Kids Enjoy Outdoor Adventures and Exploration at Our Montana Lodge

• Birding with Children - this site has lots of bird information, and this page is designed specifically with children in mind.

When you return to the lodge, we have some fun suggestions for projects, to enhance your learning experience.

Kids make great cycling companions because they're adaptable. In addition, getting your children interested in cycling early (many children are ready for short jaunts on their own bikes on the mountain trails by 4 or 5 years old). One of my fondest memories is of my oldest (now nearly 22) at about 5 years old. He had a little tiny bike (just his size), but he led the pack up and down those mountain trails for miles. I can still see him peddling with great determination (and great joy) down the trail, hollering back at all of us 'grown ups' and the older kids (who, by the way, were complaining of being tired as they drug along behind) to hurry up! Here are a few tips to make your family biking excursion more fun.

• Plan carefully. Examine your route. Know where you're going and estimate how long it will take. If your children get tired, it will damper their enthusiasm. (Although, remember my son. Some children thrive on the challenge and the thrill of the unknown, just around the next corner.) Be adaptable - they may surprise you!
• Start early. Take advantage of your child's fresh morning energy and avoid the heat of the day.
• Take regular breaks. On the bike ride I mentioned (oh, and by the way, we had at least one more child in a bike seat behind us), we stopped at several little lakes along the way for snacks and quick dips to cool down.
• Bring plenty of water. Make sure you offer it frequently to both those riding their own bikes, and those riding along behind you on your bike.
• Bring plenty of snacks. The 'hungries' has a way of turning on the 'crankies.' Short circuit the whole scenario with several regularly planned snack breaks.
• Carry a tool kit - and know how to use it.
• Carry a first aid kit. Typically you will only need bandaids, antiseptic, simple pain relievers, and encouraging words.
• Make it fun. Stop if they want to look at something. Point out interesting looking rocks. Throw pebbles in the ponds. Take pictures of the scenery. Make an entry in your journal (see hiking above). The more of an adventure you make this, the better your children will enjoy it (and the more memories they will take back home).
• Choose relatively flat routes. While your children are still riding their kiddy bikes, look for routes which require little elevation change.

Remember, the point is to have fun - not reach a destination or attain a goal. Biking is great physical exercise. It allows you to cover more ground than hiking, and it teaches your children balance while helping them stay fit. Finally, a word about safety. Riding in the mountains (on the uneven dirt roads and trails) increases your chance for spills - although, typically, you are not going as fast as you would on a street or bike path nor do you have to deal with traffic, thus your chances of getting seriously hurt are greatly reduced. However, comfortable clothing which protects knees and elbows, and a properly fitting helmet to protect your (and your child's) head should always be worn.

Horseback riding is not only fun, it's good for you - mentally and physically. Physical benefits include increased balance and coordination; the strengthening of the muscles in your back, legs, shoulders, and abdomen; and the stimulation of your internal organs which is one reason horseback riding is considered therapeutic for people with physical disabilities. Mentally horseback riding adds additional benefits. Once a rider is comfortable on their horse's back, they experience a great deal of mental relaxation. The relationship with a horse, however brief, is also beneficial which is why it is considered therapeutic to troubled adolescents.

Horseback riding is a great family activity. Not only does it free parents from the physical strain of carrying their children (or the added supplies necessary for hiking or packing with little ones), but it adds the added dimension of interaction with the animals. In fact, we began horseback riding as a family when our oldest was just over two (he rode with my husband). Our first pack trip into the mountains was great fun - and only possible because of our four-legged friends. Our youngest, at four, thinks horseback riding is a great way to spend an afternoon (or more)!

