Vacations Offer Great Bonding Time

While staying at a resort offers lots of opportunity for activites, It can be fun to plan a special one-on-one day out with your kids.

Below are some ideas that you might both enjoy. *Shop for a special outfit *Get a pedicure *Have lunch at a quaint local restaurant *Visit an area farm or animal shelter *Grab a golf or tennis lesson *Visit the area antique shops *Play a round of golf *Hit the arcades *Visit area outfitters and rent a canoe *Rent a bike and hit the trails *Check out area artists

Getting Kids Interested In Hiking

*Bring Snacks - Lots of Snacks, let kids go pre-hike food shopping

*Get them involved in planning - let kids help choose the route you will take on your hike. *Having something to see at the end of the destination like a waterfall or epic view can help keep kids motivated *Let them bring a friend - let kids play games and have fun along the way *Slow your pace - walk at your kids pace so no one feels left behind *Don't just hike - play games like treasure hunt, or I spy to keep their minds occupied *Buy them their own gear - only use it when your hiking Read more: http://www.adventureseeker.org/adventure/guide-getting-kids-hiking/

Proof Fishing Is The Best Way To Bond With Your Kids

There are very few activities that balance fun and quality time between kids and parents, with engaging and educational lessons

that kids can carry with them for a lifetime. If you’ve spent more than a few days at your local fishing pond, you already know about the fun aspect, but not all parents realize just how valuable fishing can be for instilling kids with valuable skills and values. First and foremost, fishing stresses the importance of patience and hard work. While the same can be said for many childhood sports – in that kids willing to put the time and work into building their skills will be rewarded – fishing, by its very nature, is a game of patience. Read more: http://www.wideopenspaces.com/fishing-still-best-way-bond-kids/

Vacations Can Be Benefical To Your Childs Brain Development

An enriched environment offers new experiences that are strong in combined social, physical, cognitive, and sensory interaction," says child psychotherapist Dr. Margot Sunderland. "Think: family together in the pool, walking together through the forest, touching long tall grasses waving in the wind, toasting marshmallows on campfire, hanging out together under warm sun, feeling sand between the toes." These experiences then turn on the genetic expression of key brain fertilizers in the frontal lobes, Dr. Sunderland explains, enhancing executive functions like stress regulation, attention, concentration, good planning, and the ability to learn, and also improving physical and mental health. "The brain fertilizers triggered in enriched environments are also associated with higher IQ in children," she said. "So, spend time exploring together in a new space, and you're making your child smarter." In addition, family vacations can act as "happiness anchors.....Read more here - https://www.parents.com/health/parents-news-now/family-vacations-have-long-lasting-impact-on-kids-happiness/

Minnesota Tree Facts

Every year in Minnesota, three times as much wood is grown as is harvested.

In fact, the last 30 years alone have seen a 60 percent increase in the amount of wood across the state. According to the U.S. Forest Service and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 7.4 million new cords of wood are grown each year in the state, doubling the 3.7 million cords that are harvested. This is another example of how scientific forest management works to ensure there will be a healthy balance between wood products and the forest lands and wildlife we all enjoy. In Minnesota, less than 1% of forest land is harvested each year. Fully one-third of Minnesota – 17 million acres! – is covered by beautiful forestlands, providing recreation, wildlife habitat and a renewable supply of timber resources. Yet only 1 percent of these forests (approximately 185,000 acres) are harvested each year to provide material for paper products, home construction, furniture and hundreds of other products we use every day. What things come from Minnesota trees? 28,000 people in Minnesota's forest products industry make paper for books, magazines, brochures, computer printers and more. They make lumber, siding panels and engineered wood products for building homes, including oriented strand board. They also make industrial packaging for many commercial applications. To learn which Minnesota companies produce these products that are used all over the world, click on the various products in this photo.

11 Orr Minnesota Hiking Trails

Arrowhead State Trail Arrowhead State Trail runs between the Taconite State Trail at Pike River Flowage near Peyla and to 3

miles south of International Falls (east of I-71 near Chapple). The trail is popular among snowmobilers, and nearly 70 miles of the 135-mile route are suitable for equestrians, mountain bikers and hikers. During summer, many areas of the trail may have standing water, especially in the northern segment, where it passes through wetlands.... Read More/View Map https://www.traillink.com/trail/arrowhead-state-trail/ Bear Island Trail Much of Bear Island Lake Trail passes through Bear Island Lake State Forest in Minnesota's northern reaches, near Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The lake itself is huge, with Bear Island in the middle. The surrounding hills of Vermilion and Mesabi give depth to the landscape. The trail, part of which is an old logging rail corridor, winds among smaller lakes and.... Read More/View Map https://www.traillink.com/trail/bear-island-lake-trail/ Blue Ox–Voyageur Trail The Blue Ox–Voyageur Trail is a multi-use trail that permits ATVs and snowmobiles. It also accommodates mountain bikers, hikers, and equestrians along the former railroad right-of-way between International Falls and Lake Bemidji State Park. The nearly 100-mile trail travels through.... Read More/View Map https://www.traillink.com/trail/blue-ox-trail-(voyageur-trail)/ Circle L Trail The Circle L Trail follows an abandoned logging railroad grade, which was used during the logging of the Bigfork River valley during the early 1900s. The trail passes through George Washington State Forest and also past the sites of old logging camps, some of which were used into the late 1960s. The Circle L Trail meets up with the Circle T Trail east of Bass Lake. Despite its name.... Read More/View Map https://www.traillink.com/trail/circle-l-trail/ Find information and maps on all 11 Orr Hiking Trails: https://www.traillink.com/city/orr-mn-trails/

Ideas To Help You Take Better Vacation Photo's

Your vacation photo's help you remember your vacation experiences for many years. Coming home to blurry or uninteresting

photos can be a letdown. Here are a few ways you can capture your vacation memories, which will help you tell your vacation stories later. 1)Try taking some of your pictures during transitional weather - these changes in the weather often add intrigue and texture to your photo's 2)Demonstrate scale - as opposed to having your friends and family just stand in front of a landmark like they’re lining up for something, have them pose in more interesting formations. For instance, have them stand right in the middle of a curious scene or put them beside a huge object to show its sense of scale. 3)Think small - taking pictures of a mountain from a distance is fine, but try to also take shots of animals, rocks and plants close up to give context to your photo's. 4)Adapt to shooting at night - research the best way to use your camera in dark situations, you can capture amazing candid shots in the evening 5)Include shots of signs - this gives you a change to tell a story and add character to your photo's 6)Try telling your story by using a series of frames - take a wide shot and then hone in on the details Read More:http://photodoto.com/vacation-photography/