It was a perfect storm. Splendid weather. Improved awareness. Increased interactivity. Tyke Hikesare headed in the right direction!
Over the past year, Tyke Hikes have slowly grown. We've added new locations. new activities, and best of all, new tykes. :) However, the recent partnership with the Delafield Public Library has helped promote the program in a fresh and innovative way.
With a beautiful spring day expected and the location of this Tyke Hike in Delafield, where the library has done a tremendous job promoting Tyke Hikes, I expected a larger crowd. I didn't expect 80. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be quite an understatement.
Once the opening remarks, guidelines, and introductions were through, it was time to hit the trail. A leisurely 1.25 mile hike through the diverse terrain of Lapham Peak showcased glacial geology and wildflowers galore.
As usual, many of the interested (and sometimes competitive) children headed the front of the group while many adults and toddlers trailed behind. With various stops to explaining things like blazes, erratics, and an overview of the Ice Trail, we played catch up and gave everyone opportunities to rest their legs. With the theme of the day being glaciers, general information about different glacial features was provided throughout the trek. Based on the questions asked, people seemed to really enjopy the information. Even Mojo the Mammoth had a new friend for the day.
Watching children interact with nature is a driving force behind Tyke Hikes. Whether it is answering questions, sharing stories, or just experiencing the natural world around them, their curiosity and engagement makes all the planning worthwhile.
When we made our return trip top the tower. Emi, the librarian from the Delafield Public Library. led the children through some very cool glacier activities (no pun intended). She read a glacier story, led a session of glacier yoga, and provided a glacier sticker sheet to all participants.
As usual, it was another wonderful day to be out on the trail. I can't wait to tyke it up again!
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