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.

Prepare for kids needing to go potty on hike

Rest assured, if a long drive is required to the trailhead or if heading deep into the backcountry, your children will have to go potty.

Pack unused diapers and toilet paper in re-sealable plastic bags so they stay dry. Bring extra bags for the soiled diapers and toilet paper. Wet wipes also may serve you well here. In fact, some hikers don’t bring toilet paper but rely on wipes to serve that function.

When your diaperless children have to go potty, you’ll need something to dig and fill in a cathole. A plastic trowel will work just fine in most soils, but if the surface is rocky or hard, opt for a small metal spade.

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

When kids need to go potty while hiking

Use a trowel to dig a cathole.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Kids usually have to go potty at the most inconvenient times. Having the older, potty-trained children go before leaving on the hike can help the cause, but you still should be prepared for them to need to do No. 1 and No. 2 in the wilds.

Bring extra diapers for infants and toddlers. When they go, you’ll want to change them right away or they’ll get uncomfortable in the baby carrier, leading to a lot of shifting of weight on your back. In addition, during cold weather, a wet diaper can contribute to hypothermia.

Following the dictum of “minimize damage to your surroundings,” scrape pooh off the diaper and bury it in a cathole. Pack out the diaper, though. You’ll find a re-sealable plastic bag useful here.

For older kids, children, dig catholes. They should be about six inches deep. Cover the hole with dirt when done. Make sure the hole is about a football field’s distance from any water source to avoid contaminating it. Pack out toilet paper and wet wipes, otherwise animals will dig them up, leaving trails and woods strewn with feces-covered paper and wipes.

Some children will harbor a fear of such open air toilets. Don’t put down the child as a “baby.” Talk about their fear and show how no one can see them. Reassure them that you will make sure nothing happens to them and that no one watches. Remind them of those times when they overcame their fears.

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