Hiking with Children

When my oldest son, Milo, was three months old, I carried him in a front pack three miles up a steep and rocky trail to Chimney Pond Campground in Maine’s Baxter State Park. I had made our camping reservations five months before Milo was born, determined to prove, to myself if no one else, that life would not end after children. The hike in to the campground, though short, was a challenge with my post-childbearing body and the distortion to my center of gravity caused by fifteen pounds strapped to my chest, but everyone we passed on the trail up expressed their excitement at seeing a baby on his first hiking trip and encouraged us to continue his outdoor education…

Andrea Lani with thoughts on tips on bringing the kids along, read the full article below in Issue 18:

Hiking with Children

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Issue 18 Page 1

Especially fine article by Andrea Lani (TrailGroove Issue 18) on hiking with children; really brought back the great memories when my sons were on their first hikes!

Totally agree with including water of some kind on the outing. Our best days usually involved finding an excuse for getting wet.

Also loved the observation concerning focus. I would try to get my kids interested in some magnificent landscape, but instead they were checking out some strange looking insect or were obsessed with a stick.

By the way, they called their favorite place, "Mud Mountain", which was nothing more than a large muddy hill where they could get messy and just act like kids. We used to spend hours there, and then all come home a muddy mess. Priceless memories!!!!!

Gary M

Olathe, Kansas

Thanks, Gary M! Glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks, Gary M! Glad you enjoyed it!

AndreaL.........

You are very welcome; and I hope to see additional fine contributions from you here at TrailGroove!

As far as your subject matter.......

Isn't the purpose of hiking and backpacking to enjoy the freedom and wonders of the outdoors? To see and explore the beauty of nature first-hand? To experience the trail as if it is your first time seeing such new things?

Who can possibly do this better than children and youngsters with their open minds and vivid imaginations?

I will admit, I am envious! Think how much they still have to explore.

Gary M

Olathe, Kansas

Isn't the purpose of hiking and backpacking to enjoy the freedom and wonders of the outdoors? To see and explore the beauty of nature first-hand? To experience the trail as if it is your first time seeing such new things?

Absolutely! And how lucky we are to have little trail zen-masters to help us get to that place.

I love the in-depth descriptions about children become in tuned with nature around them, full of wonder. So true for some children, however unfortunately my kids used to constantly be glued to the TV, and any time we go out it is endless yelling about wanting to go home. But after some creativity from the significant other, she was talking about geocaching and how she explained it to the kids is that it was a treasure hunt. Now they want to go hiking more than anything. Anytime the weekends come around they get their big smiles on and beg to go find another geocached box.

Beautifully written article Andrea because it came from love for others, a willingness to look beyond yourself, and the keen sensibility you have for being able to view the outdoors through the eyes of children.

"...forget about goals and destinations and get down on the kid's level, slow dow, take in the world one pebble and caterpillar at a time. So it takes all afternoon to travel a hundred yards of the trail, so what. The important thing is that you and your child(children) are enjoying the world together, and while you're at it, you are learning(or relearning) a whole new way of seeing the world."

Oh those wise words! We all can take something from this especially hurried frantic adults. Thank you so much for that.

"Isn't the purpose of hiking and backpacking to enjoy the freedom and wonders of the outdoors? To see and explore the beauty of nature first-hand? To experience the trail as if it is your first time seeing such new things?

Who can possibly do this better than children and youngsters with their open minds and vivid imaginations?"

Ahhh, a freshness anew. Thanks for reminding us Gary.

Beautifully written article Andrea because it came from love for others, a willingness to look beyond yourself, and the keen sensibility you have for being able to view the outdoors through the eyes of children.

"...forget about goals and destinations and get down on the kid's level, slow dow, take in the world one pebble and caterpillar at a time. So it takes all afternoon to travel a hundred yards of the trail, so what. The important thing is that you and your child(children) are enjoying the world together, and while you're at it, you are learning(or relearning) a whole new way of seeing the world."

Oh those wise words! We all can take something from this especially hurried frantic adults. Thank you so much for that.

"Isn't the purpose of hiking and backpacking to enjoy the freedom and wonders of the outdoors? To see and explore the beauty of nature first-hand? To experience the trail as if it is your first time seeing such new things?

Who can possibly do this better than children and youngsters with their open minds and vivid imaginations?"

Ahhh, a freshness anew. Thanks for reminding us Gary.

You are very welcome....

Again, the thanks are due AndreaL for an excellent contribution to TrailGroove!

I encourage all the interested and talented TG members to contribute. I think regular (yet passionate) trail lovers are what makes TrailGroove special.

Gary M

Olathe, Kansas

Personal Note: Now that I've re-read those words, I think I'll continue to use them! Must have been one of my better days!

"Isn't the purpose of hiking and backpacking to enjoy the freedom and wonders of the outdoors? To see and explore the beauty of nature first-hand? To experience the trail as if it is your first time seeing such new things?"