Hiking with Kids

Get out of the house with your kids and learn something together in the great outdoors! We've compiled a big list of great activities to try while hiking with kids.

Kids can provide a fresh perspective on daily activities so taking them on a hike you might already know and love can create some truly treasured memories. 
Hiking is a great way to get out of the house, away from screens and appreciate the simple things. While it can be a great way to destress and switch your mind off as an adult, this can sometimes become boring for kids, so how do you keep them engaged if they don’t love hiking?

This can be challenging, but it’s the perfect opportunity for creativity and play. We understand that all children have different needs, interests and energy levels, so we’ve compiled a list of activities that might work for you and your child on your next adventure. Keep in mind that you’re sharing the environment with large and small critters, so don't take anything you find out there back home. It belongs where it was found, where some creatures rely on these objects for shelter or food. 

1. I Spy: The classic car trip game can also be used when hiking and is a useful warm up for getting kids to pay attention to their surroundings and also learn about their environment. 
2. Simon Says: Especially helpful along terrain where there is less concern about tripping. Taking turns to be Simon and deciding how to walk along a path can break up the monotony of walking on two legs. Maybe everyone needs to walk backwards or like a particular animal (kangaroo, koala, crab, etc). 
3. Bush Bingo: Depending on resources and time, you could print off a sheet with local fauna and flora, or make a list in the spur of the moment. Remember though, these items can be discovered but should always be put back where they were found. eg
   • Rock in the shape of a heart
   • A colourful feather
   • Stick in the shape of a Y
4. Eagle Eye: Identify as many birds as possible and keep track of the total number. Not only will this engage kids in their environment, but it’s a fun introduction to citizen science. Take a handy bird book with you to identify the birds on your adventure. 
5. Take a closer look: Bring a pair of binoculars or a portable kids microscope. A microscope is a fantastic way to understand how living things are structured and can encourage highly excited kids to slow down for a minute while they pause to look through their microscope. Binoculars are also very useful for getting a close up while keeping a safe or comfortable distance from nervous critters. 
6. Engage senses: Take a moment to chill out by asking “what do you smell?”, “what can you hear?”, “what can you feel?”. Touching bark, stones and leaves can be a great grounding experience, but be sure to supervise young children who may not consider spikes, sharp edges or stinging plants. Make sure you’re aware of which plants in your area are not for touching (like stinging nettles or the Gympie-Gympie plant). 
7. Story time: Come up with a story for your trail by either building on current knowledge or creating a history. What kind of animals use this trail and what do they do or talk about? You can take turns where each person adds to the story. It might end up being a little chaotic, but it’s a good exercise in problem solving and adaptation. 
8. We’re going on a sound hunt: Challenge the kiddos by asking them to listen for specific sounds like certain animals, a creek or leaves. Can’t hear anything at all? That’s the serenity. 
9. Drawing walks: If your kids like drawing, then taking a notebook and a pencil to sketch what they see on the trail can be a great meditative activity which opens up your perception and slows things down. This can also be switched out writing practice, where you can write a few sentences about what is seen, heard, smelt, felt and thought. After repeating a few times these sentences can be used as a poem or story of a happy place later. 
10. Team challenges: If you have a group of kids, then creating team games can burn off excess energy. eg. How far can each group move with the least amount of steps on the ground? Leap frog races or natural obstacle courses are also easy to plan and high intensity.
11. Quiet time: Always a luxury! Having scheduled quiet time where everyone stops and listens for a few minutes to absorb the surroundings can be a great calming break between high energy games. 
12. What’s that? Turn the tables and ask the kids what something is. Of course they don’t have to know the exact name of something or even what it is, but making guesses about why it has that shape or colour can really get their creative and analytical skills working. 
13. Incorporate learning, whether that’s environmental, historical, zoological or even linguistics, kids are more likely to stay engaged if they’re curious about what’s around them. Look out for information signs that will tell you more about the area and its inhabitants. If your kids love learning about plants or animals, then learning as much as possible about the area beforehand can increase their motivation and help them to look for opportunities for games as well. Maybe they’ll set the bingo game or provide fun facts about a leaf. 

Keep in mind that accidents can happen so be sure to have a first aid kit handy with you, along with a good supply of snacks (with long-lasting energy) and plenty of water. Always take an extra layer and spare socks in case of rain. On the flip side, be mindful of hot weather and as always: be sun smart. Kids are more at risk of heat stroke than adults.

Whether some or none of these activities work for you and your family, first and foremost we hope you all have fun and stay safe. 
If you have games that you love to play when hiking with your kids, share them with us and we’ll add them to the list. Simply email enquiries@wildfiresports.com.au with the subject “Kid’s Hike”.