The Whole of Us

Let me begin by saying congratulations. If you’re reading this its because you want to get outside more with your kids and that alone deserves a long round-of-applause. In a world increasingly distracted and obsessed with technology we cant understimate the benefit of the outdoors, adventure and quality time spent with our kids.

Here’s the truth. The key to a successful hiking trip begins with you. The parent. Sure, bring your optimism, but don’t forget that important dose of reality. Preparation and planning is key.

So how can you make hiking as a family so enjoyable that you’ll all want to do it again? From experience and quite a few hikes that we’ve started then had to turn back from, here are five mistakes you might be making.

1. You haven’t prepared them

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like not knowing where we’re going, how long it will take and what it might feel like. Don’t expect your kids to jump for joy, when you spring your plans to hike up a mountain today. Give them some time to prepare. Involve them in the planning process. Talk to them about what to expect, what they might see and how they might feel. Set real expectation. If its going to be a challenging hike, give them a heads up. You could prepare them by saying ‘your legs might feel tired because they’re getting stronger’. Emphasise that while it might be challenging, you’re going to do it as a family and afterwards you’re going to celebrate. This creates a level of anticipation.

2. You didn’t brink snacks

This one goes without saying but its in here because more than once we didn’t bring enough food or flat out forgot. Eeek. You’re going to be burning a lot of fuel mentally and physically so you want to make sure you have enough food. We try to pack some special treats that we keep as a backup for when the motivation might be waning or they’re getting tired.

3. The hike isn’t appropriate

This is such a balancing act and really depends on your kids. We want to push our kids to show they can do hard things and to stretch them and build resilience BUT if you plan a hike that is too hard and too long then its going to be fun for no one. Begin with easier hikes to build confidence. Bring in more challenging sections like hills, stairs or longer distances. Take your time, there’s no rush. Start small and work your way towards those trickier, epic hikes.

4. You’re wearing the wrong gear

I can’t tell you the amount of times we’ve set out on a trail and seen kids in flip flops or wearing clothes that are inappropriate. Part of enjoying a hike is being comfortable. The right shoes and the right clothes are important. Maybe you need to wear long pants because of the type of bush you’ll be walking through. Depending on the climate you might need to pack a jumper or rain jacket. When travelling to a peak you’ll need to consider the temperature change from where you started. Little things like this make a huge difference to the overall enjoyment of your adventure.

5. You’re not celebrating the win

After a big day hiking all we want to do is fall in a heap and collapse, but dont miss the opportunity to celebrate each other. There is a lot of mental and physical energy that goes into showing up and getting out there. Be proud of each others efforts. Praise the times your kids overcame an obstacle and worked as a team. No matter how big or small, the effort of getting the whole family outdoors is worth appreciating. On some of our more challenging hikes we’ll go get an ice-cream of have a special dinner to celebrate.

The point of all this is to really just encourage you to get out there, move your body and connect as a family. What are you waiting for? Get out your calendar and make some time to explore your local national park or hiking trail! You won’t regret it…trust me! 

Would you add anything to this list?