Nature Bathing – Listening to Birds and Bowing to River – Meander

“In every walk in with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir

Remember those days from your childhood when you would run in the park, play in sand or play hide and seek to running & catching some one? With the increasing influence of gadgets, it is sad to see children spending less time outside these days.

Me being a certified mountaineer, I strongly believe that hiking is truly an activity for everyone. Whether you’re young or old, an expert or an amateur, there’s a trail out there that will be perfect for you. Imagine convincing this to 2 generation oldies.

Me being a women mountaineer & mother, I always get hassled by several people who feel it’s not safe as well as culturally not being acceptable. I shrug all those comments and don’t wait for someone to make up their mind and experience outdoors. It’s easy to hike or trek alone but it’s super challenging with kids. Kids have a tendency to adapt in any environment, we just have to let them. Keeping this as base I convinced a bunch of overprotective oldies (inlaws, parents, grand-inlaws, my grandparents) to take my kiddo for hike.

I took my son for his first hike around Bangalore when he was 4 years old. I made him play outdoors and made him run gradually 3– 4 kms in a stretch for a year. After a year of careful preparation at the end of last year, I took him for a hike in Himalayan slopes. We spent our time from walking along the river, to hiking lush green slopes, to snowcapped mountains everyday for a week with an average of 10kms each day.

All my efforts paid of when my 5 year old little one truly enjoyed the diverse eco system. He could see several things he saw in books coming to life. From ants marching to looking at variety of birds, to colourful butterflies, to experiencing snow, to exploring the textures of things, moss, long grass, tree trunks, mud, snow and flowers. Let your children come out of their cosy abode and help them experience the real joy of nature.

Hikes teach them to respect environment and the rest of the species that inhabit it. In today’s fast world its important lesson to teach our kids to leave lesser footprint.