When Jessica Carrillo Alatorre gave birth to her first daughter, she wasn’t given much medical guidance on how to soothe her baby. But her mother offered her some valuable advice.

“She told me to go outside,” Carillo Alatorre said. “And it really helped – getting outdoors was a powerful tool for both me and my baby. Nature soothed both of us.”

The concept of nature providing important benefits to both parents and babies was the founding principle of the organization OutGrown, formerly known as Hike it Baby, which Carrillo Alatorre was first introduced to in 2014 when she took her six-month-old on a group hike hosted by the organization.

group of parents, mothers and fathers, hiking in the woods with their children with various carrying methods

OutGrown hosts inclusive hikes for new parents to build community and empower people to get outside with their kids. Photo by OutGrown.

Community-led events – like that group hike – are a pillar of the organization, which aims to help new parents get outside with their babies. 

“We believe every family should build a connection to the outdoors from birth,” said Carrillo Alatorre, whose relationship with OutGrown has only deepened since that first group hike. She was so drawn to the mission that she partnered with the founder, Shanti Hodges, to help grow the organization as the operations manager. Eventually, Carrillo Alatorre took on the role of executive director.

OutGrown believes that it’s never too soon to introduce kids to the outdoors. This is a message that parents need to hear, says Carillo Alatorre, since new parents may feel fearful of making mistakes – and the outdoors can feel like an overwhelming and unfamiliar place.

“Babies and young children are often excluded from the conversation around bringing children into nature, but we believe it is a pivotal shift necessary for both parents and children alike,” Carillo Alatorre said. “By getting children outside from birth, we are raising a generation to love the outdoors and empowering every member of the family to experience the physical and mental benefits of nature.”

two parents going for a hike in the woods with a child in a baby sling on one of their chests. they are both looking down smiling at the child

OutGrown believes both parents and babies should have access to the benefits of nature. Photo by OutGrown.

OutGrown is now active in over 300 cities nationwide and recently expanded its programming to reach more families. “Turn the Blues Green” is a new program that aims to improve maternal mental health and tackle postpartum depression with the help of nature. To do this, OutGrown is partnering with hospitals in places like Denver, Colorado, to provide new parents with hike and walk events led by trained hospital staff. They’re also sending new parents home from the hospital with materials on how to use nature to improve mental health after birth. 

“A lot of people in our community have experienced some amount of the baby blues,” said Carillo Alatorre. “And they’ve found that spending more time outside – and connecting with community in the outdoors – has helped them feel better.”

father helping little girl blow giant bubbles with a bubble wand comprised of string between two sticks

OutGrown helps kids play outside to build a joyful relationship with the outdoors. Photo by OutGrown.

Another new core program called “Bring it Outside” offers family-friendly events and workshops to help Black, Indigenous and Communities of Color, as well as immigrant, refugee and rural communities, get outside. To boost participation and make programming more accessible, OutGrown is training leaders from these communities to host the events and workshops, translating their materials into different languages and partnering with local organizations within each community to understand how to better reach families.  

“Many people and communities have been excluded or not invited into the outdoors,” said Carillo Alatorre. “We want to make the outdoors a more equitable place by normalizing who is welcome in nature.”

Reducing barriers to outdoor enjoyment has always been a core component of OutGrown’s mission. The organization’s programming teaches parents about gear, helps develop outdoor skills and builds confidence in families’ ability to go on outdoor adventures with their kids. OutGrown’s group outings are inclusive and welcoming of every pace, ability and diaper change break. The programs also use a variety of hands-on activities to engage young kids, including activity books full of animal tracks, pretend campfires, hammocks, books, Play-Doh and bubbles.

Tent in the middle of a park with children and parents in front of it playing with playdoh. The city is in the background

Photo by OutGrown.

“We are working to redefine what it means to go outside, from backyard play to backcountry adventures, and showing everyone that those adventures can and should include babies and young children,” said Carillo Alatorre. “It doesn’t have to be gearing up and going for a full-on hike. You can just step out your front door for a few minutes.”

The organization also recently launched the Family Trail Guide, which is a free, online resource that compiles information on family-friendly trails, parks and other outdoor spaces across the U.S. based on parent-submitted suggestions. 

Ultimately, OutGrown wants to help all families feel greater ease and excitement when navigating the outdoors. Part of this means encouraging parents to adopt an expansive view of what the outdoors can encompass.

“If you help families play outside together, you can foster an intergenerational and lifelong love for nature,” says Carillo Alatorre. “By helping families get outside together, we have seen stronger, more connected communities, children who crave time outside on a daily basis and healthier and happier people,” she added.


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Emily Halnon

Emily Halnon is a freelance writer and trail runner out of Eugene, Oregon. She’s published work in The Washington Post, The Guardian, Runner’s World, Trail Runner Magazine, Salon, and more. She can be found on twitter and instagram at @emilysweats, and on her website.

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