My kids are on Fall Break, so today we decided to do a “fun” family hike to see some caves in a nearby canyon. The hike was difficult— 1.5 miles up a path with a 12% grade (and then back down the same path). It was a whopping 40 degrees and rained on us off and on. I was pleasantly surprised by how my kids handled it. I was expecting much weeping and wailing, but they did quite well. I also wasn’t expecting the hike to provide as many learning opportunities as it did, but was happy to find that it did.
We started at the visitor’s center to check in and explore for a few minutes. There were interactive boards and displays that showed various animals in the area, rock formations, information about caves, and preserved insects that (thankfully!) weren’t in the caves anymore. Even I learned a thing or two! It was the perfect way to start the hike, because my kids were able to see some of the things that they might get to see in real life as we hiked. They got excited about what was to come and they learned some new information— big win in my book!
Along the way up to the caves, there were several information boards and plaques on the side of the trail. They each contained information about what you could see from that particular point, what kind of rocks were by the part of the trail where we were, or even health check points to make sure you weren’t over doing it on the hike. One board had information about all the rock layers that were present where we were, and even included rock samples so that we could see what each layer looked like. It was so cool!
One stopping point had an interactive display about the types of birds that lived in the area. My kids were able to push buttons to hear what each species of bird sounded like. This was a great multi-sense activity, as they were able to see a picture of the bird, push a button, and hear what it would sound like. I always love a good multi-sense activity!
Once we finally made it to the cave entrance and made our way through the cave system, we were fed so much information about stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, calcite, and all sorts of other cave formations and structures. Our tour guide did a great job explaining things and letting my kids ask a ton of questions. It was fascinating for the kids and adults alike. I walked away having learned a lot of new information.
By the end of the few hours we spent there, I was exhausted! But as we drove away, I reflected back on our experience and was reminded that learning opportunities are all around us. We don’t have to be students in a classroom to learn new things. The world around us is teeming with information waiting to be discovered; all we have to do is open our eyes a little wider and be willing to explore a little bit!