Hiking with your children can be a lot of fun!
It’s the perfect opportunity to explore the outdoors, burn off some energy, and teach them about the importance of preservation, clean water and clean air. There may be some challenges along the way, but you’ll find that with some patience and a little preparation, you’ll have a family adventure worth repeating.
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For infants and new walkers – There are plenty of affordable and safe baby carriers available that are comfortable for both parent and child, but make sure you do your research to find the safest option for your growing bundle. The hiking motion often puts most little ones to sleep, so hit the trail at nap-time to avoid messing with your baby’s sleep cycle. As far as paths, we recommend taking some of the shorter paths with the more level terrain like Howell Road Park (which was a former Christmas tree farm) to ensure you (or your walking toddler) don’t stumble. Make sure to bring along all supplies should you need to do an impromptu diaper change, thirst quench, or outfit swap. You’ll want to keep them dry, warm and fed. Hydration is key and triple-check that gear list. Sunscreen, sun hats or light blankets may be good options to help protect from the sun. Don’t forget about their ankles and necks that may be more exposed to the elements due to the positioning of the carrier. Waste bags for diapers, hand sanitizer, and lots of snacks are also good to have. You may want to consider a bringing along a blanket should up need to take a quick rest stop or bundle in the colder months. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to turnaround and head home. Hiking should remain a positive experience so watch your timing and don’t push it! |
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For younger kids – Encouraging a love for nature at a young age is a great thing! Start off by encouraging them listen to the sounds of nature and identify the animals or insects they see. You can engage them with a little “eye spy” and look for certain foliage colors or trees along the path. If you have multiple children in tow, have them each compete with their siblings to see who can spot the next trail marker. Sing a song together, tell a story or count the squirrels. Kids often bore easily so keep them as engaged as you can! Consider printing out a nature scavenger hunt for them to cross off items as they see them. There are plenty of printables available online. The outdoors is the most perfect playground, but always be aware of how far you are from the trail-head because even the unstoppable toddler can tire out and need carrying all the way back. Stay on the paths, explore some of the mini destinations like a giant tree or pond, and understand that you may need to bring along extra socks and clothes should they decide to jump in that mud puddle. |
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For older children – Ask them to take photos of their favorite landscapes, make drawings of the foliage you see, or simply lead the way by reading the map to your family or picking the next hike path. You can have them research the path beforehand and tell you what they learned about its topography, the foliage, or the history of the trail itself. Can you find the WWII bunker at Burnley Rise? What do you know about JLD Horse Farm? Do you know about the hawk program at HANA? Have them do some digging online and tell you what they learned. You can also have them bring a friend and encourage them to participate in the Wegmans Passport Program where they need to identify trail rubbings along the paths. The rule of thumb is to always keep them in eyesight despite giving them the freedom to explore.
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