Hiking is a fun family activity.

By Craig DeSilva

As a kid, I’d spend most of my free time outdoors, especially on the weekends and during the summer -- swimming at the beach or pool, playing tennis, camping, or moss sliding at the neighborhood stream. Other than watching Saturday morning cartoons on TV, there was hardly any reason to be cooped up indoors.

It seems young people these days are spending more time indoors. DVDs, cable TV, the Internet and video games keep them entertained for hours. It’s no wonder childhood obesity rates are rising. Experts say we need to teach our kids healthy lifestyle habits, including physical activity to help them grow up to be healthy, active adults.

I don’t have kids, but I love spending time with my young nephews. I usually take them to the movies, where we stuff ourselves with buttery popcorn. Then we have lunch at their favorite fast-food place. I realized I was not encouraging healthy behaviors.

So on a recent outing, I took them on the Makapuu Lighthouse trail. It’s a hike the entire family can do – moderate intensity level, similar to the Diamond Head hike. The paved surface makes it safe and the gradual incline to the top gives you a good workout.

My nephews are pretty active -- they play Little League Baseball and are good swimmers. So I thought the two-mile round-trip walk would be a breeze. But they quickly became weary.

“When does this end?” 10-year-old Steven asked.

“Can we go back to the car?” whined 6-year-old Shawn.

I was firm: “Not until we reach the top.”

I didn’t understand. This should be easy for them. I soon realized they needed more mental stimulation. Although the trail overlooks a sweeping view of the ocean, Sandy Beach, and Koko Head Crater, it wasn’t enough to keep their interest. After all, this is the Wii generation.

So I gave them an impromptu botany lesson as we walked. I pointed out cactus and other succulents on the dry mountainside. There’s the native ilima, found only in Hawaii, whose orange blossoms are used to make lei. They became fascinated with the squeaking sound the dry kiawe branches make while rubbing against each other in the wind. The boys began to perk up.

I also had them on the lookout for whales. Makapuu is a great location to spot humpbacks migrating here from Alaska during the winter to give birth. We studied a sign that illustrates their breaching behaviors. The boys were fascinated by the concrete World War II Army bunkers on the hilltop, and they stopped to stare at the seabirds gliding effortlessly in the wind above us.

At the top, we were rewarded with an amazing vista of the Windward coast, including Waimanalo, Manana (Rabbit Island), and Kaneohe. A silhouette of Molokai appeared in the distance. Below, waves crashed against the steep rocky cliff. And we got a close-up look of the 100-year-old Makapuu Lighthouse with its red roof and white concrete base.

I’ve done this hike countless times, but this was the first time I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment. I had convinced my nephews that spending the day hiking in the great outdoors was better than going to a movie.