HAWKs - Hiking Adventures With Kids

10/21/2026

PLANT ID: Canada Goldenrod

If you’ve driven past a field this fall that seems to glow yellow, you’ve probably spotted this one! 💛

🐝 Why it matters: Goldenrod is a vital keystone species that provides nectar and pollen for late-season pollinators like bees, butterflies, and migrating insects.

🤧 Myth buster: Goldenrod often gets blamed for fall allergies, but Goldenrod pollen is heavy and sticky, so it travels on insects instead of drifting through the air.

🪶 Did you know? Indigenous peoples brewed a tea from the flowers to ease fevers, diarrhea, and sleeplessness, and some chewed the crushed blossoms to soothe a sore throat. 🌿

10/19/2026

Trail Spotlight: Bradford Park Loop

1.6 miles, easy, and full of fun stops: giant rock outcroppings 🪨 and Ramah Creek 💧. It’s a perfect first hike for young Explorers!

Have you hiked this one? Tell us your favorite spot! 👇 💜

10/15/2026

Reviews like this make our hearts full 💚 Confidence, new friends, and lasting memories outdoors: that’s what HAWKs camp days are all about! 🌲

Ready for your own adventure? Our next camp days are coming up:
🥾 November 2–3
🌲 November 11
🍂 …and more on the calendar!

Grab your spot now! Link in comments! 💚

10/12/2026

School’s out, so the trails are calling! 🥾🍂

Join HAWKs (Hiking Adventures With Kids) for two Day Off Camps this week. Explorers ages 5–12 spend the day outside discovering, building, climbing, and getting curious about the natural world. It’s screen-free and child-led.

📍 Thursday, Oct 15: Fisher Farm Park, Davidson
📍 Friday, Oct 16: Latta Nature Preserve, Huntersville
🕘 8:45 – 3:30
💲 95.00/day
🧭 Register at hawkskids.com

Come for one day or both! Each location brings new trails, creek finds, and adventures.

🌿 Why families love HAWKs
✅ Small groups: max 7 Explorers per educator, with two educators always on site
✅ Educators are background-checked and certified in Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and EpiPen administration
✅ Unstructured, nature-based play that builds confidence, independence, and a love of the outdoors

🎒 What to bring

Refillable water bottle
Packed lunch and snacks
Weather-appropriate layers (fall mornings can be chilly!)
Closed-toe shoes that can get muddy
Backpack to carry it all

10/07/2026

🐢 CREATURE FEATURE: Eastern Box Turtle! 🌿

Slow and steady, but definitely not boring! Our explorers had the pleasure of encountering this Eastern Box Turtle on the trail! Their high-domed shells and bright markings help them stand out among the leaves.

🌟 Fun facts:
• Box turtles can live for 50+ years!
• They spend their days exploring forests, munching on fruits, fungi, insects, and even the occasional mushroom. 🍄🐜

Next time you spot one on the trail, slow down, give it some space, and let the little explorer carry on with its adventure!

10/06/2026

🍂 Fall Break Season Has Arrived! 🍂

School's out, but adventure is IN! 🥾🌲 While classrooms take a breather, HAWKs Day Off Camps are heading for the trails, and there's a spot waiting for your Explorer!

📅 Check your school's days off:

🌿 Pine Lake Prep – Oct 9 | Oct 12–13
🌿 Cannon School – Oct 9 | Oct 12–13
🌿 Woodlawn School – Oct 9 | Oct 12
🌿 Langtree Charter – Oct 12
🌿 ISS – Oct 12–13
🌿 Mooresville Graded – Oct 9–16
🌿 Southlake Christian – Oct 12–16
🌿 Liberty Prep – Oct 12–16
🌿 Lake Norman Charter – Oct 16

🍁 Crunchy leaves, cool air, creek exploring, bug hunting, and screen-free fun with friends. Fall is the BEST season to be outside!

✅ Small groups (max 7 Explorers per educator, always 2 educators)
✅ Wilderness First Aid & CPR certified educators
✅ Child-led, nature-based adventure at local parks & trails
✅ Ages 5–12

⏰ Fall break is days away and spots are limited. Grab yours before they're gone!

👉 Register now: https://www.hawkskids.com/booking/?state=NC®ion=Lake+Norman&type=Day+Camps&transport=dropoff

📧 Questions? [email protected]

Browse and enroll in HAWKS nature programs and outdoor classes for kids. Filter by age, date, and location to find your next adventure.

