Rain or Shine Mamma

There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes

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The ONE Thing Every Backyard Should Have + Giveaway

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy here.
October 28, 2015 By Linda McGurk

I’m not much for shopping and I strongly believe that some of the best toys are free, especially when it comes to outdoor play. Troll houses, giant dens, and fairy gardens have all come to life in our backyard courtesy of my daughters’ vivid imaginations.

But there are some exceptions, and I want to share something that has made my daughters even more eager to play outdoors this year.

The ONE Thing Every Backyard Should Have. Rain or Shine Mamma

It all started when I went on a backpacking trip with my oldest daughter last summer. At one point we were passed by a couple in their 20s who were on their way to the same campsite as us, but looked like they were only outfitted for a day hike. Meanwhile, I was hauling 40 pounds worth of gear for me and my daughter (and, at times, lugging her day pack as well). I remember thinking, ‘These people are either grossly unprepared, or they’re on to something that I don’t know about.’

As we started pitching our tent at the campsite after the eight-mile hike, I saw the couple again and had to ask them how on Earth they managed to go on a backpacking trip with so few supplies. The guy smiled and said, “Oh, we just sleep in our hammocks. That saves us from having to pack a tent, and we don’t need any sleeping bags either.”

The ONE Thing Every Backyard Should Have. Rain or Shine Mamma

My daughter and I were both pretty jealous of the couple when we settled in on the hard forest floor that night (in a misguided attempt to minimize weight I had decided not to pack any sleeping pads), and from that light bulb moment on I knew I had to buy a hammock. After doing some research I decided to go with the Eagles Nest Outfitters DoubleNest hammock, as it had gotten rave reviews and seemed large enough to fit all three of us.

I wanted it not just for backpacking, but for everyday use in the backyard during the warmer months. I had a feeling it would be a hit with the kids – and I was right!

A few months after we made our new purchase I can report that our hammock has been used and abused in ways I couldn’t even imagine (and may or may not be sanctioned by the manufacturer), and it is still in great shape.The ONE Thing Every Backyard Should Have. Rain or Shine Mamma.

Suspended between two sturdy maple trees in our backyard, our ENO hammock has become a natural gathering point for the whole family. I find it relaxing and love that it’s a simple way to connect outdoors as a family, whether we’re hitting the trail or not. Weather permitting, we often use it as a reading nook. And if the girls can’t think of anything to do, a simple “Why don’t you go play in the hammock for a while?” usually does the trick. If there is ONE thing I would recommend adding to your backyard, if you haven’t already, this is it!

Even if you live in the city or don’t have a backyard that is big enough this hammock is great for camping or just relaxing in a local park or nature area (just be sure to check your local rules and regulations first).

Since we love our hammock so much I’m extremely pleased that ENO has offered to sponsor a giveaway of a SingleNest hammock to one lucky reader. Make sure to enter it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions: This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. The color of the hammock may vary depending on availability. Entries will be accepted until midnight on November 4, 2015. The winner will be notified by email and will need to respond within 48 hours to claim his/her prize, or a new winner will be drawn.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure policy here. Eagles Nest Outfitters is generously supplying the prize for this giveaway, however I have not been paid or received products in return for this post. All opinions are truly my own!

 

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Filed Under: Gear, Outdoor Play, Play in Nature, Reviews 12 Comments

Comments

  1. Paula M says

    October 28, 2015 at 8:26 am

    I have been looking for a good hammock brand for a while. Thanks for the tip!

    Reply
  2. Deborah M says

    October 28, 2015 at 8:28 am

    I would LOVE to get the DoubleNest for my husband and I, and a SingleNest for my son, all to use on camping trips.

    Reply
  3. Dawn says

    October 28, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    We love our travel hammock but, with two wonderfully wild boys we could use another. I love the travel guitar case, too. Might keep mine from looking so trail worn but that’s part of its charm! Thank you for a great post and the giveaway opportunity!

    Reply
  4. Leela says

    October 28, 2015 at 1:56 pm

    This would be fun to use for the whole family.

    Reply
  5. Jenn A says

    October 28, 2015 at 6:55 pm

    I appreciate the bug net accessories! Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply
  6. Pacia Whittington says

    October 28, 2015 at 7:44 pm

    Awesome hammocks!! I’m thinking the bug net would be a must for me while camping! I’d wake up covered from head to toe in mosquito bites!

