Today we welcome Jennifer of Mommy Hiker to the blog. I absolutely love her photography and words - and she has some great thoughts about how our children learn so much from nature! Placing| Tales of a Mountain Mama
How to Make Your Own Field Guide with Kids! Spring in Montana is an event. Our winters are unpredictable as they are long, and there is never any telling if a late snowstorm will come| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Winter Hiking for Beginners with Kids I love to hike and I love winter hiking with kids even with the additional challenges it brings. We live in an area with thousands of miles of hiking| Tales of a Mountain Mama
We've all been there. It's January (or November or February or whatever month brings the most drearies to your neck of the woods). It's cold and wet and cloudy, the kids are restless, and everyone| Tales of a Mountain Mama
First Aid Kits for the Outdoor Family We've all been there. A bike crash that results in a gashed open knee. Stumbling upon a surprise ground wasp nest in the middle of a hiking trail.| Tales of a Mountain Mama
First Aid Hacks on the Trail While First Aid is a skill we never WANT to actually use, accidents can (and DO!) happen when we are playing outside. Part of being a responsible parent on| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Beginner Snowshoeing: A Simple Family Past Time Most new people that I meet assume that since I grew up in Alaska, I love winter and I must be a skier or a snowboarder. I don’t.| Tales of a Mountain Mama
These are trying times. And a trying time is a perfect time to remind yourself why nature is good for you. I would venture to guess that most of us are struggling to one degree| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Self Care Ideas for Moms Who Appreciate the Outdoors We talk a lot about kids and families around here, but self care for outdoor moms is extremely important. It might, in fact, be the MOST| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Mental health for moms: How the outdoors can support your mental health If there is one silver lining to come out of this difficult time to be a parent, it's that we have learned the| Tales of a Mountain Mama
There is increasing evidence of the dangers of screens for developing minds (and adults, if we’re honest). However, if you are going to try to reduce screen time in your family, you need to replace it with something. That’s where this post comes in! Summer is a great time to try to make changes, even ... Read more| Tales of a Mountain Mama
It’s time to start gearing up for back to school season! The best school gear does double duty, keeping kids comfortable in the classroom while holding up during recess, after school activities, and weekend adventures. Our team of mamas has rounded up our favorite high-quality back to school gear for outdoorsy kids that is perfect ... Read more| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Adventures are full of energy, challenge, growth and, often, their own flavor of chaos. Whether on all-adult excursions, solo trips, or family adventures, these components are something the adventurous spirit craves and savors. But if| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Swap Burning Out For a Fire Within Start Here Coach Sara John Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in … Home Read More »| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Get ready for summer fun! This Ultimate Summer Adventure List is packed with screen-free, outdoor activities to help your family connect, explore, and make the most of the season. It includes everything from backyard activities| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Although there is probably plenty to do in your own backyard, sometimes its nice to get out and explore something new. Check out our favorite adventures that may require a little bit of travel and| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Road Trip Hacks for Traveling with Kids Road tripping with kids is not for the faint of heart. Whether you’re driving an hour to check out a new hike, or twelve hours to go visit| Tales of a Mountain Mama
The United States is a huge country with many well known national parks, the majority of which my husband and I have not visited. We have always wanted to take our kids to see more| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Best Tips for Hot Weather Hiking with Kids Summertime hiking is an easy way to get the whole family outside and moving. However, the heat of the summer is also nothing to be taken lightly,| Tales of a Mountain Mama
I can't think of any place that has made more of an impression on me than the Grand Canyon. It somehow has the power to make a person feel both incredible grandness and infinite smallness| Tales of a Mountain Mama
We are all busy moms and after taking care of our spouses, kids, house, pets and jobs, we don’t spend nearly enough time caring for ourselves! As moms, we really do need a little extra support (in every way imaginable)! Most of us hate bra shopping, but a good bra really can make or break ... Read more| Tales of a Mountain Mama
We know that bodies come in all different shapes and sizes, but not all clothes do. Which is why we worked hard to compile our (and our friends, team members and co-workers) favorite pants for curvy body types.| Tales of a Mountain Mama
We know that getting our family outdoors boosts immunity, uplifts challenging moods, creates bonds, bolsters mental health and inspires creativity and connection to nature. But have you thought about how we can use time outdoors for building grit in our children that will be useful in many other areas of life? Even if our family ... Read more| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Ultraviolet Protection Factor (or UPF for short) is protection against both UVA and UVB rays. We LOVE UPF clothing because it means I don’t have to deal with messy sunscreen (as much). I try to look for cooling or moisture wicking tops so we can use them for active things like hiking and biking. I ... Read more| Tales of a Mountain Mama
