When I was growing up, we stayed outside all the the time. We would go swimming at the creek, boating, hiking, farming, and just general playing. As an adult and having all boys, we still stay outside. Homeschooling has brought a whole new meaning to being outdoors with the study of nature. Although we love being outside and exploring and studying nature, I want us all to be safe and respect nature.

Below, I will share a list of ways my family stays safe and respects nature. The last thing I want is to have one of my children get an injury while outside or hurt something we find.

Safety List for Nature Study and Outdoor Activities:

  1. Wear proper clothing- that doesn’t mean to dress in full hiking gear. But, dressing appropriately will help keep you safe. If hiking, wear good sturdy shoes with socks. Keep hats in your trunk to protect from the sun. Also, keep a light jacket for cool days.
  2. Drink plenty of water- this should be obvious but my boys have been known to forget to drink water while playing outside. Someone gave us some nice cups with lids and I’ve been using them to send outside with them. If you are away from home, bring refillable cups with lids and extra water. It’s extremely important to stay hydrated even when not outdoors.
  3. Wear sunscreen- my family has very pale skin. We have to wear sunscreen even when playing in the backyard. I keep a bottle in my car for when we have impromptu trips to the park. I at least cover their faces and necks.
  4. Wear bug repellent- this is important to me because we have close family with lyme disease and alpha gal from tick bites. There are many options to choose from for bug repellent. If you like natural ingredients, go with a natural product. We also treat our yard for ticks due to witnessing the horrors of lyme disease in our family members.
  5. Check for ticks ASAP- as soon as you come inside for the day, check your entire body for ticks. Even with good bug repellent, ticks can get on you. Check every single part of your body. Remove them properly and clean the area if you have one on you.
  6. Respect nature- I tell my boys to “keep nature in nature”. We very rarely take anything home with us that we find while outside. If we find a beautiful bird’s nest, I take a picture of it. If we see colorful seashells, we may take one but we leave the rest. We do, however, take leaves. Leaves are okay to take, in my opinion. We only take very colorful or special leaves. We never take rocks, insects, or animals. Always check out the area’s laws to make sure it’s okay to take even a seashell. Some places don’t allow for it. Respect nature and take pictures. Don’t take nature home with you unless you have special permission.
  7. Know how to identify animals- this is especially true of snakes. We live in an area with venomous snakes. I have taught my boys from an early age how to identify venomous snakes versus non-venomous snakes. I’ve also taught them about spiders that can cause harm and other animals such as bears and bobcats. We want to respect our animal friends but we also want to stay safe. My children know what to do if they ever come across anything that may cause harm. Have a protocol for your family. Better to be safe than sorry.

Along with being safe in nature, we also like to be prepared for anything. That’s why I keep a first aid kit in my car, home, and a backpack if we go hiking. I also keep our nature journals handy so we can draw what we discover. We have lots of fun outdoors but we are always aiming to be as safe as possible and to explore with respect to our surroundings.