When hiking with kids, it’s important to have the right essentials and gear to make the hike as enjoyable and successful as possible. We do very light hiking as not all of our children are old enough for extensive hikes, but I’ve compiled a list of items that we’ve found useful and essential when spending time in nature with our children.
*Please note* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may earn a commission from a purchase made through an amazon link. You are not going to pay more for the product through this link, the price is exactly the same for you regardless of how you get there. I will only suggest products that I have personally used or have researched and would use with my family on our travels.
First Aid
Not only do we take first aid kits with us on hikes, but we try to have one with us at all times. You can purchase pre-made kits or put one together yourself. I carry a baggy in my backpack or purse if we’re going to the park, museum, etc. With three kids, someone will inevitably get a scrape and want a bandaid. I throw things in the kit like bandages, instant ice packs (if we’re on a hike or road trip), and my new favorite item is the tick key. Thankfully we haven’t had to use this little gadget yet, but it’s supposed to be super handy in removing ticks from your skin.
Skin Protection
Whether we’re hiking on a trail or playing at the beach, we always try to be prepared with sunscreen and/or bug spray, and clothing with UV protection. Sunscreen is an absolute must as half our family is fair skinned and burn easily. It’s also important just on general principal to keep everyone’s skin safe from the harmful effects of extended sun exposure. If you do happen to suffer from a sun burn, we have found that aloe vera gel is wonderful at soothing the skin (especially if you keep it in a cooler or fridge).
We also carry bug spray with us, but change up the chemical intensity depending on the activity. If we’re hiking in an area that may have ticks, we use OFF! brand Deep Woods Insect Repellant. Unpopular opinion-I usually make the children wear pants when hiking for numerous reasons. Not only do pants protect their legs in wooded areas, but it also provides protection against ticks and jeans make it slightly more difficult for a snake bite to penetrate their skin (or maybe that is just wishful thinking and something that I’m just hoping is true). The pants also make it easier to spray the stronger insect repellent on as it’s not being absorbed as much by their skin.
If we’re participating in an activity that just requires some repellent to ward off mosquito bites, we use a milder repellant like California Baby Plant Based Natural Bug Repellant. This brand seems to work well for our family, but that’s just our personal experience.
We also try to encourage our children to wear hats during outdoor activities, especially our youngest as his hair is light and his scalp burns easily. These hats from Amazon are our favorite as they’re foldable, water repellant, adjustable, and offers 50+ UPF protection.
Footwear
Proper footwear is essential when you’re trying to explore areas of steep terrain, slippery slopes, or other areas that may be tricky. Our kids are not fans of wearing bigger shoes like boots in the summer for hiking, so we found some great alternatives that are like sneakers. They are slip and water resistant, our kids liked them so much that they have requested them as their every day sneaker. If you’re planning on hiking a trail that has an area to wade in some water, you may want to consider bringing some water shoes as well to protect little feet from cuts and scrapes as well as help kids maintain their balance on wet rocks.
Reusable Water Bottles
It’s important to stay well hydrated when enjoying outside activities with your family. Reusable water bottles are efficient and eliminate the waste of disposable bottles. We have each of our children carry their own bottle on the outside of their backpack so it’s easily accessible and we give them reminders often if we don’t see them drinking enough. Some families choose to use water bladders in their backpacks, but we don’t go on long enough hikes yet to utilize these. If you’re going on longer hikes you may want to consider one. My husband and I both own a backpack with a water bladder that we found extremely useful while hiking the Grand Canyon.
Backpacks
Each one of our kids have their own backpack to carry on our hikes. We don’t overload the packs or make them heavy to carry, we don’t want our kiddos getting tired out early on. They usually have their water bottles, snack, binoculars, cameras (generic versions of a go pro), whistle, and compass. I usually carry a small backpack (it’s great for other places like the playground as well) with some of the essentials and my husband carries the larger backpack with the bulk of our essentials. I’ve posted links to our favorites below.
Additional Items to pack
- A flashlight even if you’re planning on your hike being done before it gets dark
- An alternate method for charging your phone, we use a portable solar power bank.
- Compass
- Whistle
- Binoculars
- Camera for kids
- Packable rain coat
- Extra socks
- A plastic bag to pack out garbage or wet items
- Hand wipes
- Hand sanitizer
You probably won’t need everything on this list, some things (like the cameras) are just for the fun of preserving memories, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Wherever your adventures may lead, I hope you stay safe, have fun, and be prepared! Happy hiking!
If you’re looking for travel inspiration for your next family adventure, check out my blog post “Shenandoah National Park- A Day Trip with Kids“.
