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View Full Version : Future Hiker, I have a few good questions.



Wise Old Owl
08-25-2015, 21:58
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg275/MarkSwarbrick/DSCN0025sm_zpso3faliji.jpg

Wise Old Owl
08-25-2015, 22:02
Hi folks, although I avoid the forum with due respect. - I thought it would be best to come to the experts... This is Ashley with Tinker Belle. Her 8 month Jack Russel. Ashley is the granddaughter, so I am thinking filling the pack with fun stuff and we go on "long walks" that will graduate to "adventures"

Looking for fun motivational skills and ideas.


Help the old owl.... Please.

Trailweaver
08-26-2015, 00:31
Have you ever tried "geocashing?" (I may have spelled that wrong.) I know parents/children who share that in hiking, biking activities to find the "treasure" spot. If you don't want to get into it "officially" you could maybe hide some things ahead of time on a walk you plan to take her on, and lead her to the "prize" with some hints. It could be something simple - a "ticket" you have made for an ice cream treat, a small toy, or a movie ticket.

You could google geocashing to find out details, or just figure out something on your own.

zeldaminor
08-26-2015, 12:17
"Geocaching" :)

I second the recommendation! It's tons of fun and is great for all levels. You can download the official app on your phone if you don't have or want to invest in a handheld GPS.

illabelle
08-26-2015, 13:57
Geo-caching might be the thing to do, or it might not. Don't fall victim to the idea that you must "entertain" her. There are all sorts of ways for her to enjoy the outdoors that don't involve anything more than walking outside:
Looking into the deepness of the sky, seeing the variations and movements and transformations of the clouds.
Breathing the fresh air, appreciating a cooling breeze, watching your breath fog in the cold.
Simply taking a walk with grandpa, learning about the "old days" LOL, being a big girl doing something without mom/dad.
Making things with sticks, rocks, leaves.

DLP
08-26-2015, 14:35
Don't fall victim to the idea that you must "entertain" her. +1 to this. I remember watching ants for 30 mins on a hike when my son was 4ish. I also remember camping in Lassen and Carson Pass and playing and sliding on patches of snow were hugely entertaining in June and July. "Destination" hikes or hikes with a goal to a lake or waterfall often worked well for motivation. Walking for the sake of walking wasn't as motivating.

My son loved carrying the map and keeping track of where when he was a little older, like 7 or 8. He loved coming up with trail names for us.

I don't remember bringing any toys. I really doubt that we did. We probably brought the favorite stuffed bear to sleep with in the tent. Just normal car camping was different and entertaining enough. I just checked with my son (who is 23 now), and he said that he remembers making meals outdoors was fun.

He had a horrible time pooping in the woods. :(

CynJ
10-02-2015, 16:29
Maybe get her some age level appropriate foliage and rock guides - make it fun to try to find things and remember what they are. A friend of mine did that and made "bingo" cards for her three kids that they could fill in as they found common things in the area they hiked.

Smoky Spoon
10-03-2015, 22:51
When my boys were that age, the first thing I did was take them into a store and buy them a sleeping bag they picked out, cartoon style of course. TMNT and Spiderman was their choices I believe, got matching backpacks too. I did all this after setting up a tent in the living room and putting a sleeping bag in it to catch their attention.

Anyway, once we got their new stuff I took them camping overnight. I made sure to pack some favs, Vienna sausages, twizzlers, smores, PBJ, and drinks. I think squeeze it's were the rage then, i also packed a ziplock bag for trash. Now I know most of the gear was not great for hiking, especially ultralight, and the food nutritional value was poor, but I was trying to hook them and it worked.

Every time we went out I slowly exchanged something to teach them better camping nutrition, the language like tent, pack, etc. When we camped we began hiking. They had to carry their little pack and sleeping bag. It did not take long for them to get hooked into hiking. Of course we rested a lot, and things like that, and their packs were light. Nothing electronic and only one special toy was allowed. I was so pleased when they learned what LNT and proper respect for other hikers/campers.

To this day my son's tell everyone those were the best days of their lives. The outdoors provides so much entertainment for kids, so please let them enjoy it. The only real entertainment I did for them was take a book and read some every night, we went through many classics, Huck Finn, etc. They loved it. Eventually my nieces started going to, and they too say these are their happiest memories. My granddaughter and my great nieces and great nephews now go with those I took and are learning about the great outdoors.

