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Category: Healthy Parks Healthy People
Win big on your #FirstDayHike, courtesy of SAIL
Ontario Parks is giving away a $250 SAIL gift card for one lucky First Day Hike participant!
Continue reading Win big on your #FirstDayHike, courtesy of SAIL
5 ways to stay active in the cold
Brrr! Temperatures are dropping, and winter’s icy grip is almost upon us.
We bet you’re feeling just about ready to tuck into a nice, long winter’s hibernation. Not so fast! Outdoor activity is important for our mental and physical health all year long. Getting outside is good for you even when the weather is not ideal.
Ontario Parks has 31 parks open in the winter. Each park offers plenty of ways for you to get active in the chilly months.
Here are some great ways to stay healthy, and enjoy winter!
Hiking for head-to-toe health
It’s probably no surprise that hiking is good for your health, but it might surprise you that the benefits reach from head to toe!
Check out the brain and body benefits of hiking:
Waldeinsamkeit: solitude in the forest
Picture this: you’re alone, deep into a forested trail. Your only companions are the birds fluttering from branch to branch around you. As you walk, you follow a corridor made of pillars of ancient trees, and smell the earthy aroma of moss and damp leaves.
How do you feel? It’s hard to describe, but the words which immediately come to mind are calm, peaceful, and contemplative. You feel a deep-rooted connection to the world around you, and you are reminded of the importance of our natural environment.
There’s a word for that feeling: waldeinsamkeit.
Add nature to your self-care toolkit
As the days get shorter and the colder weather arrives, it’s time to talk self-care. Bubble baths and meditation are great options, but have you considered adding nature to your self-care toolkit?
October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and it’s the perfect time to think of ways we can take care of ourselves and our families.
Mental health benefits of the outdoors
Do you ever find yourself feeling calmer, more relaxed, or more focused after spending time in nature? That’s because time outside has studied and proven benefits for your mental health.
Mental illness affects one in five Canadians in any given year. Let’s talk about what some Vitamin N (nature) can do for your mental health…
Healing in the forest: a guide to forest bathing
Let’s take a walk in the woods.
With no specific destination in mind, we will wander, observe and immerse ourselves in nature. Allow our senses to guide us.
When was the last time you walked into the woods with no plans? No final destination? Without a species to ID, hill to climb, or lookout to conquer?
This is exactly the experience offered by a forest bathing session.
Continue reading Healing in the forest: a guide to forest bathing
How the 30×30 Challenge helped me find calmness and connection
Ro Nwosu (WildRoga) is a yoga teacher, trainer, and fitness educator known for her infectious laugh and out-of-the-box thinking to get people moving.
August is when I usually arrange the last of my summer plans and start looking forward to fall.
This year I had a busy start to the summer, so I was craving a routine. Sometimes knowing where to start can be difficult, especially after moving to a new town and getting settled in.
Ontario Parks challenged me to make nature a habit this August by spending 30 minutes outside for 30 days for the Healthy Parks Healthy People 30×30 Challenge.
Continue reading How the 30×30 Challenge helped me find calmness and connection
Accessible locations to view fall colours
As the cold weather hits, opportunities to view a stunning array of fall colours are popping up around the province.
Ontario Parks is committed to making our parks as accessible as possible for visitors. If you’re planning a trip, we’ve rounded up a list of parks with accessibility features that are perfect for viewing the beauty of fall.