"We have camped together. Our girls have mastered torching marshmallows so their sticky insides ooze between chocolate and graham crackers. Our boys have built mini-mud dams and floated sticks and leaves on long journeys. We have hiked, fished, cooked and gathered together. We have noticed that our cell phones stay in our pockets except when we take them out to snap a photo. Our lives slow down for a couple of days. We notice that we have not needed to redirect our kiddos because they are finding, creating their own adventures. The starry sky, the morning air, the bacon. . .oh the campfire bacon."
Families in Nature makes it easy for us to connect with nature. As a family we have mined for blue topaz (and found rose quartz), gone fly fishing, banded birds, enjoyed night hikes, spotted whooping cranes, seen dinosaur tracks, learned about birds of prey, and gone on an owl prowl."Rachel Thomas (FIN parent)
“I cannot express how lucky our family feels to be a part of Families in Nature. Unlike other outdoor groups that separate kids into “boy” or “girl” activities, our family is able to share all these experiences together. We’ve camped, rock-climbed, learned archery, and snorkeled together. These are all things we could do on our own, but having a group of families and knowledgeable guides to do them with makes the experience so much richer. In a world that increasingly pulls us in different directions – FIN allows us to learn, explore and make memories as a family.”Johnna (FIN parent)
“I may not have been prepared to (go canoeing) alone, but when I am in the program with you guys, I feel confident.”Carlos (FIN parent)
“After that four mile canoe, I really feel closer to my family. It’s a real bonding thing.”Hawk (FIN parent after his first time in a canoe)
“They make me want to not only stop littering and pollution, but they also make me want to learn more about nature.”10 year old FIN participant
“I met a lot of new people that I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise, and I became friends with some people I didn’t think I’d be friends with. And I got to have a lot more new experiences ‘cause I got to do things that I never would have done otherwise.”11 year old FIN participant
“It’s really fun being in AFIN.”16 year old FIN participant
“Even the brightest of kids need real-world experiences to really grasp scientific concepts. You can teach a child about ecology and species interaction, but put them in the water and let them swim with sharks and rays, and they remember it. They will keep those experiences for a lifetime and gain an appreciation for the world away from a screen or a text. Those are the kids that will want to keep those places intact so they can take their kids.”Matt (FIN parent)
