Hiking
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Under development: Your source for how to get your kids hiking with you, and eventually liking it.

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How to keep your kid moving down the trail


​The biggest challenge to hiking or backpacking with kids is keeping them moving. It's so important, because we all need to be able to count on completing our hikes before dark or making it to our campsites in time for dinner. Here are the tips we have compiled over the years of hiking with our kids and with our friends:

Get the right pacing and timing of breaks:
  • Take enough breaks: 
    • Try to time breaks to milestones based on distance or time
    • Plan for longer breaks to play/play cards every certain time/distance
  • But don’t take too many breaks - experiment to find the sweet spot, keeping in mind it changes over time
  • Communicate the timing of the breaks so kids can track their progress to the next break
    • Make sure to give the kids their own watch or map if you do this

Be prepared with multiple options of entertainment (rotate through these as needed):
  • Try Geocaching 
  • Bring pocket guides for animal or bird or plant identification
    • Count how many of a common thing you can find or keep track of who can find the most varieties
  • Print out a scavenger hunt to have the kids fill out while hiking 
    • But remember they have to fill it out while still moving!
  • Play “I Spy”
  • Play the "Alphabet Game" - you have to find something that starts with each letter of the alphabet, in alphabetical order
  • Make up stories to tell, or tell stories from books you’re reading
  • Hike with their friends - so they entertain each other
    • Even better, if you hike with another family try splitting up the kids and their parents (because our kids often hike farther with other grownups)
  • Pick up a Junior Ranger activity book at the park visitor center and try to complete the activities during the hike
  • Teach them how to use a topographic map and compass and have them practice

How to avoid stopping in between designated breaks:
  • Put water bladders in the kids’ packs so they don’t have to stop to drink water
  • Give them some snacks to put in their pocket to eat while hiking
  • Help them take layers on/off while walking
    • Make sure they keep the right layers on so they don't get too cold or hot
  • Pack the right clothes and check on them during the hike
    • Make sure they don't wear clothes that will give them chafing or blisters
    • Prevent sunburns by putting sunscreen on (obviously this is important in general, but it does make it even harder to hike)
  • Bribe with food: 
    • Give them “hiking treats” that have to be eaten while moving 
    • Remind them of a snack and break they are going to get after a certain time or distance
  • Give them something to look forward to after the hike (ice cream in town or at the camp store, or a swimming destination)
  • Find a hiking stick to play with while hiking (although sometimes this backfires and slows them down)
  • If you feel you have to let them stop, try not to let the kid sit down, tell them they can only take a standing break
  • And of course, develop standard responses to all the excuses they will come up with for stopping (because you know they will repeat them over and over). For example:
    • Tie their shoelaces yourself so they don’t come undone
    • Remind them to pee during a break
    • Have them take off or put on a layer after a break

Our biggest advice is to keep experimenting and keep getting out there! We believe that you will eventually find something that will work for your family. If you have any specific questions, feel free to reach out to us. And as always, please give us more suggestions of things to add to this list.
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Original version: 11/24/2019

The basics of selecting hiking gear for your kids

You don’t need lots of special gear for hiking - that’s the beauty of it! But it is a skill that sets kids up for so many other adventures, so it is worth it to do your best to ensure they are comfortable and having fun. Here are the key items to think about selecting gear:

Babies:
  • Child carrier or baby backpack carrier:
    • If you use a backpack carrier, it’s helpful to get one with a rain or sun cover
    • Make sure it's comfortable for you (and your partner, or have a separate one for them)
    • An attached mirror can be helpful to keep an eye on the kid, especially if you are hiking solo
  • For sun: put on the baby in clothes that cover their skin to prevent sunburn
    • Long sleeve shirt
    • Pants that go past the socks (double-check once they are in the carrier because the pants can ride up)
    • Hat with a chin strap, if you don’t have a sun shade
  • For cold:
    • Dress in layers (same as what you would do for adults)
      • Long underwear layer
      • Thicker fleece if needed
      • Wind or water proof layer
    • Bring more layers that you would plan for yourself, especially since babies aren’t moving around as much, or in case of diaper or playing accidents
    • Mittens are better than gloves, and having some sort of leash so they can’t drop them can be important
  • For rain:
    • Ran boots
    • Rain pants that go around the boots
    • Rain jacket with hood or with a separate rain hat
  • Toys: 
    • Attached to the backpack with string or baby links so they can’t be dropped


