The Wilder Outdoors Podcast

From Father to Daughter and Beyond - Learning to Navigate the Canadian Wilderness with Amy Wonnell

This was easily one of my favorite conversations. Amy Wonnell is an outdoors pro. As a teen, Amy's dad taught her how to thrive in the Canadian wilderness and by 16 she was guiding friends on backpacking trips through remote Canada. Amy's joy and enthusiam come across in this conversation where she shares how she learned the ropes from her father and how she's passing on that knowledge to future generations - especially her own kids! Listen to Amy as she shares some great stories and wisdom and let it inspire you to have adventures with your family!

The Most Downloaded Episode of 2023!

With 2023 coming to an end, I wanted to share the most downloaded episode of the year. Here, Steph Alcivar shares how she and her husband are instilling resilience and grit in their kids through the outdoor adventures, especially in the National Parks. Listen to it. Get inspired. It's a great way to wrap up the year and wring in the new one!

Camp Cooking in a Phone Booth, Backpacking with 5-Year-Olds, and Fostering a Love of the Outdoors with Matt and Kristen Ballenthin

In this episode, I chat with Matt and Kristen Ballenthin. I met Matt and Kristen through my friends, the Alcivars (check out episodes 6, 12, and 20). In some ways, Matt and Kristen's story in the outdoors started when they found an unexpected phone booth in the woods during a storm which, in and of itself, is a great reason to listen to this episode. But that was just the beginning. Several years and a few kids later, Matt and Kristen have built a life infused with the outdoor adventures - and their adventures are not for the fain of heart! In this episode, they share some great stories but also tell you how you can start backpacking with young kids, make the most of a long winter, and keep everyone safe in the process. It's a great conversation that you won't want to miss! Show Links: Essential Gear for the Outdoors - www.wilderoutdooracademy.com/safety

Dogsledding Through the North Woods with Jack Christopher

In this episode, I chat with Jack Christopher of Silent Run Adventures, LLC. After graduating college, Jack adopted a dog and started skijoring (skiing while being towed by dogs). Several decades and lots of adventures later, Jack and his wife have a pack of 35 dogs and have devoted their lives to teaching others about dog sledding with Siberian huskies. In this episode, we chat about everything from how Jack started "running" dogs, how Siberian huskies make great sled dogs but challenging pets, some of his closer calls in the wilderness, and how you and your family can explore dog sledding. If you want an educational and exciting experience with Chris and his dogs just an hour outside the Twin Cities, check him out at https://silent-run-adventures.business.site/

Adventures in the Last Pristine Wilderness of the North, a conversation with Pam Wright

First and foremost, let me say that Pam is amazing. Among many things, owns Soka Outdoors (https://www.sokaoutdoors.com/), is a Boundary Waters Canoe Area guide, an experienced winter camper, and - most importantly - a mother of kids who love the outdoors! Pam shares some great stories about her time in the BWCA and also gives some EXCELLENT advice for how to plan a safe and fun family trip there. We cover everything from BWCA history, how Pam got her and her family into the BWCA, some her craziest experiences, and the crazy world of winter camping! Pam offers in-person and web-based outdoors education. You can learn more by visiting her website: https://www.sokaoutdoors.com/ Show links: Essential Gear: www.wilderoutdooracademy.com/safety

A Conversation With the Most Interesting Man in the World, Mitch Vars

I usually invite people on the podcast because they have a specific topic or specialization. This one is a little different. This episode is a conversation with a man that I admire and respect and who, without a doubt, is the most interesting person I know. Add to that the he's an endurance athlete, a very capable outdoorsman, and a first-rate dad, and you've got a great conversation. Mitch and I cover a lot of ground including his journey into endurance sports, how he raised a kid who loves having outdoor adventures with his dad, and how Mitch showed up to our workout group with a canoe because he was going foraging for wild rice later that day. This is a great conversation that you won't want to miss!

