10 Best Tips to Start Hiking With Children

So, you want to start hiking with your kids? Awesome! Family hiking is a lot of fun, and it creates wonderful memories. New hikers have a lot of questions: how to get started, what to pack, where to go, and how to start hiking WITH KIDS?

Hey, I’m Maria from PlacesWeCallHome, and I’m thrilled to be here with you at The Road Knott Taken. Our family began hiking with two children in backpack carriers, and while I don’t miss carrying a child up big elevation gains, I love our memories from those early hikes. The children are now ages 6-10, so we’ve picked up some good tips over the years. 

Here are 10 Best Tips for getting your family hiking. As your children grow, you’ll see their progression of skills and abilities and see their love for nature grow, and you’ll be so thankful you started this hobby!

1. Start now and hike often

The best way to start hiking with your children is to just get out there and do it! Start now and hike often. If your children are small, invest in a good carrier – no one is too young to enjoy nature! Don’t worry too much about all the others stuff on this list. The important thing is to get started and make it fun so everyone will want to go hiking again. 

2. Pack lots of snacks & water (of course)

Any parent knows that snacks can make or break *any* activity, and hiking is no different. When hiking pack high protein and healthy snacks. Think about what your child would typically eat for a snack and then pack more. It doesn’t hurt to throw some more snacks in the car for after the hike. I usually believe less is more, but not when it comes to snacks. Hungry children = no fun. 

Also pack plenty of water. When you’re just starting to hike with kids, the water bottle they use for school or daycare is perfect. One water bottle per person with an extra in your bag just in case, and you’re good to go (unless it’s really hot- then pack more). 

3. Choose the right trail

Choosing the right trail is essential for success. Your children do NOT want a flat, boring trail. 

Children want to explore, jump, dip their toes in water, imagine evading Aragog in a creepy forest (any other Harry Potter fans?), meet a fairy, find wild animals, climb Mount Everest, cross the Sahara, find the cave that leads to a pile of gold…  you get where I’m going here? Flat, straight, wide, gravel/paved trails do not ignite imagination.  

We personally love the All Trails App. It makes it so easy to find a good trail. You can filter by all kinds of things, such as trail difficulty, location, or activity. Once I set our filters a list pops up, and I look at the pictures and reviews from other hikers and see if the trail sparks imagination. 

Another tip to start hiking as a family is to choose a trail with a destination, such as a lake where they can swim, a waterfall, a bridge, or a lookout. Having this goal can push your family to go a little farther and the reward of the destination is motivating for kids (and adults!). If your children are like mine, you will want to try rock scrambles. This is where you’re actually climbing/walking up rocky areas on the trail. Again, spark the imagination!

4. Wear the right shoes, clothing, and gear

Getting your family started in hiking is not expensive—really you just need a good pair of sneakers, a water bottle, and a phone (for emergencies/maps), but here are some things to keep in mind: 

• SHOES: 
  • I know crocs are awesome for kids, but not for hiking. You want your children in real sneakers. Sneakers they can get muddy, wet, or ripped – you want your children to enjoy and explore, not worry about ruining their shoes.
  • You may want to throw an extra pair of socks or some water shoes in your bag if you’re going somewhere where they can splash in water. 
  • Hiking shoes feel different than sneakers and offer more stability and grip; they’re worth the investment if you start to hike often
  • If you’re hiking on icy trails, you need crampons – these are spikes that attach to your winter boots, and they make a world of difference
• CLOTHING:
  • we always have extra clothes – at a minimum I recommend a packable long-sleeved layer in case it gets cold. Layers are your friend while hiking!
  • We also always pack extra clothes if we’re hitting a water destination. It’s easier to have fun if you don’t have to walk back to the car soaking wet. 
• GEAR –you’re welcome to check out my whole list of hiking gear for families, but if you’re just beginning to hike, hold off on the fun gear and start with the basics: 
  • a backpack for each child – your child is never too young to carry his own pack, even if he’s just carrying a few lightweight things. Older children should carry their own water and snacks and emergency gear (see below). They may also want to pack a magnifying glass, a book about local plants, binoculars, a camera, a notebook, colored pencils… 
  • a backpack for you – as the parent you must carry what your family can’t (which is why you want them carrying things right from the beginning- you can’t possibly carry it all!) Any backpack you have lying around will do, but side pockets for water bottles are a bonus.
  • water bottle
  • phone for map/gps/calls/photos

5. Go early

The earlier you can be on the trail, the better. A lot of times we find there’s limited parking (or none!) by 10:30am. If we get on the trail around 8/8:30 the children are full of morning energy and we usually have the trail to ourselves, which is GREAT for exploring and taking our time. Speaking of which…

6. Go at their pace

Hiking with kids… “hiking” should have huge finger air quotes around it. Haha. If you’re expecting non-stop, hard walking, think again. 

Your children want to climb, put their feet in the water, check out leaves, examine bugs, collect pinecones, swordfight with sticks, smell the flowers… I could probably add a hundred more things to this list before I get to “your children want to walk.” 

Pushing them to walk, walk, walk and hurry leads to frustration, tired legs, and tears, and then no one wants to hike again. Take it slow. The joy is in the journey, not the destination. 