10/05/2026

Leave No Trace starts before we ever hit the trail 🌲 Principle 1 is all about planning and preparing ahead: checking the weather, packing the right gear, and knowing the trail and the rules of the place we're visiting. Our Explorers learn that a little prep keeps them safe and protects the places they love. 🦅💚

What's one thing your Explorer never leaves home without? 👇

09/28/2026

🦋 SEASON WATCH: The monarchs are on the move! 🦋

Right now, monarch butterflies are making one of nature's most incredible journeys, flying up to 3,000 miles from Canada and the northern U.S. all the way to the mountain forests of central Mexico, where they'll spend the winter.

Here's the wildest part: none of these butterflies have ever made the trip before! This special "super generation" lives up to 8 months (compared to just a few weeks for summer monarchs) and finds its way using the sun as a compass. 🌞🧭

Lake Norman sits right along their path, so late September through October is prime time for spotting them.

Our Explorers will be on monarch watch at Day Off Camp this Friday, OCTOBER 2! 🦋🌲

🌼 Family challenge: How many monarchs can your Explorer spot this week? Drop your count (or your best butterfly pic!) in the comments below 👇

09/27/2026

CMS families, Friday, October 2 is a teacher workday! 🍂 Send your Explorer on a HAWKs Day Off Camp adventure. 🌲🦅

A full day of exploring trails, building forts, spotting critters, and following their own curiosity, all screen-free and guided by our trained, background-checked educators. Small groups mean every Explorer gets real attention (and comes home happily tired 😴).

⏰ It's this Friday, so spots are limited!
📲 Scan the QR code or register at hawkskids.com
✉️ Questions? [email protected]

Know a parent scrambling for Friday coverage? Tag them below! 👇💚

09/25/2026

East Denver, adventure is calling! 🌲🥾

HAWKs Kids is officially coming to East Denver, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome a whole new community of explorers!

Think muddy shoes, trail discoveries, new friendships, big questions, and plenty of time outside. HAWKs gives kids the space to explore their world, build confidence, and discover just how capable they are.

East Denver families, we’ll see you on the trail. 👋

👉 Learn more and join the adventure at the link in bio.

09/24/2026

The adventure doesn’t have to stop when you leave the trail. 🌿 HAWKs Games are here!

Introducing Dinner Time and That’s S**t! 🐾

🍽️ Dinner Time lets you build your own food chain and learn who eats who in the wild.
💩 That’s S**t! puts you in the shoes of a wildlife tracker as you learn to identify animals by their s**t.

And we’re proud to announce that Dinner Time has been named a Top Holiday Toy in The Toy Insider's 2026 Holiday Gift Guide! Bring the adventure home and make learning about nature even more fun. 🌲

Preorder your game now https://shop.hawkskids.com/

09/22/2026

Happy first day of fall 🍂🍁

There’s so much changing outside right now! Save this and see how many signs of fall your little explorers can spot the next time you’re outside. 👀

09/21/2026

This is your sign to get outside. ☺️ Where are you exploring today? 👇

09/17/2026

Oh, the places HAWKs will go… 🏔️🌲

A new location is coming. Any guesses? Comment down below!

09/17/2026

We spend so much time asking kids what they want to be when they grow up. But maybe the more important question is… who do we hope they become?

At HAWKs, we believe childhood is about so much more than preparing for what comes next. It’s about giving kids the space to explore, build independence, connect with the world around them, and discover just how capable they already are. 😌

Who do you hope your kids become? 👇

09/15/2026

More families are discovering HAWKs, and we couldn’t be more excited. 😆

Whether you’re looking for after-school programs, camps, or screen-free outdoor experiences, your next HAWKs adventure might be closer than you think.

Find your nearest HAWKs program at the link in our bio! 🌍

09/14/2026

Next time you’re visiting a lake, try this nature scavenger hunt with your kids and see which animals you can spot around the lake... 🔎

Save this post for your next lake day!

09/10/2026

Some plants are better admired from a distance... 👀

Knowing what’s growing around us is all part of becoming a curious, confident explorer!

📌 Save this guide for when you’re out on the trail, and remember: look, learn, leave it wild.

How many of these have you spotted before? 👇

For awareness only. Never touch or handle an unfamiliar plant. Always use a trusted regional foraging/plant identification guide.

09/09/2026

Nature is full of neighborhoods... you just have to know where to look. 🔎

Save our Nature’s Neighborhoods Guide and follow along on your next outdoor adventure to discover who’s living right under your nose!

Which neighborhood are you checking first? 👇