Read Time: 4 minutes   |   Best for: Families 

The Intro

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First, congrats on getting your kids on the trail! Whether they are riding on your back, walking next to you or blazing the trail ahead this is all good. The science behind kids experiencing the outdoors tells us the fresh air, exercise, forming a bond with nature and stress relief all takes place when we hit the trails. Now, how do you keep your kids engaged on the trail? The National Park Service has a fantastic junior ranger program. The program has kids earn badges, learn about the park and follow scavenger hunts. However,  what about when its just you and your kids on the trail? How do you keep the kids from the instant gratification wants, or whining about the bugs and the dirt or asking “are we there yet?”. Because of all of those things happen, even to the best junior rangers. At our house, we have three girls. and they have joined me on hikes in the Smokies, Acadia, Shenandoah, Catoctin and other great trails and parks since they were riding my back.   To this day even though they love a good rock scramble , they too can turn on me. ​

Check out our ultimate guide to amazing trails for kids of all ages

8 Tips to Success

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1. Find their Why:  Weather, trail conditions and trail reviews will help you, but also know what your child likes! Maybe they like huge trees, or streams or a great view. Find their why.
2. Prepare:  Water, a healthy lunch, sunscreen and bug spray are all obvious but bring a reward or two. Mine like skittles, and skittles have gotten me through a tantrum or two.
3. Get them involved: What better way to involve them then getting them their own hiking backpack. Have them carry their own food and water and feel empowered.
4. Gear:  Invest in a backpack & have them choose and carry their own food, their own water bottle and a copy of the trail map to help navigate.
5. Happy Feet: make sure they have the right shoes and socks. This may be my number one suggestion because happy feet makes a happy child. Don’t be afraid to invest in a good pair of hiking shoes and socks. ​
6. Positivity: It goes without saying, our kids watch for our reactions. A positive hiking attitude can go along way to encouraging your child to have confidence and fun in the outdoors.
7. Praise: Don’t forget to give them a hug, high five or fist bump for a job well done at the end of your hike. (not a trophy, just praise).
8. Celebrate: Your experience in the outdoors ! National and State parks sell trail badges that can be attached to any good walking stick or collected.

6 on the trail Activities

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1: Rainbow Scavenger Hunt

To collect leaves representing all the colors of fall
1. yellow  2. red 3. brown 4. red 5. maroon ​6. orange

2: Trail Name

Give your child a trail name! Something fun and something they are called only on the trail. It not only is fun but builds an identity. 

3. Find the next trail marker

See who can be first to find the next trail marker as you go! This becomes super competitive and helps keep everyone moving. Hiking trails used a color swatch or colored blaze to help identify the trail. The Appalachian trail uses a white blaze through out the entire journey. However have you ever come across your blaze being displayed with multiple iterations of that blaze in different positions?  Check out our cheat sheet to learning about trail blazes.

How to read Trail Blazes

#4 Say Cheese

Bring a camera for their use. Choose a theme like animals or plants! Later that day go back over the pictures with them.

#5 The Letter Game

Try and name as many words that start with a certain letter , helps embrace conversation, word use and keeps their mind off things like a hot day.

#6 Make an acorn whistle

A little bit scavenger hunt, a little bit creativity and a ton of fun to take an acorn and create your very own whistle.

HOW TO MAKE AN ​ACORN WHISTLE

STEP 1: remove the acorn top from the acorn and use the underside (looks like a cup)

STEP 2: Put the acorn (cup side up) in between your thumbs. Leave a small space (looks like a "Y")

STEP 3: Bring the acorn to your mouth and blow to make a sound! You may need to move your wrists up and down to get the pitch!

Camp Fires

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Whether a smores night in the backyard or making a fire at your campsite, here are important reminders to be mindful of.

1. Always have an adult and water present
2. ​Have wet kindling or run out of kindling?  use Doritos, yes the high fat content will ignite... stack a few together and be amazed!  hand sanitizer also lights nicely due to its alcohol content, use it with paper.
3. If importing wood, make sure its USDA labeled. 
4. Making a firepit? use stones as a border and use sand as a base.
5. Never walk by a fire, walk around a fire to avoid potential injury
6. Never leave a fire unattended
7. Campfires can reach temperatures of 700-900 degrees!
8. The blue flame is the hottest portion of the fire.
9. For smores, use coals for residual heat. 
10. Douse that fire: Pour water on open flame, rotate the coals (with a stick) and pour more water. Any red/ bright colored areas deserve more attention and more water. Continue until all coals are no longer lit. 

The Trail is a Classroom

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Learn about all the things you see on a trail

Moss

1. Moss was the first plant on earth
2. 10,000 species of moss
3. Moss does not have roots, they have rhizoids (threads)
4. Moss does not produce pollen and eats carbon just like trees
5. Moss was at one point used as pillow cases, wound dressing and diapers. 

Moss is a resilient part of the ecosystem, not only do they provide water resources but also provide a habitat for plant life to grow.  When moss is present it is usually a sign the area has been disturbed and the moss is there to help life regrow.​

Credit: Karen Nierlich "moss and lichen"

Lichen

1. They are neither animal or plant.
2. Converts carbon dioxide to oxygen.
3. Absorbs airborne pollutants such as heavy metals.
4. Part algae and part fungus & no two lichen are like
5. Used in food and clothing.

Lichen are essential to a healthy ecosystem, whether they are a food source or they are a protectant for rocks and trees to extreme weather. The rule of thumb is when Lichen is present, its nearly always a sign of a very healthy ecosystem existing right before you. 

Credit: Karen Nierlich "moss and lichen"

The villain of the woods: the tick

1. They live in high grass, dense forest, off the trails in decaying leaf matter . 
2. A chemical called permethrin can be manufactured in clothing and creams to prevent ticks.
3. Remove ticks with a tweezer by pulling straight away from your body. Never twist!
4. Ticks love tight spaces like armpits, sock areas, waistline, ears, back of the knee, belly button and hair.
5. They like a ride! Don't forget to protect your furry friend,  clothing and objects (backpack).

What to know about: poison ivy

• Does not have thorns.
• Grows left then to the right. (Say what? This means as it sprouts or climbs, the first leafy branch will start on the left).
• Three leaves only. No exceptions.
• Is around for all seasons. (Reddish in the spring, green in the summer, red/yellow in the fall and bare root in the winter.  
• Can climb, wrap around trees and bushes too. 
• The most poisonous part is the root.  
• Itching can last two to three weeks. Joy! 

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Exposed to Poison Ivy?  Use rubbing alcohol in the first 10 minutes to kill the toxins from the plant!