10 Ways to #optoutside in Your Own Backyard

Do you know about #optoutside? I love this idea of opting out of the post-Thanksgiving consumer craziness. Being intentional about spending time outside with loved ones rather than spending time shopping for stuff.

Now, I’m all for good deals. We’ll actually have a special one for you to celebrate our other two November birthdays 🎉 on Monday!

For the weekend though, what do you think about opting out…side?

If you browse #optoutside on social media, you’ll find beautiful pictures of exotic travel and extreme adventure. Inspiring, sure, but your plans need not include far-flung destinations to be meaningful and fun.

Here are 10 ways to #optoutside in your own garden, backyard, or community this weekend:

1. Plant garlic. If you live in a temperate climate, you likely still have time to plant garlic. First, you’ll need to find “seed garlic.” Sometimes grocery-store bulbs have been treated to prevent sprouting, so you’ll want to look for locally-sourced bulbs–likely “Organically-grown” from a food coop or small local market). Even better, purchase “seed garlic” from a trusted source, like a farmer, seed company, or garden center. This kind of garlic will be selected for larger cloves, locally adapted, and will give you better results. I love how garlic leaves are some of the first greens to show up in spring!

2. Go for a “four-block walk.” Take a hike in your own neighborhood. You don’t have to go far to enjoy the nature around you, but you do need to go slowly. Take a curious preschooler or sniffing beagle with you to set the pace. An imaginary one works, too! 😉 Just remember to use all of your senses to observe.

3. Make crowns. Gather vines, like English ivy, grape, or even blackberry (rub off the thorns with a thick piece of canvas), and weave them into playful crowns. Use one length to measure a circle a bit larger than the wearer’s head. Then, wrap the ends together. Add more strands until you have the thickness you like. Then, you can add dried berries, feathers, or a ribbon for a splash of color.

4. Make wreaths. The same crown materials can be also used for a wreath. Or you can collect evergreen branches for a more traditional one. 🌲 If you don’t have evergreens for trimming, check with a Christmas tree vendor and you might be able to get their trimmings for free! I find it easiest to use a form…otherwise my wreaths get a little lopsided! Bend a coat hanger into the shape you want. Wire small bunches of greenery together with florists’ wire and then overlap and wire them onto the form. With kids, use pipe cleaners (or the little ties that come with plastic bags) to make the wiring easier for small hands.

5. LEAF PILE! Our boys played in this big pile for HOURS. Jumping, digging burrows, burying themselves, hauling leaves around in their cart. And yes, I jumped in a few times, too. I recommend it!

6. Build a compost bin. Put it near the leaf pile and you can use the leaves for “browns” as your pile grows. Quick Start to Composting will help if you’re new to the awesome power of compost.

7. Sail leaf boats. Collect a few of the biggest leaves you find on the ground and visit a stream for “boat” races.

8. Climb a tree or swing from one. How long since you last climbed up into a tree or had a turn in a swing? Tap into childhood memories with a little silliness and daring. Feel that thrill of being high in the tree or weightless at the top of the swing’s arc.

9. Start a garden bed for next spring. With a bit of planning and collecting, you could build a “sheet mulch” in an area where you’d like to garden next year. Over the next 4-6 months, leaves and other organic matter you layer on the area will decompose while smothering the weeds. You’ll have a clear area of healthy, living soil to plant into next year.

10. Make a bird feeding station. Clean out and fill up any birdfeeders you have. Hang them in a sunny spot near a window where you can watch the birds arrive. If you don’t have one, you can make a simple pine cone birdfeeder with pine cone + peanut butter + bird seed. We love stringing these up in the small tree outside our dining room and watching the birds fluttering and dipping as they eat from them.

How else do you #optoutside in your own backyard or neighborhood?

Tell me about it in the comments below!