Outdoor Adventures

4-H Outdoor Adventures

Love for the outdoors is something a lot of us have in common but did you know that passion is a 4-H project! I wish that I would have known that when I was a 4-Her! 

We all enjoy the outdoors a little different, I love the view between my horse's ears. 

My son, Kaleb likes to hike the mountains in Colorado.

Maddie, Kaleb's girlfriend loves hitting the slopes in the winter!

However you enjoy the great outdoors, TURN IT INTO A 4-H PROJECT!

Here is how...

1. Take pictures of different flowers, birds, trees or bugs you find on a hike (or trail ride) and identify them and make a book for the fair.

My dad calls this the Ghost Tree, we think it is a Sycamore tree. 

2. Collect rocks and make a rock box to display them at the fair.  Identifying rocks might be more fun then you think. Here is a link to a guide to Missouri Rocks. If you look in the right places like creek beds and freshly plowed fields, you might even find an arrowhead or two!

3. Learn to read a map! We don't always have service to use google maps to get us on the right trail and trail signs aren't always helpful for getting back to camp! Collect trail maps and mark all the places you have been! Use the maps for a demonstration on how to use a map! Her is a link to the trail maps of Missouri Conservation Areas, 

4. Take a trash bag with you when you go out so if you see trash you can pick it up. You can take before and after pictures, weigh your trash and recycle what you can and then create a display about the importance of not littering on the trail. The Missouri State Parks have a Youth Volunteer Patch program for kids that like to help keep parks clean!

5. Research what things you would want to pack in a backpack to take on a day hike. Think about first aid items and good snacks and drinks. You can do a demonstration on how to pack hiking bad or take pictures of the items you put in your bag and add it to a hiking guide you can show at the fair. 

If hiking isn't your thing, you can still do these projects, Fixing a fence on the farm... collect rocks. Riding a 4-wheeler.. pick up trash. Get creative and see what you can do!

Tell me how you spend your time outside in the comments!