ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A neighborhood mom is helping homeschool students take advantage of the sunshine and fresh air with a new hiking club that combines exercise with social activities.
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The Cedar Homeschool Hiking Club was started last summer by Katie Quarto as a way to get neighborhood homeschool students outside with other kids.
"I think that getting kids outside is probably one of the most important things for their learning," said Quarto, the club's founder. "Getting kids outside, getting them moving, is really important for their development."
The group meets every Tuesday morning at different parks in northern Kent County. Members include students of various ages, including 5-year-old Sawyer Hurd and Theo Miedema, to 12-year-old Bear Waller.
"It's fun exercising. It's fun walking, it's fun being outside. Definitely. I love being outside," said Waller.
For Quarto, the hiking club serves multiple purposes beyond physical activity.
"It's important that they meet kids of all different ages and learn how to interact with people in real life. So, these kinds of activities are really important for homeschoolers," she said.
Parents say the outdoor activities provide essential benefits for their children's development and education.
"We're moving. We're not just inside of a house all day. We're actually getting out there. We're actually being able to walk around. We're actually being able to see things. We're getting exercise in. And we're also doing our education as well through a different way," said Josie Villigan, a hiking club mom.
James Miedema, whose son Theo participates in the club, said the activities are perfect for his energetic child.
"He's a very extroverted young child, and he's got a lot of energy, so it's a perfect opportunity for him to burn off a lot of that energy as well, as you know, get some socialization time in," he said.
His wife, Kenia Miedema, appreciates watching the children interact naturally during their outdoor adventures.
"It's so beautiful to see the kids interact and just be like themselves around each other and hear them talk and hear them explore. I know last week they found like a toad or something, and all they're all the kids were kind of gathered around it, it was so fun," she said.
All homeschool families are welcome to join the Cedar Homeschool Hiking Club. For more information, CLICK HERE for their Facebook page.
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