Outdoor Family Adventuring

My son is four and a half years old and in Junior Kindergarten. Back in September, we made the informed choice to send him to “in-person” school. All was well for a few months; our childs school did an incredible job keeping the kiddos safe and we are so thankful to the teachers and school staff. But with the Coronavirus cases rising quickly and winter approaching we started prepping for the inevitable. And, as we all know, schools closed for the holiday break on December 18, 2020 and have yet to re-open. This has been extremely tough on my little guy – kindie kids are not meant to “learn” via the computer. Kindergarten is play-based, something that is very hard to virtually implement. As the weeks have gone on, we have gotten into somewhat of a groove – some days are fantastic and some days are exhausting. I have started recognize when the online world is getting to him a bit and it is those days that I give him (and myself) permission to sign out of school, shut down the computer and take part in activities that make him happy and keep him engaged.

Today was one of those days.

By 11:00am I could tell that online schooling was not going to go well for the remainder of the day. He was disengaged, he was grumpy, he lacked any patience to wait his turn (but really, what 4 year old can understand waiting to be called on through a computer screen?). So after lunch, I bundled him and his little sister up and we headed out to a local Conservation Area to spend the afternoon.

Fifty Point Conservation Area is located along Lake Ontario, at the edge of the Hamilton border. There is a marina, a campground, fishing and birding but I come here for the the lake views and the 3.4km trail that loops alongside the marina and the pond. The beach is sandy and beautiful, impressive rocks jut out into Lake Ontario along the sides. The view is incredible, with Toronto off in the distance and the expanse of Lake Ontario beyond.

The little guy spent some time at the shore of the lake which was covered in snow and ice. It was WINDY, but that only made the lake look more impressive to us as waves crested and crashed against the snow wall created at the shore and rocks along the side.

Walking along the marina was a breeze, even having snow to contend with while pushing the baby in her stroller. We have a Baby Jogger stroller and I HIGHLY recommend this brand for parents who are looking for a stroller that can tackle any terrain. It has been a beast through two kids so far.

All of the boats have come out of the water to hibernate for the winter, and a few species of ducks and a huge flock of Canadian Geese have taken their place. I have a lifelong fear of ducks and geese so I did my best to not make eye contact and move on through this section of the trail quickly. The trail meanders around a pond which is picturesque with a large bridge spanning the middle, a farm house off to the side and a quaint fishing bridge built into the forested area.

During the spring, summer and fall I would detour over to the swimming beach area and then follow the trail back to the car but by the time we rounded the pond my little guys legs were getting tired and we all were a bit chilly so we skipped that part today. All in all it was a 2km wander and it was badly needed for my son.

COVID-19 fatigue is real and our little ones are not immune to it. Some days are harder than others and when I notice the signs of this pandemic weighing on myself or my kids, I try to find ways to lessen the load. For my family, getting outside has become a huge part of our well-being; we are constantly checking in and supporting our mental health by getting outside for exercise, leaning on our Earth, and exploring local areas such Fifty Point Conservation Area.