Kids from today's age are referred to as the digital kids, and they do not usually find it fun to be a part of outdoor activities. Most of their lives are centered around their gadgets and digital games. Taking your kids on a hiking trip is an amazing way to take them outdoors. However, keeping them attracted to it is not as easy as it sounds.

So, here we will discuss a few ways how you can make hiking fun with kids.

Top 10 ways to make hiking fun with kids

The key is to keep your kids from getting bored on the hike. Below are the top 10 ways to make hiking fun with kids.

1. Let your kids plan the hike.

The first thing you need to do is to let your kids plan the hike. Letting them plan the hiking spot will be your first step toward making the hike fun and attractive for them. They will not feel that they are dragged along as they select the trip.

However, you can play it safe by giving them a few options to select from. Thus, the trip will always be planned according to the way you want to plan it, while the kids will be selecting the locations.

2. Assign everyone a job to keep them engaged

When you are on a hike, you need to make sure that no one is getting bored, and one way to do this is by assigning everyone a job. Doing so will keep all your kids engaged with their tasks and responsibilities. Some jobs that can be assigned to kids include:

• Leading the group from the front
• Taking the map and navigating the whole trip
• Being the medic for the hike
• Seeing that nobody is littering
• Making sure that nobody is left behind

There can be lots of other roles that you can assign to every kid. The goal here will be to keep them engaged without making them feel bored.

3. Track progress for everyone to see who meets their goal first

If you go on hiking trips regularly, you can use some progress tracking app or maintain a diary. Just track the progress of every kid and keep a record of it. In this way, you can encourage your kids to perform better than their previous record.

You can also set goals like step count, reaching the top first, etc. It will keep the kids motivated to perform well, which will, in turn, make them healthier and sharpen their physical and mental health.

4. Always hike while matching your pace with kids.

It is important to understand that your kids cannot match your stamina or pace. So, you will always need to match your pace with the kids instead of making them move faster. Thus, the kids will have a much better experience of hiking. They will not lose their energy too quickly, making hiking more fun. Going slow will also help you observe your kids and explore more about them.

5. Pack a lot of snacks and offer them as milestone rewards

You can set different milestones in every hike and make things attractive. Pack different snacks. Offer your kids their favorite snack when they achieve a milestone. Remember that kids lose energy and motivation quicker than adults.

Packing their favorite snacks along will keep them full of energy and retain their motivation. You must not only be giving them food when they reach a milestone but also let them eat throughout the hike so they are never low on energy. Make sure that they do not drink a lot of water while hiking.

6. Make them attentive by making them leave no trace.

When you are close to nature, you must not damage it. Today most of our items come in plastic wrappers, and we throw wrappers away while eating things. Assign this as a kid's duty to ensure that nobody from your group is littering. It will keep every kid attentive; this way, your kids will have more fun on this hiking trip.

7. Make sure that everyone has a backpack.

Every kid has some stuff to carry themselves. So, ensure that everyone has a lightweight backpack with snacks, a flashlight, or anything else they like to bring along. Trekking poles and binoculars can also go inside that backpack. While this bag may not pack much stuff, it will still be a moment of happiness for your kids, especially the little ones.

8. Plan a reward for the winner

Every hiking trip has a winner, and there must be a special reward for that winner. The reward could be their favorite snack they only get to eat on special occasions. The winner could get the dinner of their choice from their favorite restaurant. You can take any of your ideas and set a reward to keep all your kids having fun while they work hard to stay in the front.

9. Do not go on the same hike all the time.

Repeating something, again and again, can get boring, and this is not something you must be doing. So, whenever you are planning a hike with your kids, make it fun by changing the hiking locations. Newer locations come with newer challenges which make things more fun. Doing so will make every hiking trip more adventurous for your kids.

10. Let your kids bring a friend along.

If your kids get to bring a friend along, the whole hiking trip idea will become even more adventurous and exciting for them. It is because kids act as motivators for one another. Having friends on a trip will also benefit your kids' social awareness, self-esteem, character development, and better communication.

Final Remarks:

Hiking with kids is a lot more than just some outdoor adventure. It is essential and extremely beneficial for today’s kids because there is hardly any outdoor activity in their routine. If your kids are also easily bored when hiking, you can try the things discussed above to keep your hiking trips with kids fun.

Image by Todd Willett from Pixabay