Hiking with my kids - how to make it fun

S

6d ago1 min read

Took the family on a 4 mile hike last Saturday and it was tough. My 8 year old was complaining the whole time and my 6 year old could barely make it. I was frustrated but realized I was going too hard too fast. Started looking for easier trails and games to make it fun. We found this easy trail with a creek and they went nuts playing in the water. Learned my lesson about matching the hike to your kids' abilities instead of forcing them to keep up.

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Comments(3)

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DDavid R.Regular5d ago

4 miles is tough with an 8 year old. Mine hit a wall around mile 2 and we had to turn back. Did you have snacks or anything to keep their energy up? I learned the hard way that hungry kids are complaining kids.

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SSteveRegular5d ago

The complaining is real but honestly kids remember the hike way better than the complaining. You made the effort and that matters. Next time maybe shorter route with a cool destination like a waterfall?

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DDavid M.Regular6d ago

We did a 2 mile hike with mine and it was still rough. I think the trick is making stops interesting - let them pick which way to go, look for bugs, stuff like that.

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