Hiking with kids has become a huge part of my identity as a mom and content creator on social media. I love to share about my experiences, what has worked for me, what doesn’t work, and just bring people along on our adventures. Over the years I have shared dozens (maybe hundreds) of tips for hiking with kids.
While I love sharing everything I’ve learned about hiking with kids, I know I’m not the only one with tips and tricks that would be useful. So I decided it was time to get input from other moms who take their kids out hiking as well. Many of these moms live in different parts of the world, have kids with different abilities and temperaments, live in different climates, and just have overall different life experiences.
I reached out to my followers on Instagram and asked them what their best tips and tricks are when hitting the trails with their little ones. Many tips overlapped, some were things I had never even thought of, and all were gems I am excited to include in this post.
Thanks for writing this blog post with me! Here are 30 ideas to make hiking with kids successful.
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Picking a Trail:
- Pick a trail with lots of visual interest. Waterfalls, lakes, wildlife, fallen logs, etc. This can give your kids something to look forward to and make the hike feel more special.
- Choose out and back hikes that are downhill on the way back. This way when your kids are a little more tired after hiking to the halfway point, they don’t have to work as hard on the way back.
- Preview the trail first, to make sure it’s “The one”. Reading reviews and the trail description of a hike you want to do can give you a good idea if the trail is going to be a good fit for you and your kids.
- Try different types of terrain. Paved vs. unpaved, etc. You might find your kid has a preference and hikes better on one.
Prepare for the trail:
- Talk about the plan with your kids ahead of time. This helps set expectations and might help limit the amount of complaining or repeated questions if they know what to expect.
- Be intentional about where a nap will take place. Will they nap in the car, in the carrier, or back at home? This can help you time your hike so it works with your schedule.
- Keep your hiking essentials (sunscreen, bug spray, diapers, etc) already packed in a bag in your car so you don’t dread packing for even the smallest of hikes.
Gear to Bring:
- Doggie poop bags for soiled diapers: This can help keep the smell at bay when it’s in your hiking backpack.
- Wet bags for holding wet/dirty things: These are great if your potty training toddler has an accident, they fall in a muddy puddle, or spill food on themselves.
- Bring something for self defense and a Satellite Communicator when solo hiking with kids. Staying safe while hiking with your kids is the number one priority. Bring something that makes you feel safe (mace, bear spray, or something else). A satellite GPS communicator like the Garmin InReach Mini is a great piece of gear to have to be able to contact friends/family or search and rescue in an emergency even if you don’t have service.
- Bring an umbrella to shade kiddos. Creating your own shade with an umbrella when there is none is a great way to keep kids out of the heat and happier on the trail.
- Toddler neck pillow for naps: If you find that your toddler has a hard time napping in the carrier, and they look uncomfortable, a neck pillow is worth a try!
- Rain suit: A rain suit is a great way to keep your little one totally dry on the trail. It also lets them play in the puddles and mud without ruining their clothes underneath.
- A second shirt for yourself after you summit or when stopping for food on the way home: Nothing feels better than taking off your sweaty shirt after a day of carrying kids up a mountain.
- Invest in good base layers and outerwear – it really does make a difference. Here are some of my favorites for my kids layers for hiking.
Toys and Kid Supplies:
- A small bag for kids to collect “Treasures”. Letting your kids hold onto the exciting things they find can be really fun and inviting for them. Just make sure you Leave No Trace and don’t pick the flowers or take things that should be left for everyone to enjoy. My kids love their Lil’ Louie Slings for this. (Discount Code Hailey15)
- Have kids pack their own hiking supplies in a little backpack. Giving kids responsibilities on the trail is a great way to encourage them to hike and feel like it’s “their” hike, not just something they have to do with mom/dad. Letting them pack their own backpack and carry it on the trail is a great way to do this.
- Low top hiking shoes promote good development rather than boots. Make sure the shoes your kids hike in are comfortable and designed for growing feet. Check out my Guide to Toddler Hiking Shoes for my recommendations.
Thriving on the Trail:
- Play Games! These are some of my favorite games for hiking with kids recommended by you:
- Follow the Snake– Draw a line in the dirt behind you with a stick as you walk and have your kids follow the path.
- I Spy– Everyone takes turn finding something on the trail, saying what color it is (ex: “I spy something purple” when thinking of a purple flower) and letting others guess what it is.
- Treasure Hunters– Make a simple map of the trail with destinations for the kids to look for.
- Scavenger Hunt– Ask your kids to find 5 rocks, or look for the trail marker with a triangle, etc.
- Bounty Hunter– Give a penny for every butterfly, lizard, purple flower, etc you see.
- Bottle Roller– Roll your water bottle down the trail whenever you’re headed downhill.
- Use your imagination– “The hiking backpack is a spaceship” etc. How many different ways can you travel on the same trail?
- Practice nature words and colors – Use the Seek app to identify wildflowers and plants.
- Stay Cool on the trail. Bring a misting water bottle, a wet rag to soak and tie around yours and your kids’ neck.
- Don’t listen to music! Hiking is a great time to chat with and get to know your kids.
- 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.
- Read up on what berries and plants are edible and do some foraging. A favorite app of mine to use to identify plants while on the trail is called “Seek“
- Take wiggle breaks, dance breaks, “recharge” on a rock. This can help break up the monotony and make the hike a little more fun. Remember to go at the kids’ pace, not your own.
Mindset/ Expectations:
- Start Small. Plan for fewer miles than you did pre-baby. You can start adding length to your hike as your kid gets stronger and older.
- Hike often from a young age and they will learn to love it. When something is just a “normal” part of the routine, kids question it less. This is one of the tips I share in my post about Tips to Help Your Toddler Hike on Their Own. You can read it to find more tips.
- Remember to praise them on their hiking. Comment on how strong their legs, feet, arms, etc are.
- Try not to look/ behave frustrated if your pace is slower than you want. It’s not about miles, but about time together out in nature. Kids notice our emotions and can relate them to the activity at hand. Try and make it positive and enjoyable.
- Dirt don’t hurt & makes for great memories. Don’t stress if your kids get really dirty on a hike. This is the fun part for them. If you are constantly trying to keep them clean, you will end up frustrated and with unhappy kids who don’t look at hiking as fun.
- Take notes on how the trail went. What worked or didn’t work? What would you try if you were to hike that trail again? Try and implement these changes on your next hike.
I hope these tips give you a few new ideas to try! I’m personally excited to play “Follow the Snake” with my kids next time we are on the trail. I have implemented a lot of these ideas on our own adventures and can tell you they will change the game if you’re struggling when hiking with kids. Let me know what you think about these tips, and any others you think I should add to the list.
If you thought this post was helpful, check out some of my other posts about Hiking with Kids:
