Hiking,  Family,  Hiking,  New Hampshire,  Travel,  United States

Top 10 Tips for Hiking with Kids

April 20, 2020 /

Hiking with kids can certainly be an adventure, but it also creates amazing memories! We’ve done a bunch of hikes with our kiddos and have come up with a list of tips to share with you!

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Hiking with Kids

1. Make sure that you are familiar with hiking best practices and have the essential gear you need for hiking. NH Fish and Game has a wonderful site with great guidance here. I imagine that your state does, as well, so check it out!

2. Consider a child carrier. We carried Little Man through age 3 and it was super helpful! If you’re just figuring out if you like hiking, a soft sided carrier (like a Tula or Ergo) would be fine. However, a true hiking carrier is definitely more comfortable for longer hikes; it better distributes the weight and the structure keeps you both cooler. We use an Osprey Poco; you can read about why here.

osprey hiking carrier

3. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks. Snacks are essential to keeping the kiddos happy and are a great bribe to get them up to the top!! We generally don’t let them snack on the way up, but once we get up they each have their own little snack bag filled with things like kids clif bars, fruit pouches, apples, pretzels, and a “high value” treat like fruit snacks. We like to use reusable snack bags like this.

4. Have the kiddos carry their own backpacks. L has been carrying her own bag since she started hiking. We usually put in a small water bottle, one of her layers, and her snack bag; that way her bag isn’t too heavy, but she is still being responsible for her own necessities. However, the main reason they carry their own bags is so that we have something to grab to help them during the hike. We can use it to help them up a big step or to keep them in control while going down hill. Both our kiddos have used versions of this bag, as it’s the perfect size for the littles!

hiking with kids

5. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes. We all wear hiking boots when we hike as we feel they help to prevent twisted ankles and help ensure that we get the best footing. Many people hike in solid sneakers, as well. Definitely don’t put your kids (or yourself) in crocs, Keds, flip-flops, etc.; you’re just asking for an injury! You can read about the boots we put our kiddos in here.

6. Have your kiddos be the trail marker finders. We show our kiddos the trail marker at the beginning of the trail so they know what to look for and then they are responsible for finding them during the hike. This is a great activity if you are carrying an older kiddo, as it gives him/her something to do. Little Man was great at spotting a “white rectangle!” or an “orange rectangle!” last year. Not only does this teach your kiddos trail navigating skills, but it helps keep their little brains focused on something other than walking. However, do keep an eye out for the markers yourself, just incase the kiddos get distracted… (and they will get distracted and/or forget at some point!)!

kids hiking

7. Look for squirrels/spiders/chipmunks/dinosaurs/flowers. We always keep our eyes and ears open for interesting things along the trail. L likes to look for interesting flowers and bugs, while Little Man loves looking for dinosaurs. We’ve seen many a squirrel while hunting for dinosaurs (squirrels often sound a lot bigger if they are running through leaves) and we’ve also seen some pretty cool flora and fauna. Not only is this a chance to subtly teach the kiddos about things one finds in nature, but it again serves the purpose of keeping their little brains distracted.

8. Bring snacks to leave in the car for after the hike. We always eat all of our packed snacks at the top of the mountain, but definitely need another snack at the bottom (especially the kiddos)! I usually try to bring something different than what I packed for the hike, just to switch it up a little. We also always pack extra water for the car and some gatorade or the like if it’s a hot day. We started putting the water in insulated bottles (like this) with a lot of ice; it’s amazing to come back to some chilled water at the end! We tend to bring clean water bottles for the kiddos to use, as well, as you never know how many times their hiking bottles will get dropped in the dirt on the hike.

water break

9. Bring shoes to change into after you hike. Your shoes will be dirty and the kiddos’ shoes will be dirty; trust me, you don’t want all that dirt and mud tracked into the car! Plus, taking your feet out of your boots after a hike is an amazing feeling, no matter how comfortable your boots are!

10. Pick an appropriate trail for your family. Don’t try and hike a 4,000 ft mountain on your first hike, or second, or third for that matter. Start small and easy to allow the kids to gain confidence and skill. There are many trails that offer big rewards for easier hikes. Mt. Willard and Mt. Kearsarge from Rollins State Park are great first hikes. When you get to the top, take some time to enjoy the views and enjoy your snacks. We always try and get an early start to our hikes to ensure that we have enough time to enjoy the top (it’s also less crowded in the morning). Additionally, our kiddos tend to get tired in the afternoon so hitting the trails in the morning also helps them to be at their best for the hike!

Our most important tip for you, however, is to enjoy the time with your family. Have fun, embrace the experience, and create memories.

kids at summit
hiking with kids pinterest

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