8 Hiking Essentials with Toddlers
Recently on the trails we’ve heard a few parenting struggles about hiking with kids. One family was hand carrying their child because they simply couldn’t get them to walk. Another family was constrained to paved roads because they needed a stroller for fear their child would run off. Believe me, we’ve been in both situations, but now that we hike at least 1-2/week with our toddlers, we’ve learned some things that we want to share!
These are our 8 hiking essentials with toddlers:
1 - Prepare them Mentally
In advance (even starting with possibly the day before), share where you are going, how far the drive is, how many miles you’ll hike, what snacks you are bringing, etc. Tell them how excited you are about how well they are going to do because they are ‘hiker kids’. I got this idea to prep from two amazingly smart toddler Mama’s who run Big Little Feelings.
2 - Buy Sturdy Hiking Shoes
Because kids grow so quickly, I don’t really like to spend a lot of money on shoes. However, our first few hikes were in cheap shoes with very poor grip and the kids kept falling. I quickly realized that we needed something they could build confidence in. We invested in Merrell Moab Speed 2 Waterproof hiking shoes and they’ve made a world of difference. The toddlers are more stable and even talk about how great they feel in their hiking shoes.
3 - Stay Hydrated
Be sure they have water and offer it often. We recently bought our daughter an Osprey Moki 1.5 Hydration Pack and she is suddenly way more motivated. Now we actually have the opposite problem where our toddler needs to potty a lot and we have to manage how much she drinks by reminding her the straw doesn’t always need to be in her mouth.
4 - Invest in a Hiking Child Carrier
We decided to buy a used Kelty Journey child carrier hiking pack on Facebook marketplace early on in this adventure. We didn’t think we needed to invest in new because we thought maybe we wouldn’t need one - boy were we wrong! Unfortunately the straps were dry rotted and after two ripped from simply tightening the pack within a month of owning, we bought a new Osprey Poco Child Carrier. We LOVE it! This pack has a built-in sunshade, harness with front facing arm loops for the escape artist, fold down frame for travel, stirrups (which are actually long enough for a tall two year old), and plenty of adjustments so everyone is comfortable. These are expensive, but honestly, a game changer and absolutely necessary if you want to hike beyond the pavement.
We also recently purchased a Trail Magik Kid Carrier for our big toddler. While snacks, prepping, and motivation with snacks/rewards can go a long way, we noticed when doing big hiking, like in Banff National Park, we simply experience burn out. We want to continue to encourage her, but if she needs a break, we need to comfortably be able to carry her. We are excited to report back on our thoughts!
5 - Bring Lots of Snacks
We like to always have a snack or lunch at our hiking destination as it gives them something to look forward to. But we’ve found that fruit snacks or yogurt covered raisins work as interim motivation. We typically hand one piece of fruit snack or two raisins for about every 0.25 mi. Increase or decrease this distance based on their needs.
6 - Track your Hikes
We use Strava to track our hikes because if you didn’t track it, did you even do it? 😜 But seriously, it’s so helpful to keep those toddlers ‘in the know’ and also gives you reference for when to hand out those little snacks as motivation.
7 - Wear Sun Protection
We always put sunscreen on our kids before our morning adventure and after nap since we are outside most of the day. I think our sunscreen recommends it be reapplied every 90 minutes but it’s uncommon we hike much longer than that. I always try to get hats on my kids, but somedays that is quite the challenge. Another great idea is long sleeve lightweight shirts.
8 - Check Weather & Trail Conditions
It’s always important to check the weather and trail conditions in advance whether that be online or through word of mouth. If needed, pack rainjackets and/or bug spray. Also, don’t be afraid to hike with toddlers in the rain - seriously, my toddlers had the most fun I’ve ever seen them have on a rainy hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. We giggled the entire way and it is still my favorite hiking memory.
Pro Tip Extra!
If you have a headstrong toddler who makes a choice to not like hiking (for SO many toddler reasons), rewards are an excellent motivator. We had a few really bad hikes and needed a way to break the habit. We offered a hydration pack for a job well done and gosh, she worked for it! Just having one hike go well really has the power to correct weeks of tough hikes. We also recently had to offer binoculars for a tough hike in Waterton Lakes and that worked well too! Other ideas I have are walkie talkies and tall hiking socks.
Do you have other hiking rewards ideas?!
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