In preparing for your first family horseback riding experience, it is wise to allow your children to spend a little time around horses before leaving home. Find a local stable (or a nearby neighbor) and ask if they will allow your children to watch the horses. As they become more comfortable, someone may allow them to pet them. If you know someone with a gentle horse or you can afford to pay for some pony rides, give your children a chance to actually 'ride' a bit before your horseback riding vacation. Each exposure to a horse will lessen their fear. Each exposure will allow you time to teach them horse safety. However, as long as your children do not fear animals in general, even if you don't have time to acclimate them to a horse's size and feel, our outfitter is very willing to help them overcome any natural discomfort they may have being around an animal this big.

In addition, our outfitter has horses which are gentle and trustworthy, which will inspire confidence in you and your family. With ride options from half a day (about 3 - 4 hours) to a full day (6 - 8 hours) to overnight and multiple night trips, you can choose what best fits your family's abilities and desires. Horseback riding is a wonderful way to strengthen your family bonds, enjoy nature, and spend time just having fun!

For more information on our horseback riding opportunties or what you'll need for your horseback riding excursions see our list of things to bring.

As one writer put it, "the term has been so overused that most of us gag when we hear it. But there is no escaping the fact that 'quality time' is in perilously short supply." Of course we all know the 'villains' - television, school work, sports, electronic toys and gadgets, peers, our work, and other pressures of day to day life. So, what's a good anecdote? Fishing

The best thing about fishing is it doesn't require little ones to sit still, to be quiet, or even to 'catch' anything. Most of the fun is found in just being together - and being near the water. So, how do you maximize on this 'quality time'?

• Goal Number One: Have Fun! As adults we tend to be too focused. If the fish aren't biting, skip rocks. If they are, don't worry about the size or even if you actually land one. Enjoy the experience. Take pictures. Talk. Laugh. Play simple "I spy" or other games. And, if your child manages to land their first (or twentieth) fish, make a big deal out of it. After all, you've got the makings of a built-in fishing buddy here!
• Goal Number Two: Safety. When choosing your fishing spot, the best place to catch fish may not be the best place to take your five-year-old. If you're fishing off a dock or out of a boat, be sure your child is fitted with an appropriate sized and properly fitting life jacket.
• Goal Number Three: Comfort. Although catching a fish may be the purpose, with little ones it really isn't the most important goal. In fact, it is a few down the list. You're building an experience here. The more pleasant the experience, the more likely you'll get an enthusiastic 'yes' next time you ask your young partner to go fishing. Snacks. Sunscreen. Water. Bug Repellent. Even something comfortable to sit on will add to the success of the day.
• Goal Number Four: Fish. Yes, this is a goal, albeit a lesser goal. With little ones, it just isn't as important. Granted, your five year old (or older) fishing buddy will definitely remember his (or her) first fish, but you'll never get to this point if they don't enjoy the overall experience. However, in trying to help them hook that first fish here are a few helpful tips:
  • Research what works best (a fly pole is probably not the place to start) at your chosen fishing spot. Live bait is sometimes easiest - and attracts a variety of fish species.
  • Research the best fishing spots. If you're not taking your fishing buddy to your favorite local fishing hangout, be sure to question the locals (or us) as to where your youngster is most likely to hook into a live one. Check out our fishing page for specifics on what to use, when to fish, and where to go.
  • Keep your expectations realistic. Five minutes may seem like five hours to your five year old. If your young partner is getting restless, try putting a bobber on their line and looking for bugs or skipping rocks or playing a game. The biggest catfish I ever caught as a child was caught while I walked up the hill to pet the neighboring horses. It certainly didn't diminish my pride in my catch!
  • Take an extra dose of patience before leaving your cabin. Remember, the first few (even few hundred) fishing trips with your young companion are going to require more detangling, unhooking, rebaiting, and entertaining than fishing. However, you're working at building quality time and a life-time relationship - and what can be more important than that?
• What to bring? Remember your fishing buddy is a little guy (or gal). Get them their own equipment (tackle box, fishing pole, net, and bait) and they'll feel big and important. Besides, one young man caught a very nice trout off with his Sponge Bob pole the summer of 2006. (By the way - his father caught nothing - at least on that excursion - on his fancier pole, even with his greater skills.)

