Walking stick facts for kids

A walking stick is a helpful tool many people use to stay steady when they walk. It helps them keep their balance. Some people also use walking sticks as a stylish accessory.

Walking sticks come in many shapes and sizes. Collectors often look for unique ones. People with disabilities might use certain walking sticks as a crutch or cane for support. Historically, walking sticks were sometimes used for protection. Some even had hidden compartments, like a secret knife or sword inside, called a swordstick. Other special walking sticks, like the Quarterstaff and the Shillelagh, also have interesting histories.

Walking Sticks in History

The Medieval Quarterstaff

The quarterstaff was a traditional European walking stick. It was used from the middle ages into the Early Modern period. It was usually a strong wooden pole, about 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 meters) long. People used it for walking, but it could also be used for self-defense. Later, it became shorter and was called a "short staff."

You might know the quarterstaff from the legends of Robin Hood. In many stories, Robin Hood uses a quarterstaff to fight. He often battles characters like Little John with it. In most versions, Robin Hood ends up falling into a stream during these fights!

Fashion and Style

From around 1550 until 1930, walking sticks were a popular fashion accessory. People didn't always use them for walking. Instead, they were more like a part of their outfit. A proper lady or gentleman would often carry a walking stick or cane. Many of these canes were very elegant. They often had fancy, decorated handles.

Around the 17th century, the decorated walking stick became a status symbol. It replaced the sword that aristocrats used to carry. Carrying a fancy walking stick showed that you were important.

Walking Sticks Today

Hiking and Trekking

Today, many hikers use walking sticks. They are sometimes called hiking sticks or trekking poles. Hikers use them for extra support when they walk uphill or downhill. A good walking stick helps hikers keep their balance. This is especially true when crossing streams or walking over rocks.

Modern hiking poles are often made of aluminum or composite materials. They can be adjusted to fit tall or short hikers. Many even have shock absorbers. These help reduce strain on your back, shoulders, and knees.

For Self-Defense Training

Walking sticks can also be used in martial arts training. They are a tool for learning self-defense moves. Both stick training and shinai (sword) training use the walking stick. Some are light, while others are heavier.

A walking stick can be a good tool for defense. It can be very effective against someone holding a knife. With practice, a person can learn to use a walking stick skillfully. The walking stick has a special advantage: it doesn't look like a weapon. It looks quite harmless.

Swordsticks and Sword-Canes

A sword cane was a long, thin steel blade hidden inside a cane. The cane itself was the sheath for the sword. Andrew Jackson, a former U.S. President, was known to carry a sword-cane. He even used it sometimes! In many places today, owning or making sword canes is limited by law. This is because they can be seen as a concealed weapon.

Collectors of Walking Sticks

Someone who collects walking sticks is called a rabologist. They enjoy finding and keeping different types of walking sticks.

Related pages

• Cane

Images for kids

• 

  A typical walking stick

• 

  A classic late 19th century walking cane, sometimes also called a dress cane

• 

  Orthodox protodeacon holding a walking stick. Portrait by Ilya Repin, 1877 (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow).

• 

  A collection of various styles of walking sticks on display at the ethnology museum Els Calderers rural manor, Sant Joan, Mallorca

• 

  An unidentified woman in a soda fountain, pouring from a walking stick during Prohibition in the United States, circa 1922. Some walking canes were made with a hidden compartment or flask inside the handle.