Hiking Activities for Kids
Hiking with kids can be challenging, especially if they’re younger, and they just aren’t motivated! Traveling full time and visiting a lot of national parks, also means a LOT of hiking. So we had to “crack the code” and figure out how bring our kids along with us enthusiastically!
Being from Colorado, we LOVE to hike. And while we have a good hiking backpack for when they are little, getting them to walk the trails themselves as soon as possible was a goal of ours.
I started hiking with my son when he was 3. He was naturally motivated, and loved hiking with mommy. But as he grew, he started to question where we were going, why we were walking so much, and of course — WHEN are we going to get there?
Hiking not only promotes physical fitness but also instills valuable lessons about nature, self-reliance, and the beauty of the world around us. It's a chance for your children to explore, discover, and connect with nature in a way that only a hike can offer.
We found some effective strategies for hiking with kids that helped everyone make it to the destination. It’s important to keep your children engaged on the trail, and keep it enjoyable for the whole family.
Good trails and good attitudes
It's essential to choose trails that are suitable for your children's age and ability. Use our kids’ guides to National Parks to see our top recommended trails that are easy enough for even the smallest toddling feet.
But more importantly than the trails, everyone needs a good attitude. Have a lot of grace with your kids, and just know you’re going to need to take things slower, negotiate wisely, and have patience with them from start to finish.
If hiking is a huge struggle for your kids, give them time. Start small, go on nature walks together, and show them just how much fun you can have.
How to make hiking fun for kids
A great way to make our hikes fun for kids ahead of time is to let them plan the hike. Obviously we scout out the appropriate trails beforehand, but bringing some options to our 6-year-old makes him feel more in control and gets him excited about where we’re going and what we’re doing.
Another great way to get the kids excited about hiking is to let them pack their bags. Who doesn’t love to pack? While mom and dad carry 99% of the hike necessities, we have small backpacks for the kids that we let them pack themselves, keeping weight in mind. Usually that includes their hats, lip balm, and a few toys (that they never play with).
Have an exciting destination. Hiking TO something is always more exciting then just walking on the trail itself. Knowing that pretty soon there is going to be… a waterfall, summit, lake, big rock, cave… motivates them to keep going. We also like to have a snack or lunch at the destination as sometimes that’s more exciting for kids than the beautiful view from the top.
And last, buying something new for the hike will have any child ready for a fun hike! We started by buying great hiking shoes, and they couldn’t wait to wear them. But of course as time went on, we couldn’t purchase expensive hiking gear. So we switched to letting them pick a new snack, or lunch (think those thrilling Lunchables), or even just their own juice box to enjoy at the destination.
15 hiking activities for kids
Find Your Hiking Stick
Everyone loves to hike with a great stick! We try to start our hikes with finding just the right stick, but they have to find it on the trail, which might mean hiking for a good 20 minutes before you come across the absolute perfect stick. This keeps the kids engaged while hunting for their stick, and is exciting for about 5 minutes after finding their stick when they’re enjoying walking with it.
Sing and Dance
My fondest memory is us hiking a Glacier National Park trail, singing loudly (for the bears to hear) “Let it Go” from Frozen to keep our one-year-old content. She was DONE with her backpack, and it was only by the saving grace of a good singalong that she survived without a meltdown. Sing your favorite songs, and dance along with it. This is our go-to tension breaker any time the kids have had enough.
First Person to See… Game
We always like to throw out a good challenge right at the beginning of the hike with a small reward. “The first person to see… a deer gets a candy.” The search for the deer is on! We also play this game in the car, keeping the kids engaged in looking outside at the beautiful view and trying to focus on finding something specific.
Play “I Spy”
A classic. Our kids love the “I Spy” game in the car, and the same goes for the trails. A twist to this game is to play it through the rainbow. Try to go through all of the colors as you spy objects!
Counting
Toddlers LOVE counting! So we count a lot of things on the trail. Here are some ideas for what to count:
Steps
Birds
Trees in a grove
Flowers in a field
People we pass
Jumps on one foot
Rocks on the trail
Take Photos and Identify Plants
We have the app PictureThis: Plant Identifier and love to identify all of the different species of plants, flowers, and trees that we come across on our hike. Sometimes we’ll take the photos on the hike, then identify everything after we get back to the RV. Or if we’re really curious, we’ll snap it and find out right there on the trail! Sometimes we even let our six-year-old have the camera and take some photos himself. In Florida, we had about 55 photos of Palm Trees. Who would have known he would find five different varieties?
Nature Checklist/Scavenger Hunt
Ahead of your hike, write out all of the fun things you can find on your hike. You can get as fancy as a visual scavenger hunt worksheet (ideal for younger children who can’t read), or just make your own big checklist, and see who can find everything first.
Follow a Map and Compass
The kids usually can’t wait to locate a map of the area that they get to hike with. We check out the legend and what the little icons mean, look at where we start and where we’re going, and measure how far we have to go. Even though I’m pretty sure our younger kids don’t know what they’re looking at, walking down the trail with their noses in a map and their hands on a compass keeps them engaged in the hike. You just know their imaginations are running wild!
Intentional Conversation
Few kids are content hiking along a trail in silence. You have hours and miles to connect with your kids in intentional conversation. Do it! For older kids, this could be a really neat bonding time where you can simply just catch up and confide in each other. For younger kids, you can finally tackle some of those “why” questions (such as why the sky is blue and the grass is green) because before you just didn’t have the time.
Earn a Snack
Snacks on a hike are everything. Not only do they actually need the calories, snacks are fun to eat on the trail, and can be a great tool for bribery! (Nothing to hide here.)
Follow the Leader
Who doesn’t want to be the leader? While we know it’s never good to have kids bring up the rear of your group on a trail (for safety reasons), you can still shuffle your party to allow every child the chance to be the group leader. Of course, sing “following the leader” as you march down the trail, and talk about the leader’s excellent hiking skills – building them up and encouraging them as they take the lead.
Red Light, Green Light Game
It’s safe to say that with my toddlers, I play this game constantly. Boarding a plane and needing them to stop every time the line stops? “Red light!” Need them to get moving quickly when the line picks back up? “Green light!” Do the same on the trail, and get creative with your red lights. Maybe give them a good “red light” at a shady tree with big boulder for a quick rest. The “green light” will get them motivated to get going again.
Timed Sprints
The "bets” come in handy with this game! We love to bet our son that he can’t make it the next big rock in 20 seconds. Or that we can’t dash across the field together in under a minute. While it might temporarily make them a little more tired and in need of catching their breath, they love a good race, and it really makes the steps go quicker.
Collect Leaves and Sticks for Crafts
We love fun nature crafts! And while we shouldn’t be stuffing our pockets with trail findings, leaves and twigs that have already fallen from the trees are perfectly okay to collect. So I bring along a gallon size bag, and everyone looks for interesting leaves and sticks to pick up and take with us.
Alphabet Game
A to Z, this is always a fun game for finding objects that start with a certain letter. We usually only make it to “L” before we’re ready to switch to another game, but it makes the kids keep their eyes peeled AND practice their letters and spelling at the same time.
Safety is important when hiking with children. Teach them basic trail etiquette, emphasizing the importance of staying on marked paths, respecting wildlife, and leaving no trace behind. Be vigilant and mindful of their surroundings, keeping them close but providing opportunities for independent exploration. Remember, parental guidance and supervision are vital in ensuring their safety throughout the journey, and you’re their best example!
Embrace the unexpected and have FUN alongside your young hikers. Things won’t go as planned, but with the right supplies and a few activities ready to go, make the best of it and see how far you can make it down the trail!