None of us like the feeling of waking up on a flat air mattress in the middle of the night. We can tough it out, but it still makes for a cruddy night. Sleep is universally accepted to be important, right? Many folks’ number one fear of camping is being unable to sleep. They have ... Read more| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Family Adventure Travel Guide If you enjoy traveling, but hate the stress and time it takes to plan a trip then you're going to love the Tales of a Mountain Mama Family Adventure Travel Guides!| Tales of a Mountain Mama
A wet day is often an excuse to stay inside, especially if you don't have the right gear to keep kids warm, dry and happy. To help you get outside no matter the weather, we've| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Buying gifts for outdoors women can be tricky. We tend to have very specific products in mind to match what we need and want for our outdoor adventures. Some of these products require a bit| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Camping gear and supplies are great gift ideas for campers during the holidays. These are gifts that can last for years, especially if you go for quality gear that can enhance a family's experience outdoors.| Tales of a Mountain Mama
For those of us who love the outdoors, accumulating more “stuff” can leave us a little conflicted. When we receive gifts or give to our loved ones we hope they are items that benefit (or| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Best Daypacks for Women 2023 Getting our families out into nature is the goal. Ensuring our kids are comfortable, nourished, and safe requires us to carry a variety of gear through all kinds of weather| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Buoy Touring Tandem Kayak Review We had a chance to try out Buoy Touring Tandem Kayak and wanted to share our thoughts with all of you! Buoy Watersports has two lines of kayaks, Recreational and| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Here at Tales of a Mountain Mama, we are fans of REI Co-op. Many of us are members, and that is for good reason! A $30 lifetime membership gets you a lifetime of deals, perks,| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Spend any time around a homeschooling crowd, and you’ll hear the term “nature study” tossed around. What is nature study? Is it just for those crazy (or not-so-crazy) homeschoolers? Can it work for me? How| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Its never to early to start thinking about those gifts for everyone on your list. I'm here to help you find gifts for your favorite skiers. Gifts don’t have to be expensive to be wonderful.| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Nature journaling for kids is a great way to help kids train their attention on nature through exploration, discovery and self-awareness. “I see no more than you, but I have trained myself to notice what| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Backyard adventures... Are you stuck in a rut? Do you ever feel like you're in a rut, never doing anything cool? Stuck in a necessary routine, but craving adventure? Tight on money but wanting to| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Affirmation Cards For Getting Outside| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Every year I like to pull together a round-up of the gear we are using and our thoughts on it. If you live in a cold climate, quality winter gear for kids is essential to| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Whitney Donaldson| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Jennifer Levin| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Jami Rogers| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Amanda Schmidt| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Kids can learn to downhill ski at a very young age with a little bit of patience, some key gear, and a few tried-and-true pieces of advice. Check out our tips, tricks, and gear recommendations| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Over the years our number of bikes have continued to grow and it seems like the proper number of bikes is always n+1. We have a family of four and more than 2 bikes per| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Kids + winter often leads to a pile of wet clothes. And we all know the trick to keeping kids happy in the cold winter months is warm, dry gear. Here are some of our| Tales of a Mountain Mama
A great way to help keep kids warm in the winter is a puffy jacket, filled with either a down or synthetic insulation, these jackets often give a very "puffy" appearance, hence the name. Puffy| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Having all your gear perfectly organized is the thing of dreams. And although I try my best, we still go through bouts where we get unorganized. And it seems like the only way to fix| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Getting outside at night offers a sense of calm after a busy day with the kiddos. Family winter play after dark can help calm some of the busiest bodies. The dark sky, the quiet street,| Tales of a Mountain Mama
If you are going to take kids on a thru-hike (or really any long-distance backpacking trip), you need to think a bit more carefully about gear than if you were just taking them in a| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Amelia | Tales of a Mountain Mama
Over the past 12 years we have had SO many kid boots come through this house. Some have been fantastic at keeping our kids' warm during a cold winter and others have been ones we| Tales of a Mountain Mama
