Comments on: 5 Tips For Hiking With Young Kids From an Outdoors Dad

By: Michael Lanza

Michael Lanza — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 01:31:10 +0000

In reply to Mystic. Thank you for the compliment and I hope you feel welcome and at home in our country, and get to enjoy many hikes with your kids.

By: Mystic

Mystic — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 01:09:20 +0000

Thank you. This was very useful. We are immigrants in this great country and never grew up with hiking. So this kind of wisdom really helps us to pass this on to our kids and create great memories. Thank you so much.

By: MichaelALanza

MichaelALanza — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 17:11:01 +0000

In reply to Jim Gavin. Thanks for sharing your ideas and experience, Jim. Regarding cold, wet weather, I've long been a believer that you should try to outfit your kids as well as you outfit yourself, to keep them more comfortable and happier.

By: Jim Gavin

Jim Gavin — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:43:09 +0000

Great ideas and article. I am 62 and raised two boys with many outdoor experiences. Meltdowns are going to happen; be prepared to talk through these things. Kids get overwhelmed by the unknown and can be intimidated by the experience. My wife would bring along Boxcar Children books to read along the trail. I would bring along a deck of Garfield Crazy Eights, and when the boys started getting a little squirrelly, we would get out the deck and play a game.

Get them involved in fixing their problem. A warm spot in a boot, a loose strap or a broken shoelace can all be mitigated by active involvement in the cure. Hard candy on long uphills or at the end of the day can help with distracting the young mind from the task at hand. Most of all, be prepared to modify your trip or stay home if the weather is miserable. A little rain never hurt anyone but being cold AND wet does not make for a quality outdoor family experience. Also be prepared to modify your plans if your child is having a “off” day.

By: michaellanza

michaellanza — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 12:34:27 +0000

In reply to gemmajaneadventures. Thanks Gemma. Ben Nevis is an impressive hike for young kids; my wife and I did it when our kids were too young to join us. I also want to take my family to New Zealand, where I've hiked a few times, now that our kids are old enough for it.

By: gemmajaneadventures

gemmajaneadventures — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 10:10:04 +0000

Awesome post! I remember the lure of ‘anti moaning sweets’ when I was a kid, and regular short breaks to consume fudge certainly got a 9yr old me and my 7yr old sister up Ben Nevis (The tallest mountain in the UK) Get your kids hiking when they’re little and they’ll love it… although you may end up regretting it when the roles are reversed (I took my parents on a couple of multi day hikes when they came to visit me in New Zealand, then I was the one trying to motivate/ take care of them!) We all had fun though, and I’m glad they dragged me on walks when I was little, because I love going hiking now! 🙂