| Do you remember how your heart raced as you | | | | candy wrapper left by some irresponsible soul |
| gazed on your first moose? Can you recollect | | | | to mar their patch of soil. Then they roll |
| the first time the haunting call of a | | | | over and ponder the vastness of the sky above |
| Sandhill Crane resonated on the chords of | | | | while they search for pictures in the |
| your emotions? Is the picture of the graceful | | | | clouds.Don't forget to talk. For the |
| Trumpeter Swan still imprinted on your mind? | | | | youngster just learning her words, you are in |
| Many of us who have surrounded ourselves with | | | | a goldmine of new vocabulary. For the child |
| the wild and beautiful have relished such | | | | using sentences, simple explanations and |
| encounters. For most of us, it is not hard to | | | | dialogue will add to his understanding of the |
| think of trips we'd still like to take and | | | | world around him. Talk about safety. Talk |
| places we'd still like to see. However, how | | | | about the dangers and value of the world they |
| often do we think to include our children in | | | | are walking through - good and bad plants, |
| our outdoor excursions?Studies have shown | | | | helpful and stinging bugs, trickling versus |
| children under six learn best by using their | | | | swiftly running water. And, what if I get |
| senses. The great outdoors offers our | | | | lost?Capture their hearts and imaginations. |
| children unlimited opportunities to do just | | | | Show them how to love being outside; how to |
| that. And many of us have a treasure store of | | | | love seeing animals and birds; how to |
| options at our fingertips.However, it is | | | | interpret the sounds and smells and textures. |
| often easier to plan around our own | | | | Teach them how to love the great outdoors.One |
| interests, or our older child's desires, than | | | | way to start is to plan a vacation with this |
| to arrange outdoor excursions which include | | | | in mind. Choose a spot, near or far, which |
| the toddlers who play around our feet. | | | | offers safe hiking opportunities and terrain |
| Nonetheless, there is no better time to begin | | | | without too much rise and fall. One of our |
| sparking their appreciation for nature than | | | | favorite spots in Montana's Centennial Valley |
| before their interests are engaged by the | | | | is up Narrows Creek, the canyon which begins |
| television, the video games, and the computer | | | | behind our Western Montana Lodge. The lightly |
| games which will vie heavily for their | | | | used trail meanders up a small draw, |
| attention in a few short years. Getting them | | | | following the softly flowing water. Up the |
| young, while they are still curious about the | | | | draw a ways we come to a pond where we |
| wonderful world around them, is a great place | | | | explore the bugs and birds which are drawn to |
| to start.According to the American Hiking | | | | the water. Past the pond we wander through a |
| Society, hiking lowers our blood pressure, | | | | narrow meadow, up through a rocky scree, and |
| strengthens our hearts, and helps us lose | | | | into a larger meadow.The conifer trees mingle |
| weight. Hiking clears our heads and relieves | | | | with the aspens. The birds vary from water |
| stress. Hiking is good for the environment, | | | | fowl to neo-tropical warblers to birds of |
| and, hiking adds to our awareness of | | | | prey. Often, if we are relatively quiet, we |
| it.Children enjoy hiking -- especially when | | | | even get a chance to observe a deer, elk, or |
| we start them young. They don't seem to care | | | | antelope - grazing along the gently flowing |
| about mileage or destination. As one dad so | | | | stream. What better classroom can one find?As |
| aptly put it, "Have fun. Look at the world | | | | you head out the door, remember to grab a |
| through their eyes, and it becomes new | | | | simple first aid kit for those bumps and |
| again."Little ones are interested in the here | | | | bruises. Be sure to include a child-safe |
| and now - the up close and personal. Give | | | | sunscreen (at least SPF 15), and a child-safe |
| them the hands on; the touch and taste | | | | bug spray. A few other things which might add |
| things. A walk is a great way to do that. Be | | | | to the adventure are a magnifying glass, |
| creative. Don't stick to the park. Take them | | | | plastic bags (for the take-home treasures - |
| to a meadow. Walk along a chattering brook. | | | | be sure to check local regulations if you are |
| Climb a small hill. Meander among the trees. | | | | not sure what these include), snacks, water, |
| The options are only limited to your | | | | and diapers - if needed.Every child who |
| imagination.When you are hiking with | | | | becomes enamored with nature as a toddler is |
| children, especially the young ones, you | | | | another brand snatched from the fire of a |
| become an adventurous walker. It is the | | | | synthetic, asphalt and concrete world. Every |
| journey that is important, not the length. | | | | child who learns the joy of time spent in the |
| Let them see you enjoying nature, and they | | | | great outdoors is another little one who will |
| will grow up thinking it is special too. | | | | grow up filled with an appreciation for the |
| Don't rush. Don't have plans. Just walk. And | | | | intricacies of this masterpiece we call |
| pay attention.Get down on their level: spider | | | | earth. Every child who learns to care for |
| webs, a dew drop, a crawling bug, tossing | | | | their world is another up and coming adult |
| pebbles. Little faces, close to the ground, | | | | who understands their role in protecting and |
| often see things we stride over without a | | | | improving the vast resources we all |
| second thought. The feel of the grass, the | | | | enjoy.Lerrina Collins lives with her husband |
| smell of a flower, the taste of a rock, the | | | | and family in Montana's wild and pristine |
| joy of climbing a 'huge' boulder, the texture | | | | Centennial Valley. She and her family enjoy |
| of a tree's bark, the sensation of sliding | | | | hiking, particularly around their Western |
| (or rolling) down a grassing hill, or the | | | | Montana Lodge. You have permission to reprint |
| adventure of crawling into a hole. This is | | | | what you have just read. Use it in your |
| what excites them.One experienced Mom likes | | | | ezine, at your website, or in your |
| plopping on her belly with her children and | | | | newsletter. The only requirement is that you |
| examining a small section of ground. They | | | | include the following footer: "Hiking with |
| count the bugs. They look at the color of the | | | | Children by Lerrina Collins. Visit for more |
| dirt. They watch the busy ants. They study | | | | original content like this. |
| the plants and grasses. They wonder at the | | | | |