Adventure Racing - A Story of Love, Bumps, Bruises and the Great Outdoors with Steph and Tom Alcivar

Tom and Steph are back, this time they share about their shared passion: adventure racing. If you like the outdoors and a challenge, then you'll want to listen to this one. Tom and Steph have been adventure racing for a long time. In fact, it plays a pretty important part in the story of how these two decided to get married. This episode will inspire, captivate, and challenge you. Honestly, after listening to this episode, I'm convinced that my whole family (kids included) need to get into this awesome sport! Show links: Essential Gear to Take With You in the Outdoors: www.wilderoutdooracademy.com/safety Minnesota Orienteering Club: https://www.mnoc.org/

From tent to takeoff - how to have big adventures with the whole family, a chat with Anthony Quill

In this episode, I had a chat with Anthony Quill, who, along with his wife Kristen, is dedicated to helping families break away from the usual routine and get off the beaten path through their blog, "From Tent to Takeoff." Personally, I've found their content invaluable for planning our family adventures, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to tap into Anthony's knowledge in this discussion. During our conversation, we explore various aspects of their family's journey into the world of travel and outdoor adventures. We also dive into their plans for the upcoming year and discover how families can embark on remarkable adventures regardless of the season or location. It's an engaging and insightful discussion. Be sure to explore their blog by following the link below, and keep up with their adventures on Instagram and Facebook (@fromtenttotakeoff). Show Links:
From Tent to Takeoff: https://www.fromtenttotakeoff.com
Winter Camping Symposium: https://www.wintercampingsymposium.com/

How homeschooling and the outdoors can unlock your kids’ potential

I've dedicated most of my adult life to teaching. My journey began as a middle school music teacher, and while my current role involves educational research, I remain deeply involved in teaching as a homeschooling parent and through my work with the Wilder Outdoor Academy. In this podcast episode, I leverage my extensive background in education, my experiences as a homeschooling parent, and my passion for the great outdoors to explore the manifold benefits that homeschooling and outdoor education can offer your children and your entire family. Whether you're contemplating homeschooling, already homeschooling, or are exploring outdoor education options for your kids, this episode is a must-listen for valuable insights.

How to get your kids outdoors during winter, a chat with interpretive naturalist Monica Rauchwarter

