1 . Nature has so much to offer us, from its strikingly attractive beauty and peaceful settings to its healing(治愈) power and positive energy.     1    

Hiking is one of the most popular ways to explore nature. You can find a hiking trail near you or plan an adventure to a far-off destination. Hiking allows you to experience the beauty of nature and appreciate the outdoors in a way that is not possible from the comfort of your home.     2     Additionally, hiking can be a great way to connect with friends and family as you explore the trails together. All in all, no matter where you go, you’ll be able to take in the beauty of nature and make some great memories.

    3     All you really need is just a good pair of shoes and some basics such as water, snacks, and a map. If you’re new to hiking, you may want to start out on an easier trail and build up your skills and endurance as you go. You will become more and more experienced.     4    

Before hitting the trails, make sure you are familiar with the area and the trails you plan to take.     5     It’s also important to make sure you have the right equipment for the type of hike you’re planning. A good pair of hiking boots, a hat, and sunscreen are all essential for a safe and enjoyable hike.

2 . How to Make Family Fishing Trips Fun for All

There’s something truly special about fishing trips, especially when they involve the whole family.     1     But how can we make fishing trips enjoyable and memorable for all family members?

The first step in planning a family-friendly fishing trip is selecting the right destination. It’s important to consider places that are safe, easily accessible, and suitable for families. Destinations like lakeside cabins, or coastal towns are often perfect spots that offer great fishing opportunities.     2    

For many families, fishing trips are not just about catching fish. They’re also about teaching and learning new skills together. When it comes to introducing beginners, especially children, to fishing, it’s important to keep the techniques simple. Begin by familiarizing everyone with the basic parts of a fishing pole and reel (卷轴). Show them how to hold the pole, cast the line, and reel it in.     3     Encourage them to enjoy the experience and the surrounding nature while waiting for a catch.

    4     But it’s still important to have other activities planned. This could include exploring nearby trails, having a picnic, or playing simple outdoor games. These activities ensure that the trip remains engaging for family members who might not be as interested in fishing.

Safety should always be a top priority on fishing trips. This includes making sure everyone has a life jacket.     5     Also, having a first aid kit on hand is essential for dealing with any minor injuries or accidents.

By choosing the right destination, preparing adequately, engaging in various activities, and prioritizing safety, your fishing trips can become a cherished family tradition.

3 . Family Camping Guide: Ensuring Safety and Fun for Everyone

Are you planning a family camping trip?Whether it's a weekend getaway or a longer adventure, spending time outdoors can be a wonderful experience for families.    1    This guide has practical tips for keeping everyone safe and having fun on a family camping trip.

Check the weather forecast ahead. This step ensures you pack the proper clothing and equipment for unexpected weather changes. It's also wise to have a backup plan.    2    This way, you'll still have some fun even if the weather doesn't cooperate.

Assign age-appropriate tasks.     3    Younger children can help gather firewood and set up tents while older kids can take charge of tasks like cooking simple meals and setting up the camp. Remember to ensure that clear instructions are given for each task.

Pack a First Aid Kit.     4    The basics should include bandages,tissues,tape,and tweezers. Besides, familiarize yourself with basic first aid techniques and remember to check the dates of the items in your first aid kit and restock as needed.

Plan safe outdoor activities. Camping offers various family-friendly activities. However, it's essential to plan safe and age-appropriate activities for everyone. If you're going hiking, pick a trail your youngest family members can manage. When swimming or boating, ensure everyone has a life jacket.

    5    Remember, preparation is critical, but the most important thing is to have fun, make memories,and cherish the time spent together in the great outdoors.

4 . Wild camping is simply camping outside of a developed or regular campsite. Camping at a music festival, in your backyard, or at a developed campground (营地) is just regular old camping.     1     You don’t have to pay a fee or reserve a spot in advance.

    2     For example, when you set up a tent at a developed campground, you will usually stay in the same place for a few days. On the other hand, wild camping allows one to spend most of the day exploring the wilderness before they put up their wild camping tent for the night and move on in the morning.

There are many mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature. Modern-day life can be stressful, so many people head out into the wild for relief.     3     Also, you can enjoy a sense of primitiveness that regular camping can’t give you. It’s a cheerful way to tackle multi-day hikes in remote areas, allowing one to spend nights under the stars in breathtaking locations.

Wild camping generally requires checking if you can legally camp at a particular place and in some cases, getting permission to do so. Leaving no trace is essential. Take what you bring with you when you depart.     4    

Most safety problems about wild camping arise from not dressing up and preparing properly for camping in the wild.     5     Additionally, ensure someone knows where you are wild camping and when you will return.

5 . In some countries, many families are choosing camping as an affordable way to vacation due to the cost-of-living crisis (危机).     1     Here are several tips to help make your first camping trip a success.

Camping needs careful planning. Making a detailed list of what to bring ensures nothing important is forgotten. It is advised to pack light and easy-to-set-up tents (帐篷). It’s also important to choose equipment suitable for the season. For families, bringing comfort items like favorite books or toys can make the new environment more welcoming for kids.     2     Other necessaries like wet wipes (湿巾) are must-haves.

