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The Rain or Shine Mamma Blog

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How do I find a nature preschool near me?

Find outdoor learning opportunities for your child by exploring the most comprehensive directory of nature preschools, forest schools and other nature-based education programs in North America. ...

We can’t leave a walk over on teens and social media

A new advisory says there's not enough evidence to conclude that social media is safe for children. It's time for adults to band together when it comes to teens and social media use....

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5 picture books for nature kids

Books can help reinforce children’s bond with Mother Nature by introducing them to the vocabulary of the natural world while also filling them with a sense of wonder and kinship with other living organisms. Reading picture books about nature can instill a love for reading as well as inspiring outdoor...

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3 Reasons Introverted Kids Need Nature

There’s a classic scene in the 1938 short film by Disney, Ferdinand, where the mother of the peaceful bull asks him why he prefers to sit under his cork tree over play-fighting with the other bulls. The placid bull responds, “I like it better here where I can sit just quietly and smell the flowers.” While his peers vie for fame and glory in front of the crowds in the bull-fighting arena, Ferdinand is contented with relaxing in solitude under a tree. I sympathize with Ferdinand, and not only because he tries to evade a life of bull-fighting, a cruel

Let Them Climb Trees! The many benefits of tree climbing for kids. Don't miss these tips for staying safe while climbing trees! Rain or Shine Mamma

Parents – Stop Worrying and Let Your Children Climb Trees!

As long as I can remember, my girls have climbed trees. Skinny trees, big trees, crooked trees, straight trees, old trees, young trees, pine trees, deciduous trees… They’ve climbed trees in snow suits in the winter and barefoot in the summer. On more than one occasion, they’ve climbed trees wearing princess dresses. And you know what? Sometimes I join them on their tree climbing missions. (Minus the Disney dresses, that is…) For my generation, tree climbing was a quintessential childhood experience, on a par with running under the sprinkler on a hot summer day and skinning your knees when riding

Why Scandinavians Leave Their Babies Out in the Cold

A few years ago, I got talking to a prominent researcher at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana about the Scandinavian attitude to outdoor play and nature connection. I told her about our commitment to dressing kids for the weather and getting them outside every day, as well as our obsession with friluftsliv (topics which are all covered in detail in my book There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather). The professor then asked, somewhat big eyed, “I’ve heard that parents in the Nordic countries even let their babies nap outside in the winter. Is that true?” Even though she herself

Why Scandinavians Leave Their Babies Out in the Cold

A few years ago, I got talking to a prominent researcher at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana about the Scandinavian attitude to outdoor play and

How do I find a nature preschool near me?

Find outdoor learning opportunities for your child by exploring the most comprehensive directory of nature preschools, forest schools and other nature-based education programs in North America.

We can’t leave a walk over on teens and social media

A new advisory says there’s not enough evidence to conclude that social media is safe for children. It’s time for adults to band together when it comes to teens and social media use.

5 picture books for nature kids

Books can help reinforce children’s bond with Mother Nature by introducing them to the vocabulary of the natural world while also filling them with a

Search the Blog

Below you’ll find a decade’s worth of writing about connecting children with nature. Browse the categories or use the search bar to find posts on specific topics.

How do I find a nature preschool near me?

Find outdoor learning opportunities for your child by exploring the most comprehensive directory of nature preschools, forest schools and other nature-based education programs in...

5 Water Play Ideas for Summer

Few things capture children’s imagination like water. They love to pour it, jump in it, spray each other with it, swim in it, blow...

The Unexpected Ways Free Outdoor Play Sets Your Child Up for Success

When we think of learning, our mind immediately tends to conjure up images of classrooms, desks and text books. After all, school is the...

9 Safety Tips for Kids Climbing Trees

A while back I wrote a post about kids climbing trees that resonated with a lot of people. It made me realize just how...

The Best Rain Gear for Kids (from Baby to Big Kid)

You know how Google can usually tell when flu season is about to hit when the number of searches on terms like “flu vaccination,”...

How to Dress for Cold Weather (Video and Complete Gear List). Tips for dressing kids for winter from Rain or Shine Mamma.

How to Dress for Cold Weather (Video+Gear List)

“They didn’t go outside; it was just too cold for them today,” the substitute teacher responded matter-of-factly when I picked my daughter up from...

Make a Beautiful Hiking Stick from Nature. A fun nature activity that fits both younger and older kids. Rain or Shine Mamma. #naturecraft #natureactivities #nature #forestschool

Make a Beautiful Hiking Stick with Nature

Nature crafts and process art with natural materials are good and simple ways to engage little ones in nature. Collecting the materials gives children...

DIY Christmas Ornaments from Bark (Natural and Kid-Friendly)

When it comes to DIY Christmas ornaments and other homemade crafts, I must admit I feel torn. I’m not a super crafty person but...

Process Art with Tree Nuts. A child-led, open-ended art activity for preschoolers and kindergartners. A perfect nature art project for fall!. Rain or Shine Mamma.

Creating Process Art with Tree Nuts

Fall. The season for finding the perfect pumpkin in a muddy field, grilling s’mores over a comforting campfire and creating process art with the...

Outdoor Memory Game for Kids

Are you looking for a forest-school inspired activity to change up your outdoor play routine? Or maybe the kids just need a little extra...

Nature People Craft + Nature Craft Printable. Rain or Shine Mamma.

