Ceana Priest

Outdoorsy mum Ceana Priest is on a mission to get kids to ditch the devices and head outdoors. The former conservation ranger and journalist has spent the past two years exploring Auckland through to Ohakune and everywhere in between with her son Finn before writing two guidebooks for kid-friendly adventures under the name Outdoor Kid.

Ceana grew up at Whakapapa Village surrounded by nature and always knew she wanted her son Finn to grow up with an appreciation for the outdoors. However, when he was young, she struggled to find resources that showed whether walks were buggy friendly or a maze of steep stairs. So she decided to write guidebooks with the information she needed and share her adventures with other families.

Aside from the health benefits, Ceana considers many other reasons for families to head outdoors: “I believe nature-based adventures build resilient kids. There will always be bumps and bruises, but with safe boundaries, these ‘mishaps’ generally result in a greater understanding of their abilities. A good cuddle solves most things and quickly becomes a fun adventure again.”