How to hike with your kids
The outdoors can be fun and exciting, especially with your children. If you like hiking, you can share that experience with your family. However, hiking with kids takes a lot of planning and consideration. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered!
Here’s 7 tips on how to plan, prepare, and head out hiking with your kids. Let’s jump right in!
1. Prepare and plan
“With kids, you’ll need to plan for things, especially when it comes to hiking with them,” says Zac Spode, a travel blogger at Boomessays and Essay Roo. “That means planning the hiking trip from start to finish. Bring essentials like food, water, first aid, and so on. Also, get your kids ready to hike by showing them guidebooks and maps on where you plan to take them to go hiking.”
2. Pick a good hiking spot
When picking a place to hike, make sure that it’s easy for your children to do. You don’t want to tire out your little ones with a long and strenuous hike. Instead, give them hiking trips in small doses. If they want to stay longer on a hike, then plan for it. Remember: Hiking is about the journey, not the destination.
3. Play ‘follow the leader’
“Follow the Leader” is a great game that kids can play, even on a hike. If you have one child, take turns between you and them on leading the way. Or, if you have more than one child, pick a “leader” from the bunch, and then let them take turns leading the hike.
4. Make frequent stops
Occasionally, children will ask to take a break, and that’s totally okay. Why? Because you – the parent – will need a break at some point too, especially when hiking. Since hiking requires a lot of energy, you’ll need to plan to make frequent stops, so that you and your children can eat and drink (refuel).
5. Take your time
When hiking with your children, there’s no need to hurry. Take your time and enjoy the hike.
As you hike, allow your kids to explore the natural world around them. Whether they discover a huge boulder, a weird-looking tree, or something else, your kids will always discover something exciting and interesting. So, why not give them that leisure to explore?
Don’t worry about the time, unless you have somewhere else to be. The whole point, though, is to let everyone in your group savor not having to be on a schedule, and instead, being closer to nature.
6. Leave No Trace
Like adults, kids must also do their part in conserving nature in many ways than one. In fact, our children are our future, when it comes to our public lands, our reserves, our natural resources, etc. That’s why it’s important to leave no trace when hiking, and to teach your children not to do so.
One strategy is to teach your child to pick up after themselves when hiking. If they accidentally drop a ziplock bag, then ask them to pick it up and throw it away in a trash bin. You can also carry a small garbage bag, and have your child throw their trash away in there.
7. Embrace positivity
“Sometimes, things can be stressful for everyone involved,” says Gabriel Logue, a lifestyle writer at Lia Help and State of writing. “This is especially true for hiking. Sometimes, just walking in the hike can lead to boredom and, maybe, complaints along the way. Instead, focus on making the experience positive. Talk about how much fun you’re having, and then ask your child how much fun they had. This strategy redirects them to being positive, rather than being sad and stressed out about something. You should also respect your child and ask any questions they might have to the best of your ability.”
Conclusion
While there are other ideas on how to make hiking wholesome for your kids, these 7 tips are the most common – and the most important – to date. The whole point of these tips is to make hiking fun and safe for the entire family.
So, be sure to keep in mind these 7 great tips on hiking with your children. When you hike with your kids, you’re creating great memories that last a lifetime! Remember: Take it easy, be safe, and have fun!
Guest Author: Elizabeth Hines. A writer and editor at UK Writings and Academized review. She is also a contributing writer for Coursework writing. As a content writer, she writes articles about latest tech and marketing trends, innovations, and strategies.
