On the right track

Having done the training and observed lessons, today it was my turn to lead a class at Five Rivers. 'Outdoor Discovery' and Snowshoeing were the themes, and we had the perfect day for both, what with yesterday's fresh snowfall and clear, crisp conditions all morning.

I had a (mercifully) small group of 6th Graders from Schenectady. Since it was my first go, I also had back-up from one of the most experienced instructors at the centre, so that was especially handy when relevant nature facts completely escaped me. We started with a warm-up (in every sense) session indoors, before strapping on the snowshoes and getting out in the cold.

There were plenty of tracks to spot and identify - deer, rabbit, mouse, cross-country skier. There were a few birds around, including a hawk. But the children got the biggest thrill of all from sighting white-tailed deer out and about. They were all city kids, not used to seeing wild animals at close range in their natural habitat. It was great to watch their reactions as they spotted several groups of deer in the course of our hike.

I enjoyed the whole experience, but definitely the biggest reward for me came as we headed back to the nature centre and one boy (who had quickly turned into the keenest tracker of the party) told me he wanted to come back to Five Rivers soon with his mom. The magic of the place had worked on him. And that's really what it was all about.