As a teenager and into your
twenties, you loved backpacking. You would run off on weekend trips at
the drop of a hat, and never worried about what the weather would bring.
Each trip brought a new adventure, a chance to explore with friends or alone,
to go somewhere new or reacquaint yourself with a familiar spot.
But today you have a family and
responsibility. You can't just pick up and go like you used to,
right? Well, even though you may not be able to run off for a weekend
hike on a whim, with a little bit of planning and preparation you can be off in
the woods having new adventures with the kids.
The most important thing to remember
when you are heading out into the woods with children is to be flexible.
Pushing kids too hard or not letting them enjoy it there way can be a recipe
for disaster, and can lead to both you and them not wanting to go back out
there again.
Part of being flexible is going to
be stopping more frequently than you would with all adults. Kids do not
generally have the same endurance as a fit adult, and they are also less
inclined to tolerate being uncomfortable, so be sure you plan a route that
gives ample opportunity to stop for a rest.
And speaking of discomfort, don't
forget to add child sized items to your standard first aid kit. Some
ibuprofen or other pain reliever in a child size dose is a must. You may
also need to bring a kid's sunscreen and other things that come in different
sizes or doses for children. It could also help to bring along their
favorite character band-aid to give them a smile when they scrape a knee.
To keep the kids from getting bored
while walking, you might want to make a game of the hike. Getting kids to
look for a certain color of flower, or try to spot birds or other animals can
give them something to occupy their minds so they don't get bored. This
is the same idea as getting them to count out-of-state registrations on a long
car ride.
Besides the time walking, kids can
easily get bored while sitting in camp, so this is another time you will want
to plan activities for. Bringing a deck of cards can help, and of course
typical campsite activities like roasting marshmallows can keep them going for
hours.
Another important tip, to help keep
you sane and keep you from breaking your back carrying all the extra stuff, is
to be sure to bring some help. Your spouse, previous hiking partners, or
other friends can all make the work a bit easier and help you keep an eye on
everyone to make sure you all get back in one piece.
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