Welcome to June and my first post about fun activities for families this summer. A bit about me: I work for REI where I help ensure REI stores engage with their local communities. I love hiking and camping, and I am addicted to chai tea in the morning.

Recently, I've received letters (like the one you see here) from kids who want to go out hiking and camping with their family. I am thrilled to announce that the REI Family Adventure Program officially launches TODAY! The Family Adventure Program gives families tools, tips and other activities to make it easy and fun to get outside. Drop by any REI store or go to our Family Adventure section on REI.com to get started on your own activities. Our Kids' Adventure Journal is chock full of cool stuff for kids to do while learning about the outdoors. There are family-friendly hikes and bike rides posted on the above site (easy to print out). I'll be sharing stories from families who are planning to test out the hikes and bike rides as we move through June, July and August. Share your photos and stories with us!

Last week I found a photo of my sister and I that brought back a flood of memories. In the photo we are standing up on a ginormous log singing. We are leaning against each other, our mouths are wide open and we're laughing. This photo was from a camping trip to the Washington coast when I was 6 and my sister was 9. I was amazed at how vivid my memories are from this trip. I'm wondering what is it about being in the outdoors when we're young that makes such a lasting impression?  What memories in the outdoors will you be creating this summer?