When we're feeling uninspired or glum, one way to break out of the rut is to throw on the rose-colored glasses children wear.

• That's what two parents told us this week.

Why it matters: Kids have the unique gift of turning mundane events into epic adventures.

Axios Twin Cities' Torey Van Oot took a walk through downtown Minneapolis' skyways with her 2½-year-old son.

I got to see the pedestrian corridors that connect the city's office buildings through a new lens, Torey writes.

• My toddler and I had some time to kill on Friday afternoon before picking up my husband from his office in Capella Tower.
• It was dumping rain, so we ponied up $3 for street parking and went on a walk through the nearby buildings.

The big picture: The halls were virtually empty and most of the businesses had closed for the day. But to a 2½-year-old, this utilitarian feature of downtown life was enthralling.

• "A CRANE! A TOW TRUCK!" he yelled as we walked between Capella and U.S. Bank Plaza.
• Watching the light rail trains roll into Government Plaza from above 3rd Avenue South brought us five minutes of pure joy.

Finish Line reader Winston L., who moved from downtown D.C. to a ranch on the Maryland-Pennsylvania border during COVID shutdowns, told Axios about seeing nature with his kids.

• "We have four kids under 8 (and expecting a fifth in December), and the move out to the country was the best thing we ever did."
• "Every week is a different adventure — fishing, hiking, tadpole-catching, bird watching. There's no better place to see the world through your child's eyes."

The bottom line: Take a walk through the neighborhood with your kids, your grandkids, your younger siblings, or your nieces and nephews — or simply channel the kid inside you — and see what you discover.

Our pic du jour comes from reader Chris T. in Sydney, Australia:

• "This picture is taken from the bush behind our house. It is called Lane Cove River and connects to Sydney Harbour."
• "Most days I walk down to the river to refresh and recharge my mind. Most weekends we will also take our kids for a bush walk along the river."