As hikers, we love the great outdoors, the wilderness, and the thrill of a particularly difficult hike. However, our kids may not have the same enthusiasm as us, often opting to remain on their electronic device of choice. While each kid is different, instilling the love of the outdoors can be done.
Below, we are going to review how to get your kid to love hiking. And although it likely won’t happen overnight, there are steps you can take to encourage your kid or child to love the great outdoors and appreciate the natural beauty all around them.
Start Them Young
Perhaps the single best way to get your kid or child to love hiking and the great outdoors is to start them young. What we mean by this is that kids are often quite adaptable, particularly at a young age. As such, if you want to instill a love of hiking and the great outdoors in them, start taking them on hiking and camping trips from a young age.
Not only will doing so help to create invaluable memories, but it will also help to train your child on the joys of hiking, camping, and exploring the great outdoors.
Let Them Lead
Admittedly, my own love of hiking and the great outdoors came from my own father. We would take hiking trips nearly every month, exploring the great outdoors together. And, to my father’s credit, he would often let me lead and explore at my own pace.
Doing so allows kids to feel more in charge and useful. In addition, allowing your kid to lead the hike will help them to develop a greater level of independence and problem solving. Be sure to give your kid the trail map and allow them to figure it out!
Bring Along Fido
In order to get your kid to love hiking, you need to make the hike as fun and as enjoyable as possible. One great way to do so is to bring along your four-legged friend. While dogs are a man’s best friend, they are also a kid’s best friend. Bringing along Fido is not only a great way to encourage your kid on a hike but will also make the experience more enjoyable for everyone else.
Have Them Choose the Next Hike Trail
Too often, parents will make decisions for their kids with little to no input from them. And while most parents do so out of precaution and an unwavering caring for their child, many children will feel resentment and feelings of being ignored by not being included.
To make a hike more enjoyable for your kid, and to get them to love hiking and camping, be sure to include them in the decisions. This is especially true for when it comes to choosing the next hike.
You should pick a list of possible hiking trails and give that list to your child. Give them 24-hours to research and pick their favorite one. Doing so will help your child feel more included in the decision and they will feel a level of pride once you arrive to the hiking trail, knowing that their input was valued and considered.
Have Them Pack and Hold Their Own Equipment
In the same vein, having your child pack and hold their own equipment will help them to feel more independent and included in the trip. In addition, doing so will help them to learn how to prepare for a hike and for unexpected circumstances.
There are a plethora of camping and hiking backpacks available online specifically geared to kids. Allow your kid to choose the hiking backpack of their choice. And the night before the hike, have them pack their backpack with essential and fun items.
While you don’t want to overextend or overburden their backpack, be sure to include specific items that they will need. This includes snacks, bottles of water, and a change of clothes if they get wet, hot, or cold.
Search for Magical Creatures
While doing so will only work for kids within a certain age group, it can be a great way to keep your kid motivated and excited on a hiking trail. Whether it’s Bigfoot, fairies, dinosaurs, or another magical creature, having your kid excited is a great way to keep them trekking along a hike.
Have an End-Goal
Many of us don’t like walking around aimlessly and the same is true for kids. Rather, choose a hiking trail that has an end-goal that makes the hike worth it. This can be an amazing mountain view, a majestic waterfall, or a deep canyon. Whatever it is, make sure it is something that will enthrall your child and encourage them to continue with the hike.
Purchase Hiking or Trekking Poles
Let’s face it, kids love accessories and toys. And what better accessory is there on a hike than hiking or trekking poles. These poles will not only help your child, and yourself, maintain stability while on a particularly steep hike, but will also be a fun accessory to use while on the hike.
Go at Their Pace
You and I may be seasoned hikers, but your kid likely is not. And while you may be tempted to move at your normal pace, you should consider that pace may be difficult on your child. Rather, go at their pace and encourage ample time for rest if needed. Not only will your kid enjoy the hike more, but they will experience less fatigue and exhaustion by going at their pace.
Plan a Successful Hike Reward
Nothing motivates a kid more than a reward. If you really want to motivate your kid on the hike, promise them a reward for completing the hike with you. This can be something as simple as going to their favorite restaurant after or having ice cream once you get back home.
Incorporate Games into the Hike
Hiking mindlessly along may be fun for adults, but kids are likely to get bored and frustrated by the act. Rather, to help get your kid to love hiking, incorporate games into the hike. This can be as simple as a game of “I Spy” or a game of running between one spot to the next.
Conclusion
Getting your kid or child to love hiking doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require some planning. Be sure to have your kid plan your next hiking trip with you and to feel included. In addition, be sure to make the hike fun by incorporating games and searches within the hike. Lastly, go at your kid’s pace. Don’t overexert them and just enjoy the hike amongst yourselves.