    Reply
  7. Wil says

    October 28, 2015 at 8:12 pm

    I like their Superfly Utility Tarp since you can use it with a hammock or without.

    Reply
  8. Leigh Anne Borders says

    October 28, 2015 at 8:17 pm

    The sublink sleep system looks great. I think it would be absolutely cool to sleep outdoors!

    Reply
  9. Megan Powell says

    October 28, 2015 at 9:47 pm

    I love all of the hammocks. My favourite thing is to lie in a hammock on a quiet day with a good book:)

    Reply
  10. Megumi says

    October 29, 2015 at 1:50 am

    The double nest hammock! Two of them so our family of 4 can go backcountry without hauling so much weight.

    Reply
  11. Karen Ung (@playoutsidegal) says

    October 29, 2015 at 12:46 pm

    The Reactor Hammock looks pretty awesome because you can put a sleeping pad in it for warmth and extra comfort! Would love to win as my Coleman hammock finally broke after hanging in our backyard for many years!

    Reply
  12. John says

    October 30, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    The Reactor looks sweet. I’d love to try it in the PNW.

    Reply

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There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient and Confident Kids. “Bringing Up Bébé meets Last Child in the Woods in this lively, insightful memoir about a mother who sets out to discover if the nature-centric parenting philosophy of her native Scandinavia holds the key to healthier, happier lives for her American children."

“Linda McGurk offers a perfect antidote to the hyper-vigilant, extra-electrified, standardized-tested, house-arrested, 21st-century childhood and the experts who push it. Practical and wise, There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather proves just that, and much more.”
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  • Is getting your tween or teen out the door an uphill battle? Check out these tips for cutting screen time and adding more "green time" to your child's life! #outdoors #teens #tweens #outdoorlife #screentime
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A school in Sydney bans the children from using the playground before school, saying the decision was made to "support positive classroom behaviour and learning." But did anybody bother to actually look into the research on the benefits of outdoor play, both in terms of children's ability to focus and their academic performance...? The parents aren't happy about the decision and I understand why. ... See MoreSee Less

Bondi school parents slam decision to ban outdoor play before class

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A decision to restrict students from using the playground before school started has sparked an angry response.
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📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚A few years ago, I did a poll in my social media channels to see what topic you’d like me to explore in my next book. One of them won by an overwhelming margin: the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv. Well, I heeded your call. I’m pleased to share that it’s now possible to pre-order The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day from just about any place that sells books! The Open-Air Life is for anybody who is longing to lead a simpler, happier and less hurried life. It shows you how to channel the power of nature connection to improve your physical and mental health, as well as your relationship with both other people and Mother Nature. Plus, you’ll learn a few party tricks, like lighting a campfire without matches and cleaning water on the go. At a time when more and more people are starting to appreciate why they should spend more time outside, this book will show you how, with a decidedly Nordic twist.I must say that I LOVE this dreamy cover that the designers at @penguinrandomhouse created. What do you think? Pre-order The Open-Air Life here to support local book stores: bookshop.org/a/79880/9780593420942 ... See MoreSee Less
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Friends, I'm thinking about putting together an outdoor napping guide and would love some input. What would you like to know about this practice? What tools would you need to get started? Hit me with your questions!👊🏼😊 ... See MoreSee Less
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It’s TICK season…🕷 (I know that’s a spider emoji, but you get the idea😅)A lot of people freak out at the sight of these blood suckers and understandably so, considering the diseases they can harbor. But they too are a part of nature and if we want to keep venturing outside during the warmer months (I definitely do and I suspect you do too) we must come to terms with them.If you want to know more about tick prevention, I just wrote a pretty detailed post about it on my blog. Head over to rainorshinemamma.com to learn more and share this post with others who worry about ticks!👌🏻________________________#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #ticks #tickprevention ... See MoreSee Less
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4 weeks ago

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I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal meeting, yes, but still…I take pride in being dependable and prompt, and I hate to be flakey. I’d like to think that it was because I got distracted when my daughter called from my mom’s house and said she was running a fever, but in reality I got sidetracked well before that. Weekends are my time to zone out from schedules, emails and social media, and spend more time outside, especially this time of the year. So I missed a meeting. But I gained a quiet paddle through pastel waters as the sun slowly descended below the spruces on the horizon. __________________________#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #sup #standuppaddle #sweden #sweden_photolovers #sweden_images ... See MoreSee Less
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Linda Åkeson McGurk
There are a lot of good things about tech, but exc There are a lot of good things about tech, but excessive screen time is taking a toll on children’s physical and mental health today. Many apps and games have built-in mechanisms designed to make them highly addictive and children are even more susceptible to them than adults, since their brains are not fully developed🧠Screens are so ubiquitous in our lives today that it takes conscious effort to balance them with experiences IRL. 

