Contrary to popular belief, hiking is something that people of all ages can do. From kids to grandparents, anyone can hike.
This explains why a lot of parents try to get their kids to try this fun activity.
Sure, hiking is fun and fires up the spirit of adventure in your kids. But you have to take precautions first.
Before you go on a hike with your kids, here are eight simple tips to make the adventure fun and safe at the same time:
Choose an Exciting and Safe Destination
If you’re not an expert hiker and your kids haven’t ever been on a hike with you, you have to be more careful of the hiking trail you want to hike. You want the destination to be as safe as possible.
Nothing challenging or dangerous should come along your way as much as possible, so your first hike is not stressful.
However, safe doesn’t have to mean boring. You should also find a hiking trail that has gorgeous sights along the way. That way, your kids will find something to admire while on the hike.
You want a course where there are many things for you and your kids to point out, observe, and talk about while hiking.
Gear Up
You have to ensure that you bring all the necessary hiking gear before you set out for your hiking trip with the kids.
The essential hiking equipment, aside from the food, water, and shelter, will have to be your navigational tools. Ensure you have a map of the area and a compass, not the ones on your phone.
Another hiking gear after the navigational tools you should bring with you should be your hiking or trekking poles.
Even if you aren’t hiking in rough terrain, it might still be a good idea to bring hiking poles with you. Your kids might not have good hand-eye coordination, so having a tool to help them keep their walk straight is going to be helpful. Plus, it will make you less tired during the hike.
Go on a Treasure Hunt
If you want the hike to be enjoyable, try and incorporate a treasure hunting aspect to it for your kids. One example of a way to include more treasure hunting is by trying out geocaching with your kids.
Geocaching is like a modern-day treasure hunt. You track a package filled with goodies using navigational skills as well as your GPS.
If you don’t want to go geocaching, you can instead do a nature scavenger hunt. Let your kids “hunt” the natural objects in the list by taking photos of them or interacting with them, depending on what they are.
By having a goal and a set of tasks in hand, your kids might be more willing to cooperate than you’d think.
Offer Rewards
Of course, if you do a scavenger hunt, rewards will help sweeten the deal. Even if you don’t do a treasure hunt, you can still offer rewards along the hike.
The best timing to give them is when you reach specific landmarks. The rewards can be anything from a sticker to treats, depending on what you think will work for your child the best.
Bring a First Aid Kit
Although you don’t want anything to happen, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. That’s why you should bring a first aid kit with you at all times.
Even if you don’t think you’re going anywhere harsh or are doing anything strenuous. You should have something to help you in case of an emergency, so remember to bring it along with you.
Practice Safety
Go through the safety rules first before you go on a hike with your kids. Just remember to keep them short and easy to remember. Otherwise, their attention will fly elsewhere.
It helps when you explain why they shouldn’t be doing something, so they know that their actions have consequences.
Pack Healthy Snacks that Boosts Energy
When packing snacks along the hike, you should bring healthy snacks with you to help you and your kid boost energy in a healthy way. This tip is suitable for your kids and you, especially if you’re looking to lose weight.
Water should always be a part of your hiking gear, and it helps to bring extra. Aside from that, nuts, string cheese, apples, and other fruit are excellent healthy snacks that you can eat while on the go.
Keep Groups Small
When you’re organizing a hiking trip, it can be tempting to invite a whole load of people along with you to make it more fun. However, too much of a commotion can make it harder to keep track of your kids.
You can handle this by ensuring that you keep your hiking group small, even if a lot of you traveled together. Keeping your travel group small makes it easier to keep your attention on the kids without getting distracted.
Conclusion
When you find a way to hike in a fun and safe way with your kids, it can help create a lasting and positive impression on them. You might even find your kids developing a fondness for this physical activity, which will benefit them in the long run.
That’s why you must take the time to follow these tips and ensure that you keep the environment safe and fun for your kids, no matter where you are.