Have you been wanting to meet People to Hit the Trail With?
Here are some things that I have done to foster those relationships:

1. Host Regular Group Outings
   Consistency is the key! Even if it’s only once a month, pick the same day and time each month to hold your event. This gives people something to look forward to and lets them add it to their calendar well in advance.
   Choose accessible trails if you’re inviting those who might bring a stroller. Or, my go-to option: carry extra baby carriers to loan out on trails that aren’t stroller-friendly. In Florida, I also consider additional criteria to make outings family-friendly:

2. Create a Social Spot
Use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or others for families to communicate and share ideas. It’s a great way to keep everyone connected!

3. Involve Children
I engage children by allowing them to choose the direction of the trails whenever possible. They also help identify plants! If they can’t identify plants on their own, I let them use my phone with the SEEK app that I mentioned in a previous blog post.

4. Collaborate
Invite or hire local experts to lead a session with your group—they’re fountains of knowledge! For example, a homeschool group I attend hired a local botanist for a walk. She showed us many edible plants—it was amazing!

5. Incorporate Service Projects
Teach children the value of good stewardship by organizing group projects that give back. One of our favorites is cleaning up parks, trails, or—if you have older children—even roadsides.

In everything you do, aim to create a welcoming environment for all families, regardless of their background or experience in nature. This will allow friendships to flourish and lifelong memories to be made