Children also can make their own hiking gear. Trekking poles and a utility belt to hold a water bottle and snacks don’t have to be purchased but can be constructed using materials you probably have in the yard or garage. Instructions for a number of these crafts can be found online.Here’s one for a trekking pole:
g Materials – Stick, knife for carving wood, sandpaper, wood finish
g Instructions – (1) Walk with your children into your yard, if you have a lot of trees, or to a nearby woods. Each child than can pick a stick that their hand can fit nicely around and that comes up to their hips. (2) At home, carve off bark and sand it. (3) Stain it with a brown or reddish-brown finish. They now have a hiking stick. Most children can’t wait to use it.
Learn about more than a hundred other hiking diversions for kids in Hikes with Tykes: Games and Activities.
