Congratulations! You have decided to hike with your kids and are stepping into a grand adventure and are on a path to creating life-long memories, but what to pack when hiking with kids?, How much is too much?, Don’t worry I’ve got you covered, read on to be prepared for a day hike with your kids and bring what you need without going overboard.
12 Essentials to pack when hiking with kids
Here’s a helpful What do I pack guide? whether it’s your first time or you just want a checklist for your day hike.
What to bring on a day hike with kids?
1.Backpack
This might seem like a no brainer, but extra people means extra supplies=more weight, have kids carry their own water and snacks with a backpack (trust me they’ll feel more adventurous), you can use any backpack but I would highly recommend a hiking backpack, the reason for this is it just distributes the weight in your back better, has more ventilation and the pockets where you need them. The first time I ever took my son hiking he used a very cute Mickey backpack which was ok because I wanted to make sure he liked the activity before buying him his very own hiking backpack, he loved hiking and we have since bought him a hydration backpack, check it this kid’s hydration backpack which by the way can be used for riding a bike, scooter or even a day at a theme park, t has a 1.5 liter reservoir and space for snacks as well as a front mesh pocket for stuffing a light layer or an extra snack.
This women’s backpack is great for a day hike with kids when you’re bound to carry more stuff, but for this one you need a water reservoir if you are going that route. This is another great option that already has a reservoir included. My husband uses this backpack which he loves.
2. Water
Water! water! water! You do not want to find yourself in a situation where you don’t have enough water, which is why recommend for kids to carry their own and for you to carry extra, I like to freeze my extra water just in case I want it cold, with the day and the heat from your body the iced water will melt, a good rule of thumb is 1/2 a liter for every hour of hiking, remember to add time to your hike if you are hiking with kids.
It is important to know that while you or your child may be someone who doesn’t drink normally a lot of water, during a hike it is necessary, I once saw a family of four in the middle of June on a hike in southern California sharing a 1 litter bottle, I stopped and gave them my extra water, while this amount of water might have been enough in a car ride with a/c for the whole family, it was definitely not enough for a day hike.
Some electrolytes in your water might help during the summer season, and if you live in an area where there’s a fresh mountain stream you will need a water purifier.
3. Snacks and/or Lunch
I have asked one of my kids several times for their favorite part of the hike and every. single. time. he has said lunch and snack time, this might be because he gets to eat with the most amazing views, but some sandwiches, a mix of nuts, berries and chocolate or some protein bars are a must to replenish those burnt calories.(Remember to carry any wrappers or uneaten food back, we do not throw banana peels out in the wild, they take way too long to disintegrate and a particular fruit might not be native to the wildlife around you).
4. Insect Repellent
I don’t know about you but bugs love my blood so don’t forget your bug spray! I’ve used this one and works and smells great!
5. Sun Protection
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
I will just say “don’t leave without them”, you can apply sunscreen in the car and have some extra in a small size container and a hat can be attached to your pack with a carabiner in case you don’t need it at the beginning of the trail.
6. Hiking Shoes/Hiking Socks
Do I need hiking shoes? Yep, you do and your kids need them as well, the first couple of times I went hiking I took my trusty sneakers, but after a few slips and falls I decided to get me some hiking shoes and haven’t looked back since, hiking socks are recommended to avoid blisters because cotton socks will remain damp from sweat or water for longer.
7. Sun Protection
Layers are a must, keep them light and easily removable, remember kids will need extra layers. Always begin your hike with less layers, trust me you’ll warm up soon enough.
Don’t forget rain protection, I usually just pack in a small light poncho from Wal-Mart as I live in coastal desert climate and the only times I’ve needed it is because of fog that at higher altitudes will make you wet and cold.
8. First Aid Kit
Better be safe than sorry! More often than not this will go unused, but for that once in a while when you do need it you better have a basic travel first-aid kit, I like the ones that come in a small waterproof bag and not a hard cased shell because it’s just more packable. I would add some blister prevention and treatment to this kit.
9. Safety Gear
Again you might sparingly need them on a day hike but be prepared! I find these items give me peace of mind if it begins to get dark and are some of my kids favorite things to pack:
- Bear spray (if you are in bear country) one for each adult, not for kids.
- Whistle (3 short blows are a sign of distress)
- Headlamp or flashlight (what if you spend longer on the trail than anticipated?)
- Fire starter, these can be waterproof matches, lighter or a ferro rod (again you never know).
10. Knife or Multitool
Ok, this one is fun to pack, whether its a simple Victorinox Swiss Army Classic SD pocket knife, a Leatherman multitool, a foldable or fixed blade knife it’s a must because of it’s multiple uses.
11. Toiletry Items
Ok so you or one of your kids might need to squat along the trail so make sure you bring a small shovel, a small roll of toilet paper or wet wipes and a bag (leave no trace behind means we carry our toilet paper or used wet wipes away from the trail).
12. Navigation!
Last but not least navigation! It doesn’t matter whether it is a simple trail or not navigation is key, there are several options:
- Hiking trail map. If you are at a National Park or a well marked trail this will probably be enough.
- All Trails app. I use this and if you open it where there is reception it’ll still work in the wild and will record your hiking time and route, it’s easy to get back on trail if you get sidetracked by a “false trail”.
- Compass and map. You’ll have to go old school with this one.
Optional (but useful) Gear for Hiking
- Lip balm. Sometimes it’s something super simple like cracked or dry lips that causes us discomfort, it’s light and might be your saving grace, I personally use Burt’s Bees peppermint lip balm.
- Power Bank. If you are using your phone for picture taking and/or navigation you will need more brightness in your display which means more battery drainage, a power bank will come in handy.
- Trekking Poles. (these are optional, my kids like to use just one so they feel like Gandalf the Grey, they are useful to measure water depth, balance and to avoid swollen hands from them hanging on your sides.
- A Buff neck gaiter . What is a neck gaiter you might ask? It’s basically a tube shaped stretchy piece of fabric that goes around your neck, can be used as a bandana or a headband, there are neck gaiters for all seasons, I personally drench them in water to keep me cool throughout the hike, plus it also provides UPF 50 sun protection, there are also Buff junior for your little ones.
- Binoculars. You’ll likely encounter some wildlife, could do some bird watching and what screams more adventure than binoculars?
- Fingerless gloves. These are something I always bring especially in the summer, rocks tend to get burning hot under the sun.
- Magnesium Spray. Ok this may not apply for everyone and I do not carry it in my pack, I just put it in my car, it helps with muscle recovery, one of my kids after exercising a lot will get leg cramps and this works almost instantaneously to relieve his pain and sometimes just can’t wait to get home to apply, in his case the pan will begin after exercising and not during so I don’t need to carry it in my backpack or his. Just thought I’d leave this useful tip in case anyone has a similar issue, I wish I’d known about it sooner.
Bringing what I need on my hike gives me peace of mind feel free to add or remove items, it’s you that will be carrying it after all! but test the weight of your pack and put it on, a lot of the times it might seem heavy on your hand but on your back you’ll barely feel it.
If you have any hard poking items make sure to place them as far from your back as possible.
Remember be safe, have fun, explore and enjoy!