kids ziplining at singha park chiang rai thailand

Zipline for the First Time. Made the More-Than-24 Hour Car Drive Worthwhile!

Zipline for the first time, and it is the most exhilarating outdoor activity we have done to date. Zip-line consists of a pulley attached to an inclined steel metal cable secured on a slope. The person is attached to a free moving pulley and moves through the cable aided by gravity from point A to point B. In this case, point A is from an 8-storey tall building stretched to point B on the ground across a vast field of Singha Park. Yep, we did it. Zipline for the first time, and it made the more-than-24-hour car drive to Chaing Rai so worthwhile!

Chaing Rai is the northern most city of Thailand, just a few kilometers away from Myanmar in the west and Laos in the east. It is home to the famous Singha Park where this awesome Zipline activity is found, and where the annual Winter Balloon Festival is held.

How’s the experience?

Well, we geared up and took the elevator up. We watched the structures below get smaller and smaller. Anticipation is building up. This is our first time. We’ve arrived, 8-storey above ground. Cool breeze brushed our blushed skin, waiting for our turn. Hooks checked and put in placed, we positioned and got ready to go. Gates opened and with our hearts in our throats down we went. That moment when your feet leaves the platform and into the open seems like forever stuck in a few seconds. That moment you realize “HOLY MOLLY I’M HANGING HERE” and that there’s no going back. And so without any choice, you decide to let go and give the loudest scream of your life. We screamed at the top of our lungs, laughed, screamed, laughed, and screamed some more without reservation. We landed on the opposite side a bit shaky but safe, intact, and SO thrilled and exhilarated! What an experience! We’d like to do it again. And so we did.

We’re looking forward to our next zipline activity. It was awesome and something worth trying!

two kids geared up to zipline for the first time
Singha Park Chiang Rai Thailand

The takeaway for us from this zipline for the first time experience.

  • We thought it’s way too scary for us because of the height. But realized that we’re stronger and bolder than we thought we were.
  • It was a feat to try something out of our comfort zone, and actually loved it.
  • It is great to invest on giving our children experiences they could treasure forever.
  • For us as parents, to give our children a bit of a slack and let go of the worries, the “what ifs”, and just let them have fun.

Have you tried zipline before? How was your experience?

Please let us know by sharing it on the comment section down below or on Youtube. Thanks.

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kids kayaking

Kayaking: What You Need to Bring


One of the major outdoor activity we had recently was kayaking. Kayaking is to move across a body of water through a kayak, which is low-to-the-water with double blade paddles, and paddlers sits forward with legs in front. Kayaking started with the Inuit as a way for hunting and fishing. And through the years kayaking became a sport, and nowadays people kayak for recreational purposes. In our case, we kayaked in a river called Wang Sai Thong in Langu district, Satun, Thailand. This is the major activity in this part of Satun, Thailand. 

Satun is one of the provinces in Southern Thailand, rich with natural beauty and resources like lush green rainforest, waterfalls, caves (Phu Pha Phet and Chet Cot); rivers, and a must go beaches; one of these is Koh Lipeh. Aside from this, the “disappearing tribe” of Thailand called the Sakai tribe can also be found here.

We went kayaking with our children, and of course they were beyond themselves with excitement. The first time we went there, they were still too young to go on a kayak. But this time, we thought they could already handle it, since the water was not so rough. If it was, we would not risked it for sure.

two kids kayaking
Diverse Outdoor Activities for Children


Having gone there, done it; here are some of the things that we found important.

1. Bring your own kids life jackets. Usually life jackets are available and are provided by the accommodation, however,  the sizes may not be the right fit. It is essential that life jackets fit, otherwise it could be uncomfortable and could possibly ruin the moment. And also it could restrict movement as well as block ones view of the surroundings. And another thing, if you are super particular about hygiene I think having your own life jacket is a great idea.

2. Wear a comfortable attire.  Most of the kayaks used here are sit-on-top,  with the foot rest almost the same level as the seat. So wearing jean shorts or other attire made of stiff fabric can be very uncomfortable and could cause abrasions on the skin. Cottony shirts and shorts are fine. Beachwears like top-bottom set,  burquini-type and wet suite-type beachwears are also great. One-piece or bikinis might be a little too much for the culture here,  and besides it won’t give so much protection in case the kayak tips over.

3. Anti-mosquito lotion. The place is surrounded by greeneries and water; two things mosquitoes love the most. Protect yourself from malaria and other diseases brought by mosquitoes. Anti-mosquito lotion is available in convenience stores and other SkinStore.

4. Pain relieving ointments. You would find this really handy and helpful as muscles would be stiff and sore the next day or even a few hours after. Wang Sai Thong river is 7 to 10 kilometers long, this could be a lot for the not so trained muscles.

5. Water-proof camera. Yes, yes, yes! Document every moment of it, every scream, every laughter; capture the emotions, the beauty, as well as the risks.

Oh by the way, the kayaks are generic. There are no special kayaks for our little ones. That’s why our children had to go with a guide.

Have you gone kayaking? Where? How was the experience?

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Biking is this vast land and witnessing spectacular sunset is a fun way to spend a long weekend.

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Diverse Outdoor Activities for Children

Engaging kids in outdoor activities has loads of benefits not only to the physical growth of children but it also reinforces cognition and learning, promotes social and emotional development. Children who are always around people and nature have a better sense of social interaction, empathy, and has a stronger concept of self identity and self-worth.

