Want to instill a sense of wonder into a 6 year old? Show them one of the largest trees on Earth. Make them skip school to see it. Make them drive 8 hours to get to it. Make them stop at a Mexican restaurant for lunch in the middle of nowhere. Make them camp in the rain for 3 days. Make them hike 5 miles to see it. Make them cross rivers on your shoulders. Make them know what Poison Oak looks like. Make them hike in the rain. Make them route find off trail. Make them read a map. Make them cold. Make them wet. Make them hungry. Make them guess how old it is (2,700 years). Make them touch it. Make them pose for a picture with it for Grandma. Then let them jump in puddles. Let them find rocks. Let them find snakes. Let them shit their pants from the Mexican food (true story). Let them find Banana Slugs. Let them get full of mud. Let them eat smores. Let them make a camp fire. Let them go down by the river with a buddy. Let them skip rocks. Let them climb fallen trees. Let them tell their class at school about it. Let them draw pictures of it. Let them pledge in front of a Ranger to protect it.
