7 Tips for Hiking with Kids!

It's becoming very challenging for parents in our modern lives and with the continuous outburst of technology to push their little ones outdoors!

So here's a shout out to every parent who is tired of setting limits for their kids’ screen time....

Go out Hiking!!

YES!! Planning a hike can help everyone to unplug, get active, and even inspire them to develop a further love and bond with nature. Simply breathing in nature can lead to a healthier mind, body, and spirit.

Not sure how to start? Here are our 7 tips for a successful and fun family hike with your kids! 
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Hiking is an easy and wallet-friendly way to push parents to get out of the house and spend time with their kids free of daily distractions. The outdoors is a natural school, where they can learn about nature, ecology, endurance, and how to set and achieve goals.

Here are some tips for hiking with kids.

• Have good footwear

Be sure your child has a pair of sturdy athletic shoes with sticky soles.Proper fitting shoes with plenty of toe room are essential.

• Pack lots and lots of snacks and water

Kids need lots of snacks and fluids to stay hydrated. Encourage your child to pack a healthy lunch, with high-calorie snacks that could include nuts, dried fruits, energy bars, dates, bananas...

• Pack a FIRST AID KIT

Make sure you grab a small First Aid Kit in your backpack that includes some of the following: Children's sunscreen - Lots of adhesive bandages - Calamine lotion for bug bites -  Tweezers to remove any splinters - Plenty of anti-bacterial wipes - and Panadol (just in case).

• Keep the hike simple and build up miles with time

For first time hikes it is crucial to start off with easy and simple trails and keep it for short distances between 1 - 3 kilometers. Allow your kids to set goals for longer hikes as they get in shape or more confident and interested. 

• Choose fun Hikes and Reward them afterwards

Plan a hike that has interesting natural features to explore and enjoy such as:  Waterfall , natural bridges, ledge with a view, caves .... Also, adding a reward system once the hike is done can further motivate your little ones once they are feeling tired.  it could be as simple as, "We'll eat ice cream, or enjoy a cold smoothie after the hike."

• Respect the Environment

It is very crucial to teach our youngsters to respect the environment they are in wherever they are. This rule is highly appreciated in nature. Always emphasis to your children not to leave any traces of garbage behind them, not to destroy trees, leaves, or step on flowers. Leave things as they are for this is how they are meant to be to protect the outdoors.

• Let the kids explore

Remember the journey is the destination. If your kids want to stop and poke around, or ask questions to fill in their curiosity let them. This is supposed to be about slowing things down anyway! The more it appeals to your child's sense of adventure and exploration, the more your child will love this experience and feel motivated to re-experience it again and again.

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Finally, introducing hiking to your children early in life helps develop a healthy lifestyle and love of the outdoors. Also, hiking is a fantastic way to combine quality family time with exercise and exploration of the natural world.
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