What you need to know about hiking with kids

There are so many benefits for kids to be outdoors. They get to exercise, breathe fresh air, escape from daily distractions, get to know and appreciate nature. They grow in confidence, self-sufficiency and independence.

My 10 year old used to really struggle at the beginning of our hikes, especially the new ones when he did not know where we were going and how far. One day I pointed out to him that physically he was probably the fittest of us, but mentally he was struggling the most. He observed that the higher he climbed, the calmer became his mind. He stopped complaining after that and now he is the one who comes to encourage me when he sees me struggling on a steep hill.

My 8 year old said to me the other day as we were leaving for a hike: ” I don’t want to go, but I know I will be happy when we are out in nature!” I was really proud of him! He observed that often at the beginning of a hike he had to overcome this feeling of laziness, and once he got past that, he felt really good and could keep going for quite a while. He even told his brother about it, and while they were talking about it they climbed uphill for 2.5 miles.

However, to make these outings fun for the entire family, there are a few things you need to know before you go.

It is only fun, as long as everyone is safe

Organization is key!
Make sure the hikes you chose correspond to your family’s fitness level. Check the length and elevation of your hike before you leave (Alltrails.com is a great source of information for that)
Check your gear! Make sure you have good shoes with good soles, hiking poles are super useful especially on steep hills, quick drying clothes and pants where you can unzip the legs are very convenient for temperature regulation. Wear layers and bring a change if you sweat a lot.
Check the weather and temperature before you go and make sure it is within a comfortable range.
Bring enough healthy snacks, water, and food for everyone.
Sun protection (hat and sunscreen) are very important too.
Pack a windbreaker lightweight jacket for rain or wind. Temperatures and weather can change quickly, especially if you climb up high.
Always have a first aid kit in your backpack.
Know where you go! Bring a map and compass, GPS or trail app like Alltrails (don’t forget to download your maps so you have access even when you are offline and make sure your phone battery is full. Put it on airplane mode if you have no reception, it will last longer.)
If you bring a dog, make sure you have water and food for her too, don’t take her if the temperature is above 75F and there is no shade on the trail.
Be aware of your surroundings! Here in southern California there are ticks, bees, rattlesnakes, mountain lions, coyotes, cacti, poison oaks etc. Usually, if you pay attention and stay away from the plants and give the animals space, they will leave you alone too.

Kids are different from adults

While you might be enjoying the views and the peace and quiet, they might be ecstatic about a bug that crawls around their feet, or fascinated by a shiny rock that you were about to step on.
You are probably happiest with a slow and steady pace on a nice trail, kids are more stop and go, climbing on big boulders and tree branches, jumping off rocks and exploring caves, always seeking for adventure.
Kids have lots of energy, but they need to refuel often. They need lots of snack breaks, and plenty of water. Mine are proudly carrying their own small backpacks with healthy fruit snacks, salty crackers, cereal bars, water bottles and even sandwiches.

How to keep them motivated

Letting them participate in choosing the destination will make them want to get out. My boys love waterfalls, boulder climbing, narrow canyons, climbing on steep hills, and views of areas they recognize. They don’t enjoy long, flat hikes! That’s really boring to them.
Geocaching can be a great motivation to go out and explore.
If you have a dog, let them bring their furry friend and hold the leash. This has been really motivating and fun for mine. Just make sure your dog can handle the hike, and bring water and food for her too.
Educational signs on some trails get their attention and help motivate them to go look for the next one.
Print a trail map and let them have one too so they know where they are and how far they need to go to that waterfall.
We participated in a 50 hike challenge and got half of it done. They were proud to participate in this with us.
Going with friends every once in a while can also be fun. They will proudly show their friends the trails they are already familiar with.
Changes in scenery are a great way to keep them entertained. One hike we did was just after they had watched “Avatar – The last Airbender”. We had five sections in our hike: wood nation, grass nation, water nation, rock nation, ice nation : ) They loved it and still talk about it, and even though it was one of the hardest hikes we have done so far, they asked to do it again.