If you want to raise a child that will embrace hiking and walking as a natural part of their daily lives, you need to understand why people take to the trails in the first place.
People walk and hike for a multitude of reasons. For some, it is a low-cost heart- healthy recreational activity. For others it is a social occasion, a chance to meet people with similar interests.
But all walkers and hikers are drawn to the infinite variety and beauty of the land and to that release of tension such an experience induces. Walking and hiking can be an antidote to so much of what plagues us in our modern urban life-style.
John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club, and in a real sense the father of parks in North America , said it best: "Walking yields a greater closeness to the earth, an independence. The solid thud of boots on the path means freedom to stop and admire a flower, to move at one's own speed, to rejoice in crossing a stream on risky stepping-stones, to explore off the trail, to get a close-up of dew jewelling the grass.",
There is more to walking and hiking than just exercising or looking at a view. We gain appreciation for nature's values: simplicity, silence and solitude. We learn that we must depend on ourselves more than upon external aids. We learn that by "roughing" it we can better appreciate what we have. In the end, we learn more about ourselves.
Any birdwatcher, stargazer or snowshoe enthusiast knows the inherent pleasures of walking. But walking is more than an enjoyable mode of transportation. It can also improve your fitness, health and mental well-being.
Walking refreshes the mind, reduces fatigue and increases energy. More than half the body's muscles are designed for walking; it is a natural movement that is virtually injury-free. Walking provides an enjoyable time for sharing and socializing with friends or family. Regular, brisk walking can reduce elevated blood fats or blood pressure and improve digestion and elimination.
With all of these incredible reasons to raise a hiker, all it takes now is a little dedication and preparation.
Being prepared is the key to success when hiking with children. To set the stage for a lifetime of hiking, walking and nature exploration, consider the following: