Dear Parents,

I wanted to offer you a fun and local activity I enjoy with my daughter. I call it Baby Led Adventure. I started it when my daughter was first able to go in the carrier.

It's very simple. Basically, we walk out to the sidewalk in front of our house and I ask her which way she wants to go and then listen and follow her cues. A finger point, leg kick, head turn all count as directional indicators. It is a fun way to see where she leads me and what she might be pulled towards. It is also a great chance to shift gears to listen in a different way.

I used to find myself blasting out of the front door and heading in a specific direction without even having good reason. I now enjoy taking a moment to listen to our surroundings, and to follow my daughter's lead and really pay attention to the adventure that awaits us.

I hope you will give it a try and share your stories with us.

Sincerely,

Andrew & The Mission Critical Team

Want to learn more? Keep scrolling down ⬇︎

Enjoying looking at the moon together!

Break it down even more?

Ok

Step 1.

Get your baby safely in your carrier and walk out in front of your house.

Step 2.

Pause. Take a moment, tune into your senses. What do you hear? What is the temperature? Any wind? Any neighborhood activity? Take as long as you need to take in your surroundings.

Step 3.

Say to your child out loud, "Which way do you want to go?" Pay attention. Maybe they point and make it obvious. Maybe they move their right leg or turn their head. For the sake of adventure use that as a cue for the direction to move in. Remember as you move to continue paying attention to your senses.

Step 4. 

If you get to an intersection or split in the trail, pause and ask again. See if they bring you in a big circle back to the house or if they explore an area you don't typically walk in. Do they fall asleep? Do you meet neighbors you haven't before? What are they showing you?

Step 5. 

Share your discoveries and pictures with us on social media! @missioncriticalgear