Going from the phase of carrying your kid the entire hike to them walking on their own can be a big adjustment, for both child and parent. I know it was a little hard for me as my toddler didn’t want to be in the carrier, but didn’t want to hike either. Mostly he just wanted to look at the rocks and play in the dirt. Now I am all for letting your child lead the hike and making it fun for them. I think that is a really important part of raising hikers. But encouraging them along the trail and having them hike on their own is also an important part. So I’m going to share my best tips to help your toddler to hike on their own.
Tips to help your toddler hike on their own.
- Set expectations ahead of time. When you’re in the car driving to the trailhead, talk to your toddler about what the hike is going to be like. Things like if you are going to carry them half way and let them walk back. Or if you are not bringing the carrier at all. Tell them what kind of things they can expect to see whether that be falling leaves, a waterfall, or maybe some cool plants. Setting expectations can do a lot to limit the meltdowns as well as give them something to look forward to.
- Don’t bring a carrier. Or at least hide it. If you have a toddler that is capable of hiking on their own but as soon as they see the carrier, wants to be in it, just don’t bring it. Or if it’s small, hide it in the bottom of your pack. If you are trying to transition to this, make sure you do short, doable hikes that won’t wear them out too much.
- Let them bring something special on the trail with them. My toddler has always loved cars and so I let him bring one to push around in the dirt or drive through the air. He usually carries it in his little fanny pack. This usually helps keep him in a happier mood which, in turn, helps him want to hike more.
- Sing songs. This was especially helpful when my toddler was younger and I would sing him common nursery rhymes. Since they have such short attention spans, be sure to have a handful of short songs that you can remember the words to sing to them.
- Tell them stories. This is similar to the previous tip, but I have found my toddler has especially loved it the older he’s gotten. Fairytales and fables are always fun, but even if you just make up a story, it can really keep them happy and excited to hear what’s next. My toddler once did a hike that was 3 miles at the age of 2 because I told him the story of Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood multiple times.
- Hike with friends. This one can be tricky if you don’t have friends with kids that like to hike. But if you can find these friends or join a family hiking group, the motivation to hike from other kids is unmatched. They love to run and chase each other on the trail and it’s a very fun environment. I have seen this go the other way. If another kid doesn’t want to hike and just wants to sit in the dirt and play, my kid may tend to do that too. But it’s not as common.
- Bring snacks. Possibly the best motivator on a hike is some good snacks. They don’t have to be candy or anything crazy, but some fun snacks on the trail is a great way to encourage toddlers to keep hiking. It’s also important for them to snack as they are burning energy so they don’t get depleted.
- Give them a map. This will be especially good for your older toddlers. The map doens’t have to be extravagant. Just a piece of paper where you draw a squiggle line and an X give them the chance “be in charge of” directions.
- Point out things up ahead. This could be things you already see coming up or things you expect to see on the trail. Saying something like “Hey it looks like there are some flowers up ahead, let’s go look at them!” might be all the push your toddler needs to get up the next switchback.
- Play a game: Games like I Spy, Red Light Green Light, Tag (or just chasing each other up the trail) are some of my favorite ways to get my toddler to hike on his own. He loves to pretend to be a monster or dinosaur and try get me. Try out a few different games and see which ones your toddler enjoys.
And my last tip is to help your toddler hike on their own is to know when it’s time to stop pushing. There will be days where my toddler hikes 3 miles, some days where we don’t get much past the parking lot, and some days where he just wants to be carried. It’s not a failed hike if you don’t make it to the destination or go very far. Every time you get out with your toddler is a win so don’t be hard on yourself if you carry your little one more than expected or do an entire hike.
If you are looking for more resources on hiking with kids, check out these posts!