For the past few years, our family has experimented with screen free or screen reduced Sundays. I’m not going to pretend that it’s easy. But if the goal is to increase quality family time outdoors and encourage the kind of creativity that arises from a healthy dose of boredom, it does work🌳

Some other tips to foster a healthy screen time culture in your family are:

✅ Learn how to use the parent controls on your kids’ devices and set age-appropriate limits.

✅ Have certain times or spaces that are always screen free, for example around the dinner table, in the bedrooms and so on, and be sure to be consistent. 

✅ Create a buy-in for the kids by letting them help plan screen free activities for the whole family.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to keeping screen time under control?
________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #screenfreesunday #friluftsliv #outdoors #greentime
That about sums it up, doesn’t it?☺️ This qu That about sums it up, doesn’t it?☺️ This quote is from Meet the Wild, a new picture book by Lindsay Kellar-Madsen of @the.madsen.littles. Inspired by the outdoor learning and play culture in Scandinavia, Lindsay wrote the book to invite children to explore nature all year round, regardless of the weather. 
I personally love the message and sweet illustrations in this book❤️ If you have a little one in your life, you can buy the book by backing Lindsay’s Kickstarter campaign. Check out her Instagram for details!
_________________________
#meetthewild #picturebook #outdoorplay
📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚 A few y 📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚

A few years ago, I did a poll in my social media channels to see what topic you’d like me to explore in my next book. One of them won by an overwhelming margin: the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv. Well, I heeded your call. I’m pleased to share that it’s now possible to pre-order The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day from just about any place that sells books! (Link in bio)

The Open-Air Life is for anybody who is longing to lead a simpler, happier and less hurried life. It shows you how to channel the power of nature connection to improve your physical and mental health, as well as your relationships with both other people and Mother Nature. Plus, you’ll learn a few party tricks, like lighting a campfire without matches and cleaning water on the go. At a time when more and more people are starting to appreciate why they should spend more time outside, this book will show you how, with a decidedly Nordic twist.

I must say that I LOVE this dreamy cover that the designers at @penguinrandomhouse created. What do you think? 

@tarcherperigee @penguinrandomhouse

#theopenairlife #rainorshinemamma #coverreveal #bookcover #friluftsliv #friluftslivbook
I took my kids on an overnight paddling trip last I took my kids on an overnight paddling trip last weekend and it started out with sunshine and rainbows☀️🌈 Swipe to the last video to see how it ended➡️ 

We had set out to explore the northernmost island in our local lake and while we cruised up there with decent tailwinds, the wind picked up overnight. Going back the next day, we faced strong headwinds the entire time🌊 

For nearly three hours, we paddled in choppy waters, with waves sometimes so high that they splashed into the canoe. We had no choice but to paddle nonstop - if we stopped, we immediately started drifting backwards😩

The thing about being outdoors is that you’re never fully in control of all parameters - trips like these always involve a certain amount of risk. The weather can change quickly, and not always according to the forecast. What we can control is our reaction to the challenge, how we act on it and what we learn from it.

While none of us was happy about the situation, the girls did pull together and did an amazing job paddling💪🏻 And while they both vowed to never go paddling again, I told them that this will make a funny story later in life. They weren’t convinced at the time but I think they’ll come around eventually😅 

Do you have any stories of getting in over your head to share?😃
_____________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #openairlife #paddling #paddlingwithkids
Summer is high season for TICKS…🕷 (I know tha Summer is high season for TICKS…🕷 (I know that’s a spider emoji, but you get the idea😅) 

A lot of people freak out at the sight of these blood suckers and understandably so, considering the diseases they can harbor. But they too are a part of nature and if we want to keep venturing outside during the warmer months (I definitely do and I suspect you do too) we must come to terms with them.

If you want to know more about tick prevention, I just wrote a pretty detailed post about it on my blog. Head over to rainorshinemamma.com to learn and share this post with others who worry about ticks!👌🏻
________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #ticks #tickprevention
I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal me I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal meeting, yes, but still…I take pride in being dependable and prompt, and I hate to be flakey. 