Fishing websites directed toward the younger generation

• World's Best Fishing Tips for Kids: A kid-friendly site with lots of basic information specifically for young anglers.

There are several fun, simple learning activities and experiments which you can do as a family before, during, and after your outdoor adventures to extend your fun and increase your children's awareness of the great outdoors. Here are a few ideas specifically related to bird life which you can do as you hike, horseback ride, fish, or take a wildlife / birding jaunt.

• Identify the preferred habitat locations (water, sage brush meadows, heavy timber, and even around the lodge) of a few birds. Identify at least one species in each habitat setting. (Do you have your guidebook nearby? If not, we'll provide one.) Watch your bird for a bit and see if you can see 'where' it lives, 'what' it eats, and how it spends its time. For example, a Mallard duck lives mostly on the water, spends most of its time floating around a lake, creek, river, or pond, and eats aquatic plants and animals. Now, compare that to a tree swallow which lives in the grasslands (or around the lodge), prefers bird houses or cavities to nest in, eats millions of bugs, and spends most of its time in the air. To further add to this learning experience, encourage your children to journal what they've learned - and to draw pictures of the bird species they've identified with each habitat area.
• What makes a bird a bird? Talk about the four characteristics which make a bird a bird (three of which separate birds from other mammals). Ask your children if they can guess them (warm-blooded - like all mammals, feathers - unique to birds, hard-shelled eggs - unique to birds, hollow bones - also unique to birds). Then discuss the importance of each of these features at it relates to a bird's life.
  • Warm blooded - this allows birds to maintain the high levels of energy and metabolic rate necessary for flight. It might be fun to talk about the vulnerability of the hummingbird due to its small size (as it, too, is warm-blooded).
  • Feathers - Feathers come in a variety of sizes and shapes. The smallest feathers are only 1/20th of an inch (on a bird's eyelid). The largest are 5 feet long (on a male peacock's tail). They also range in number per bird. A hummingbird has 1,000 feathers, a swan 25,000.
    There are two types of feathers: contour which cover the body and have a strong hollow shaft and a network of hooks or barbules, and down which are small and lie under the contour feathers to protect the bird from cold and sunburn. Birds care for their feathers by preening (which replaces the oil in the feathers and 're-hooks' the barbules). However, feathers do wear out and are replaced about once a year in a process called molting.
  • Hard-Shelled eggs - Bird eggs are made mostly of calcium carbonate. Their hard shells keep them from drying out and allows the parents to sit on them during the incubation period. Even these hardshelled eggs have microscopic pores which allow oxygen to pass into and carbon dioxide to exit the shell.
    Eggs come in various shapes and sizes. Colored and speckled eggs are laid in areas where they need to be camouflaged. White eggs are laid by birds which nest in cavities. Patterned eggs are laid by birds who make their nests in the grass or among small stones.
    The shape of the egg is also determined by the bird's nest. The most common shape is oval (like a chicken egg). Eggs laid on ledges have a pointed end so they won't roll off (for example a vulture's egg). Round eggs are commonly found in cavities (like an owl). Birds that lay many eggs (like a Bobwhite) have pointed eggs allowing the mother to incubate a greater number of eggs. Birds also lay a varying number of eggs. A seagull may only lay one egg, a robin three to five, and a bobwhite up to thirty!
    The texture of eggs also varies. A chicken's egg is coarse. A robin's egg is smooth. The smallest eggs (1/2 inch) are laid by a hummingbird. The largest (8 inches) is laid by an ostrich.
  • Hollow Bones - Just because a bird has feathers doesn't mean it could fly. Extremely lightweight bones are needed for flying. Bird bones are strong and hollow, with internal bracing. Many bird bones are fused together which increases the bone strength.
  • Some fun projects -
    • See how many different bird feathers you can find. Determine whether the feather is contour or down. See if you can figure out what bird it came from.
    • If it is the right time of year, look for nests. Carefully, to not disturb the mother bird, look at the nest and its contents. This is best accomplished by finding a location slightly higher than the nest and at a distance away and looking at it through binoculars.
    • Try crushing a raw chicken egg with your bare hands. Your children will find it is not possible because the contour of the egg distributes the pressure points.
    • Compare a chicken leg bone to an animal leg bone. Note the differences in weight and hollowness (or lack of)
• Categories of Birds. Different species of birds are categorized according to their similar characteristics. For examples waders like the Long-Billed Curlew and the Blue Heron, wetland species like ducks and swans, raptors like hawks and eagles, grassland birds like quail and grouse. Get out your bird guide book. Look at how the birds are classed according to their characteristics. Observe the similarities between birds of each class - wing shape, body shape, beak shape, foot shape, etc. Discuss how these characteristics help them adapt to their habitat locations. Then take a walk. Try to identify the 'class' to which each bird you see belongs. Look for their unique physical characteristics which will help you determine the class.

