Select trail with interesting features for kids

Water always is a favorite sight along hiking
trails for children.

A hike of quiet reflection through the woods may sound great for an adult, but it’s a big bore to kids. They want to see things along the way – lakes and ponds, interesting rock formations, waterfalls, fire lookout towers, wild-flowers, streams, boulder fields, sweeping vistas, nature center, abandoned buildings (though you won’t go in them), fossils, stream crossings (only for older kids) and more. Water almost always is a winner with kids.

A trail with an intriguing history probably won’t mean much to kids until they’re at least in their late elementary school years. The concept of history is too abstract for most young children, who have a limited notion of time spanning a day let alone years.

When planning the hike, try to find a trail that has a midpoint payoff – that is something kids will find exciting about half-way through the hike. This will help keep kids’ energy and enthusiasm up during the journey.

Generally, kids will prefer a circular route to one that requires hiking back the way you came. The return trip often feels anti-climatic, but you can overcome that by mentioning features that all of you might want to take a closer look at.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

What to do if your child drinks bad water

When hiking, drink water that you bring
to the trail, not water found in streams or
ponds along the route.

When coming across a crystal clear stream or pond, children often are tempted to drink from it or splash water on their face. Most backwoods streams are full of bacteria guaranteed to give them a bad tummy ache, though. A major bacteria baddie in drinking water is Giardia lamblia, which sickens tens of thousands of people every year in the United States. Fortunately, it's not fatal if you're in good health and get immediate medical attention.

To avoid, only drink water you carry in. You also must limit kids from touching local water; if they get it on their hands or face, it can end up in their mouths. If you must drink local water, there are three options: use water purification tablets, boil it, or use a reverse osmosis filter. The last two solutions probably aren't viable on a day hike.

Signs that your children has imbibed bad water include stomach cramps, nausea, headaches, and diarrhea. Their body odor also may smell like sulfur. Drinking clean water is the remedy, but ultimately you need to get immediate medical attention.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.