I’d like to think that it was because I got distracted when my daughter called from my mom’s house and said she was running a fever, but in reality I got sidetracked well before that. Weekends are my time to zone out from schedules, emails and social media, and spend more time outside, especially this time of the year. 

So I missed a meeting. But I gained a quiet paddle through pastel waters as the sun slowly descended below the spruces on the horizon. An hour to myself to just be one with the lake, the light and the promise of the summer that still lies ahead☀️
__________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #sup #standuppaddle #sweden #sweden_photolovers #sweden_images
This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @wiet This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @wietinghannah, you’re our winner!🎊

📚📚📚GIVEAWAY📚📚📚

Have you heard the term "ecohappiness"? If not, this is your chance to learn more! 

Author Sandi Schwartz and I have teamed up to give away a copy of her book "Finding Ecohappiness," an inspirational manifesto and practical guidebook for families to get outside and enjoy nature together. Packed with ideas for outdoor activities like animal yoga, forest bathing, sit spotting, float therapy and nature art, this book is definitely one to add to your collection📕 

How to enter👇🏼
✅ Like and save this post
✅ Follow @rainorshinemamma and @getecohappiness 
✅ Comment by completing this sentence: "To me, being in nature is..."

This giveaway closes on June 4 and a winner will be selected shortly after that. You must be 18 and live in the US or Canada to enter. This giveaway is not associated with or sponsored by Instagram. 

Good luck!🙌🏽

#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #ecohappiness #findingecohappiness #naturebooks #goodreads #naturelovers #ecotherapy #getkidsoutside
Having scientific reasons and explanations for doi Having scientific reasons and explanations for doing things is good and there are any number of ways free climbing benefits our physical and mental health. But sometimes you’ve just got to trust your guts, feel all the feelings and enjoy the joyride🙌🏻🌳

What makes you feel joy in nature?
____________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #treeclimbing #onewithnature #vitaminn #friluftsliv #optoutside
I’m not going to lie - there are times when my c I’m not going to lie - there are times when my children’s dawdling drives me nuts. Like when they take 45 minutes to finish breakfast even though we’re running late . But I also envy their ability to be completely unhurried and present in the moment, and I realize that it’s a quality that I need to protect🐌

As parents, we need to make space for our children to play, get bored, dawdle, wander, wonder, create, sleep in, be wild and free and watch the clouds go by. Let them be where they are and not push them to achieve arbitrary milestones or condition them to think that a packed calendar is the key to success and happiness.

As always, Ginny of @1000hoursoutside is on point🙌🏻
_____________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #1000hoursoutside #quote
Did you know that camping for as little as two nig Did you know that camping for as little as two nights straight can help you reset your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep for several weeks afterwards? That's because the natural light helps the body regulate melatonin, a hormone that tells the body when it's time to get up and go, and when it's time to rest and recuperate🌗 

My melatonin levels weren't top of mind when @jeanetteosterman and I started our challenge to sleep outside at least once a month for a year. But I must say, I rarely sleep as soundly and feel as energetic as I do when I sleep under the skies.

Have you ever tried sleeping in a camping hammock? I bought my first one a few years ago and I ❤️ it!
_________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #openairlife #sleepingoutside #camping #campinglife #hammock #sleepingoutsidechallenge #freshaireveryday
Raise your hand if you have a teen or tween and fe Raise your hand if you have a teen or tween and feel like you're constantly negotiating/fighting/fretting over your child's screen time👋🏼 

Well, you're not alone😰 

Since 2011, when mobile internet had its breakthrough, teens' and tweens' screen time has increased dramatically. At the same time, physical activity has decreased significantly. The WHO recommends that teenagers get at least one hour of physical activity every day, but in reality 85% of the girls and 78% of the boys globally don't meet the target.

Making outdoor activity a normal part of your daily routine can help  your tween or teen get the exercise and fresh air they need  and lay the foundation for lifelong healthy habits. I'm the first to admit that it isn't easy, but then again, nobody said parenting would be a cakewalk🤪

Hang in there and check out a few of the strategies that help me balance screen time with 'green time'. Do you have any tips to share?
______________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #parenting #parentingteens #parentingtweens #getoutside
“I’m not thrilled about looking older. But wha “I’m not thrilled about looking older. But what unsettles me the most about the 40s is the implication that I’m now a grown-up myself.”
- Pamela Druckerman

Forty-four laps around the sun today and I still find that the passing of time is one of life’s greatest mysteries.
_______________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #aging #44 
@pameladruck
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