Tips and Tricks for Hiking with Kids

• Ask if they want to go on an “adventure” not a “hike.” 

• Let them set the pace. 

• No death marches! 

• Take breaks based on kids’ needs and wants, not yours. 

• Carry an arsenal of distractions: lots of games, lots of enticing snacks. 

• Have a destination at hike’s end. Water locations (lakes, rivers, waterfalls) are particularly good, especially if the kids can play in them. 

• Children up to age 3 tend to “wander” not “hike.” 

• 3-year-olds may be able to hike up to a mile on easy, flat terrain. 

• At age 4, longer hikes may become possible, with distance increasing from 1 mile to several miles over the next few years.

Labels: Hiking, Kids