Some great advice on fun family hiking in the fall from our friends up in Cape Cod. Get the proper footwear, a map, and a great attitude and the family can get some good exercise and loads of laughs by hiking in the fall. Enjoy the changing of the seasons. From Debi Stetson:
Once you’re all packed and ready to go, be sure to bring along the right attitude so children will understand this is meant to be fun, not a chore.
Gina Purtell, director of the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Allens Pond Sanctuary in Westport, says it helps to present the outing as
an adventure, one that is going to be fun no matter what.Even if you’re not the most experienced hiker yourself, it’s good to convey to children that you are confident you can meet whatever challenge may come up.”
Just appear willing,” she says. “I think to some extent kids are afraid of what they don’t know, and what the leader or parent doesn’t know.”It’s important to let kids know there will be some challenges, she says, so they’re not shocked when things don’t go smoothly.
“Acknowledge that there’s going to be ticks, acknowledge that you are going to get out of breath, acknowledge there may be mosquitoes — but do it in a way that makes it fun, part of the adventure,” Purtell says. “Say, ‘We’re going to huff and puff right up that hill, we’re going to flick those ticks right off our clothes.’”
In that same spirit of adventure, she suggests creating some sort of objective. “Kids love a quest or a mission,” she says. It might be climbing a hill, or hiking for 15 minutes without stopping, or seeing who can spot a particular bird or butterfly.She also suggests outdoor games that can be used to launch a hike or as a reward midway or at the end.And finally, keep the outing short, she says, especially if children are very young or if it’s their first hiking experience.
So check your local parks department or hiking gear retailer to find maps and guides for your local hiking trails.
via Fall hikes offer exercise and family time | CapeCodOnline.com.
