In this episode, I’m recapping our 10-day spring break road trip through Western Montana, where we skied three very different mountains, stayed in cozy cabins and ski-in/ski-out lodging, chased fresh powder, went dog sledding, soaked in hot springs, and learned a lot along the way about what actually works when traveling with kids.

I’m sharing the details of our itinerary, why Montana in late winter is such a sweet spot for families, what made each stop unique, and the lessons we learned that I’d absolutely carry into our next ski trip. This is a real-life, no-gatekeeping recap about what went well, what surprised us, and why Montana completely stole our hearts.

And stay until the end, because I’m bringing on my daughter to give her honest, unfiltered kid perspective on the trip...what she loved, what stood out to her, and what actually mattered from her point of view.

If you’re considering a winter or spring break adventure with your kids and want inspiration that feels doable, not intimidating, this episode will give you a clear picture of what a Montana family ski trip can really look like.

Blog Posts:

• 10-Day Montana Road Trip with Kids
• Which NW Montana Ski Resort is Best for Your Family

Other Resouces:

• Visit Montana
• Western Montana's Glacier Country

In this episode, Sara is joined by Jamie Wagner, mom of two, outdoor enthusiast, travel lover, and founder of A to Z Adventures. Jamie is passionate about helping families say “yes” to adventure, whether that means a cross-country road trip or a simple walk around the neighborhood. We chat all about how to make outdoor time and travel more accessible, less intimidating, and a lot more fun, no matter what season of parenting you’re in.

Jamie opens up about what it was like to adventure with babies, the inspiration behind her versatile travel-friendly baby play mat, and the reality of balancing business, motherhood, and creative dreams. We talk about how travel has evolved as her kids have grown, what it means to lay a strong foundation for outdoor play, and how our expectations of family adventures don’t always match reality (and that’s okay!).

If you’ve ever struggled with logistics, gear choices, or feeling overwhelmed by the idea of traveling with kids, this conversation is packed with practical tips, encouragement, and real-mom perspective to help you feel more empowered to get out the door and explore.

A to Z Adventure Gear:
Website: www.atozadventuregear.com
Instagram: @atozadventuregear
Amazon link

Resources:
Packing Lists & Mini Adventures
Happy Campers Guide

RWMC:
Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild

In this deliciously fun episode, Sara is joined by Lydia Gwin, a St. Louis-based culinary instructor, travel advisor, mom of two, and the creative force behind Gwin’s Tiny Kitchen.

Lydia has built a career around helping kids (and adults!) connect the dots between food, science, culture, and travel. She teaches hands-on cooking classes to all ages, hosts camps, curates immersive culinary trips, and shares practical, family-friendly ways to make mealtime more meaningful and adventurous.

Together, Sara and Lydia dive into:
 🍴 How & why to get kids involved in the cooking process
 🔥 Tips for cooking with kids at the campsite or outdoors
 🥘 Favorite kid-friendly recipes and camping meals
 🌍 How to use food while traveling to teach kids about different cultures
 🥒 What to do about picky eaters—both at home and on the road
 🧳 How to find family-friendly food experiences when traveling
 …plus Lydia shares a sneak peek into her exciting upcoming culinary tours!

Whether you’re a campfire cooking rookie, a tired parent with picky eaters, or a food-loving family looking to explore the world through your tastebuds, this episode is packed with practical tips, inspiration, and a whole lot of heart.

Gwin's Tiny Kitchen
Website: www.gwinstinykitchen.com
Instagram: @gwinstinykitchen
Lydia's Travel: @gwinstravelingkitchen

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild

Lydia's Recommendations:

• Children's Silver Spoon Italy
• Priya's Kitchen Adventures Cookbook for Kids
• Modern Proper Cookbook
• The Lost Kitchen Cookbook
• Six Seasons Cookbook

In this heartfelt and empowering episode, Sara chats with new Creative Team contributor Calen Caple to discuss her debut article in the SPLASH issue of Run Wild My Child Magazine, titled "Ditch the Mom Bod Guilt." Calen opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of postpartum body image, the internal pressure so many moms face to “bounce back,” and the pivotal moment on a beach with her daughter that changed everything. Together, we unpack the mental load of mom guilt, the power of presence, and how outdoor adventures help shift our focus from insecurity to connection. This conversation is real, relatable, and full of encouragement for any mom who’s ever struggled to feel confident in her own skin.

Calen's Instagram: @andyetafraid
Substack: Calen Caple

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild

In this episode, Sara's joined by the wildly creative Sara Ernst, musician, poet, nature-loving mama, and the heart behind Wild Pickle Press. We dive into the magic of using music and poetry to connect kids with the natural world and spark curiosity about the creatures around them (especially bugs… which we both happen to love). We chat about the creative process, how songwriting and storytelling can be powerful tools for teaching kids to appreciate and protect nature, and why she believes empowering children through the arts is just as important as letting them dig in the dirt. Sara also shares the inspiration behind her brand-new book Poetry for the Wild & Curious Ones, a beautiful collection designed to ignite wonder, joy, and a sense of wildness in readers of all ages.

