According to the American Hiking Society*, which created this
holiday, National Trail Day exists to "bring the next generation
outside and into the wonder of the natural world." It's a great
day to celebrate your family and the beauty of God's creation.
Hiking with small children, however, can be challenging. Many
parents find the thought daunting. The key to a successful
family nature walk is to make it child-friendly, say Mark and
Amy Reif, avid hikers and parents of three young children.
They've been taking to the trails across the country since their
oldest was still in a backpack. As early as age 2, their
children have enjoyed hikes of a mile or more. "We try to make
it exciting for them," the Reifs said, "like letting them play
in a stream, or climb a tree. Sometimes even just looking for
the color trail markers keeps the kids going." Frequent breaks
are encouraged. "We stay flexible about time," they add. "Our
kids are free to stop and touch things. We let them investigate.
Sometimes we just stand and