Day Hiking Trails: Bring magnifying glasses on hike with kids

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Bring magnifying glasses on hike with kids

Photo courtesy of Maryland DNR.

When hiking, consider bringing a magnifying glass.

Toddlers to older elementary kids (and even adventurous teens) will enjoy getting close-up looks at everything from bugs to bark, from flower blossoms to the crystalline structure of rocks.

As the lens likely will scratch with repeated use, purchase an inexpensive kids version.

More great day hiking games and activities for kids:
g Butterfly nets
g Grab bag
g Nature bingo
g Game Show
g When You Hear Train

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Meet the Author

My name is Rob Bignell. I'm a long-time hiker, journalist and editor. My son Kieran and I have been hiking together for the past decade. Before Kieran, I taught middle school students in New Mexico and Wisconsin, served as an infantryman in the Army National Guard, and worked in newspapers. I've won several journalism awards, from editorial writing to sports reporting. In 2001, The Prescott Journal, which I served as managing editor of, was named Wisconsin’s Weekly Newspaper of the Year. Currently I own and operate an online editing business, Inventing Reality Editing Service. After spending several years in Southern California, my son and I now live in Wisconsin on the scenic Red Cedar River.