Kids:
  • Hiking backpack:
    • We recommend having them get used to carrying even a tiny backpack from a early age so they can develop responsibility
    • Make sure to get a backpack small enough to fit their torso - it shouldn’t hang more than 2-4” below their waist 
    • Use their school backpack if it fits - you don’t need to buy something special (as long as you’re OK with it getting dirty)
    • See our backpacking page for recommendations on packs and what kids are capable for carrying (although we recommend smaller packs for hiking than backpacking):
    • Have them carry a small water bottle of their own a water bladder
      • If you use a bladder: consider using one where the bite valve has a cover and can lock, to minimize dirtiness and leaking (since kids like to chew on them which causes leaks)
  • Toys for activities:
    • Binoculars
    • Magnifying glass
    • ​Magnet
    • Pocket guides for animal or bird or plant identification - they are nice and small, just make sure to get one for your area
    • Camera
    • Journal/sketchbook and pens or watercolors
  • Sun:
    • Sunglasses
    • Sun hat
    • Sunscreen
  • Cold weather:
    • Dress in layers - as described for babies
    • Also bring more layers that you would plan for yourself even though they are doing the same work, in this case it’s more because they are likely to get them dirty or wet but also because they may feel the cold more than you
    • Mittens are still better than gloves, especially for smaller kids
    • Disposable hand warmers are good to bring as a backup - they can be like bandaids in that even if the kid doesn’t really need them it makes them happy to keep going. 
      • These weren't recommended for babies, because of concern of being too hot for the baby
  • Shoes:
    • Don’t need to be fancy hiking shoes, just make sure the soles have reasonable tread, that they don’t come off easily, and that the kid finds them comfortable
  • Safety:
    • Whistle - but make sure they are trained to only ever use it if they are lost  

In addition, make sure you carry a first aid kit and get first aid training - see our First Aid page for more info. ​
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Original version: 7/27/2020

Having the right food can be the difference between a joyful hike with kids and a miserable slog. Kids don't understand "powering-through" when you're running low on food and almost at the trailhead or don't like the food you bring. They can often just refuse to hike, even if the sun is setting and it's starting to get cold. So plan ahead with lots of options to make sure you have an enjoyable hike! Here are our tips on what food to bring:

Babies:
  • If you're already breastfeeding, that's the easiest way to feed a baby while hiking.
    • Just plan your layers to make sure you stay warm and dry - for example, I liked using a nursing camisole under my normal hiking layers so I wouldn’t end up with a cold stomach.
  • If you're bottle-feeding with powdered formula make sure to purify the water that you use water with a filter, don't use iodine or chlorine.
  • For pureed foods, squeeze bags may be easier than feeding with a spoon or lighter than bringing a jar. Look for refillable ones to minimize waste.
  • When you pack finger food, assume they're going to drop a bunch that you might not want to pick up and eat so bring extra, plus a trash bag for the dropped food so you don't feed the animals.

General:
  • Make sure to bring food that the kids like - the most important thing you can do.
    • Let them pick (maybe not everything, but at least some of the things).
    • Save certain foods to only have on hiking trips to make it special (for example we say no individually packaged food unless we’re out on a trip).
    • Bring variety in case they change their mind because you really need them to each so they don’t crash - not an option to just say sorry this is what we have.
  • Save some of the treats for a surprise for when they're having a tough time, or tell them they only get the treats at milestones (every mile!) or during breaks or only if they're hiking when they hit a milestone. 
    • See the Hiking Tips section for more suggestions on how to use food as a motivator.
    • Warm food brought with a lightweight stove or a thermos can also be a good motivator for breaks.
  • Make sure to bring a mixture of sugar and fat for both slow and fast-burning fuel.
  • If you’re hiking with friends, bring extra to share because kids always want what someone else has.
  • Bring plenty of water, especially if it's hot, and maybe a backup water filter in case someone spills their water or drinks a lot more than expected.

Winter:
  • Warm food and drinks can be key here - think about warm soup, oatmeal, or hot chocolate to get the kids happy to keep going.
  • Bring stuff that doesn’t freeze (frozen apples or oranges aren’t as fun).
  • Bring things that don't get really hard to chew when it's cold - we love Starbursts as treats while hiking, but when it's cold they're hard to eat. Or put those things inside your jacket to keep them warm.
The most important thing about hiking food - finding a good spot for a snack break!
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Original version: 9/28/2020