Wild Pickle Press Website: www.wildpicklepress.com
Instagram: @wildpicklepress

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild

Sara's Recommendation:
Bug Viewer

Julianne Nienberg is the voice behind @myoutdoorsymom on Instagram and the host of the brand new My Outdoorsy Mom Podcast, where she helps busy parents raise confident, capable kids through the magic of outdoor play. She’s a big believer that letting kids play independently outside builds confidence, not just for the kids, but for moms, too. Her content is full of practical tips, relatable stories, and encouragement to make outdoor time a little easier and a lot more doable. She's here today talking to Sara about how to promote independent play in kids, how to spend more time outside no matter where you live, and the behind-the-scenes of turning a passion into a business. 

Julianne's Podcast: My Outdoorsy Mom
Website: www.myoutdoorsymom.com
Instagram: @myoutdoorsymom

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild

Julianne's Recommendations:
There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Åkeson McGurk

In this episode, I’m joined by Amanda Lacy, founder of Bijou Build, a company reinventing outdoor play structures for modern families. Amanda shares how her background in children's product development and her experience as a mom of three inspired her to create a modular, collapsible, and beautiful play structure that grows with kids and encourages open-ended outdoor play. We chat about the importance of imaginative play, building a backyard kids (and moms) actually want to spend time in, and how parents can rethink outdoor spaces to support creativity and adventure. Amanda also opens up about balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and getting outside as a family, plus offers tips for creating outdoor memories that last. 

Website: www.bijoubuild.com
Instagram: @bijoubuild

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild

Amanda's Recommendations:
Greeking Out
Circle Round
The Circus Ship
Squeasy Pouches

Sara McCarty, founder of Run Wild My Child, is mixing things up and taking a look back at 2024—celebrating the wins and learning from the challenges. Sara shares the business highs of the year, like launching three issues of the Run Wild My Child magazine in print, some incredible travel adventures, and the honor of winning the People’s Choice for Best Online Publication.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Sara also opens up about the struggles of running a small business—especially with the membership, social media, sales, and balancing screen time with green time. This episode is full of reflections, celebrations, lessons learned, and changes for 2025. Grab a cozy spot and join us as we recap the year that was and look ahead to the adventures to come!

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild
Sara's Instagram: @sara_mccarty

Book recommendations:
The Covenant of Water
Gone with the Wind
The Women
Braiding Sweetgrass
Thursday Murder Club

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of outdoor challenges and how they can inspire families to prioritize time outside. As we head into a new year, it’s the perfect opportunity to set some meaningful goals, and there’s no one better to talk about this than Amy Bushatz, founder of the Humans Outside 365 challenge.

Amy’s challenge—spending at least 20 minutes outside every day, no matter the weather—has not only transformed her life but also served as a model for countless others looking to connect with nature regularly. She’s been going strong for over seven years, and is the perfect person to chat with about setting challenges, overcoming obstacles, and picking the right challenge for your family.

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild

Amy's Instagram: @humansoutside
Humans Outside 365 Challenge

Discovering the Joy of Family Challenges

In this solo recap episode, Run Wild My Child founder Sara McCarty dives into her recent experience at the Outdoor Media Summit (OMS) in Missoula, Montana, sharing highlights from the event and the local adventure scene. Activities include llama trekking, hiking, and fly fishing on the Blackfoot River. 

Moving into the OMS experience, Sara breaks down the exciting “new gear speed dating” session, spotlighting standout innovations (which would make great gifts) from a few of our favorite top outdoor brands. She also covers hot topics in the outdoor industry, including the resurgence of print media.

The episode concludes with a special announcement of Run Wild My Child’s People's Choice Award win for Best Online Publication of 2023, celebrating the publication’s achievements and community support. 

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild
Sara's Instagram: @sara_mccarty

Destination Missoula
Glacier Country Montana
Swan Mountain Outfitters
Double Arrow Lodge
Blackfoot River Outfitters

Outdoor Media Summit
Coast
Yeti
Simms
Patagonia
Nemo
Osprey
Roofspace

In this episode, we cover the good, the bad, and the ugly of youth sports. We chat about the elusive balance between organized sports and outdoor free play, the time and cost commitments of participating in youth sports, tips for juggling busy schedules, and why, despite the madness, we choose to participate at all! Whether you’re currently navigating the complexities of your child’s sports schedules or if you’re just curious about how youth sports work these day, this episode is going to be packed with real-life stories, advice, stuggles, and strategies to help you and your family figure this all out. 

For this episode, co-host Michelle Garrett interviews three moms from the Run Wild My Child team, who all have kids involved in youth sports. Run Wild My Child founder and mom of three, Sara McCarty, California working mom of three, Araceli Gonzalez, and homeschooling mom of two, Nichole Holze.

Run Wild My Child Magazine
RWMC website: www.runwildmychild.com
RWMC Instagram: @runwild.mychild

Sara's Instagram: @sara_mccarty
Araceli's Instagram: @roaminggonzalez
Nichole's Instagram: @coleyraeh