Active Families
Archive
Because not only do children adapt to wild places—faster, sometimes, than adults—they thrive in them. They need them. We all do.
Sometimes you're miles from the nearest hot chocolate source when you want it most. But thanks to the Jetboil Flash, you can have DIY hot cocoa anywhere, any time.
The logistics of a ski weekend with kids are challenging, but the gear schlepping and tantrums just might be worth it.
Teenager sets new world record for the fastest unsupported trek from Antarctic coast to South Pole
I have a five-year-old who I want to put on skis for the first time. What's the best approach to a new sport?
Kicking off the New Year at a kid-friendly adventure resort.
After a recent ultramarathon, I wanted to test a new approach to healing my mind and body.
You'll never forget the suffering of your first ultra gone awry—until you do.
Cutting down your own evergreen is easier than you think
This season, choose outdoors over indoors, adventure over eating, and hiking over cooking.
Controversy over a Toys R Us commercial inspires giving memories instead of presents this holiday season.
Snow days make everyone happy—unless you're the one staying home with the kids.
The British company brings high-quality, lightweight rides to the U.S.
Why you should hit the road in a Volkswagen pop-top.
Do family vacations that are meant for learning about other cultures devolve into the wild mistreatment of historical sites? These guidelines aim to help you help them see what's so special about all things ancient.
Each summer 20,000 shining paragons of American boyhood march into the wilderness of Philmont Scout Ranch to confront an age-old question: Can the anarchy of adolescence be tamed?
A nervous dad hopes his daughter finds as much confidence in the dance studio as she did on the ropes course.
Adopting a dog can be difficult. But in the end, we wouldn't trade our oddball pets for anything.
When Katie Arnold's girls were big enough to try stand-up paddleboarding on an inflatable SUP, the whole family fell in love with the sport.
It's easy to fall into bad habits with the start of the school year. Follow these seven recipes for a healthier year.
CrossFit isn't just for adults. There are over a thousand programs nationwide specifically designed for kids. Is this a good thing?
The Green River just may be the ultimate fall family river trip (as long as the weather cooperates)
I put my newborn on the post office floor. Ick! True tales of procuring a baby passport.
Tim Olson on how to run—and win—100 milers while making it look easy
Even parents need alone time. Follow these 10 tips for the perfect solitary adventure weekend.
On a 36 hour multisport trip to Colorado, one parent discovers the importance of adventuring alone.
Postcard from East Java: Belinda Baggs on itinerant surfing, the world's best waves, and motherhood as the ultimate stoke
Trapped in the work-grind of the U.S. a family moves to Patagonia, staying true to the compass of exploration and travel
How do you capture the last sunny days of summer? With a family outing on the lake.
The parents of two young ultrarunners share the highs and lows of running with young rippers
We compare the best carriers for bringing your kids into the outdoors.
One of the top ultrarunners in America is a pathologist and a mom to boot. She shares a few of her secrets for anyone trying to fit training into their schedule.
Traveling is one of summer’s biggest joys. But it’s possible to get too much of a good thing.
We find more joy in our kids' pleasures than our own, especially when it’s joy about a surprise present from the big, wild world
Yes, you can tour France with kids without ever setting foot in the museum. And it’s cheaper (and a hell of a lot more fun for everyone) than you’d think.
This six-inch-thick foam pad is half slip-and-slide, half water trampoline, and, for hassled parents, a blessing
Facing summer’s last hurrah can be depressing, but there’s no reason you can’t carry a little bit of the warmer months through the winter.
How a New York non-profit takes young non-swimmers from dry land to whitewater in just a few days
Sometimes, it takes a little storm to show us how resilient we really are
The family that learns to chillax correctly will be much safer on or near water. Here are some easy tips.
Choice is good. Here are three outdoorsy desserts that may jazz you more than the obligatory roasted marshmallow and melted chocolate squeezed between graham crackers.
Teaching your kids the basic physical skills they’ll need is child’s play, literally. Start improving their coordination, strength, balance, and more with these five games.
Can you say “good genetics”? These six clans own their fields generation after generation.
Maybe you're raising a family of kayakers and runners, but you should still teach your children to play tennis and mini-golf. Here's why.
The founder of a SoCal startup is gearing up to give us equipment for car camping that’s right for the job and looks hot. Please, let it be so.
Many American rivers are out of condition by the end of spring. Not this one.
Every year, Katie Arnold spends a month at her parents' cabin on an island in Ontario. Great for relaxation, but not so much for training.
Last week, Mike Steere shared some tips to help parents survive their child's first year at sleepaway camp. This week, he attempts to pacify his own miserable camper, and finds out it isn't as easy as it looks.
A writer searches for kid-friendly whitewater in Oregon
On Western Spirit's guided mountain-biking tour of California, even the youngest kids can get a taste of the trail
Even the most timid kids can get over their separation anxiety and have a great time at summer camp—as long as mom and dad don’t screw it up
Why should kids have all the fun? At Vermont’s Tyler Place Family Camp, adults can paddle, take tennis lessons, and carve out their own slice of summer vacation alongside the children.
Since the birth of their first child, photographer Somira Sao and her husband have traversed the world’s oceans on a 40-foot racing sailboat, visiting six continents with their growing brood. Bet your preschool wasn’t like this.
For the past five years, Charles Scott has taken his kids bike touring from Japan to the backroads of Iceland. Katie Arnold caught up with him before his latest trip across the American West to learn from the master.
Over the past five years, nine new national monuments have joined the ranks of America’s protected lands. But Michael Brune, the man who heads up the Sierra Club, would like to see more. Elizabeth Hightower Allen joins him, his family, and a pack of rambunctious llamas on a tour of New Mexico’s highlands.
With fire and drought ravaging New Mexico, Katie Arnold and family head up to southern Colorado on a multisport adventure
GoPro Games champion Sage Donnelly has her eyes set on the World Freestyle Championships—and from pro paddlers twice her age to diabetes, nothing is going to stand in her way.
After quitting their jobs and selling their house, Coloradoans Erica and Mark Lighthiser packed it up—kids, dog, possessions—and started pedaling north. How far will their journey take them?
From ferrying kids to preschool to hitting up the farmer’s market, Xtracycle’s beefy longtail can handle it all.
New York Times columnist Bruce Feiler’s new book The Secrets of Happy Families has a novel strategy for overwhelmed parents in need of a break: give kids more control
The Clif Kid Backyard Game of the Year contest encourages children to invent their own outdoor games rather than sitting in front of the TV. The top prize? A scholarship for ten grand.
You only get so much time with your kids before they’re grown up. After a family trip to the hot springs, Katie Arnold meditates on how best to spend it.
W. Hodding Carter, Jack Hitt, and Anthony Doerr look back on their attempts to raise kids who love the outdoors.
Can a new trailer bike help young kids learn the rules of the road? Katie Arnold and her family put it to the test.