Kids love having their own gear, and they make little tents for kids that often can be set up inside your tent. Trust me they will giggle forever when you do that and love it. It does take some imagination though. But as young as she is, having her in your tent will be some thing she will adore especially if you read a book to her each night. It takes some getting used to, having more pounds when taking a little one but so worth it when you see the world through their eyes.

Something I did to teach them about plants was we did scavenger hunts. I showed them a pic, and they had to find the leaf or plant, and it had to be free from the plant itself. As in on the ground. We then took it and put it in a plastic bag, when we got home we ironed it between two pieces of wax paper and made notebooks of the plants we found. To this day my kids can name more plants than most anyone. And they have their books to look back on for memories. My son now does this with his daughter. She is learning about the world around during her.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your precious little one, happy trails.

Dogwood
10-04-2015, 01:25
WOO, good to hear from you. GREEAAT inquiry. OMG, what a cutie. It's obvious Ashley's parents and you are on the right track! Look at Ashley's smile. What is she about 5 yrs old? At her age she already has learned to be responsible about walking her dog on a leash. If she can keep with the exuberant high energy of a Jack Russel she's probably ready for short interesting walks. Do not make the walk just about walking to nowhere.




All the women here have provided excellent suggestions. Maybe, I can offer a few more as I have 13 nieces and nephews and have volunteered as a docent at several Botanical Gardens, inner city minority Community Vegetable Gardens, and Nature Centers involved in programs catering to children.




My approach is to first introduce children to a greater exploration of and appreciation for Nature. In the process I address some of the common concerns many people have about Nature...fear. It often is downloaded onto children from the baggage their parents carry as over controlling fearful adults themselves. That's how I open the door to adventure, camping, and hiking.




At Ashley's age I like using simple short but colorful glossy picture books, pamphlets, and brochures age appropriate of birds, butterflies, snakes, reptiles, flowers, animals, etc. Props help. If were identifying birds Ashley and myself would both have simple inexpensive binoculars. If were searching for butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, etc she would have a butterfly net and a jar(w/ holes in the lid). For flowers I try to connect all a person's senses. Look at the pretty tree Ashley. It's called a Redbud. Do you know why? because the unopened flower buds are red. Hey, what's Your favorite color? Pink and purple Grandpa. I thought so. What color are the flowers of the Redbud tree? That's right... pink and purple just like your shirt, hat, and pants. Ooh, smell the flower Ashley; does it smell like the perfume mommy wears? Feel the flower; isn't it kinda smooth, soft, and squishy?



I try to connect something about their preferences with what I'm teaching. I noticed Ashley's wearing a Minnie Mouse shirt. Based on what Smoky Spoon said I'd get her a girl's size Minnie Mouse sleeping bag. I bought my one niece, who's a BIG Dora the Explorer fan, a Dora the Explorer sleeping bag and el cheapo tent with Dora on it at Target. She loves both. At eight yrs old she pitches her little tent in the backyard herself and snuggles down into that Dora sleeping bag reading Dora the Explorer books in the backyard. LOL. Every time I see her she tells me about the animas she caught and let go, always insuring me she real carful not to harm them, or the wildlife she's identified with the binoculars. I feel so fortunate I got to be part of all this! Blessed I am!




We discuss, and often bitch and debate over many posts, trail topics such as entitlement, problems between hikers and trail communities/SPs/NPs, inconsiderate poor trail etiquette, ignorance of and disrespect for Nature/wildlife/others, etc. Instead of all that endless whining and with my heartfelt opinion I would like to see more folks more dedicated to actual proactive change by introducing our youth to greater aspects of Nature and love as you are WOO! Thank you!

xMagnolia
10-04-2015, 01:39
She's adorable! When my girls were that age, we didn't go on walks or hikes...we went on Adventures. You never know what will happen on an Adventure (with a capital A). Maybe nothing; maybe something grand, like butterflies, a bird's nest w/ eggs or a little running stream.

Dogwood
10-04-2015, 01:57
Excuse the unintentional lack of paragraph spacing. Something is happening with my one computer system that negates free sentence lines sometimes.

Country Roads
10-04-2015, 19:09
Great that you are hoping to get her hooked on the woods instead of electronic doodads!
My first and best memories are or short day hikes to a nice small creek. We would look for animal tracks (saw my first bear tracks that way) in the sand and mud along the creek. My Dad would tell me about the different plants: what we could eat and what we could not (Ramps, so good). I would play in the creek and look for the critters that lived there. We would then eat a good lunch: crackers, good old-fashioned longhorn cheese, fig newtons.

Make the trips all about what she likes to do. Make it a game with lots of lollygagging along the way.