5 Tips for Hiking with Kids

Hiking with kids is a lot of fun—except when it isn’t. I grew up overnight backpacking with my parents through the Canadian Rockies for family vacations. As a mom, I frequently drag invite my kids out on dayhikes with me around Vancouver. Over the past decade, I’ve learned how to keep these hikes fun for everyone. Here are my tear-free tips for hiking with kids:

Check Trail Reviews Before You Go

I have several trail guide books for hikes around Vancouver. I also look up the trail on local hiking websites, or use friend’s recommendation to pick a trail. I’ll check how long the trail is, what the difficulty level is, and what we might encounter along the way—from scenery to keep the kids interested to challenges we may have to overcome.

For example, right now, my kids can hike a trail under 5 km, but we’ve stretched that to 8 km on occasion (for certain hikes that have become known as “the long, long hikes!”). The kids are pretty good with stairs, rocks and roots. We’re careful about ladders or ropes. And any trail with scenery like waterfalls, bridges, or viewpoints is great.

Pack Snacks and Water

This should be obvious, but more than once we’ve started out on a trail without enough water or snacks. Sometimes this was because we decided to do the hike at the last minute, or the day was hotter than expected so we drank more water.

Even if you’re heading out on a short hike, take snacks. Well-fed kids are happier kids (and they can’t complain if they’re chewing). Water is a must, especially on a warm summer day. We have a camelback that holds 3 litres of water. It’s heavy, but I know it’s got enough water for all of us (or for one thirsty kid, if she happens to be carrying the backpack and drinking as she walks…).

I also like to pack a special snack or drink for the viewpoint, turnaround, or out-right bribery. My dad often carried chocolate-covered almonds on our hikes. If he saw me flagging along, he’d say, “I think I’ll have some almonds when I get to the top of THAT hill.” I always got to that hill with him. Juice or lemonade work as motivation as well, or your child’s favourite candy.

Carry When Necessary

This summer, my kids range in age from 11 years to 18 months. My oldest can help piggy-back her youngest two siblings for short stretches. My 9-year-old and 6-year-old love running ahead or leading the way. My 3-year-old can hike quite a bit if she wants. My youngest is a solid little guy who loves to run and can cover quite a bit of distance if I let him.

When we’re out hiking, I usually wear a baby carrier while my husband has our daypack. He’ll carry one of the kids on his shoulders if they’re tired. I can carry either of the younger two in my baby carrier.

If you have a child who only rides in the baby carrier occasionally, I’d recommend taking a smaller carrier that you can hide in your backpack. Don’t pull it out until your toddler needs it. On one hike, my toddler saw me get out the baby carrier for the baby and assumed she was riding. She got upset when I put the baby in the carrier, and I spent the first half of the trail bribing, coaxing, and threatening her along. On the second half, she got into her stride and I had to tell my older kids, “Keep up with the toddler please!”

Make It Fun (and Educational)

My kids love hikes where there’s something to find or see. For example, one trail near Vancouver has tea pots along the last several kilometers. The girls frequently talk about that trail because they had so much fun finding and counting tea pots.

You could also give your child a scavenger hunt page before starting the trail. They can look for flowers, leaves, birds, trail markers, etc. and check it off on their list as they find it.

Something else my girls like to do is pose for pictures. They’ll run along the trail until they find a tree stump, rock or something else to pose on or beside. Then they’ll wait, smiling, until I arrive and snap the picture. It keeps them moving, and I get a lot of fun pictures for family photo albums and calendars.

You could also give one child the camera and see what pictures they take. My 11-year-old has my old point-and-shoot camera, and often takes it along with her on hikes. She’s the least fond of hiking, so having a camera gives her another way to enjoy the great outdoors.

Singing is a fun way to keep everyone walking. We sing marching songs like, “The Ants Go Marching,” or “We Are the Dinosaurs.” Pick your favourite hiking songs or kids’ songs and get the kids to sing along. (If there are a lot of other people on the trail, keep the singing quiet to be considerate!)

Hike with a Friend

Finally, nothing makes a hike better than bringing along a friend! Find another family who enjoys hiking and invite them out with you. There will be more adults to carry the younger kids, and older kids are less likely to whine in the presence of their friends. Win-win for all!

Do your kids enjoy hiking? What tips would you share for keeping everyone happy on the trail?

Bonnie Way is a stay-at-home mom with five children ages 11 to 1. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a history minor and loves reading historical fiction. Bonnie enjoys downhill skiing in the winter and biking with her kids in the summer. When she’s not homeschooling, she can be found blogging as the Koala Mom.