In a lot of ways, I feel like this is our first real summer with kids and in Nashville. The summer of 2013, Hamish turned 1. We did live here, but we were just getting our bearings and I don't feel like we did that much. The summer of 2014 I was hugely pregnant with The Manimal. That didn't keep us homebound or anything, but I was perhaps less perky than I could have been.
This summer, though, This is the summer that we are going to make progress on our summer wishlist!
To get started, we are working from this fantastic list. Such a great resource! Lots on here will be bookmarked for when our kids are a bit older, but lots is accessible now. Here's what we've accomplished so far: Edwin Warner Park
The first time we went to Edwin Warner, we parked, picked a trail, and took off. Hamish walked, The Manimal rode in a carrier, and we just took a nice little walk in the woods.
But there's so much more to the park than just the hiking. We've since gone back to throw rocks in the creek and most recently to play in the Nature Play area. The play area at the Park is amazing: dirt piles and water and a cabin, and plenty of tools to scoop and dig and dump with. The goal of the space to promote outdoor play and creativity without a lot of structure or rules. They are working to combat "Nature Deficit Disorder" for kids who are too often indoors and plugged in.
But there's so much more to the park than just the hiking. We've since gone back to throw rocks in the creek and most recently to play in the Nature Play area. The play area at the Park is amazing: dirt piles and water and a cabin, and plenty of tools to scoop and dig and dump with. The goal of the space to promote outdoor play and creativity without a lot of structure or rules. They are working to combat "Nature Deficit Disorder" for kids who are too often indoors and plugged in.
My kids are big fans.
The Manimal has never been so happy. We plopped him on the ground and he took off. He went straight for a toy shovel first, but then we pointed him in the direction of one of the puddles. We were close by to keep him from falling (and staying) face first into the water, but otherwise, we let him do his thing. And his thing was to splash and splash and love it so much.
Hamish did lots of scooping and pouring and mixing for mudpies and mudmuffins.
After the Manimal was completely filthy, we stripped him down and moved on to the creek to rinse off.
While we were there, we searched for salamanders and crawfish (found one of each). It was messy, of course, but so much fun.
They also have backpacks you can check out with activities and tools to encourage exploration around the pond, garden, forest, and field. We'll definitely try that soon, too.
(Look at me. I'm doing it.)
While we were there, we searched for salamanders and crawfish (found one of each). It was messy, of course, but so much fun.
They also have backpacks you can check out with activities and tools to encourage exploration around the pond, garden, forest, and field. We'll definitely try that soon, too.
(Look at me. I'm doing it.)