It’s no secret that the past few months have taken a toll on us all. From postponed celebrations and vacations to maybe a little too much togetherness indoors, most people are looking for the next opportunity to escape the four walls they have been staring at for a while now. Teenagers who previously opted for video games and blew off the “go outside and play” suggestions of earlier generations are now realizing just how necessary it is to experience a change in environment: to smell the fresh air, and to move their bodies from the couch. An overly sedentary lifestyle will eventually wreak havoc on anyone’s mental health. So how can we beat the “coronavirus blues”?

Finding the Best Spot for Outdoor Adventure in NY, MA & WI

Luckily, those near New York, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin have the luxury of proximity to one of the best outdoor experiences: Boundless Adventures. This aerial adventure park is the perfect opportunity to literally get back in the swing of things (we’re talking rope courses and zip lines!) after time in lock-down. 

The locations in Purchase, NY, Berlin, MA, and Kenosha, WI, feature nine courses with varying levels of difficulty to not only stimulate your mind but to exercise your body. The benefits of movement are endless, and participating in physical activity has been long known to boost our moods and relieve stress (thanks, endorphins!). 

Exploring Your Next Outdoor Adventure Park

So what exactly can you expect to find at Boundless Adventures? Children as young as seven can begin with the Exploration Courses, which rest ten feet in the air and include bridges, balance beams, and a low speed zip line. 

Those older (ages ten to eleven) and braver can take a run at the intermediate Motivation Courses, which introduce ladders and rolling elements at an elevation increase of five feet. Your bold and brave twelve year old can tackle a more advanced Strength Course, which sits amongst the trees at a height of 22-26 feet. With an increased difficulty on obstacles now, there is a test of agility, and completion of these courses will definitely leave you with a feeling of great accomplishment and satisfaction. 

Finally, the expert level Conqueror Courses are reserved for those daredevils fourteen and older. These require more stamina and strength, as well as a certain boldness; obstacles rest at thirty to forty feet in the air. Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or just someone looking to get moving and experience something new, there is a course for you. Not as ready to climb as you are to escape the house? Take advantage of the walking paths and benches as you watch your loved ones play. 

Come with your family, your friends, your significant other, or your coworkers, and get that natural high that only the great outdoors can provide. Your body, and mind, will thank you!

One of the biggest concerns parents have held in our recent remote world is what learning from a distance is doing to the social and cognitive development of their children. While tasks are still assigned and expectations still held, many can admit that what takes place at home behind a screen is no comparison to an interactive classroom environment. While talks of reopening linger in the air, there is no denying that our children’s immediate future is uncertain, and it may be some time before we see a return to what we once considered normal. This begs the question: how do we foster developmental growth outside of school? Maybe the answer here is not the keyword “school”, but rather a focus on what lies “outside”.

Outdoor Learning & Adventure Parks: The Classes We Always Wanted

The best thing we can do in times of chaos and upheaval is to revisit our roots–literally. Our adventure park, Boundless Adventures, offers three locations in Purchase, NY, Berlin, MA, and Kenosha, WI, that allow guests from near and far to come explore a world amongst the trees. The best opportunities for learning that we can provide for our children involve hands on, experiential learning. We owe them the ability to explore their environment in a tangible way. 

While books and lectures are important, we cannot forget Howard Gardner, who proposed the theory of Multiple Intelligences in education. This theory suggests that there are multiple ways, eight in fact, in which we learn and interact with the world around us. While traditional schooling focuses primarily on the logical/mathematical, linguistic, and perhaps musical intelligences, one such overlooked approach is the bodily-kinesthetic one, in which we learn through movement. 

Our courses, which allow children as young as seven to climb and play, capture the essence of this kinesthetic component. Our guests immerse themselves in our rope and zipline courses, which allow them to break beyond boundaries and to build confidence and bravery. These qualities will transfer to other areas of life, and aid them in other academic and career pursuits. 

Adventure parks and the challenges that our obstacle courses provide allow children to explore intrapersonal learning as well. They must learn to process their emotions, overcome their fears, and make decisions. Even moreso they must activate and strengthen their visual-spatial capacities when they anticipate and imagine their next move. When working with a team or with friends and family, our courses also allow for the strengthening of the interpersonal intelligence. Who knows–your child may even explore the naturalistic approach to learning as they immerse themselves in the great outdoors! 

What becomes clear is that getting out into nature and playing, like in the good old days, is essential to our cognitive and social development. While the high technology offerings of our indoor world seem to be the way of the future, it is the hands on problem solving of play that really captures the 21st century skills that our schools are so trying to build. Critical thinking and communication come hand in hand with adventure. 

Though times are uncertain, we must look to the silver lining in the clouds. At our parks, you can get even closer to that silver lining as you lift yourself up into the air. School in the traditional sense that we have hoped for may not be our current reality, but a little outdoor exploration and problem solving is just what the doctor ordered.

Since the start of 2020, we have experienced what can only be considered a whirlwind: a whirlwind of events, of information, and of emotions. Life has been uncertain to say the least, and as uncertainty remains at the forefront of our thoughts, anxiety begins to creep in. Our fears take over easily, and as humans we tend to succumb to the pressures of the unknown. Though the circumstances in our current times may be unique, fear is by no means a new concept in our lives.

We all have our hesitations and our phobias. Some of these are backed by science or fact, while others we may deem irrational. We say to ourselves, “If only I were more brave!”, or, “Imagine what I could do if there was nothing holding me back!” More often than not, however, it is our own minds that keep us from our achievements. It is our own selves who prevent us from being brave, and from facing our fears. Trust us–we are somewhat of what you may call experts when it comes to facing your fears. After all–our adventure parks are built around the concept of climbing, both literally and figuratively, to new heights. We challenge our guests to climb up amongst the trees, and give themselves over to nature in all of its unpredictable glory.

Adventure Parks Are 2020’s Best Kept Secret

Adventure parks are the best kept secret in the world of overcoming fear; they are the key to realizing potential and tackling our anxieties. Boundless Adventures is a physical manifestation of the mental obstacles we navigate on our way to triumph. Just as a child may contemplate the water from the six foot high diving board or inch slowly backwards as the creepy-crawler inches forwards, that same child can strap on a helmet, step into a harness, and climb, glide, and swing. They can experience what it is like to crash down the boundaries that oppose them. 

At our park, people of all ages can come explore how far they can really go in the direction of adventure. They can perhaps quite literally face their fear of heights; but, what they can also do is use our courses to free themselves of whatever it is in life that is holding them back. Each meticulously placed step and each hand reaching out to help a friend are the confidence boosts that many of us so need without even realizing it. 

Finding Outdoor Adventure in NY, MA & WI

Between our three locations in Purchase, NY, Berlin MA, and Kenosha, WI, and nine courses at each, we offer plenty of opportunity for the brave-hearted, and those who may just need a little push in the right direction. Don’t worry, though, if you aren’t ready to dive right into the deep end: children as young as seven can start with our Exploration Courses, and in a few years find themselves on a Motivation Course. Older and more audacious guests may find themselves on the Strength or Conquerer Courses right from the beginning of their visit, the latter of which boasts heights of thirty to forty feet in the air. No matter which obstacles you complete, we can guarantee you will leave feeling like a warrior.

If an escape is what you need, while still being grounded in reality, then you are in the right place. Our roots grow deep, and remind us that the first step is all we need in order to unlock a world of opportunity. As you zip line down to the end of your journey, the wind rushing across your face, you will come to realize that you are all you need in order to be brave. Your possibilities are endless–or should we say–boundless.