Safety Tips for Hiking with Kids

Spending time in nature with our kids has always been a priority for our family. It’s been fun to see how our outings shifted over the years as our kids have gotten older. We started close to home and in smaller areas. As the kids got older and we became more comfortable out in nature. It naturally to transitioned to hiking with our kids and spending time in more remote places. There’s so much to see and explore that can only be accessed by heading down a trail! Now we lead nature adventure outings with other homeschool families in our area. I love meeting other experienced nature families and helping new families become more comfortable out in the wild. As we venture off further, it’s so important to make safety a priority! Before you head out on your next nature adventure with your kids, check out these 5 important safety tips for hiking with kids!

 

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The 10 Essentials

The 10 Essentials checklist was originally created by The Mountaineers by in 1974. Even though it was meant for back country explorers, serious day hikers use this a a guide for what to pack. If we’re hiking with kids (especially younger or inexperienced kids), some of these items can be over-kill.

Instead, I look at the categories and customize our packing list based on where we’re going. However, keep in mind that the 10 Essentials isn’t just about packing for the hike you’re going to take, it’s also about being prepared for the unexpected which is really important when you’re hiking with just your kids or even alone. For our usual group hikes, I focus on food, water, sun protection, first aid, and navigation.

 

 

Safety Tip #1 – Comfortable Kids Make Hiking Enjoyable

Bringing food, water, and weather appropriate clothing is a crucial safety tip for hiking, but it’s really important with kids because of comfort. Without these items kids can become uncomfortable which can make an outing miserable. Hungry, thirsty, cold, or hot kids aren’t much fun to be around – even if they’re old enough to not throw outright tantrums. I’ve seen families with teens have to turn back because they didn’t pack any food or water.

I encourage my kids to carry their own backpacks with snacks, water, clothing layers, and any other supplies because it teaches them to be responsible for their own stuff. Plus, it can get cumbersome for me to carry everything for all of us. Just 3 water bottles can add up to a lot of weight!

How much food and water will depend on where you’re going and how long you’ll be out. Sometimes my kids will pig out and other times they’ll barely touch the food, so I err on bringing too much. I also pack a full lunch to keep in the car for a picnic after the hike. Check out more tips for what to pack when hiking with kids.

Try to have your kids dress in bright colors. It’s so much easier to keep track of them if they’re not camouflaged! Take a look at the picture below. Which kids are easy to spot? Even if you’re not out with kids, bright colors will help Search and Rescue find you if you get into trouble.

Related Post – Hiking with Kids – What to Pack

 

 

Safety Tip #2 – Don’t Skip First Aid

Every family should get into the habit of bringing a first aid kit. At the very least, there should be one in the group. On a recent trip, I was debating about leaving ours at home since it was a very short and easy trail. I’ve rarely needed it, and I had removed it from my backpack since our last hike. At the last minute, I decided to bring it even though I had to take a few minutes to remember where I’d left it. We actually needed it that day. Lesson learned! Always bring a first aid kit – even on small adventures. It’s better to be prepared and not need it than to need it and not have it. Every safe hike must have a first aid kit – just in case.

Related Post – 50 Nature Gifts for Kid to Get Them Exploring Outdoors

 

Safety Tip #3 – Know Where You’re Going

Navigation may be more important in some areas than in others. Many of our local trails are rocky and not well signed which makes even the easy ones hard to follow at times. As homeschoolers, we’re often out during the weekdays when trails aren’t as busy. You may not be able to find someone to ask for directions. If you’re leading a group of kids, it’s really important to know where you’re going. If it’s a trail that no one in your group has done, take some time to explore it before your event. This is a great excuse to head out on a family hike. If it’s a trail that can be hard to follow, a navigation app such as All Trails, is a fantastic tool. Practice using it on easy trails before needing to rely on it.

 

Safety Tip #4 – Set Safety Expectations with Your Kids

I love introducing new families and their kids to spending time in nature, but many of the things experienced hikers take for granted may not be as obvious to newer families and especially kids. Please talk to your kids and the kids in your group about your safety expectations before the trip and at the trailhead.

In areas that allow climbing, remind the kids repeatedly that they may not always see what’s below them. It is incredibly dangerous to throw rocks off ledges, yet this is a completely normal experiment for all kids to do. Always assume that there are people below.

Talk to your kids about the risks you’re comfortable with them taking.

• Are they allowed to wander off away from the group?
• If so, make sure they have a buddy or two.
• How long can they be gone before checking in?
• How high up the hill/mountain can they go?

Sometimes you may not always know until you get out there. Before you panic, go to where the kids are to see the environment from their perspective. Some of our local trails have climbing areas that look really high and dangerous from the ground. But once you start climbing, you realize that it’s a very gentle and safe climb. Don’t be afraid to go off and explore with your kids.

Related Post – Nature Books for Kids

 

Safety Tip #5 – Keeping Track of Wandering Kids

Older kids usually need less supervision – especially if they’re used to being out in nature. However, younger kids often want to follow them. If you have a younger kid that likes to wander too far, set your expectations before the event and stick to them. Ask for help from another mom or two if you’re having a hard time keeping track of wandering little kids. When a group has a wide age range, moms with older kids can keep an eye on the big kids from a distance (allowing them more freedom while exploring) while moms with younger kids can stay back with the little ones. My kids love to use walkie talkies on hikes. They see them as toys, but it’s easy to tell them to come back if they’ve wandered too far.

 

Spending time outside with our kids exploring nature is one of my favorite homeschool activities. We’ve naturally transitioned to hiking with them. Now that they’re older, we’re working on going longer, farther, and tackling more challenging hikes. Safety while hiking with kids has become more and more important as we venture out and lead others who are new to spending time on the trails.

Have fun exploring with your kids!