When kids go hiking back in time, the “good old days” are up close and personal. People often call hiking “getting back to nature,” but today’s hiking supplies make it a pretty modern activity. So why not take an adventurous kid back in time by hitting the rugged trail the old-fashioned way?

What You’ll Need:

• Large square of cloth
• Walking stick
• Beef jerky
• Water
• Dried fruit

Pack your child’s pack the way the pioneers might have. Instead of a fanny pack, grab a square of cloth and tie it around a walking stick. Forget the snack bars and sports drinks. Pack some beef jerky, water, and dried fruit.

Ask you child to consider that hiking was for a long time a means of transportation, rather than something to do just for fun. When kids get this perspective on hiking, they’ll hike back to the present with a whole new appreciation.