By the time they are ready to start elementary school, many parents are eager to get their children out into nature. By following a few tips and your child’s lead, you can have a great hike with a 5-year-old.
In general, kindergarteners are ready to start hiking longer stretches of up to 5 miles at a time. New hikers will have to work up to these lengths, but most children have a lot of energy and are eager to show that they can tackle hard things.
Here are some tips and tricks for helping your kindergartener learn to love hiking.
How to Take a 5-Year-Old Hiking
When you go hiking with a 5-year-old, you can start stretching your abilities toward longer hikes if that interests you. Once your child reaches this age, they are ready to start hiking up to 5 miles or so. If your family are already used to spending a lot of time outside or doing activities like theme parks, zoos, and shopping excursions, you may be ready to jump right into these longer hikes. If you are more sedentary or are in a sedentary season (many people have to get back into their groove each spring) you will want to take things a bit slower.
Kindergarteners, like other young children, are more likely to get bored than tired when hiking. When they start complaining of tired legs, or lagging and whining, it is usually a combination of boredom and tiredness, but they only notice they are tired when they get bored. The best way to prevent this and help them enjoy hiking is by keeping them interested and occupied.
Play games while you walk, sing songs, and go at your child’s pace, allowing them to satisfy their curiosity and explore nature while you walk. Hiking with young children is better thought of as wandering. Children of this age usually like picking up and carrying things as they walk, like sticks or pretty rocks. They also enjoy free play time and exploration if you are in an area that allows this (some national parks do not permit any wandering off trails.)
Why a Kindergartener is a Great Hiking Companion
5-year-olds are usually eager to join in activities, show they are part of the gang, and are not yet experiencing the hesitancy and shyness older kids can feel about new things. Hiking is a great activity with a kindergartener. They are curious and naturally want to explore, and the world is still full of new and wonderful things to them. They often enjoy the challenge of physical exertion if it is accompanied with praise and encouragement, and are ready to try new things with their bodies.
What to Put in Your 5-Year-Old’s Pack
An average 5-year-old can carry about 4-5 lbs., including their pack. By this age, many children are ready to start carrying a pack and enjoy feeling like they are participating and helping. Since many packs are 2 lbs. or more, choosing a lightweight pack can make a big difference in how much your kindergartener can bring along.
For this age, I usually recommend a lightweight hip pack, as they are easier to fit well. Backpacks tend to be too large and have improper weight distribution for this age. Hip packs also seem less annoying and don’t pull on the child’s shoulders.
We usually allow our preschoolers and kindergarteners to bring their own snack and a small water bottle in their packs. This is usually not too much weight, especially as the pack will probably be mostly empty for the return trip, when they are the most tired. Carry extra water and snacks in your own pack.
How to Choose a Great Hike for a Kindergartener
Kindergarteners are hugely curious about everything, so finding hikes they enjoy is usually not too hard. Remember, though, most kids have a limited appreciation for a great view or lovely scenery. They will enjoy it for a bit, but it won’t automatically make the hike a favorite.
Instead, look for hikes that have a lot of variety and fascinating things to see or do. Kids of this age love animals, so any hike where they can see wildlife will be a hit, whether it’s squirrels and birds or a prairie dog town. They also love water, so any hike with the chance to wade, hunt around for frogs, or splash in a creek will be a great reward for their efforts. Finally, for some reason, kids of all ages like to walk on boardwalks. Whether it is the novelty or the chance to peer into the water underneath them, it seems universal.
Kindergarteners also like a challenge, so a hike that involves rock scrambling, walking along fallen logs, or stepping-stone creeks will feel interesting to them. If the trail itself doesn’t provide this there are many areas of public land that allow this sort of exploration (just watch for stay-on-the-trail signs).
Conclusion
No matter what else you do, try to help your kids have fun when they are hiking. Even if there are a few meltdowns or sad moments, if the kids remember the hike with fondness, you will have succeeded. In the early years of taking your kids adventuring, you can help them learn to love the outdoors for life if you don’t push them too hard and you listen to their needs.
And snacks. Delicious snacks are a sure way to help turn around a frustrating day.