MAKING PLANS FOR 2016

I look forward to the start of the new year— it's a time for reflection, new beginnings and possibilities. It's also a time to create new goals. In 2015 my goals were to:

·         Finish hiking the forty-eight 4,000’ mountains in New Hampshire

·         Start Children & Nature blog and write a post at least once a month

I am proud to announce I was able to check them both off!

It’s a toss-up as to which was my most challenging and greatest achievement, but I will never forget one moment of the glorious fall day that I hiked my final 4,000’ mountain, Mt. Tom, with a group of 19 friends and family. Some had never hiked a 4,000’ mountain and everyone who joined me through out the years on this quest was present with only two missing. The youngest hiker was 7 years old and the oldest 68. The day could not have been better!

Everything accomplished or experienced beyond those achievements was a bonus.It was a memorable year, both personally and professionally. 

So, with that in mind, I have set some goals for 2016, that focus on my love of family, nature, and my work connecting children to nature:

·     The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th Anniversary. In celebration of that significant achievement I am going to visit and explore as many National Parks as I can.

Half Dome in Yosemite National Park

Mt. Katahdin in Maine

·      Begin hiking the remaining 4,000’ mountains

     (at least one) in Maine and Vermont

·      Continue designing nature based learning and play environments for children while writing and improving this blog—sharing resources and ideas that connect children and nature. Maybe branching out to include Facebook? Not making any promises on that but I do like a challenge!

Why not use the positive energy of longer days, the seed catalogs arriving in the mail and the inevitable arrival of spring and set your “achievable” goals for 2016. 

If you need a boost and some inspiration this winter check out: 

2016 In Bloom Conference:
Promising Practices in Nature Based Early Childhood Education

"In Bloom" conferences 

sponsored by Antioch University

are held in March, May & June in locations around New England.

   

Registration is open!

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