We have been trying our best to expose our children outdoor and encourage them to be active and interact with peers. The need to be active is especially important for our children as they are asthmatic; they say asthma is a modern-day disease.  Although modern medicine has provided us with effective asthma treatment, having a sound body and a healthy lifestyle would certainly make a load of difference.

Going out is something that my husband and I are not accustomed to doing as we are home-buddies and introverts. However, having children is a whole new story, especially that the kids have a rather outgoing personalities. The activities below are those that are available around our community. Some may not be possible with you however we hope that these could give you some ideas.

So here are some few of the things that we have been doing to get the children out of the house and catch some rays.

Kayaking. is another great family outdoor activity. It is something different from what children usually do, so they would find this exciting.  Although there are few risks to think about, but if the water is not too rough, it is pretty safe for kids.

kayaking @Satun Thailand

Bicycle around the house or neighborhood. Now that my son already knows to ride a bicycle,  he’s excited to go out of the house and go on an adventure as he would call it.

Walk along the beach and collect some shells. Our house is just a block away from Chalatat beach and Samila Beach.  So it’s so easy to stroll on the beach, collect some shells, and breathe in some fresh sea air after school.

Figurine painting with water color. Another favorite activity that my children love is painting at the beach.Plant some vegetables. I’m keen on growing our own produce and so I thought of a garden in the city.  Our place is tiny,  but we managed to turn a portion of the patio into a mini garden.  My kids caught up and planted their own vegetables. Now one of their favorite household chores is watering plants.

Go spelunking caves. Thailand is extremely abundant with natural resources like caves,  jungle,  and waterfalls.  These are great places to explore and experience the beauty of  nature with your family. In one of our trips in Satun Thailand, we visited Phu Pha Phet Cave or the Diamond Cave.  Unlike Tham Luang Cave in Chiang Rai, where a young soccer team was trapped for 18 days, this cave is big and super spacious inside, as well as dry and dusty.

Spelunking Phu Pha Phet

Enjoy a waterfall. As mentioned there is no shortage of waterfalls in Thailand.  One particular waterfall we like is the Wang Sai Thong in Satun Thailand, the entire waterfall basin and paths have high deposits of calcified limestone.  So the place is not slippery. Pretty safe for super active children.

Chill out at the beach. Whether the purpose is to swim or simply hang out there, a beach is an awesome place and children love it.  Aside from swimming, my kids love to feel the sand and build sand castles. A nice way to reconnect with earth, and boosts your child’s immunity by contact with microbes living in sand. They enjoy swimming greatly that a swimming pool is one of the things we look for when booking a hotel to stay for a short staycation or vacation.

Going to museums. A museum is a great place to explore and experience so many things about history, arts and crafts, sciences,  and many others.  What’s awesome with some of the museums here,  is that they are situated in pretty interesting sites like on top of a hill,  park,  and temples.

Explore and Experience

Family time at the park. For city dwellers city parks are the closest to nature one could get. And there are so much stuff kids could do, like play with their Frisbee, fly kites,  bike around,  explore the place and find different plants and insects,  or may be just run around while Mom and Dad are chilling out with their read.

Camping, may it be day camp or an overnight camping, is an exciting outdoor activity that would surely encouraged children and adults alike especially if they do this together with peers. This is a great venue for them to interact with others and exercise their learnt interpersonal and social values.

Songkhla Thailand
Day Camp @Samila Sheep Farm

Nature photography is another great outdoor activity families could engage to bond, learn, and have fun.  Our daughter is showing interests in photography and is following dad’s footsteps. Below are some of her photos during a day trip to the zoo.

Empowered Kids Corner: Following Dad’s Footsteps

Corner: Following Dad’s Footsteps[/caption]

Take self-defense lessons like Taekwondo. Apart from self-defense, children can also develop motor coordination and balance.

Play basketball, football, or any sports your kids are into.

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Empowered Kids Corner: Following Dad’s Footsteps

Great things start from small beginnings.

Most often than not success whatever its magnitude is, always begin with a small step forward.  This tiny effort may seem insignificant, easy but it actually makes a whole lot of difference; and could be difficult and a scary thing to do. It takes courage, support from loved ones, and a bit of “You’re dong great!”,”Keep up the good job!” here and there.

Summer showed a flair for photography early on.  Whether it is a prognostic sign of the future or just a momentary hobby she finds interesting, my husband and I see to it that she is encouraged and given every opportunity. She enjoys tagging along with her Dad’s photography group SOMCHAI Studios .

asdfs

Her photos started from these….

dsad

to these…

FotorCreated

Kids usually obey and take heed of advises from people they trust.  Fear and doubt hinder this.  That is why parents and teachers play a crucial role. If we could only create an environment of acceptance, encouragement, and trust for all children, then, they would surely reach great things.

What do you think of Summer’s photos?

What small beginnings have your children started?

This corner showcases all the creative things our little ones do, captured in photos. Be featured here by submitting your kid’s photos at mitchelle.juaban@gmail.com with a description. 
Disclaimer: By submitting your photos to mitchelle.juaban@gmail.com you are affirming you own the copyright to the photo and that you give permission for MitchRyan’s Blog to reuse your image anywhere on the website, including but not limited to the MitchRyan’s Blog, as well as using your image on MitchRyan’s pages on social media sites like Facebook and Pinterest. 
 

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