Family hiking!
Family hiking is one of the simplest ways to offer family bonding activities to your children. The joy of being in the beautiful outdoors, pursing family recreation together, is something which never grows old. I started hiking when I was a little girl – and today, my parents continue to hike with my children. This bond lasts for life! Taking your family on a hike doesn’t need to be a daunting task – with the correct preparations, even young children can enjoy all nature has to offer. Hiking provides a wonderful opportunity to spend time getting to know your children. I’ve learned so much about both of mine as we wander various paths throughout our part of the world. I know that my daughter loves to take a stuffed animal with her – in fact, we seldom get a picture of her hiking without one of her animals. For my son, family hiking is a chance to tell us about his life – not the emotions, necessarily, but what he’s learning and what he hopes to learn. 
His scientific mind studies all he sees as we walk along…and his competitive nature might also come out. He likes to lead the pack. With two kiddos who have such a diverse view of the world, we’ve learned a few things about
keeping their interest
during family hikes. One of the easiest ways to keep it fresh and new is to show them the nearby
special interest sites
-- places like national or state parks.
Although we do most of our family hiking in the summer, we don’t hesitate to take advantage of the seasonal opportunities in our state. 
Of course, we have the advantage of golden aspens in the fall, but the other seasons also offer something special. We want our kiddos to discover all the variety recreation outdoors has to offer.
When we first started hiking with the kids, we had to temper our enthusiasm – we couldn’t charge up the peaks (though we tried). 
Don’t plan on getting to see the tips of peaks when your children first begin walking – but also don’t hesitate to get out and let them explore something new. I love our memories of strolling (even that is a loose term) along a path as the kids touched flowers and weeds and bent down to study bugs. I know we’ll get to show them larger discoveries as they age – each stage of their growth provides a new opportunity for creative recreation and exploration.
A great way to get kids involved in your family hiking experience is to hand them a camera. I always take tons of pictures when we're exploring nature together, and it didn't take long for both kiddos to notice -- and to want to join me. Here is our page on engaging kids in photography.
If you also live in Colorado,
here
are some ideas for trails along the Front Range. And don’t forget – family time can be as easy as going out your front door together into the world! Also, I love a good fanny pack -- my shoulders can't take the strain of a backpack, but a strong fanny pack will carry what the kiddos (and I) might need for our time in nature. Here is our Family Fun Products page which includes a great fanny pack. Return from Family Hiking to Home
Return to Camping Kids Activities
|