• A House is a House, or not. Birds use a variety of materials to build their nests. Some birds make their nest on the ground (meadowlark, grasshopper sparrow, killdeer). Some birds make their nests above ground in the branches of trees and bushes (blue jay, robin). Some birds nest in tree cavities (nuthatch, bluebird, flicker). Some birds construct nests on floating mats of vegetation (coot, grebe). Some birds build their nests in the eaves of buildings (swallows, starlings). Each bird uses a variety of different materials to build their nest - grass, moss, hair, feathers, mud, yarn, plastic strips, string, paper, and aluminum foil can be found in various bird nests.
• A fun project. Have your children gather a variety of materials and 'build' a nest. First they must determine the type of bird they represent. Then they need to build a nest to accommodate their 'eggs' and 'young'. Encourage them to use only to fingers (to simulate a bird's beak). Discuss the advantages of different nest locations - and their disadvantages. Then take a walk and see how many nests they can find (do not disturb them). Examine the nest (if there are no birds or eggs present) to determine of what it is made. Also discuss what kind of bird might be using this particular nest.
• Another fun project. Using hard boiled eggs and paint - have your children paint their eggs to try and camouflage them for specific locations (grasses, stones, trees, sand). Then take their painted eggs to the actual location and see how well their camouflage works.
• Pine Cone Bird Feeder. This project will require you to gather a few supplies beforehand (or check with us - we may have everything you need). For each feeder you will need as large of a pine cone (an open one works best) as you can find. Vegetable shortening, lard, or suet. Oats or cornmeal. Bird seed. A few feet of string.
  Tie a few feet of string to the pine cone. Cover the pine cone with a mixture of 1/2 cup shortening, lard, or suet mixed with 2 1/2 cups of cornmeal or uncooked oats until well blended. You can add dried fruit (chopped up) chopped nuts, seeds (especially sunflower and millet), and/or suet, which are high-energy bird foods. Roll the coated pine cone in bird seed and then suspend it from a tree branch outside (near your cabin).
• Build a Bird. One last project we can provide you the 'tools' to do is building a few birds. This is just a cut and paste project which enhances what your children have already been learning. Ask us for the supplies if you're interest.

• Bearman's Yellowstone Outdoor Adventures: The best page I've found on the Internet answering just about every question you might have regarding Yellowstone National Park. This page includes beautiful photographs and lots of interesting information about wildlife and nature which are relevant to any adventure vacation in the great out-of-doors.
• First Treks: Equipping Kids (and Parents) for outdoor adventures. Kid specific gear for camping, hiking, bicycling, snowshoeing, snorkeling, paddling and much more to help families have fun and safe outdoor adventures.

5200 Elk Lake Road, Lima, MT 59739
Just 1 Hour From West Yellowstone, Montana
phone: (406) 276-3282 - ♥ - fax: (406) 276-3399
email: Reservations@elklakeresortmontana.com

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