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How to take your kids hiking
There are plenty of reasons to take your family out in the backcountry - of course, it's good exercise for everyone, but camping trips can also make for some great stories down the line. If you have a hard time getting your kids excited about spending time outdoors, here are some tips to help make the trip easier on everyone.
1. Accommodate the little ones. You will want to set realistic expectations regarding how far your kids are going to be able to hike - they simply won't be able to cover as much ground as you. You may want to go out on a few day trips before hitting the backcountry. Encourage the kids to go on these trips in full gear - it will give you the chance to figure out what camping equipment you can bring or leave behind to make things easier. Also, understand that you may not make it very far at all. You're going to want to adjust your expectations to accommodate the kids.
Be sure to exercise patience at all times. A small critter scurrying across the trail may not seem like a big deal to you, but a child might want to stop and observe it. As long as you're going to stop, you can use the opportunity to teach the kids a little something about nature.
You also want to pick trails that are relatively easy for tiny legs to traverse. Stick to small elevation gains and a reasonable amount of shade. You can graduate to more difficult hikes as time goes on, but in this case, slow and steady wins the race.
2. Pack the right food. Though it might be better to munch on granola and energy-dense foods, some kids may not have developed a taste for them yet. By packing familiar comfort foods, you can provide a bit of a morale boost when spirits start to dwindle. Bring along a campsite stove and prepare a pot of macaroni and cheese - you can even grill up some campfire pizza without too much difficulty. The kids will love having their familiar foods in this somewhat strange setting and they may realize that spending time out in the backcountry isn't so bad after all.
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