Five years ago I lived in Arizona. It was warm and sunny all the time. Then, over the course of a few months we decided to move to Minnesota - where it is not warm or sunny for nearly six months out of the year. Getting outside during the winter was hard enough for me, but getting kids out was a whole other challenge. After a few years, Michelle and I are just now figuring it out. That's why this conversation is so helpful. Monica is not just an interpretive naturalist, but a passionate educator and advocate for the outdoors - especially during winter. I'm fortunate to live across the street from Richardson Nature Center where Monica works and it was a pleasure to sit down and chat about how we can get kids into and loving the outdoors during winter. We talk about gear to keep kids warm, habitats and how they change during winter, where you can go to get snowshoes for cheap or free, fun activities for your kids and learn about some really cool animals like snow fleas! If you live in a place where winter is a real thing, you want to listen to this. And if you don't, you should still listen to it. You never know when you might make the big move!
Links: Newsletter: www.wilderoutdooracademy.com/newsletter
National Environmental Education Foundation:
https://discovertheforest.org/
Dressing for winter:https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/how-dress-winter-weatherhttps://www.weather.gov/safety/cold
Subnivean zone:
https://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/subnivean-shelter-snowhttps://fdrd.org/the-subnivean-zone-the-world-beneath-the-snow/https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/2019/12/20/beneath-the-snow-the-subnivean-zone/https://woodlandwoman.ca/exploring-the-subnivean-zone/
Voles!https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=meadowvole.main
Dead trees as habitats: https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Cover/Trees-and-Snagshttps://dogwoodalliance.org/2023/05/why-dead-trees-matter-more-than-you-think/https://woodlandstewards.osu.edu/sites/woodlands/files/imce/0018.pdf
Winter birdwatching:https://parkconnection.org/blog/2020/fall-winter-professional-birding-tips-minnesotahttps://www.friendsofeloisebutler.org/pages/seasonal/birdswinter.htmlhttps://www.audubon.org/news/easy-ways-get-kids-birdinghttps://www.nationalforests.org/blog/birdinghttps://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/02/03/winter-play-we-tried-minnesota-birrrdwatching-in-januaryhttps://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birdfeeding/winter.html
Spent prairie flowers are still beautiful:https://arboretumnaturenotes.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/life-on-the-winter-prairie/https://fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org/sites/default/files/rapid-color-guides-pdfs/919_usa_prairie_seed_heads-version_2.pdfhttps://the-natural-web.org/2012/11/30/a-winter-garden-can-be-a-wildlife-habitat/https://mnnativewildflowers.com/2020/12/22/winter-wildflower-chasing
Snow kitchen - secondhand items, play dishes/cookware, or real stuff you can sanitize after:https://www.sunhatsandwellieboots.com/2013/01/snow-kitchen-outdoor-play.htmlhttps://happytoddlerplaytime.com/snow-kitchen-toddler-preschool-winter-snow-day-sensory-activity/
Snowshoeinghttps://www.threeriversparks.org/activity/snowshoeinghttps://visit-twincities.com/hit-the-road/stories/dashing-through-snow/https://www.fws.gov/refuge/minnesota-valley/visit-us/activities/snowshoeing#:~:text=Stop%20by%20the%20Bloomington%20visitor,maps%2C%20visit%20our%20Trails%20page.
Stargazing in Winter:https://www.nativeskywatchers.com/https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/astronomy/a-kids-guide-to-stargazinghttps://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/stargazing-and-other-astronomy-activities-you-can-do-with-your-kids
Used winter clothing: https://arcsvaluevillage.org/
Acorns:https://deerassociation.com/look-inside-acorns-to-find-deer-hunting-success/https://www.catmanoutdoors.com/post/learn-your-acorns
Building a conservation ethic:https://www.nrpa.org/blog/five-fun-activities-for-teaching-kids-about-conservation/https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/conservation_and_kids_getting_into_naturehttps://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2011/Family-Backyard-Field-Guidehttps://www.nature.com/articles/515027ahttps://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eap.2749https://inclusive-conservation.org/https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2020-0088https://www.nps.gov/subjects/tek/description.htmhttps://journals.plos.org/sustainabilitytransformation/article?id=10.1371/journal.pstr.0000016
Tracks and other animal signshttps://www.anokacountymn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24021/Activity---Track-and-Signhttps://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/animal-tracking-footprints-gpshttps://files.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/young_naturalists/young-naturalists-article/scat/janfeb2019_young_naturalists.pdf?v=2023.10.06-14.24.50https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/7815/2952/5274/Animal_Locomotion_and_Track_Patterns.pdfhttps://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/administration_pdf/tracks1.pdfhttps://www.mntracking.org/
Snowfleas:https://entomology.umn.edu/snow-fleahttps://www.eekwi.org/animals/other-invertebrates/snow-fleashttps://www.esa.org/esablog/2011/01/28/snow-fleas-helpful-winter-critters-2/
Jumping mouse:https://www3.uwsp.edu/biology/VertebrateCollection/Pages/Vertebrates/Mammals%20of%20Wisconsin/Zapus%20hudsonicus/Zapus%20hudsonicus.aspxhttps://www.boundarywatersblog.com/boundary-waters-unique-mouse/http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Zapus_hudsonius/
Muskrats:https://arnebeast.blogspot.com/2013/11/muskrats-in-winter.htmlhttps://files.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/young_naturalists/young-naturalists-article/muskrats/julaug2020_young_naturalists.pdf?v=2023.10.06-14.24.50https://www.carleton.edu/arboretum/news/whats-under-the-ice/
Ways to learn about nature:https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nature_centers_in_Minnesotahttps://campfiremn.org/mynatureconnection/https://new.smm.org/learn/https://www.richfieldmn.gov/around_town/wood_lake_nature_center/kids_page/scavenger_hunt.phphttps://www.hormelnaturecenter.org/scavenger-hunts.htmlhttps://files.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/young_naturalists/young-naturalists-article/find_out/find_out.pdfhttps://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/bird_songs_interactive.html
Environmental education degrees, certificates, and the field in general:https://www.hamline.edu/academics/graduate/environmental-education-certificatehttps://cehsp.d.umn.edu/departments-centers/centers/center-environmental-education/undergraduate-degrees/environmentalhttps://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/whitewater/meet_the_naturalist.htmlhttps://minnesotanaturalistsassociation.wildapricot.org/About-MNAhttp://millcitytimes.com/news/cool-jobs-kelsey-griffin-interpretive-naturalist-the-raptor.htmlhttps://www.iowanaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Professional-Standards-for-an-Interpretive-Naturalist-2010.pdf
Careers in the Outdoors - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njcfjKdUMrU