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Night Owl Adventures
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One great thing about living in a small town like ours is that so many amenities are within walking distance from our home. We live about a 15-minute walk from our Victorian town square, with access to a kid-friendly independent bookstore, the music and arts center where Nolan takes drum lessons, and my yoga studio.
We walk to the square often, which brings some respite from today's family-unfriendly gas prices. On nights when the moon is out and the weather is cooperating, we like to shake things up with a moonlit stroll to the square. We call these our "Night Owl Adventures," and the boys really get a kick out of looking at the same places they see every day quite literally in a different light.
We grab the headlamps (which help make seeing at night second nature) and a flashlight or two (because the boys love carrying them) from our camping gear bins and head outdoors. We take a familiar route to help the boys feel comfortable in the darkness, searching for bats fluttering near the streetlights, and listening for different species of birds along the way. The boys are always hoping to hear an owl, but so far, no luck.
You don't need to live in a small town to have a Night Owl Adventure of your own; even a walk around the block can feel adventurous, especially for younger kids. Some conservation and park districts feature guided moonlight hikes, so check your local listings for those.
Here are some ideas to prepare and inspire you for a nocturnal journey of your own:
Member Comments On…
Night Owl Adventures
This summer we went to Fundy National Park in New Brunswick Canada, they have a night hike in which an interpreter takes you out onto a trail at dusk. You get to experience the transition from day to night in the wilderness. It was quite fascinating and my daughter and I had a great time. There were no flashlights allowed and by the end of the hike it was pitch dark. It was quite an eerie experience to be walking on a trail with only your hearing and smell to guide you. We intend to hold a few of these in our backyard as the seasons progress to hear and smell the changes around us. We're hoping that next time we go up my son will be old enough to participate as well. And maybe this time we'll see that shy moose!
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We have a slightly wooded back yard, y kids just love having "Midnight Scavenger Hunts"! (as soon as the sun goes down) they get to put on their head lamps, and go find whatever it is my husband or I have hidden. We've done this with candy canes at Christmas time, plastic bugs or other creatures, whatever you can think of. We ususally do this about once a month. It is a riot to watch the little lights bumping around! Remeber the bug spray!
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