Things to do with Small Children in the Park

[TheWildWestGuy]

Seems like a lot of people are going to the park these days with small children (2-10 year old types).   These people are not really wanting to hike long distances, backpack, or rock climb and are looking for things to do especially with smaller 2-6 year olds.

I will start this list and let others add on:

1- Take the short hike down into Boquillas Canyon and BRING CARDBOARD BOXES with you for the Sand Slide down the dune near the start of the canyon.   Kids are bound to love this and it will wear them out quickly for a good nights sleep so the adults can have some "quality time" together.  Pack out your old boxes/trash.
2- Visit all the open Vistor Centers of which I think Panther Junction and Chisos Basin are open every day but I don't know about Castolon and Persimmon Gap.  Persimmon Gap has a large area of displays (like a museum of sorts) but is closed most of the year.  Castolon has a new visitors center but I haven't been there yet.
3- Bath in the Hot Springs - lots of old ruins to explore, very short hike, and hot springs are free, shallow, and very toasty (104 deg F).  Go during daylight hours if possible because after dark people sometimes go "all natural" and your kids might get a biology lesson.   There are some people you just do not want to see naked no matter what.
4- Tuff Canyon - short hike into a narrow slot canyon, platform overlooks, and generally very neat things for kids to look at in a very short hike.
5- Rio Grande Village Nature Trail - A short, flat, easy walking trail over a boardwalk across a small lake.  Lots of aquatic life and you could probably take a stroller on it.
6- Ranger led talks, walks, and activities,  these are 3-5 times/week and good for all ages.
7- Buy some rubber snakes, rats, and/or spiders and put them in the road near your campsite and watch people take photo's of them and come up to them.   This can provide hours of entertainment and people who get pranked are always very good natured about it.   You can buy the cheap one's at WalMart for $3 or get very realistic one's from Scientific Supply houses if your really twisted.

OK that's enough for me, someone else's turn next.... TWWG

[BigBendHiker]

Hi TWWG - good idea for starting this thread...

I would add the Burro Mesa Pour-Off hike to the list...


BBH

[Casa Grande]

Good idea for a thread. One of the things I like to do with the younguns is take them to Glenn Springs, at night (preferably full moon), and read them the story of the Glenn Springs massacre......price less wide eyed looks.  Then, we can go watch the mysterious lights to the southeast.  :lol:

[TheWildWestGuy]

It wasn't an original idea, I tried to post a reply on that other web page but the STUPID language filter kept blocking it - for reasons I could never figure out.  Hopefully Becky will find her way over here someday.

Another (somewhat twisted) idea is to bring some Halloween Masks and let the kids go around the campground scaring other kids.  This requires some degree of adult supervision to make sure nobody gets too upset but kids love to scare and be scared by other kids and if you bring a lot of masks with you soon the entire campground will be in on the fun.    Everyday can be Halloween in the Bend!   Just leave the chainsaw at home... TWWG

[wildman]

Don't forget the river!  The float from Gravel Pit campsite to Rio Grande Village, passes the Hot Springs and kids love this day trip.

[okiehiker]

1. Santa Elena Canyon--creek to play in, cool rocks to hide under at end of trail
2. Fossil Bone Exhibit (what kid doesn't like fossils)
3. For an easier dirt road take the Old Maverick--explore the ruins at Terlingua Abaja/Abajo, and Luna's jacal.  This makes a great, more-than-you-can-do-in-a-day-with-kids loop.

RMSD with stops at Sam Nail Ranch, Homer Wilson Ranch, Sotol Vista, Burro Mesa Pour-off, Mule Ears Vista, Tuff Canyon, scramble around Cerro Castellan (great bad-lands formations), visit Castolon, pray that they reopen the crossing to Santa Elena, Santa Elena Canyon/Terlingua Creek crossing, Terlingua Abaja, Luna's Jacal, for a longer hike there is a trip up Alamo Creek to what I call Tinaja Latte, throw in the Study Butte Store and a visit to Indian Head Spring and you will have to camp two nights; Cottonwood and Terlingua Abajo or Chimney's West or Croton Spring on the way back.

[Al]

It wasn't an original idea, I tried to post a reply on that other web page but the STUPID language filter kept blocking it - for reasons I could never figure out.  Hopefully Becky will find her way over here someday.

Another (somewhat twisted) idea is to bring some Halloween Masks and let the kids go around the campground scaring other kids.  This requires some degree of adult supervision to make sure nobody gets too upset but kids love to scare and be scared by other kids and if you bring a lot of masks with you soon the entire campground will be in on the fun.    Everyday can be Halloween in the Bend!   Just leave the chainsaw at home... TWWG

I had problems too.  The big thing seems to making sure you match case.  Anyway I humbly added the hot springs to the thread . . . forgot to mention the naked at night warning.

Al

[Burn Ban]

obvious, but my son loved earning the junior ranger badge.  he was four the first time he went.  

he still talks about the petrified trees and paleontological dig off the black gap road.

he loved dorgan house.

[Casa Grande]

obvious, but my son loved earning the junior ranger badge.  he was four the first time he went.  

he still talks about the petrified trees and paleontological dig off the black gap road.

he loved dorgan house.

you forgot about the "werewolves" at the Chimney's campsite :lol:

[Burn Ban]

how could i forget?  we'll be sure to bring silver bullets next time.

[SHANEA]

http://lifesbetteroutside.tpwd.state.tx.us/

Thought the picture was pretty cool on the website...

[BigBendHiker]

I like that!  Great picture that sez a 1000 words!!!



BBH

[RedBuffalo]

Agree with Burn Ban.  Actually, that little Jr. Ranger Patch probably saved our trip last spring.  My daughters, 6 and 10, started the Jr. Ranger Program on our first day.  It was great to hit the nature trail at Panther Junction and before long they were naming every cactus in the park - literally!  We went to Hot Springs and saw the petroglyphs and they began a sketch page on all the animals they saw; deer, rabbits, snakes, perigrine falcon, lizards, road runners, and javelina to name a few.  They were totally stoked seeing the javelinas.  Plus the requirements to take some hikes inspired them to tackle Santa Elena, Grapevine Hills, and Croton Springs.  They carried that Jr. Ranger pamplet with them the whole trip - man it was great.  They still know a candellia from a lechugullia me-o-my-o!!!

[RichardM]

For a somewhat related discussion, check out the kids and the great outdoors topic which was just split off from this discussion.

[Robert]

1- Slide down the dune near the start of the canyon.

That was a favorite of mine as a kid. The other highlight was riding horseback to the window.