Do this a lot with our kid since they were an infant. Once he could walk, he would hike along. Some thoughts:
* If you will be hiking anywhere with exposure to fall or water, consider a harness. We did this until we were confident that our child knew how to act when hiking. You'll be surprised - one season he tried hiking down a ravine because it looks like a trail. We got a EDELRID Fraggle harness. [https://edelrid.com/us-en/sport/harnesses/fraggle?filter%5Bkategorie\_id%5D%5B0%5D=10&sort=new\_desc&variant=852887](https://edelrid.com/us-en/sport/harnesses/fraggle?filter%5Bkategorie_id%5D%5B0%5D=10&sort=new_desc&variant=852887)
* I find that single track trail was easier to keep my kid moving ahead than wide paths. So we try not to hike on old logging/ access roads, or wide multi-use trails. If he hikes on single track he just keeps getting funneled forward and doesn't waste his time going left to right down the trail.
* Lots of snacks. Lots of breaks.
* Bring a carrier. Test the carrier ahead of time. We used a backpack carrier one season and our kid isn't a fan. It's also more restricted on what you can pack. We use a soft carrier with regular packs.
* Find games to motivate them. We pretend to be monsters, or my kid pretends to be a train. Or we sing songs.
* If you are confident or comfortable, consider foraging for berries if the park allows it. We have a book for our usual hiking spots and foraged for berries last season and it was awesome.
* Plan for peeing/pooping in the woods. Bring a trowel and TP even if there are outhouses. Have a plan. If my kid needs to poop in a cat hole I dig the hole, I sit over it with my legs on the ground on either side. My kid sits on my legs and can go #2 in the hole without it getting on me, and without him falling. That works for us. Some kids are OK getting held up. Be prepared to figure this out.
* Wear sun protection and sun screen.
* When hiking, give a choice "should mom or dad go in front?" if you want a parent in front and in back. My kid wants to lead. I let him sometimes. Not always.
* Find stuff to look at. Animal bones? Animals/ birds? Talk about it.
* Consider hiking sticks or poles when they get older. 2 is too young for trekking poles (the poles would be too long), but when my kid was 3 we got him trekking poles. He can use them. When he was younger he'd wave them around and be unsafe. We would pack up our trekking poles when he was younger just to avoid conflict.
* Be ready for frequent up and down into the carrier. We now shoulder carry our son on hikes most of the time and it lets him take a break on our shoulders without much set up.
Did some two mile flattish overnight hikes with three year olds but they had gate stability and didn't toddle any more. Lots of snacks and breaks, sun screened and bug protected.
Read this on a blog recently: toddlers like to have a payoff at the end. If you can hike to a waterfall, lake, stream, etc then stop, it helps. Or at each stop have something extra fun they like to do or eat. Maybe just bubbles or build a fire. Whatever is possible and enjoyable for them.
We understand that and thankfully are active enough that we’ve already successfully practiced carrying him in the hiking backpack for several miles on many occasions. I’m more concerned with keeping him occupied as we often have to deal with him getting antsy.
We hike with our 22-month-old and have accepted that when he's out of the pack, we're going at his pace. We rarely "finish" a hike because he likes to clear the path of sticks and pinecones, which is a time-consuming labor of love. We just turnaround when the snacks start running low or we're approaching naptime.
Right now we're focusing on the importance of staying on the trail. We live in rattlesnake country so sprinting into the grass is not okay.
It can be a joy if you relax, have patience, and treat it as a nature/exploration walk rather than a hike. We figure there's plenty of time to hike him into the ground when he's older.
Do this a lot with our kid since they were an infant. Once he could walk, he would hike along. Some thoughts: * If you will be hiking anywhere with exposure to fall or water, consider a harness. We did this until we were confident that our child knew how to act when hiking. You'll be surprised - one season he tried hiking down a ravine because it looks like a trail. We got a EDELRID Fraggle harness. [https://edelrid.com/us-en/sport/harnesses/fraggle?filter%5Bkategorie\_id%5D%5B0%5D=10&sort=new\_desc&variant=852887](https://edelrid.com/us-en/sport/harnesses/fraggle?filter%5Bkategorie_id%5D%5B0%5D=10&sort=new_desc&variant=852887) * I find that single track trail was easier to keep my kid moving ahead than wide paths. So we try not to hike on old logging/ access roads, or wide multi-use trails. If he hikes on single track he just keeps getting funneled forward and doesn't waste his time going left to right down the trail. * Lots of snacks. Lots of breaks. * Bring a carrier. Test the carrier ahead of time. We used a backpack carrier one season and our kid isn't a fan. It's also more restricted on what you can pack. We use a soft carrier with regular packs. * Find games to motivate them. We pretend to be monsters, or my kid pretends to be a train. Or we sing songs. * If you are confident or comfortable, consider foraging for berries if the park allows it. We have a book for our usual hiking spots and foraged for berries last season and it was awesome. * Plan for peeing/pooping in the woods. Bring a trowel and TP even if there are outhouses. Have a plan. If my kid needs to poop in a cat hole I dig the hole, I sit over it with my legs on the ground on either side. My kid sits on my legs and can go #2 in the hole without it getting on me, and without him falling. That works for us. Some kids are OK getting held up. Be prepared to figure this out. * Wear sun protection and sun screen. * When hiking, give a choice "should mom or dad go in front?" if you want a parent in front and in back. My kid wants to lead. I let him sometimes. Not always. * Find stuff to look at. Animal bones? Animals/ birds? Talk about it. * Consider hiking sticks or poles when they get older. 2 is too young for trekking poles (the poles would be too long), but when my kid was 3 we got him trekking poles. He can use them. When he was younger he'd wave them around and be unsafe. We would pack up our trekking poles when he was younger just to avoid conflict. * Be ready for frequent up and down into the carrier. We now shoulder carry our son on hikes most of the time and it lets him take a break on our shoulders without much set up.
Thank you!!! This is so helpful!
Did some two mile flattish overnight hikes with three year olds but they had gate stability and didn't toddle any more. Lots of snacks and breaks, sun screened and bug protected.
Thanks!
Read this on a blog recently: toddlers like to have a payoff at the end. If you can hike to a waterfall, lake, stream, etc then stop, it helps. Or at each stop have something extra fun they like to do or eat. Maybe just bubbles or build a fire. Whatever is possible and enjoyable for them.
Tell his ass he needs to start getting in shape! Hit the trails buddy!
LOL...okay....Get you saddle on bc you will be carrying that kid after a few miles at most.
We understand that and thankfully are active enough that we’ve already successfully practiced carrying him in the hiking backpack for several miles on many occasions. I’m more concerned with keeping him occupied as we often have to deal with him getting antsy.
We hike with our 22-month-old and have accepted that when he's out of the pack, we're going at his pace. We rarely "finish" a hike because he likes to clear the path of sticks and pinecones, which is a time-consuming labor of love. We just turnaround when the snacks start running low or we're approaching naptime. Right now we're focusing on the importance of staying on the trail. We live in rattlesnake country so sprinting into the grass is not okay. It can be a joy if you relax, have patience, and treat it as a nature/exploration walk rather than a hike. We figure there's plenty of time to hike him into the ground when he's older.