Go Play Outside!: Tips, Tricks, and Tales from the Trails

Having children doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy every season in the great outdoors—even if you happen to live in the middle of Alaska. Whether you’re biking eighty miles into the heart of Denali National Park, cross-country skiing to a remote cabin, or merely enjoying the mud on the banks of the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks, fun for all ages abounds, with a little preparation and the right mindset. Using a deft mixture of storytelling and practical pointers, this guidebook offers advice and encouragement to families—those who live in Alaska, as well as those in less extreme climates and locales.

Organized by the age of the young adventures, from days-old infants to independent teens, each section invites readers to learn from the humorous real-life adventures and misadventures of the author, her husband, and their twin girls. Weaving in the kids’ advice in their own words, this guide covers challenges ranging from unexpected hailstorms to very-much-expected mosquitoes. Tips include everything from how to avoid moose, to how to get out in the rain, to the benefits of setting big kids free to explore. This family’s enthusiastic, joyful, and often hilarious tales offer the impetus and the tools to encourage new parents—or more experienced parents, or anyone who loves kids —to go play outside.

Nancy Fresco is a research professor at the International Arctic Research Center at University of Alaska Fairbanks; her professional research and writing focus on climate modeling and collaborative climate change adaptation planning.