Hiking with Kids: Where to begin.
Hiking with kids can seem daunting if you've never hit the trails with them before, but what if I told you that it doesn't have to be? In this post, I'll discuss how your family can enjoy and make the most of your time spent outside on a trail.
So, you've decided to take the family hiking....now what? First, you'll want to consider your child's physical ability. Are they small enough to stay in a baby carrier for the duration or will they be hiking along side of you? I always suggest starting with an easy trail, and you can graduate the level of difficulty as you and your little hiker gain practice and confidence.
Next, you'll want to find a trail that will work for you. I love using my AllTrails app because it allows me to set the filters I want for a specific hike. (location, length, difficulty, what to see, ect.) All trails is also a great resource for getting some feedback about a particular hike. Hikers can leave a rating, a reviews, gps recordings, and my favorite-pictures! I like to compare user reviews and if I find a discrepancy (say for instance someone says the trail difficulty should be rated as "moderate" rather than "easy") I'll check a few other sites.
Don't be shy about asking around either. Maybe you have a friend who has been hitting the trails and can give you some great insight. Don't forget about other great resources like Facebook! There are tons of hiking groups out there on social media which are filled with a wealth of information at your fingertips!
Now that you've decided on an awesome trail for your first family adventure, you'll need to do a little prep work. You'll want to make sure that you have comfortable (and appropriate) shoes and clothing for the outdoors. You don't need to run out and purchase fancy hiking shoes or apparel. You can upgrade your gear any time, but let's focus on the basics for now.
Other items that you'll want to bring along;
1.) A hat for keeping the sun off your face/neck or a winter hat for keeping little ears warm, sunglasses, and sunblock. Research the weather in the area (and surrounding areas) that you will be exploring, so you can dress everyone comfortably.
2.) Water. Bring more water than you think your family will need. It's better to have extra rather than run out mid-trail! Bottled water in your every day back pack works fine, but you can also purchase a backpack with a hydration bladder for about $30 on Amazon.
3.) Food. Maybe you want to stop and picnic along side of the trail, or maybe you prefer to keep it light and just want to pack a few snacks. Granola bars,(personally, we love Clif bars) trail mix, fruit/veggie sticks, jerky, and maybe even a little candy to bribe your tiny humans to keep moving along. (and don't forget to treat yourself! After all, you were the one who organized this awesome family outing! )
4.) A first-aid kit. You can get as fancy as you like, or keep it simple like this one from Amazon for about $12. You can also assemble your own kit with some items that you probably already have around your house. Personally, I loved putting ours together and customizing it to our family's needs. If you do decide to go that route you don't need to pack your entire medicine cabinet. Here are some basic items that you'll want to include:
Bag to keep everything in. ( I just use a small canvas make up bag. )
Bandaids
Neosporin
A lighter or waterproof matches
A knife
A flashlight or head lamp
Tweezers
Hand sanitizer
An extra garbage bag- for packing out all of your trash
Emergency whistle
Compass - I love this multi tool, which includes a small flash
light, compass, and whistle.
Lighter or fireproof matches
Tylenol
Sunblock/Sun protection
Pen and Paper
(I'll dig deeper into emergency preparation and how to create a more advanced first aid kit in a later post!)
5.) A map. If you can't get ahold of a paper copy, screen shot a picture to your phone. Most trailheads have a map as well as other important information about the area posted.
6.) Extra clothes. Let's face it, your kids are probably going to get dirty, so don't forget an extra change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. If you are hiking in a cooler climate, you may want to bring a few extra layers or if rain is a possibility, a couple of light weight ponchos will do in a pinch!
7.) Camera/Phone. Make sure you have a full charge and plenty of camera storage before heading out on the trail. you don't want to be fighting with your device while trying to enjoy your family hike. Don't worry about getting that perfect picture for social media, candid shots always turn out the best anyway!
8.) A good attitude. Ok, I know that sounds cheesy, but in all honesty you'll have to be flexible if you want to enjoy your hike, especially if this is your first adventure as a family. I love the quote, "What messes us up in life is our vision of what it's supposed to look like." A hike with my son rarely ever goes as planned, but we roll with the punches and make the best of it!
Studies show a multitude of positive effects that being in the outdoors has on a child's development. Nature is just so important for kids to explore, so let them do just that. Don't put too much pressure on the situation by worrying about getting to the end of the trail. We've started on many a hikes that ended quicker than we planned, but the pay off was getting to discover new things about our world together. However, if you do need to keep everyone moving along, trail games are a great way to motivate young adventurers. A nature scavenger hunt, eye spy, 20 questions, imaginative play (we pretend to be characters from whatever movie my son is raving about at the moment) or you can just make up your own game. My nephews introduced us to "Lava Rock", where players jump from rock to rock, avoiding the "lava" on the ground. ) If your kids are a little older, hiking also provides a great opportunity for some deeper bonding. Ask them questions throughout the hike to get them talking and generate some family conversation.
I hope after this, that you feel more confident and excited about taking your family out for their very first hike. Now, you just have to go out there and do it. There is no substitution for practice, so don't get discouraged if you don't make it very far this time. Take the time to really soak in the great outdoors together. Just remember, it's about the journey, not the destination......
Happy adventuring!
