How to go hiking with a toddler or young kids
There is absolutely no reason why you can’t still get outdoors and go hiking with a toddler and/or young kids. After all, life is pretty boring if you spend it indoors. Like most things in life post kids, you just need to adjust your expectations and do things a bit differently.
There are no real rules when it comes to hiking with a toddler but as long as you are organised, keep an open mind and are flexible with plans, hiking with young kids in tow can actually be fun. Here’s how to do it!
Allow plenty of extra time
Hiking with a toddler means stopping for snacks, drinks and a rest more often than you usually would. Toddlers and young kids hike a lot slower than adults, and due to the extra weight when carrying them, you will walk a little slower as well.
They will also want to stop and look at every flower, mushroom, animal poop, spider web and odd shaped leaf they see.
Invest in a good quality carrier for hiking with a toddler
A good quality carrier will make or break your hiking experience with a toddler. In general, I allow approximately one kilometre for each year of my child’s age and expect to be carrying them any longer than that. Also, as you already know, sometimes they only walk 200 metres before declaring they can’t possibly walk any further.
It’s a good idea to test your toddler carrier before its maiden hiking voyage and make sure that it’s comfortable and fully adjustable. I have used these carriers in the past and can personally recommend them for hiking with a toddler.
Kathmandu Karinja Child Carrier
The Kathmandu hard frame Karinja Child Carrier is a good choice for overnight hiking or long day hikes due to the decent amount of storage in the back. Let your toddler have a nap in the back while you hike.
My favourite feature is that it has an adjustable back length for the wearer. This means it can be easily switched between adults and still fit correctly without any shoulder or back pain.
Piggy Back Rider
When our eldest outgrew a backpack style carrier, but couldn’t quite keep up still, a Piggy Back Rider standing carrier became the answer to our toddler hiking problems!
Harness your child in and they can quickly hop on and off as they need to. This carrier is also great for places like the zoo, amusement parks and busy cities. It allows them to jump on and see the attractions from the height of an adult.
The Ergo Baby Carrier
This is by far, the most comfortable carrier I have ever used for hiking with a toddler. The only downside is that compared to a traditional hard frame hiking carrier, it doesn’t have much storage space.
Ours travelled both overseas and around Australia. It was pooped in, vomited on, and went in the washing machine and dryer heaps of time. I was sad when the kids grew out of this one!
Make hiking fun and feature friendly for your toddler
This is as easy as playing games and talking when you walk. See who can spot the next trail marker first or see who can spot the next animal poop.
Did you know that wombat poop is cube-shaped? I know, it’s gross! But young kids seem to like subjects that involve bodily functions so it’s a great way to keep a toddler entertained when hiking.
Ensure the trail is not boring for them by choosing a trail that involves a swimming hole, waterfall, rock-hopping across a river or dramatic views. This will go a long way to keeping the boredom at bay.
Let your toddler have a go at challenging sections
Let your toddler have a go at challenging hiking sections when it’s safe to do so. You’re kids will surprise you!
When my eldest was four years old, he scrambled up the steepest section of the Apsley River Waterhole and Gorge Walk in Tasmania. Letting him do this and achieve it really boosted his confidence.
Pack lots of hiking snacks for your toddler
Even if your toddler has just eaten a three-course meal and you are only hiking for 40 minutes…pack lots of snacks and drinks. A well-timed snack break, or even a little bag of snacks whilst in the carrier does wonders for heading off the grizzlies.
If you pack some kind of protein balls, you can tell the kids they are ‘power pellets’ that will give them ‘super hiking power’ for the next 10 minutes.
Adjust your expectations
The reality of hiking with a toddler is that you won’t be able to hike for as far or long. Don’t be disheartened though! It’s surprising what can still be achieved and how many awesome destinations are out there.
You can absolutely still do multi-day hiking with young kids. You just need to make some modification to how you do it.
Pack light
You are carrying twice as much when hiking with a toddler. Twice as much food, drinks and clothes. Not to mention bedding if it’s an overnight hike. If your toddler is in nappies, you will have to hike the dirty ones back out in a heavy-duty garbage bag.
Do not carry anything that is not a necessity (except marshmallows for the fire). Trust me, your back will thank you for it later. Many parents hiking with a toddler share their sleeping set up with their child to save space and weight.
We would carry two sets of day clothes only, all quick-dry materials and either hand wash or use a scrubba wash bag in the arvo when we set up camp.
