How to plan a hike with a toddler
Parenthood comes with a lot of planning and organising. Planning meals for everyone, planning what to wear, play dates, journey times, car journeys, the school run, childcare, not to mention ‘me time’ and getting a good nights sleep!
So going for a hike with a toddler is just another thing to plan for.
Now I’ve never just winged it, I have always planned what time and day we go hiking on, and bare minimum have water and snacks for us both.
To help you not make the same mistakes I have with a toddler, read here.
What to plan
So when planning for a hike with a toddler, these are the things you need to include:
Planning your route - where is it? How will you get there? How long does the journey there and back take? How long does the route take, with time for breaks/changes/added play?
Planning when - how long does the journey and route take? When do you have that time? Morning or afternoon? During the week or weekend? What’s the weather like? (Always check the forecast a few times before!)
Planning what to wear - for your baby/toddler predominantly in a soft carrier, they will be sharing your body temperature so may get hotter as you go. Make sure you can monitor their temperature and have layers that can be taken off/put on. Babies/toddlers in a structured carrier may be colder than you are as they are more exposed to the weather, so always add an extra layer for them, and use the rain cover to protect them from the wind, cold and rain. A rule of thumb for both you and your baby/toddler is a base layer, such as thermals or merino wool (to keep moisture away from your skin and to keep you warm and dry), a mid layer (to keep you warm and insulated), such as a down jacket or hiking trousers and an outer layer (to protect you from the wind and rain), such as a rain coat or waterproof trousers.
Planning what to take - food/snacks for you and your toddler and storage boxes/bags, enough water and fluids for you both, the length of your route and weather, milk/bottles for your baby, nappy changing bag, spare clothes for you both, spare shoes, a map/GPS, toys, comforter/muslin, baby wipes, and did I mention snacks? Take lots of them haha. Extra items may be a first aid kit and hand sanitiser
But most importantly take a good attitude, patience and enjoy making memories outside with your little ones!
Now with all that planning, it’s also good to add on lots of extra time for everything! Getting ready, getting in the car, getting out of the car, going on the hike, extra snack breaks. It all takes longer but it is so worth it.
Also, if you have dirt and vehicle mad toddlers, taking a few small cars/trucks/digger toys to hold and play with can really boost morale and help you get your toddler to walk a little bit further as you convince them that you need to find better dirt.
But anything your toddler likes or enjoys doing (toys, colouring, dressing up etc.), either bring with you or find a way to incorporate it into the journey or the hike.
The hardest part is getting out the door, so finding ways to make that process as smooth as possible will really help you and your toddler relax and enjoy the hike, and time together, more.
Games/fun activity ideas
Having games or fun activities to do on the hike ready to go, will make it a lot easier for both you and your toddler along the way, plus are great to use as incentives or bribery. Also, did I mention snacks?
Here are a few of our favourite games to play:
pine cone towers
find the thickest or longest sticks
sticks towers
draw tractors in the dirt/sand
find the biggest puddle to jump in
throw stones/leaves/sticks into rivers/puddles
put as many stones into mummy’s pocket as possible
count how many planes or dogs we see
sing songs
bring construction vehicles and play in the dirt/sand
bring a scavenger hunt sheet and find everything on there (like bingo)
Download my FREE How to Start Walking with Babies guide here.
Happy walking!