What age

[campclose]

At what age did you start hiking with your kids? I started hiking our local State Park when my daughter was 3. I let her walk the trails with me - of course holding her hand.

 

[rockin]

We started our kids young too. They actually hiked with us when they were infants. We just had them in little baby carriers on our back. I wanted my kids to love the outdoors.

 

[ponderosa]

Just as soon as I was fully recovered from the C-section deliveries. First we used front carriers, then a backpack carrier, and at this point they do some riding and some walking. They are 2 and 4, and each can walk a few miles in a day at their pace.

 

[Grandpa]

My grandkids all started young as well. Overnight backpacking carrying less than 20 % of their body weight by age 7. And all were able to carry everything they needed by age 12. Two grandsons were "self-contained" for 3-4 day trips by age 10.

It's amazing to watch the self-esteem and self-confidence jump when a young person carries all his own gear into a remote wilderness and doesn't have to ask an adult for a single thing.

 

[CatsEye]

That's awesome! I have tried to get my kids more interested in hiking, but they are at the Wii/Playstation age and would rather go on a gaming weekend with friends. They used to go with me, but they are past that stage now. I miss that stage.

 

[shane123]

I started it when i was 30 and my child was 10. I do not want that he could suffer more. Hiking is what we both enjoyed and love to do in vacation.

 

[savvyninja]

I don't have any kids but my cousins and I started hiking very young growing up in Northern California. We were fortunate to have some great parks and lakes close by. We would ride our bikes there and hike in our beat up sneakers for hours on end. We were all between 8 and 10 years when we started. I'm amazed how long we would go without food or water. I can't imagine doing that now as an adult.

 

[ejdixon]

Don't have any kids yet, but I remember my dad got me started hiking about 5 years old. He loves the outdoors and it was usually our time to get some father-and-son bonding.

 

[Grandpa]

Don't have any kids yet, but I remember my dad got me started hiking about 5 years old. He loves the outdoors and it was usually our time to get some father-and-son bonding.

The bonding still goes on. My son came home to help me with the elk hunt. We had so many pleasant hours together just sitting up in the mountains talking. It was surprising to me how much of what I had taught him had been retained. I thought the things I had told him had just gone right on by but he really was listening. This time it was my turn to listen to him as he told me of the his teachings to his daughter.

Just maybe the things my father taught me will be passed on.

 

[Grace_n_WideOpenSpaces]

I think starting your kids hiking, at a young age, let's the child develop an appreciation for nature. My mom told me that, she took me hiking when I was still a baby. She just put me in a sling, and I was a content baby.

 

[Mudslide]

Started mine just on dayhikes at probably around 5 and bping about 8 carrying just a little weight so they could get the feel of it and have a good first impression. They still go with me at 14 and 16, but just an overnighter. No interest in a multi day trip, but at least I can still get them to go with me right now.

 

[Lamebeaver]

With two and three year olds, you can't really call it....OH LOOK A PINECONE! You walk at their pace and OH LOOK A BUG!

When they're about four or five, you can actually start to cover some distance, but you need to get into the right mental frame. If someone starts dragging, ask him/her if they want to be the leader. That often perks them right up. Little snacks of peanuts, raisins, etc. help too. If you can keep morale high, you can cover some ground. Let someone get tired, hungry or cranky and you're in for a long day.