A note about kids—I have kids and I have taken them hiking from their youngest years to adulthood. I know how difficult it can be sometimes to get them engaged in a long hike. Reminding them not to throw rocks at a ruin or to refrain from jumping on the cryptobiotic crust may seem like too much work on an already stressful hike. I get it. I’ve been there. But, helping them learn responsible wilderness behavior is worth it. Emphasize how much they are helping nature or Native Americans or the next visitors. If that isn’t compelling, try to make it a game: who can do this hike without going off the trail? Who can pick up the most trash (bring a baggie to put it in).

Hiking with Kids

Our kids are now in their 20’s and have developed a lifelong love and respect for nature, the outdoors and hiking. Much of this can be attributed to their early hiking experiences. Hiking with kids can seem overwhelming, but the effort is worth it if you can remember a couple of things: the first may go against much of what you’ve read about hiking with kids, but is worthwhile advice nonetheless, every hike does not have to be fun. 

When I read blogs or books that talk about how to make each hike fun for kids, I cringe. So much work and prep and then, often, everyone is just stressed. Some hikes are fun, others not so much. That’s okay! You may be thinking why hike if it isn’t fun? Well . . . first, sometimes it takes time to start having fun; second, you won’t know ahead of time whether it will be fun—even a whining kid at the start of the hike can turn into a joyful participant after they get engaged; third, it’s an incredibly healthy habit that lasts a lifetime; fourth, being in nature creates memories, develops respect for the environment, increases stamina and patience.

You will increase your enjoyment however, if you do keep the following in mind:

1. Give your family plenty of time to complete your hike (or don’t worry about completing the hike), so there is time to explore.
2. Point out bugs, flowers, lizards, caves, clouds that look like dogs, etc. as you walk. Encourage the kids to point out their finds.
3. Sing! Check out 100 Sing along songs for kids by Cedarmont Kids. It might drive adults crazy, but the songs are easy to learn.
4. Give each kid a whistle, a plastic magnifying glass, a small net (catch and release!), and a little backpack to keep their stuff in. Some kids will also enjoy working with a compass.
5. Practice using the whistle before the hike, so the kids know what it is for (if they get lost or scared), and so they don’t blow the whistle throughout the hike disturbing all the other hikers who were hoping for quiet.
6. Give out snacks throughout the hike! You might want to tie snacks to distance or time: “after one mile, you can pick a snack.”
7. Dress in layers; a light small windbreaker that fits in that backpack can be a lifesaver.
8. Buy kid hiking boots, especially if you are hiking anywhere with snakes or poison ivy or stinging nettles.
9. Let the kids lead but make sure you are clear about how far ahead they are allowed to go particularly on trails with steep drop offs or wild animals.
10. Be positive. Tell kids what they can do not what they can’t. We told our kids: “Let’s look and keep our hands behind our backs!” “Whenever you see a pot shard put your hands on your head, so everyone knows you’ve found something super special!” “If you see cryptobiotic soil, stand on one foot to alert everyone of that lifesaving soil”. We only had to spend one hike pointing out the soil before the kids recognized it for years afterwards.
11. Bring a small bag for garbage and give rewards to everyone at the end for picking up