It’s amazing how each activity we engage in impacts our lives. The lessons we learn through experiences at all ages shape our development. As a parent, you may be wondering what activity would help your teen continue to grow. Teens may be on the verge of adulthood, but they still need to be stimulated through activities that grow their skills and relationships.
Five Lessons For The Future
Give your teen an overnight trip to remember with Wilderness Adventures. Our summer backpacking trips for teens allow them to adventure through stunning landscapes, giving them the chance to witness views they’ve never seen. Not only will they have a blast hiking through numerous trails in places from the Great Northwest to the Tetons, but they will learn these five lifelong lessons and more.
Independence
Maybe your teen is just learning to drive a car or getting ready for college. Either way, your teen is taking on new challenges that require independence. Our backpacking adventure trips could give them the confidence they need.
Hiking on the trail can have its frustrations and setbacks. Experienced backpackers even struggle to overcome obstacles from food to shelter, and once easy solutions become complicated. Backpacking trips for teens help push them to become less dependent as they strategize and find solutions. They realize that they have the tools to successfully provide for themselves.
Self-Care
Social media and the internet surround your teen. Whether it’s on their phone or computer, young people are in a constant communicative world. Help them unwind and get the rest they need by exploring the Great Outdoors.
Backpacking gets their bodies moving and enables teens to reconnect with the physical space around them. By immersing themselves on a trail or soaking in a gorgeous sunset, teens can be present with the environment around them. They’ll discover a fresh mindset through rich connections.
Patience
As teens cross paths with unfamiliar people or situations, it can be difficult to have patience. They may want to give up or stray away from something that takes time and hard work. Backpacking is a great activity that encourages your teen to wait for good things to come to fruition.
It may take hours of walking or kayaking to summit a mountain or cross a lake. The time invested, though, is well worth it. When the mountain peak is in view or a shoreline is under your kayak, the feeling of accomplishment takes over. Allow your teen to soak in the art of patience through a backpacking adventure they will remember for a lifetime.
Interdependence
Not only is independence important, but so is interdependence. Teens need to learn to rely on one another and build strong relationships through intentionality. Backpacking paves the way for interdependence to grow as teens meet new people and learn to embrace a support system.
Whether your teen is hiking in the Spanish Pyrenees or on a glacier in Alaska, each backpacking trip will require them to work together with their peers to make progress. Teens will learn to encourage each other’s skill sets and discover their own. Meaningful friendships will naturally form on each trip, giving your teen a long-lasting community.
Gratefulness
In America, most things are at our fingertips. Teens are surrounded by opportunities that they may take for granted. Our backpacking trips give teens a new perspective on being thankful for what’s given and living comfortably.
While backpacking, everything you carry is pivotal to what you need. There is no room for extra miscellaneous items like three pairs of Nike sneakers or a gaming system. Teens are challenged to be satisfied with what is essential. They will discover how much joy comes from living simply and being grateful for what’s most important.
Begin A Journey Today with Wilderness Adventures
Research indicates that adults who were not exposed to outdoor recreation as children are far less likely to become adult outdoor participants. Help your teen build healthy habits and an interest in nature that will expand into their adult years.
Wilderness Adventures is excited to give you the support needed for your teen. We would love to give them the journey of a lifetime. Let’s hike through worldwide mountains and trails, discovering backpacking life lessons that reach beyond a week of adventure.
