Since Spring has officially sprung around here, I decided to take my three-year-old daughter, Abby, on a nature hike with the dog over the weekend. We've done smaller trail walks before, but this was our first time taking a longish hike on a trail through the woods. LuCky for us, the area we live in has a great park system. We have beach parks, historic parks, state parks, national parks - all of which have great trails!
Abby is curious, she likes to explore her surroundings. We stayed on a trail that was marked by yellow reflectors on the trees. The trail markers provided a great invisible boundary that allowed Abby to explore her surroundings safely. Abby absolutely loved finding the markers and staying on the trail! We made it into a bit of a scavenger hunt.
With Spring well underway in Connecticut, we also used this opportunity to look for signs of this new season. We collected moss, and observed the changes in the trees. During the winter a massive tree had fallen down, exposing its intricate root system. Abby loved climbing and exploring the tree! After being cooped up all winter, Abby loved balancing on the rocks, walking over small streams, and walking along the trail.
We also used our hike to take a deep breath, and soak in our natural surroundings: the way the wind whistled through the trees, the sounds of small creatures rustling through the forest, the way the Earth smells fresh and "earthy" this time of year.
With our dog in tow, we made it about a mile through the woods. I was very impressed by Abby's ability to navigate her way through the woods with such little guidance. Our nature hike was a great time to unplug a little bit, and really enjoy everything that Spring has to offer!
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