Invest in a hiking trolley for your toddler and/or gear
The biggest issue with multi-day hiking with a toddler or young children is that it’s very physically demanding to carry your gear when you already have a child on your back.
Investing in a hiking trolley or trailer will lighten the load. A quick google search will give you some inspiration for making your own or show you where to purchase one.
We have used either of these two solutions, depending on the track and conditions.
Bicycle trailer
A toddler bicycle trailer can be used as a hiking trolley and it works surprisingly well, providing your hiking path doesn’t have steps.
Ours had an optional handle for pushing it like a pram. Alternatively, you could modify it by adding two large broom handles and pull it behind you. You will most likely need to change the front wheel to something more sturdy.
Load it up with either your toddler or gear and hike with the other on your back. Obviously this is not what the product is designed for, but even I am surprised at the abuse our trailer has taken with no issues.
Hiking trolley
There are many DIY hiking trolley ideas for hiking with a toddler on the internet. I asked our local welder to make me a trolley based on my vague pencil drawings and a used bike tyre. He did a fantastic job (see the photo below).
Strap on your bags and push the trolley out in front. If you’re going uphill, you can drag it behind you and the kids have the option of hopping on and off when they please. This is more rugged than the pushbike trailer option and manages to get over steps and logs quite well.
Get the timing right
If your toddler is an early riser, you will want to start hiking nice and early before the mid-morning grizzles set it. You know your own families dynamics so can adjust this to suit. We all know how hard a tired toddler is to deal with.
Footwear for your toddler when hiking
You don’t wear uncomfortable shoes for hiking so don’t expect your toddler to. Make sure they have a comfortable pair of sneakers or hiking shoes and good quality socks.
When we are hiking here in Australia, I make sure they are wearing high top shoes due to snakes and other creepy crawlies.
Give your toddler a GoPro to record the hike
Give your young child the important job of taking hiking movies!
Most GoPros are waterproof and fairly rugged. Grab some screen protectors for it and let your toddler loose with it on your next hiking trip. You will get a lot of close ups of fingers, noses and feet but I promise you will get some hillarious moments caught on camera as well.
Go on a scavenger hunt
This is as simple as a little checkbox style card with some pictures of what you might expect to see. When we spent five days hiking the Noosa Trail Network in Queensland, I included things like a koala, pair of birds, lake, mountain and big fluffy clouds for our toddler.
Take proper rests
Take the time to actually sit down, rest your feet and have a proper snack and drink when hiking with a toddler. Don’t just dish it out on the go. Kids have lots of energy, but their batteries still need recharging. Sitting on a fallen log and munching on treat biscuits can be a fantastic bonding experience with the kids.
Wildlife spotting
Look for animals, tracks, burrows and insects etc. Talk about them! It’s a great opportunity to learn new facts. Investigate the areas wildlife together on the internet beforehand to give you an idea of what to look for and where.
Know when to call it quits
If you have been hiking in the rain all day, don’t feel bad about ditching the plans for a hotel room. This is supposed to be fun! Positive experiences now with your toddler when hiking will play an important role later.
Combine the hike with geocaching
Geochaching is basically the worlds largest treasure hunt. There are geocaches all over the world and you are sure to find some on popular hiking tracks. Check out the official geocache website for more information and download the app to use your phone to locate them. It’s free! You can also use a GPS devise if you have one.
Let them play with sticks
They are great for walking, poking, sword fights and spiderwebs. For most toddlers, hiking is one of the few times they are allowed to wave a stick around without getting into too much trouble. Just make sure it’s not too pointy and lay down some ground rules!
Looking for more awesome destinations and activities?
For more information on fantastic family holiday destinations and activities within Australia and worldwide, head back to the home page.
Got FOMO? Sign up for our monthly newsletter so you don’t miss out on the good stuff … like competitions, great deals, and the latest inspiration on family holidays and activities.
I’d love to see the hiking trolley in use!!! We are still carrying our 4 year old in DeuterIII – but he is now nearly 20kg so its heavy going. Have also used old op shop prams for other hikes, but that is also hard work! Love this post!
I’m a bit lucky in that our 5 year old is only 16kg…..but so is our 2.5 year old 🙂 If you check back just after Christmas I’ll have some photos on the hiking trolley in use as we are spending 5 days on the Noosa Trail Network in Queensland, Australia on a multi-day hike.