Hiking with Kids Tips and Tricks

Hiking with Kids in Waterton Lakes National Park

How do you keep kids motivated and engaged while they hike?

Do your kids like to hike? Some kids love it! And some kids… well not sure much.

Hiking with kids is an amazing experiences but there can be challenges along the way. They may get exhausted, thirsty, hungry, too cold, bored, too hot, and slow. When this happens, there are a few tricks and tips you can use to keep your kids motivated and engaged while they hike. And you can start to use them right away- you don’t have to wait till they are tired, use them at the START!

Use the acronym START to motivate and engage your kids while hiking.

S: Share Stories and Snacks - share a story of when you were a little kid to get them hooked and engaged. Snacks can motivate any kid... and adults... yes I hike for candy :)

T: Tell a Joke (and be silly) - it gets kids laughing and having fun together.

A: Ask Questions - like the 20 Questions Game, Eye Spy, Would you Rather, mental math (my husband is a math teacher and the kids really enjoy it :)), etc. It’s all about getting families to enjoy their time together.

R: Rhyme and Rap - rhyming and/or rapping with kids can be a fun way to hike. The song The Ants Go Marching is a hit with our family.

T: Teach Nature - point to nature and talk about it. Teaching nature is a great interactive way to get kids involved. Read books before and then talk about what you learned on the trail.