“We’re going on an adventure!”
Five words bound to have my two ragamuffins excited and willingly putting on their own shoes to get out the door. Our adventures can take us anywhere and usually involve a fair bit of walking. The kids love it, it gets us out of the house and I find the outdoors centres me in a way I can’t quite explain. The idea of going on adventure comes from my own childhood, camping trips that could be in another State or a couple of suburbs down (hello Kingston caravan park!), going to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, walks along the coast finding sea creatures, picnics in Belair National Park, the list goes on. All mostly inexpensive fun activities that we loved and that I now love seeing my own kids enjoy.
Adventurous Holidays
One adventure that took us further afield was our camping trip to the Flinders Ranges last year. We stayed at Rawnsley Park Station and all really enjoyed ourselves, it was just so good to get away and have a change of scenery. Spotting kangaroos, emus and lizards kept us entertained while we drove out to working sheep stations, took a ride on the Pichi Richi Railway, hiked through Wilpena Pound and visited some great lookouts around the area. I’m not sure if you ever camped as a kid, but if you did, you would know that some of the best fun to be had is finding other children on the caravan park to play with. My two found some friends and had an absolute ball! We toasted marshmallows by the fire and snuggled down in our tent every night, exhausted from full days. Holidays like this will be something my kids can look back on fondly, just like I do my childhood family getaways.
Adventures in the City
Earlier this year, over the Easter long weekend, my cousin and his family were visiting from Melbourne. It had been years and years since we’d seen each other so we made plans to meet up at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. My kids met their second cousins for the first time that weekend, and although everyone was a little shy at first, it wasn’t long before the kids were chasing off beneath the shady overgrowth, following the twists and turns of the garden paths. We grabbed some coffees, found a lusciously green patch of lawn and managed to scatter a few eggs around for the kids to find. It was a gorgeous day wandering around the historical gardens. Seeing the kids happy, chattering about the flowers and the trees, the statues, the ducks, it was all so lovely. These gorgeous gardens are open to everyone, every single day of the year and are a fantastic place to bring the kids. My two love packing a picnic lunch and exploring the gardens, no matter the weather. We hunt down the tallest trees; admire the beautiful flowers and search for the turtles in the pond. My cousin is pretty handy with a camera and captured some beautiful shots of the kids that weekend; hopefully we can all catch up again soon.
Adventures Close to Home
Our most recent adventure was much closer to home. Finding friends that love an adventure just as much you do is special, and we’re lucky to have found some. A text message “Feel like an adventure?” was received early on a Saturday morning and that was all was needed to make the impromptu decision to visit Kuitpo Forest. Five kids and two fun loving mums (that’s you and me Rachael) packed into the car with gumboots, jackets and beanies, ready to face the fresh, crisp air of the outdoors! We arrived and set off on the Chookarloo Walk. This is such a great trail for young kids as it feels as though you are in the deep forest with plenty of fallen trees and fun nature play type spots along the way while still being easy enough for everyone to enjoy. It was cold and it was muddy but we had an awesome time along the 1km track. We hung out in the timber tepees, sat on a giant natural seesaw, spotted different animal footprints and found some fabulous walking sticks! Wading through huge muddy puddles was a highlight and resulted in some very soggy socks but that is what these adventures are all about. We rounded the walk off with a detour through Meadows to stop at the park with some pies and donuts from the local bakery. Perfection!
Future Adventures…
One day I’d love to take the kids on an overseas adventure, I know we’d have an amazing time enjoying a family holiday somewhere special, but I believe these small adventures are just as important as those big trips. It’s connecting with your community spaces, knowing the secret places to visit that are only a short drive away. It’s getting outside and smelling the sea breeze slathered in sunscreen or crunching on the pine needles underfoot while rugged up against the cold. It’s playgrounds and walking trails and beaches and picnics and barbecues. It’s all that fun stuff that creates lasting memories and the family stories we will tell each other as we get older and look back. Never underestimate the outdoors and a child’s imagination, here’s to new adventures near and far!
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