I love getting outdoors with the kids hiking. It’s good for the soul, helps regulate our emotions and generally increases those good feels. The problem is – the kids. Ok so not all the time, but let’s face it, hiking with kids isn’t always easy. In-between the loveliness there is the whinging and complaining soundtrack you didn’t request to download. I often drive to the location white-knuckled questioning my life choices.

But the funny thing is, that once you are out there, the kids become happy, engaged and start to explore the world around them. These are the times I remind myself that we want our children to grow up with this same love and passion for adventuring that we have. It’s rewarding watching how they discover the world around them, it’s just that sometimes as with most things in life – we have to take the messy, mind-blowingly frustrating bits with these glimmers.

Over time, I’ve figured out a few tricks to help me out, and I’m happy to share them with you. Disclaimer – they don’t always work, but sometimes they do.

Here are my top 9 tips for surviving and thriving on a hike with your kids

Leave the decision making up to them

They think they know it all, so let them. I mean, obviously there are parameters – we still have to be ‘parents’. Offer two or three destinations, discuss them with the kids, then let them decide where the adventure will be. This will give them ownership you can hold them to if things get tough.

Hiking with kids

Wear the right clothes

I know right – a bit bloody obvious, but honestly I feel compelled to mention it because I’ve seen some dodgy footwear on children. Let’s see – Ugg Boots and slippers for climbing rocks…I kid you not. Also be sure to take clothes that suit the conditions. This includes suitable closed in shoes and hats. A small first aid pack will also ease worries – the magic of a band aid cannot be disputed. I learned this recently when I didn’t pack first aid for a very quick trip to the wilderness and we had an altercation with a bull ant that did not end very well…

Out and about

Safety

Getting the kids help set the safety rules, will help them remember. My one main rule is ‘line of site’. They must always be able to see an adult in our group, and each other. It’s  non-negotiable.

Snacks and Water

Listen, I don’t care – I feed my kids shit if it shuts them the f@ck up…well when I’m out and about, at home is a different situation. When hiking with kids there’s no such thing as too miuch food. Bribe them with chocolate and lollies, whatever works for you. Aside from the ‘end of hike picnic’ I keep in the car Esky, I load up on snacks for the trail. Freddo Frogs are our go-to quick sugar fix and I stuff lollies into the snack pockets of their hiking backpacks.

I’ll also pack a mini picnic to have on trail, things like vegetable sticks, fruit and cracker biscuits, small packets of crisps and trail mix. I use these to encourage the kids to walk a bit further before resting. “In 10 minutes, we can stop for a rest and a snack”.

My non-negotiable is my jetboil. There’s nothing quite like a cup of tea in the bush, and the kids love it too. We find a beautiful space to sit and enjoy our cuppa. Having a break re-energises the kids, helping them focus on where they can explore next.

I usually overdo the water, I have to have enough for drinking but most importantly for my cup of tea. I’ve got the kids their own hiking backpacks now so they can easily use a water bladder.

Hiking with kids

Goal setting

This is where a bit of education comes into it. As we prepare for our hike, and on the drive (to stop them arguing mostly), I get the kids to think about what they hope to experience on the hike and set goals around that.  Rock climbing has been big on the list for many years, so we use that as a focus to encourage the kids to go that bit further.

As we hike, I’ll chunk the hike down into smaller more manageable parts – just like in normal goal setting. This helps the kids get through the whingey whiney parts. Point out landmarks to aim for, letting them have a short break on arrival.

I entice the kids to go a little further by talking about what we may find. There may be rocks or an amazing view, we won’t know until we get there…sometimes it works. I also use moments of challenge to teach hiking technique – how to pace, how to handle hills and the art of distraction. This generally involves invoking the senses.

Hiking with kids

The Sensory experience

Using the senses is a great distraction technique when things get hard, when muscles begin to fatigue and legs get sore. It also teaches the children how they can connect to the environment around them in a simple way.

To do this, I make observations as we walk. I ask the kids to pay attention to their surroundsings and notice the colours of the bush and what they hear – bird song, the sound of our footsteps, the rustle of leaves. I get them to describe what they feel – the breeze on their faces, the way the bark of a tree or the leaves of a plant feels on their fingertips as they walk by. I encourage them to breathe deeply and close their eyes, noticing the smells of the bush and ask them to describe these sensations to me. When we reflect on our day, we revisit these sensations again.

Making friends with nature

Treasure Hunting

Everyone loves finding treasure, and if you want to get your kids engaged with the bush around them, this works a treat. The first way I do this is by giving each child their own treasure bag. I use the Woolworths shopping bags that fold up and fit in your handbag. They can fill that bag with treasure they find but there are rules– the items must be found on the ground – fallen leaves, bark, sticks, seed pods and small stones. They are not to destroy any living thing or disturb any ecosystem. At the end of the hike, or when we have a break they can use their treasure to make nature art, and before we leave it all needs to be left behind. If there is a special stick or leaf, they can bring that home as a memory keeper. But that’s it.

This serves a couple of purposes, if you have a kid like my boy who loves collecting things – any bit of nature or found object, it saves your pocket space. It also makes the kids observant. We talk about the treasures that are found, observing how they look and feel and how they are designed to survive in the environment.

When the kids were little, I made them each a Treasure Collecting Book when we went out exploring. It’s quite simple to do. Get a small pile of paper sandwich bags making sure the openings are at the top. Then wrap in plain A4 paper to make a cover, and staple together, making a book. When the kids have collected their nature treasure, their most precious pieces get put in one of the bags, creating a book of treasure. The front of the bag can be drawn on, have a story written on it about the item, or just some notes about the hike and your child’s memories. Then they can take it to school for show and tell and talk about their adventure or keep it as a memory keeper.

Nature art

Whether it’s on a longer break, or when our hike has finished, the children use their treasures to create nature art. They’ll thread small sticks through dried leaves, create small cairns (nothing big and damaging to the environment) and create patterns using leaves, sticks and seed pods.

Timing is everything

Taking the kids hiking is about giving them an experience they’ll learn from and keep positive memories of, so they come back for more. The reality of hiking with kids is that you must be flexible and just accept it will be what it will be. You’ll have your goal, and then they have their way of doing things. Little legs fatigue, they get tired and lose interest. Meanwhile you are trying your hardest to push for that 10km finish. Pay attention to their behaviour and know when it’s time to go home. A short time is still a brilliant time.

After a hiking adventure, we make a point of reflecting on our time in the bush. Asking questions such as ‘what was your favourite part?’ ‘What surprised you?’ and getting them to tell you more helps reinforce the experience.

Children love adventure and there’s nothing better than listening to them talking with each other relaying their best memories. It makes the hard bits worthwhile.