After-the-hike activity: Pine Needles in Bottle

Pine needle twigs collected on the trail can look cool in a soda bottle, too.

Once you’ve completed your first hike, pat yourself on the back. You’ve done a lot of work but have taken the first step into a larger world for both you and your children.

To keep kid’s enthusiasm charged, “review” the hike in kid-friendly ways. While you really can’t do this with infants, most toddlers and older kids will enjoy it. One post-hike game/activity you might consider is Pine Needles in a Bottle. This activity can result in both a great decoration and a way to explore nature after a hike.

During the hike, collect long twigs of pine needles that would filled a plastic soda bottle, eithr the 20 oz. or the two-liter variety.

At home, remove the wrapper from a clear soda bottle and wash it out. Carefully place the pine needle twig into the bottle. Fill the bottle with tap water and screw the cap back on.

The water and curves of the bottle will magnify the pine needles. It looks cool, and you'll soon find your child with an eye pressed up against the bottle as they look in wonder at the needles.

Materials: pine needle twigs, soda bottle, water

Ages: 3 and up

Learn about more than a hundred other hiking diversions for kids in Hikes with Tykes: Games and Activities.