Encouraging a Reluctant Hiker

I have a confession to make. Despite all the time we spend outside my oldest does not like hiking! If I so much as mention that we are going hiking she will raise a ruckus. Hiking is hard, hiking is boring, I’m tired!!!! I know many families who would love to get out on the trail but they are worried about how their kids will handle it. It can be discouraging to see other families with seemingly content kids on the trail when yours is about to wage WWIII at the trail head. I’m here to tell you no family is perfect and having a reluctant hiker should not stop you from getting on the trail. To be fair, once we are on the trail, my daughter has a lot of fun but that is because I have a few tricks up my sleeve to encourage my reluctant hiker.

Snacks- You can’t have a list about hiking with kids without mentioning snacks. Before we had kids Joe and I would do a lot of challenging hikes in the Eastern Sierra, the best motivation was knowing I had a bag of peanut M&Ms for the summit. Bring fun snacks that you don’t normally have at home. Kids get tired and will need extra energy. Looking forward to a snack break encourages your child to make it to the next rest stop.

Don’t call it a hike-If I mention the word “hike” my oldest will immediately express displeasure with my proposition. However, if I tell her we are going on a “swamp tromp” or “nature walk” she gets excited to do something new. My girl is bright though, so she usually asks multiple times in a highly suspicious tone if we are “hiking”.

Repetition-Once you find a hike your kids enjoy don’t be afraid to keep going back. Frist of all you will know they can handle the length and terrain of the hike. It is also a great learning opportunity to admire how it changes with the seasons.

It’s not about the destination- There have been many times when I plan a long hike but no one is up for it. It can feel discouraging when you really want to get miles in and little legs have other plans. Try to let go of any expectations and focus on hunting for flowers or count how many different bird species you see.

It’s all about the destination- Having a fun goal gives everyone something to look forward to. Hiking to a waterfall or beautiful overlook can help encourage kids to make it a little bit further down the trail.

Be prepared to carry them-It is important to choose hikes that little legs can handle but there will be times that carrying your child is necessary to get to the finish line. A short piggyback ride can do wonders to lift the mood of a tired kid, encouraging them to finish the hike on their own. We always bring a carrier for our 2-year-old and up until she grew out of it we loved the Trail Magic carrier for our older kid. Now that she is too big we go with a piggy back ride when she needs a rest.

Hike with friends- A great motivation for small hikers is other small hikers! Whenever we go for hikes with friends the kids hikes further and faster. It can be challenging to find other families to hike with. Don’t be afraid to use local meet up groups or invite that cool looking mom you see at story time.

I hope these tips help you get on the trail with your little ones, especially those reluctant hikers.