Nature People and 30+ Other Nature Craft Printables

I’m going to be totally honest – crafts are not my thing. Popsicle sticks, sequins, googly eyes and foam sheets usually make me cringe,...

5 Common Mistakes When Gardening with Kids (And How to Fix Them)

I’m not a pro gardener by any means. If I were to rate myself and my gardening skills on a scale from ‘total newbie’...

We can’t leave a walk over on teens and social media

A new advisory says there's not enough evidence to conclude that social media is safe for children. It's time for adults to band together...

5 picture books for nature kids

Books can help reinforce children’s bond with Mother Nature by introducing them to the vocabulary of the natural world while also filling them with...

3 Reasons Introverted Kids Need Nature

There’s a classic scene in the 1938 short film by Disney, Ferdinand, where the mother of the peaceful bull asks him why he prefers...

Pre-Order The Open-Air Life

If you’ve read my first book, There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather, you might have wondered what happened after my daughters and I...

How to prevent ticks and not go crazy with worry

The other day, our cat had just snuggled up on my daughter’s pillow in bed when she saw something making its way through his...

7 ways to support your child's sensory differences outdoors.

Supporting Your Child’s Sensory Differences Outdoors

By Kristin Palen, OTR/L The plans are made, it’s a beautiful day and everything is ready. But there is one problem, your child doesn’t...

Inviting Nature Into the Holidays

Inviting Nature Into the Holidays Recently, I invited my Instagram followers to share what they the holidays should be about and the answers were...

How a Cell Phone Storage Box Can Help You Unplug and Connect as a Family. Rain or Shine Mamma

The One Holiday Gift that Can Help You Unplug and Connect as a Family

If there are two phrases that get tossed around a lot in our house, it’s “Time to put your phones away!” and “No more...

Parents – Stop Worrying and Let Your Children Climb Trees!

As long as I can remember, my girls have climbed trees. Skinny trees, big trees, crooked trees, straight trees, old trees, young trees, pine...

Five Ways Outdoor Play Benefits Kids. Rain or Shine Mamma.

5 Ways Free Outdoor Play Benefits Kids

Do you remember what your summer evenings were like as a child? If you were like me, they consisted of games of kick the...

Outdoor Recreation Gone Wild - And Why We Need Friluftsliv

Outdoor Recreation Gone Wild – And Why We Need More Friluftsliv

Recently, the girls and I went camping for a couple of nights in a scenic state park, with a 15-mile canoe trip marking the...

DIY Christmas Ornaments from Bark (Natural and Kid-Friendly)

When it comes to DIY Christmas ornaments and other homemade crafts, I must admit I feel torn. I’m not a super crafty person but...

How to Dress for Cold Weather (Video+Gear List)

“They didn’t go outside; it was just too cold for them today,” the substitute teacher responded matter-of-factly when I picked my daughter up from...

What to Pack When Backpacking with Kids. Complete packing list for an overnight trip with one child! Rain or Shine Mamma.

What to Bring When Solo Backpacking with Kids (the Ultimate Check List)

I recently came across a story about a woman who hiked 33 miles through Alaska bear country carrying not only a 50-pound backpack but...

The BEST Christmas Gift Ideas for Outdoorsy Kids. The complete Christmas gift guide for the nature-loving child in your life. These fun and useful gifts will encourage your kids to get outside and stay active all year!

The BEST Christmas Gift Ideas for Outdoorsy Kids + GIVEAWAY

I love the festivities, the family gatherings and the togetherness that usually accompany Christmas. But I’ll never embrace the pressure – whether perceived or real...

Winter Clothing Hack: MyMayu Wrist Gaiters

A while ago I shared a winter clothing hack that prevents snow from getting into kids’ sleeves in the winter. The picture, which was...

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for the Outdoorsy Kid. Rain or Shine Mamma

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Outdoorsy Kid + Giveaways!

I know I can’t believe it either, but ’tis the time of the year to start thinking about Christmas gifts and other holiday gifts!...

Disana Wool Leggings Giveaway

A little over two years ago, I started this blog as a way to encourage outdoor play and adventure for kids every day, regardless...

The birth of a blog

I started the Rain or Shine Mamma blog back in 2013, as a Swedish mother raising two young daughters in the US. I’d noticed that a lot of American children were stuck inside, plugged into their electronic devices and disconnected from the natural world. The academic pressure was high – even for preschoolers – and many families seemed to have packed calendars and little time to spare. Forget outdoor play in the winter – at school it was always “too cold,” “too wet” or “too windy” to let the kids outside for recess. At home, fear of strangers, physical injury, lawsuits and even nature itself prevented many parents from giving their kids as much freedom to explore outdoors as they’d had themselves growing up. I felt that there was a need for inspirational, evidence-based and easily accessible writing about getting outside with kids, and so the blog was born.

"We owe it to our children to make sure nature is not just an abstraction in a textbook, but a place they call home."

- Linda Akeson McGurk

Why “Rain or Shine Mamma”?

The moniker Rain or Shine Mamma alludes to the Nordic custom of going outside every day, regardless of the weather. Also, the content of the blog is to a large extent based on the pedagogical model and ideals of Swedish forest schools, which are called “rain or shine preschools” in direct English translation. In 2022 I decided to rename my website as the scope of my writing had broadened, but the blog lives on and is read by tens of thousands of parents, educators and other caregivers every month.