You figured out your camping gear, used our camping meal plan to plan your food and feel generally really ready to tackle your camping trip. Except you just realized you have no idea what the| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Tweens and teens are an awesome demographic of people, despite what you may have heard from well-meaning adults trying to offer advice. Every age has its wonderful traits, and this one is no exception! Of| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Hiking is one of the oldest free activities in the books, and while it's absolutely wonderful that it costs nothing to just walk out your door with your family, gift-giving for those hiking adventures can| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Anna Kerlee | Tales of a Mountain Mama
We're a big outdoor-loving family, always on the lookout for gear that makes our adventures easier with our kids. Our journey with the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL5 Tent began when we realized we| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Making sure you and your baby have quality gear can make getting outdoors more enjoyable for you both. This post contains some of our teams favorite hiking with a baby gear items! There were many| Tales of a Mountain Mama
"Diaper bag" and "adventure" are two words that usually don't appear together in the same sentence. When I think of a diaper bag, I usually picture an overstuffed tote bag or a feminine looking backpack.| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Long summer days spent jumping into alpine lakes can still have toes feeling chilly in the tent at night. Wardrobe changes of puffy jackets, shorts, long sleeves or short sleeves, mountain days can have it| Tales of a Mountain Mama
While growing up, I lived inland in places like Wyoming and Colorado. I imagined a visit to the beach to be all sandcastles, seashells, and splashing in the waves. While it can be all those| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Spending the money on pint-sized hiking shoes for kids can feel like a waste, especially when your child is going to grow out of them so quickly. Can your child just get away with wearing| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Gardening with kids can be done at any age, in any size yard (or apartment!), and requires very little equipment to start. The benefits of gardening with kids are nearly endless. They learn patience, biology,| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Caves are a unique and exciting part of nature to explore with kids. There are estimated to be more than 45,000 caves in the US with The National Park Service managing over 4,700! While no| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Getting out of the door when camping can seem pretty overwhelming. The to-do list is LONG and you will always, ALWAYS forget that ONE thing that you can't live without (Toothbrush anyone?). Well, at Tales| Tales of a Mountain Mama
When people think about taking kids camping, their biggest concern is almost always how are people going to sleep (and WILL sleep actually happen???). And with good reason - it's hard for kids to do| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Outfitting kids with hiking pants isn't just about convenience; it's about ensuring their comfort and safety during outdoor adventures. We advocate for dedicated hiking pants for kids to shield them from moisture and potential hazards| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Time to plan that first backpacking trip! Everyone has a first backpacking trip and although it can be intimidating, not going is a bigger mistake. Planning a backpacking trip takes time and with practice it| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Outdoor play is fun and beneficial for kids! Toys can certainly be a part of the outdoor experience, and below are some of our best outdoor toys for kids. Whether the kids in your life are active or artistic, younger or older, or play solo or in a big group, here are some great choices to peruse!| Tales of a Mountain Mama
I grew up at a year round camp in northern Michigan. It was a pretty idyllic setup for an outdoor loving kid. Whenever campers were around, there were activities to be a part of, gear| Tales of a Mountain Mama
It’s fun to take a break from regular schooling every once in a while. If you are homeschooling, this can be the occasional period where you toss out the curriculum and do a unit study.| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Staying warm and dry is key to making winter fun for kids if you live in a cold climate (like most years here in Minnesota). High quality snow gear can transform a dark, cold and| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Whether you're new to camping or a seasoned pro, your first tent or your newest upgrade is one of the biggest and most exciting purchases. Your tent is your home away from home, and it's| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Backpacking With A Baby: A Newbies Guide Backpacking can be intimidating. The special gear, the idea of hauling all you need on your back, and having to hike into your campsite are just some of| Tales of a Mountain Mama
One of the very first things I taught in my high school biology classroom was how to make observations about nature. I took my ninth and tenth grade students outside to three trees next to| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Earlier this year, I was out on a hike with my boys when we crossed paths with another family on the trail. The mother was trying, in vain, to get her family’s attention by pointing| Tales of a Mountain Mama
Check out our favorite mittens and gloves for kids! These are the ones we rely on to keep our little ones' hands warm and dry all winter long. Our team of kids put these to| Tales of a Mountain Mama
One of the most common questions I get as a winter loving mom is, "how do you dress kids to stay warm for winter play?" Luckily, I have the answer for you here, and also| Tales of a Mountain Mama
I'll be the first to admit that I was late to jump on the base layers for kids bandwagon. I've always loved and worn them as an adult, but I did not appreciate until very| Tales of a Mountain Mama
