Wild Things

If you’ve ever wondered whether a 6-month-old would get anything out of a nature hike, meet Victoria Graham.

She is a volunteer nature walk leader for the Children’s Nature Institute, and her popular monthly programs at Wildwood Canyon Park in Burbank have proved that even very young children can appreciate nature.

This month’s walk takes place Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon along a flat, shaded route near the park entrance.

An avid hiker who never took a second look at plants and animals as she strode along the ridges of local mountains, Graham was forced to make adjustments three years ago when her daughter, Rachel, was born.

“It’s hard to find activities for 3-year-olds,” Graham said recently. “You use their sense of touch--fuzzy things brought to their level [in the stroller], such as leaves and animal puppets.”

Rachel has become her mother’s collaborator on these trips.

“She’s the leader of the pack,” Graham said, adding that the average age among children on her walks is 3.

“Initially they’re passive, but by the end of the hike, they’re all pointing out things to one another,” Graham said.

Rachel also helps with the hike preparations when her mother hides little animal puppets in the bushes for the children to discover.

“We find animal tracks, nests and burrows on the walk, [but] loud and excited kids make the animals hide,” she said. “There are lots of rabbit holes to see, but we have to use puppets to show them what the animals look like.”

Participants young and old often marvel at how many “clues” about animal life they come upon--owl’s nests, spider webs, animal tracks, burrows and all kinds of plants.

The two-hour program includes a snack break in the middle and diaper-changing breaks. A physical therapist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Graham pointed out that the hikers pass near anthills and poison oak and that safety is a priority. So is teaching parents to help their children better understand nature.

“I want to leave parents with the ability to model this [nature-hike] behavior in places like their own backyard,” she said.

At the end of the hike, the children get washable tattoos stamped on their hands and arms.

“The most popular is the tarantula,” Graham said. “Even the parents want to get stamped.”

BE THERE

“Birds, Bunnies & Lizards” nature walk sponsored by Children’s Nature Institute, Wildwood Canyon Park, Burbank. Sunday, 10 a.m.-noon. From Interstate 5, exit at Olive Avenue and drive north to Sunset Canyon Road. Turn left at Harvard Road and right at Wildwood Canyon Road. Meet at the stone kiosk. Intended for children 9 months to 5 years old. Strollers OK. A $5 donation helps support programs for disadvantaged children. Reservations required. (310) 364-3591.