Quick precautions before hiking with kids

Once you select a trail for you and your child to day hike, there are a few simple safety precautions to take before ever making that first step on the trail. The chances of something going wrong are slim, but an ounce of preparedness will do much to reduce the burden when you're facing a pound of trouble.

First, map out your route. Using a light, transparent highlighter that won’t obscure details, trace the trail on your map. This will make navigating the path easier once in the field and prevent you from getting lost. Make sure you pack extra maps with your gear.

Next, tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return. In case you are injured or lost, this can prove to be valuable information so search and rescue teams can find you sooner.

You also should learn where the nearest hospital or walk-in clinic is located. If an injury occurs, you may need to bring your children there for medical help.

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

Plan out what to pack for hike with kids

Preparation for the trail doesn’t end with selecting a route and buying some gear. The next step is packing.

Begin with your water supply. Make sure canteens, water bottles and hydration systems are full; fill them up the night before and leave them in the refrigerator so that you have cold water. Just before hitting the road, strap one canteen to each side of the backpack or fanny pack/utility belt so that they’re more balanced.

Inspect - then pack
Next, make a checklist of everything you plan to take. Inspect each item to ensure it is in working order. As you place it in your fanny pack or backpack, mark off the item.

If lugging a backpack, don’t place pointy objects near your back or they’ll find a way to push into you the entire hike. Generally, the heaviest items go in last, at the bag’s top. This will provide you the greatest comfort when walking.

But for some hikers, the packing order is a bit more complicated. “In my backpack, the heaviest items always go to the front, which is nearest your back,” said Tim L., Harrisonburg, Va. “If the trail is smooth, the heaviest items go to the top. If the trail is rough, the heaviest items go in the bag’s middle or halfway up. If the terrain is extremely rugged, the heavy items go to the bottom.”

Don’t let kids overload packs
Place items you’ll need to get to quickly in the backpack’s sidepockets or at top of the fanny pack. These objects probably will include a first-aid kit, toilet paper and sunscreen lotion. Don’t tie lots of stuff to the outside of the backpack as they can snag on branches and come off.

After you’ve taken care of your gear, do all of the children’s daypacks, preferably with their assistance (and if they’re old enough to carry a backpack, they’re old enough to help). Make sure their pack isn’t overloaded. Among the items that should go in it are a safety whistle, emergency snack, rain jacket and probably a small first-aid kit. Teenagers can carry more, and you can entrust to their care some of what you used to carry when they were younger.

The final step is loading your vehicle. Most of the gear can be packed the night before, but any pieces involving canteens or water bottles obviously will have to wait until morning.

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

Keep it Light: Good rule for day hiking with children

On a day hike, follow the mantra "Keep it light."
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

The equipment you buy for hiking largely is meant for carrying around supplies you need to get by while in the wilds – the canteen holds water, the baby carrier holds your child, and the backpack holds … well, whatever you need to survive with maybe a couple of “luxury” items like a journal or a good book.

When deciding what to bring, your mantra should be “keep it light.” The more you carry, the longer it will take you to get somewhere. The more weight on your back, the greater the chance of slipping and injuring yourself. Pack only essentials items, favoring those items with multiple uses. A multi-purpose tool, for example, can take the place of a scissors, a tweezers and a knife.

Given this, you’ll need to determine what are the musts, the maybes and the never brings of your day hike.

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

How to pack for your very first hike with kids

Error on the side of going light when day hiking.
Photo courtesy of Petr Kratochvil. 

If you’re new to day hiking with kids (or hiking at all), you’ll probably find that the most difficult hike to pack for is the first one. As you’re not quite certain what to bring, your tendency is to either way overpack or way underpack.

Go seek advice from a hiking guidebook, and you’ll find each author has a slightly different take on what to pack. That’s because everyone has somewhat different needs and creature comforts. What is a throwaway for one hiking parent may be an absolute necessity for you and your children.

Don’t worry: The first couple of hikes are an opportunity to figure out what you need and what you don’t.

Begin by going through the lists of what to pack in three or four hiking books. Write down what all lists have in common; these items probably include a backpack, trekking pole, canteens, walking shoes, layered clothing, first-aid kit, map, and compass, to name a few objects.

Make a second list for the items that aren’t recommended in every hiking book – these items probably include binoculars, head lamps, cords, emergency blankets – and decide if you want to carry them or not. Error on the side of going light, especially if you haven’t gone hiking in a while (or maybe never at all, shame on you!).

Then adjust on the second trip, adding items that you need. But don’t subtract anything!

After going on three or four hikes, review the list of items that not every hiking book recommended. If you haven’t used those items, seriously consider removing them from your load to help lighten it.

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

Don't overpack on day hike with children

Travel light when day hiking.

Perhaps the biggest mistake beginning hikers make is that they pack too much gear. We live in a culture obsessed with material possessions – not just with the acquisition of them but in our overdependence on them. You’ll be surprised, however, by how little we really need, especially on an outing for a few hours.

Simply put, packing too much gear makes for too heavy of a load that quickly strains your back and shoulders, leaving you to focus more on your pain rather than the beautiful scenery around you. And should you need to carry your young child for part of the hike, you’ll soon find yourself worn out.

The best rule when hiking is to travel light.

You can start by purchasing the lightest of equipment. Day hikes allow you to sacrifice sturdiness for weight, unlike a multi-day backpacking trip or a weekend campout.

Next – and what certainly will yield the most weight loss – is to adjust your attitude toward what you need. Before packing for the hike, make a list of the gear you’ll actually need. Then ask yourself if you’ll really need it. If you didn’t need it the last time you hiked, you probably don’t need it this time around.

That being said, don’t sacrifice water, a first-aid kit, or map and compass; you need those basics for the safety of you and your child.

Perhaps the second biggest mistake beginning hikers make is that they don’t bring the right gear. Hikes with Tykes includes several chapters about clothing, gear and sundries that you’ll need for a day hiking trip. It includes a packing list and recommends what can be cut.

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