Whether it’s a stroll through a city park or exploring a new hiking trail, here are tips to make your next hike with kids more fun.
A family hike is a great way to get kids active and connected to nature. But sometimes the reality is nothing like Instagram. It may take a little bribery and a lot of coaxing to make a hike happen. It doesn’t always have to be that way. Here are 15 tips to make hiking fun for kids:
Plan Your Hike Together and Discuss the Adventure
Let the kids decide what type of hike you’ll do. Even if they’re too young to pick the location, you can give them a choice: Should we hike along the river today? Climb some rocks? Search for the biggest tree? Build anticipation for the adventure by giving them a sense of ownership in the trip. No one wants to feel like they’re being dragged along.
Assign Your Kids “Jobs”
Kids love having meaningful work. On a hike, assign responsibilities to your kids. Let them take turns leading the group. Give your child a printed map and make them responsible for navigation. Or call them the medic and let them carry the first aid kit.
Bring a Friend
Other kids can be the best motivators on a hike. Invite your child’s friends or another family to hike with you. Kids will be so busy checking out their friends that they’ll probably forget to ask you how much farther they have to go. If you run into other kids on the trail, be open to letting your kids interact with them.
Move at Their Pace
Let your kids set the pace of the hike, even if it’s much slower than you’re walking. For kids, the journey is often more important than the destination. Give yourself plenty of time on the hike so you’re not rushing and can take it all in. A slower pace will allow you to see things at your kids’ level. They will want to touch and feel things, and they will inevitably find wonderful things you missed.
Take Kids on Different Hikes
Take your kids on different hikes and gauge their reactions. If a meandering walk through dense forest doesn’t do the trick, find an easy trail that starts high and gives you stunning views. Or pack flashlights, headlamps, or cheap glow sticks and hike a local trail at night.
Take a Big Bag with Lots of Snacks
Kids burn calories faster than you think. Pack a variety of snacks. Ask your kids what they want to eat and have them help you pack snacks or carry some snacks in their backpacks. This can be a good time to try favorite treats that they only eat on special occasions.
Make a Game Out of the Hike
Tell a story or create an imaginary scenario on your hike; Maybe you’re all superheroes who have to get to the “enemy base” before sunset, and the only way to recharge your powers is if you identify and walk around certain objects along the way. Use your imagination.
Offer Rewards
Consider giving your kids a reward, like a small treat, hand stamp, or sticker, when you reach certain landmarks along the trail or if they identify a certain number of plants, trees, or other objects.
Plan a Reward at the End of the Hike
Let your child choose where to go to get the reward at the end of the hike, whether it’s frozen yogurt or a favorite lunch spot. If they’re in a bad mood, you can discuss the reward as you walk. Say to them, “I can’t wait to go get some ice cream. What flavor are you going to get?” You can keep them talking about this for a while.
Leave No Trace
It’s never too early to teach your kids Leave No Trace principles to minimize their impact on nature. Encourage them to look and touch, but leave things where they are. Ask them to look for ways they can practice the principles – like respecting wildlife, throwing away trash properly, or caring for others – while you’re hiking. Find games and activities you can do outside with your kids.
Chronicle the Trip
Take a journal, sketchbook, or camera (instant cameras are great) and encourage your kids to explore and record their hike.
Let Them Carry Their Own Gear
Even the littlest kids love to carry a (small) backpack. Give them just a few items, like snacks or a whistle. Older kids might want binoculars or their own trekking poles.
Understand your children’s condition
You know your children best. If they are hungry or tired, read their cues and take a snack or water break. Know how far you are from the trail and decide when it is a good time to turn around, even if you have not yet reached your destination.
Challenge with your kids
Kids are often more resilient than adults give them credit for. Start small at first, but don’t be afraid to take on longer or more challenging hikes. As you spend more time hiking with your kids, you’ll get a better feel for their abilities and find that sweet spot between pushing them too hard and continuing to hike in a way that piques their interest.
