On the days I don’t feel like hiking, but still want to get out of the house, I love loading everyone up and heading to the mountains.
Sometimes I don’t pack anything except a blanket and I let the kids explore, play, and find things to do. But when I’m on top of it, I try to pack a mountain bag full of things that will keep my kids entertained outside and hopefully keep them waiting to stay outside longer.
Here is a list of everything I pack in my mountain bag to enjoy an afternoon outside with the crew. Let me know in the comments what else I should add!
Yeti Utility Bag: High quality, and holds a ton of stuff. Great to keep in the car for grab and go activities. The exterior is wipeable and easy to clean. I also like that the bag stand up on it’s own.
The Hobbit: Illustrated Edition: I bought this beautifully illustrated copy of the Hobbit to read with my son. I’ve actually never read the Hobbit but I have great memories of hiking with my mom and my mom telling us the story of Bilbo on the trail.
Children’s Folding Pocket Knife: This is a folding pocket knife that has a rounded safety tip. It’s been great to help him learn how to start whittling with sticks we find camping as well as cutting up foods or whatever my son is working on.
Kids Cut Resistant Gloves: Great to have for learning to whittle or practicing cutting.The kids can cut up vegetables, fruit, or whatever they need and wear these without worrying about knicking themselves.
Kindle: I absolutely love my Kindle. I love using books to unwind and relax and my Kindle lets me always have a book on hand. It’s nice and lightweight, perfect for tucking in any bag I’m taking.
Kindle Case: I purchased this case again after losing my first kindle. The fabric is slightly water resistant too which has come in handy a few times.
Kids Fishing Pole: Our 4 year old started showing interest in fishing this year after he tried it at a friends house so we got him his own fishing pole with tackle box and it’s been so fun! We love to just take this up to the mountains and let him toss lines in the rivers. It has a button to cast so it’s easy for him to control. It telescopes down and comes with it’s own carrying case making it super easy to store and keep in the car.
Yoto Mini Player: You know we’re all Yoto Fans. The mini is usually keep in my car, but tossed it in just in case any of the kids wanted to use it. I love being able to refresh the cards and the kids looking forward to using it again and again.
P.S. I did a whole review with a discount code if you buy directly from their site! Check it out here.
Yoto Mini Case with Lanyard: This case helps keep it protected from normal wear and tear. I appreciate the lanyard to help little hands.
Card Holder for Yoto Cards: A great way to keep all car organized and accessible on the go!
Walkie Talkies: All the kids love using these to chat back and forth when were hanging out at camp or in the mountains. They’ve also come in handy for the adults to use, too. These hold a charge great and are rechargeable.
Frozen 5-Minute Stories: My daughter is really into Frozen right now, and love this hardcover book. Has a bunch of mini stories and is has a nice words to picture ratio. Fun for her to flip through on her own and also for us to read together.
Flint Fire Starter: Honestly, such a great tool to have around. It really easy to create a spark with, and has come in handy many times in getting a fire started. It’s really compact, and great to have on hand for camping or keep in an emergency kit.
Insta-Fire Starter: This fire starting kit plus the flint fire start has become my favorite way to get quick fire started. Once you ignite the fire starter it holds a flame for a while, then you can add wood and other materials to stoke the flames.
Kelty Lowdown Couch: Works great for three adults, or one adult and lots of littles. We love sitting on this and sharing a blanket around the fire or reading together outside.
For other gear recommendations, be sure to check out these posts!
