adventuring with your young babies without wondering where you will set up a diaper changing station? Andrea Olson can, because she did Elimination Communication with all 5 of her kids…basically potty training from birth. We are going to learn the tricks of her trade, and the why behind it!
Andrea Olson never intended on teaching people about baby potty training, and like many, she didn't even realize Elimination Communication (EC) existed until her mid-20's. Since then, she says it has become her passion, her career, and her motivation. She started Elimination Communication with her first son at birth. Soon after, she started helping other moms practice EC. That turned into a pamphlet, which turned into a book, and more books, and videos, and courses, and...the list goes on! For over 10 years now, Andrea has helped thousands of parents worldwide learn about and practice Elimination Communication.
Elimination Communication practices using listening and responding to the cries and signals that our kids show us, as early as newborns, that they need to relieve themselves.
Reminder: Poop, even in disposable diapers, is never supposed to go in the landfill; the poop should be put into the toilet before the diaper is disposed of.
Elimination Communication Pros:
- You save a ton of money on diapers
- It reduces fussiness and colic-symptoms
- It helps make breastfeeding easier
- It gives babies a sense of control (in a good way)
- It’s makes for less to clean up, or wash
- The process is quicker
- No blow outs!
- Babies smell better
- It gives you and your kiddos a deeper connection
It is okay to do part-time EC, if daycare or other care providers are not on board.
Adventuring with EC:
- Signs they need to relieve themselves in the carrier – they will “buck” and try to get out
- Bring a tiny potty (or top hat potty) that’s easy to travel with on adventures
- Allow them to go in the car before and after adventure (or after a nap in the carrier)
- “Offer” them a chance to go whenever you transition or when your gut is telling you they may need to go
- Fun tip: Bring journaling and crafting for potty time before adventures (especially when you have multiple kids who need turns using the potty – crafting is perfect waiting material)
Elimination Communication Cons:
- Effort! There is the upfront work of being extremely present and learning your baby’s cues
- After getting out of diapers completely, sometimes parents/kids don’t know how to “finalize the potty training”
So, when can you start? Anytime! From birth onwards. Once you hit 12-months, but especially 15-months, you would go directly to potty training, and not practice EC.
Follow Andrea:
Websites: https://godiaperfree.com & https://tinyundies.com
IG: @godiaperfree & @tinyundies
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
Tuesday Feb 01, 2022
Tuesday Feb 01, 2022
It’s been a year of the Kids Who Explore podcast! Let us reintroduce ourselves. We can’t thank you enough for getting to know us – Adrianna Skori & Lauren Rodych-Eberle…the voices behind the microphones, and learning along with us on this journey.
Find Adrianna on IG at @adriannaadventures
CEO and Founder of KWE
Also a Financial Analyst: Accountant
Mama to son, Turner
Find Lauren on IG at @laurenrodycheberle
Communications & Media Manager for KWE
Also a Music Teacher, Cookbook Author, Blogger
Mama to daughter, Collins
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music.
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Do you ever wonder why kids can see a playground full of shiny equipment, yet they are drawn to the sticks, rocks, branches, trees, logs, fallen leaves, and the list goes on, instead? Ron King wondered this too, but it didn’t take long before he saw all the benefits of natural play and started a family business called Natural Playgrounds, who are the leading experts in building natural playgrounds for kids!!
For 26 years, the King family has owned Natural Playgrounds, and they have been the leading experts in designing beautiful, intriguing, cost-effective, safe, and philosophically appropriate Natural Playgrounds for K-12 schools, Montessori schools, Head Start programs, childcare centers, and communities.
Benefits of Natural Play:
- Contributes to overall physical, cognitive, and emotional development of children
- Helps kids score higher on tests for concentration and self-discipline
- Helps kids experience more diverse play
- Kids exhibit less aggressive behaviour
- Advances motor fitness
- Promotes health
- Develops creativity
- It “invites children in”
- Reduces injuries
- Is more inclusive
- Allows for free play
14 billion dollars in the United States alone are spent on accidents from traditional playgrounds. Some reasons being that kids go beyond their skill level, or they get bored, so they try perform activities that are “too risky.” The age suggestion for equipment is very arbitrary. Natural playgrounds are good for all ages, because you can play to your own skill level and everything is built into the ground.
Recommendations:
Shows: Yellowstone & Foundation
Book: Boy Swallowed Universe by Trent Dalton & The Tender Bar by J. R. Moehringer
Follow Natural Playgrounds:
https://www.naturalplaygrounds.com
https://www.facebook.com/NaturalPlaygroundsCompany
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
Isolation. The Kelly’s know isolation all too well, but unlike Covid-Isolation, they know it in the most beautiful way! The Australian family of four live on an ultra-remote island called Uepi, located in the Solomon Islands. Not only is their unique lifestyle one that’s of keen interest, they also have taught their children from only weeks of age how to enjoy and respect the ocean. Learn it all here!
Jase & Katie run an ethical tourist resort (attracting mostly SCUBA divers) and a grass-roots based charity, centred around protecting the incredible natural environment and traditional islander way of life. Jase, with a background in international business, and Katie, a clinical pharmacist, are a pair well-equipped to manage their alternative lifestyle and give back to the local community. Arlo (3.5 yrs) and Ophelia (2 yrs) have been the perfect addition to their island life, encouraging them to explore the ocean through new eyes. Jase and Katie are both keen free divers and especially love exploring untouched islands and reefs around their home island with the kids in tow.
How They’ve Taught Their Kids About the Ocean:
- They submerged their kids in the ocean by 10-weeks-old
- They don’t create a sense of fear, but instead educate them
- They take the time to go in the water with their kids and talk through boundaries
- They respect the creatures, including the sharks
- They know which animals to be cautious of: stingers (jelly fish), tree snakes, centipedes (which are venomous)
- They get them to connect with creatures – give human-like qualities to the animals in the water, or get them to look at smaller portions of the animal (a particular shape or design)
- They start where they are comfortable, and allow them to choose what they want to do – they don’t push them too far
- They play to their strengths and prepare them ahead of time
- They demonstrate their own confidence to their children
More Advice on Getting Outside with Kids:
- Keep it close to home
- Don’t underestimate how much the outdoors can turn a situation around
On their island, they need to be self-reliant, as they don’t have a hospital on the island, so they would need to fly a helicopter in (extraordinary expense)…they have medicines and equipment to handle most situations.
Katie’s Personal Water Rules While Pregnant:
- Spent more time in the water
- Stopped free-diving to depth
- No scuba diving (as advised by physician), because of the breath hold and not the same level of oxygen
A day in their life usually looks like 3 meals together, getting in the water with the kids, having an adventure with the kids, and working in between – check out their YouTube channel to see more!
Tips for Connection during Isolation:
- Utilize Facetime
- Reach out to friends and family
- Don’t be afraid to talk about feelings!
Follow The Kelly’s at:
Website: https://www.theislandlifeofus.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheIslandLifeofUs
IG: @theislandlifeofus
Suggestions:
Podcast: Unruffled
YouTube: Sailing La Vagabonde
Check out KWE’s #patch4apurpose to support 1, or all 8, charities:
https://kidswhoexplore.com/product/original-explorer-patch4apurpose/
Today’s Host: @adriannaadventures & @laurenrodycheberle from @kidswhoexplore
Production: @kpmediaproductions. Music: @michaelferraro_music