If your children are very young, like under 3, you will do a mix of carrying them and letting them walk. This is a slow going, but it’s important to let them walk for a bit. 

As your children get older, around the 4-6 age range, they should be able to walk the whole time and carry a very light backpack. Keep your hikes (air quotes!) short and sweet, with lots of time to explore and dilly-dally on the trail. 

Our children are now ages 6-10, and we’ve entered a new stage of hiking and exploring… we can easily do four miles, and they don’t stop to look for bugs that much anymore, but they do lots of climbing, jumping, and “tricks” (Mom! Watch this! Wait, that wasn’t it…), so we are still moving at their pace. 

7. Be prepared

Know your trail, the weather, and your children. It’s no fun to be cold. It’s no fun to be thirsty or hungry, sunburnt, wet, or stung by a bee.  That means you need to be prepared! Think of what season you’re in, where you’re going, and what you plan on doing while hiking. Will you need extra mittens & hats, hand warmers, dry socks, towels, bug spray, or sunblock? Don’t forget some basic first aid!

There are LOTS of extensive (intimidating) first aid lists and kits online. You should always pack for your location, risks, and special needs. We have young children, no allergies, and only do small hikes. I’ve never used most of what’s in my homemade first aid kit, but better safe than sorry! Here’s what I pack: 

Band-Aids- assorted sizes including butterflies

Neosporin

wet wipes – this is the most used item. They have a huge placebo effect and can take care of almost anything we encounter 😉

tweezers, small scissors and nail clippers

Benadryl, Tylenol and Claritin

no-touch hydrocortisone and/or no-touch pain relief

8. Know trail rules and etiquette 

Getting your family into hiking is just like any other activity- you need to set expectations and teach your children the rules.  If you know me, you know I like rules for children. It gives them security and enables everyone to have fun because they know exactly what is and isn’t allowed. 

Review safety rules, like staying to the right, especially on trails with lots of bikers (I’ve been known to yell, “Ducks in a line!” when the cyclists come into view). If there’s a poison ivy notice at the trail head, remind the children to stay on the trail at all times. If you’re hiking to a waterfall, remind them no toes in the water until an adult is watching you. 

You know your children; think about some rules they would need to be safe. Some examples are don’t eat berries, don’t touch mushrooms, don’t run ahead too far, don’t take your shirt off, don’t use the sticks as lightsabers… whatever you need to say, say it!

Show our children the blazes (the little markers that lead you down the trail) and we talk about which colors/symbols we’re going to follow. 

Have an “I’m alone” plan. Each child should carry their own water & snacks, and a whistle and emergency blanket, and know what to do if they get separated from an adult. A lot of websites suggest children carry a compass. Personally, we are hiking in suburban areas, not the wilderness, so I would rather our children stay where they are (get warm and dry if needed) and use the whistle to signal for help than try to navigate anywhere. You should have an “I’m alone” plan just like you have a fire plan at your house. 

We also discuss trail etiquette, especially Leave No Trace. You can read all about the 7 Principles here and find a lot of great resources for kids here, but the gist of Leave No Trace means that you’ve thoughtfully prepared for your hike and take care to leave nature just as you found it, including not trampling plants or taking anything home with you, and carrying out all your trash. It also means you’re respectful of wildlife and other hikers. Summed up in a sentence: Be gentle, kind and respectful to the earth and all the creatures and people in it.  

9. Stay positive and know when to quit 

When your family is just starting to hike, it’s important to be very upbeat and use lots of positive reinforcement. Remind your children how strong they are, how brave, what great walkers, what good listeners, how you can’t believe they spotted that bug, or noticed how many different greens there are in the forest… lay it on THICK! You want your child to think she’s Bear Grylls, nature expert extraordinaire!

Know when to stop for a snack before the meltdowns and bad moods arrive. 

And know when to quit and head back. You know your children, and you know it’s better to quit while you’re ahead. By turning back while everyone is still having fun and upbeat, you’ll ensure your family wants to go for another hike another day. 

10. Make it fun

Getting into hiking as a family can be so fun! The time spent together – alone and unconnected—offers great conversation, family memories, and lots of opportunities to bond. It’s easy to be silly when there’s no one else around. It’s easy to challenge each other, joke around, and laugh when the endorphins are pumping. It’s easy to be filled with wonder when you’re looking down at the world from a birds-eye-view lookout, or watching a mighty river flow past you, or taking in the stillness of a forest.

There you have it. The 10 Best Tips to start hiking with children. 

Hiking is a fabulous family activity.  It’s not an expensive hobby. It’s educational. It’s good for family connections. It’s great exercise. It increases creativity. It fosters a sense of awe. It teaches responsibility. It boosts confidence… I mean, what more could you ask for? 

Get out there this weekend and explore your world!

About the Author: Maria Kemery is passionate about inspiring moms to find joy in the ordinary moments of motherhood and life. She helps moms organize their homes, so they have time for what really matters. She encourages moms to connect with their children through creative activities, playful learning, and new adventures. Maria is a stay-at-home mom to three remarkable children; she loves reading and planning adventures; she’s an expert at moving houses; and her perspective on motherhood evolves with each new place she calls home. 

Check out this hilarious parody of The Road Knott Taken on the trail.