Camping is more than just setting up a tent.     3     Group camping trips can simplify things, especially when it comes to meals. Sharing meal responsibilities with other families not only reduces the load but also improves the shared experience. Choosing simple and easy-to-prepare foods helps too.

    4     Activities like treasure hunts, campfire stories can turn camping into an adventure. Nature itself offers endless enjoyment, from bird watching to plant recognizing. Moreover, camping is also an opportunity to teach kids valuable life skills and safety lessons. From cooking over a campfire to learning about nature, these experiences are both educational and enjoyable. Safety lessons are also important, like staying within campsites and recognizing dangerous plants.

All in all, camping is a fantastic way to enjoy the outdoors and spend quality time with family.     5    

6 . Going on vacation every week might sound like the very unattainable dream.    1    . All you need to do is get in the habit of treating your weekend like a vacation, suggests Cassie Mogilner Holmes, a professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. We asked experts to share their favorite tips for adopting a vacation mindset at home.

    2    . Some people have to bear weekend schedules packed with work. You could still make the best of a Thursday evening, Holmes suggests. Or, spare an hour on Sunday morning for chores, but protect the rest of the weekend as your vacation time.

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Decision scientist Nika Kabiri recommends doing something totally new so you can disconnect from the same old routines governing your life. Among her favorite ideas: Drive to a part of town you’ve never been to before, go for a city walk, and grab lunch at the first cute café you see. Or take a bike or boat tour of your city.    4    

Treating your weekend like a vacation doesn’t mean it needs to be a delicate affair. If your “vacation” encounters a few unexpected affairs or lasts for only a few hours, don’t be annoyed.    5    .Don’t put pressure on yourself to have this “perfect vacation”. It’s meant to be fun. Plus, there’s always another one just a few days away.

8 . Have you ever paused to see clouds when you rush to your destination? There’s a group of passionate “treasure finders” dedicated to observing and capturing the beauty in the sky cloud spotters.

Cloud spotters take a more serious approach to make sense of the sky.     1    

Ji Yun, 36, is an expert in cloud spotting. He set up a WeChat group to gather together people with similar hobbies in 2013. As the number of group members continued to grow, Ji and several cloud enthusiasts created dozens of online groups for different regions in China, forming the Sky Enthusiasts Association in 2019.     2    

Power comes in numbers. Three years after the association was formed, cloud enthusiasts from all over China had collected every kind of cloud in the International Cloud Atlas, a reference by the World Meteorological Organization.

    3     Cloud spotting, in fact, is an invitation to be amazed by something so common every day that we’ve become blind to. “You’re not going to be worrying too much about what formation it is and why it looks the way it does.” Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society, told Atlas Obscura.

Indeed, Jiang Xinwei in Jilin finds cloud spotting relaxing. Even though she is going through her toughest school year in grade 12, Jiang maintains this hobby as a short break from her heavy schoolwork. “Observing the clouds has become a habit for me,” the 17-year-old said. “    4    .”

“Clouds change in the blink of an eye.     5     ” said Jiang Na, a 25-year-old cloud spotter in Beijing.

9 . How to Hygge for the Holiday

Everyone is talking about “hygge” — the word used by Danish people to keep themselves mentally positive in the dark winter season and fill their homes with comfort and love. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? But how to realize at least some of hygge holidays?

Express your creativity. Take a step back from the pressures of everyday life and let your creative side out to play. Set aside paint, paper and an hour to yourself.     1    

Share good food with good friends. Friends and food are some of life’s simplest pleasures.     2     Invite friends round for coffee and cake away from the noisy distraction of a cafe, so you can really enjoy each other’s company.

    3     Empty your mind of thoughts and worries, and you can enjoy a little quiet time to yourself now and then. Choose one comfortable corner as a private place that you can hide in whenever you need to take time out and relax.

Make simple things special.       4     If you take to watching a film on Friday night, make movie night feel like a treat rather than routine, with your favourite snacks, good-smelling candles, and a comfortable sofa to throw yourself into.

It is possible to achieve hygge any time of the year nowadays.     5     But hygge is the most suitable for the winter holiday season because it is all about peaceful and warm surroundings that fill you with content. There is indeed something you can do to bring holiday hygge into your home this season.

10 . One great way to spend time outdoors is to garden. Here are some benefits you can get from gardening.

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Studies have found evidence that being in nature is linked with less anxiety, less depression and many other positive effects. The nice thing about a garden is that it can be right in your yard.     2    , you’re much more likely to be outside when the work of a garden requires it.

Eat healthfully

A garden can make the freshest and healthiest foods available. And the types of foods can have a great impact on your mental health.     3    .

Practice acceptance

Most suffering comes from trying to control things that you can’t. The more you can accept the limits of your control in your life, the more peace of mind you can find — and gardening is a great way to practice.     4    . You just bring your best efforts to what you can control, and let go of the rest.

Develop a growth mindset (思维模式)

Psychologist Carol Dweck developed the difference between “fixed” and “growth” mindsets, and gardening is a great opportunity to develop the latter.     5    . When something doesn’t work out the way you hoped, you view it as a learning opportunity rather than as a failure.