Top 10 Hiking Dos
When the weather is just right, the most exciting and enjoyable activities are those that you do outdoors. Plan a hike with the kids and soak in all the beauty that nature has to offer. While it all may seem easy enough, what exactly would you consider essential to hiking? How do your prepare and what should you leave behind? With kids, it’s always a daunting task to travel light and simple, taking into account their needs and necessities. Here is a comprehensive list of the 10 essential hiking tips to make your next tour with the little ones a cakewalk!
Starting right –
1. Eat a good breakfast –
Pack in good measures of carbohydrates into your breakfast because what you eat will keep you ticking for the rest of the day. Kicking the day off with a hearty morning meal will assure that everyone has the energy necessary to make the trip and complete the hike. Keep your energy levels up by sipping water regularly and munching on healthy snacks such as nuts or fruits.
2. Inform close friends and family where you’re headed to –
Keep your close friends and family aware of your hiking plans and general location. In the case of an emergency, these contacts will at least know how where to find you. Also, you might consider scheduling a general check in time with a friend or family member to assure that you make it back to your car or starting point at a safe time of day.
Research your route –
3. Check your destination’s weather report –
Weather has the ability to stump hiking plans more often than not. Needless to say, pack clothes based on the conditions that you’ll face while on your trail. Avoid travelling in rain or stormy weather if the conditions appear to not be ideal. However, in case you are caught in bad weather, consider taking shelter in a safe area until the weather subsides.
4. Find exciting look out spots or rest stops along the hiking route –
Make the experience memorable by searching for breathtaking look out spots along your route. Do a little research on other activities that you might engage in around the trail. While hiking with kids, it might be helpful to research rest stops or photo ops along your route to make sure that your kids do not overexert themselves along the way.
Pack the basics –
5. Carry a compass, map, and a guidebook –
Learn how to use a compass and make the most of it to find your way both to your destination and back. Trails are often unmarked for periods of time, so it is easier than you might expect to wander off the trail and lose your way.
6. Carry flashlights and headlamps –
These can be lifesavers in tricky situations. Along with the lights, don’t forget to toss in a few extra batteries in case you find yourself in an emergency situation without a back up light source.
7. Don’t forget your first-aid kit –
Precaution is better than cure! Adhesive bandages, adhesive tape, gauze, a small squeeze bottle to irrigate wounds, antibiotic ointment, and pain relievers are the basics to be carried on any hiking trip.
8. Duct tape can be your fix-it-all –
It’s often said that what can’t be fixed with duct tape, wasn’t broken in the first place. Duct tape is the quick-fix solution to many of our hiking woes. Whether it’s a break in your walking stick or any other unexpected obstacles, having this handy fix-it tool can be just what you need in an emergency situation.
Enjoy the hike –
9. Carry out what you carry in –
Remember, the wilderness is not the place to leave your trash or other belongings! So, carry out what you carry in. don’t disturb nature’s wonder and ruin its beauty and serenity by tossing trash out by the trails or items that might harm nearby wildlife!
10. Stop, and see around you –
Don’t get too involved about going the furthest distance possible or finishing the route in record pace. Ultimately, hiking with kids is all about escaping into nature and enjoying the beauty of the world around you. Kids might also benefit from a lesson or two about local wildlife or plant life as they explore the area.
