Unfolding Wings and Favorite Things: Hiking with Small Children...Successfully

We're an outdoorsy type of family. And that means WE LOVE HIKING! We even take family vacations with the in-laws centered around hiking. My husband and I have been hikers for a very long time but when we added kids to the equation, it was a whole 'nother ballgame. We've learned some things along the way and I'm happy to say we have it down to a science. Here are my biggest tips for successful outdoor adventuring with the littles.

Take small hikes to build endurance first.
Please don't jump in with a 3 mile hike. Make sure you give little kids time to acclimate to the whole hiking shebang if they aren't used to it. When you're two years old it might seem overwhelming and crazy to walk endlessly on a narrow path when there is SO MUCH stuff to distract you. The more practice hiking you do at the park before the big day, the better. They will know the ropes and will build up endurance. That being said...

Assume you will have to carry them some of the way.
Forget the stroller. Unless you're hiking on a paved trail, it will be more hassle than it's worth. We've passed parents carrying both the baby and stroller on trails before. No judgment, just empathy. Pack that carrier, Mom and Dad. We have an Ergo and actually hide it until its needed. If I wear it around my waist to save space in the pack, the whining starts earlier, haha.

Don't buy anyone new shoes for the hike.
Nothing is worse than a two-hour hike in new shoes. That's an exaggeration. I can think of a lot of things that are worse (war, famine, injustice, misspelled rants about exes on facebook) but blisters are no fun. Remember those small hikes at the park? Those would be the time to break in those super cool Keens.

Bring an extra pair of socks for everyone. If you think there might be any water along the trail, it's always wise to have an extra pair for your puddle jumpers. If it's summer, I just put them in waterproof hiking shoes.

Make it fun! Sing funny songs together, take pictures along the way, point things out and explain
them, keep your eyes peeled for critters, bring binoculars, take a nature journal and make a sketching stop, take turns being trail leader...You get the idea. If you go with the attitude that you're on a fun-filled adventure, they will totally see it as a fun-filled adventure (until they're teenagers).

Pack enough water and snacks they like to eat.
All of that hiking is hard work. It's going to work up an appetite and make them thirsty. We typically pack a full water bottle per person for hikes under 4 hours. We pack fruit but also pack food that might fall into the questionable category under ordinary circumstances. Examples: trail mix loaded with chocolate chips, protein bars, yogurt covered raisins. I figure, if we're going to spike their insulin levels, it might as well be when they can use that extra glucose for energy. One of our hiking family friends has even dubbed Twizzlers their official hiking snack for their family.
Snacks can also come in handy if a bad case of the "ARE WE THERE YETS?" kicks in. Yes, this one might border on bribery. Okay, It's bribery. Remember when I didn't judge the guy carrying a stroller on a trail like a noob? How about returning the favor.

Layer clothing.
We like to hike in the mountains and on any given day there can be a huge temperature differential at the top. In the Summer we stick fleeces in our packs. In the Spring and Fall, we wear a water-wicking base layer (not cotton), long sleeves, pants and a coat. It's easier to remove clothing if you get too hot than it is to grow fur if you're cold and didn't bring your coat ~~like Mom told you to~~.

Plan for bugs.
Hats and tall socks are great for tick season. Wear bug repellant during the mosquito season. We have a few DEET-free bug sprays and I can attest that you do not need DEET in your bug repellant for it to be effective. Check everyone, including dogs, for ticks after you finish your hike.

Plan on not having a potty.
You might get lucky and pick a trailhead with running water, but don't count on it. Whatever this means for your family, plan accordingly.

Give everyone a small whistle.

This is especially important if you're hiking with a big group and there are some who lag behind. No one wants it to happen, but occasionally hikers can get separated or kids can wander off while grown-ups are looking at maps, etc... It makes me feel better knowing that even my two-year-old can blow her whistle if she would need to. The girls each have a "survival" bracelet we made from paracord. Survival is in parentheses because it would really only hold enough cord for some extra shoelaces. But hey, you never know when you'll need new shoelaces! We hook their whistles to their bracelets. They think it's neat.

And last but not least...

DO NOT GO OFF OF THE TRAIL.
Yes, this one should be common sense but I wanted to include it anyway. Why? Let me list a few reasons:
1)Rattlesnakes have been known to hang out in some pretty well-trodden areas.
2) Poisonous plants. Poison ivy can ruin your summer.
3) There is potential to become very lost.
4) Here's a fun one...Sinkholes. Yeah. It happened. Luckily we didn't have kids with us.

The last few bullet points seem a bit extreme but like I said, we've been hiking for years now and none of us have ever actually been in a dangerous situation. Common sense and a little planning go a long way to ensure you will have a great outdoor adventure.