My Adventure Bag

We love to go on adventures, and here is one way that we plan to get the most out of our summer fun - an adventure bag!

We went to The Garden in the Woods today to hike. When we checked in today, they presented us with a bag full of goodies. It included binoculars, a magnifying glass, a BINGO game, a bug handbook, and a small journal with crayons. I thought that it was a fabulous idea! The kids loved everything in the bag, and the supplies certainly enhanced the trip. I’ve been thinking about it a little more, and I think we’ll take an adventure bag with us  when we go out adventuring.

Take apart the bag for a moment. Think about why certain items should be included. The science journal with colored pencils is the most important component of the bag. This journal will keep a record of your child’s science work for a particular unit of study. Being required to accurately draw a picture of something in the journal will also cause your child to observe more carefully and think. Your child will also practice writing for a different purpose in this journal. This is a great way to get your reluctant writer to do a little writing. It is often easier to write about experiences and something tangible than something abstract.

The other components of the bag basically add to the quality of your child’s observations. The binoculars and magnifying glass make it possible to look closely at something and create an accurate drawing of it. This allows your child to use real tools to make observations with. It takes practice to master using these tools correctly. This is a chance to take risks with those skills since there isn’t any pressure on a family hike.

I love the idea of including a handbook or field guide. Your reluctant reader might be more willing to read up on exciting creatures and interesting plants knowing that you are heading out on an adventure. The photographs and illustrations in these books also make it much more compelling to read while the shorter bits of text make it less intimidating. You might look for particular animals or plant life from the book while on the hike, too.

If you bring a camera, your child can document the trip in photographs. What a great opportunity to try out a different medium for art! Depending on how much you know about photography, you can help your child with composing a shot and using lighting in an artistic way. Your child could use the photographs in a scrapbook if you like.

Additionally, I would include a small first aid kit in the bag. We have had many incidents that require first aid while we are hiking. Also talk about basic safety before you go adventuring and review some basic rules for the trip (stay with the group, don’t jump into the water, don’t eat anything you see growing, etc.).

Of course, it would be too much to try out all of the ideas on one adventure trip, but it us great to have all of your important adventuring tools in one place. It allows you to go out on a hike, and follow your child’s lead to see which tools from the trusty adventure bag s/he uses. Go out and have fun with your adventure bag!

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