Hiking activities for kids

[timberghost72]

I thought there was a thread here about a year ago on this but couldn't find it so I'll start a new one. I am trying to come up with some fun activites for my daughter (5) to keep her from getting bored while out hiking. I usually have some activity planned for our destination like fishing, cooking something etc. She does enjoy hiking and has alot of fun but I keep it less than 2 miles, at least last summer thats what it was. This spring and summer I am going to try and stretch out the distance, so to keep her having fun and enjoying herself, I wanted to come up with activities for the trail. I was thinking of a kids guide book of bugs, plants, and animals, or an animal track picture book. She has her own bino's and also her own toy bow that she wants to bring (I think I've got a bowhunter on my hands. She's always asking when she can go hunting with me  ) Anyways I could use some ideas. Also we don't have any other kids so she doesn't have anyone her age to play with which would probably help. It would be cool to find others with kids to hike with if anyone is interested too.

Thanks Tony

[ICEMAN]

Tony, a great topic.

When my kids were that age, I always tried to get them involved too. Here are a few ideas...some for camping, some from on the trail...;

Magnifying glass, for checking out critters, and burning your initials in a log at camp...

An Audubon society bird call...

A wrist compass

A child friendly camera

Butterfly net

Critter cage...

Slingshot

Plaster of paris to cast critter footprints...


Good luck!

[KFhunter]

Tony, a great topic.

When my kids were that age, I always tried to get them involved too. Here are a few ideas...some for camping, some from on the trail...;

Magnifying glass, for checking out critters, and burning your initials in a log at camp...

An Audubon society bird call...

A wrist compass

A child friendly camera

Butterfly net

Critter cage...

Slingshot

Plaster of paris to cast critter footprints...

A Glock 20


Good luck!

good list ICEMAN 

[timberghost72]

Awesome Iceman, thanks Some great ideas. KF, I was thinking 1911 

[ICEMAN]

No problem, love seeing kids out enjoying the woods!

[SkookumHntr]

Good thread!

[Firecat63]

Perhaps a little hiking "treasure hunt"?  -- Come up with a short list of things she has to find ; once she finds them, she has to take some action, e.g. use her little camera to take a picture of the thing, or use the item in some way, help her make up a game with the item.. etc.   You could integrate learning elements if you want, e.g. find a y-shaped stick and figure out all the cool things she can do with it.   -Just a few ideas.   

[jackmaster]

a little single cock bb gun will do wonders  they can plink bugs and birds maybe the back of your boot or butt if they aint paying attention  that and teach them how to keep a pace count or something that keeps track on how far they have walked, i like icemans ideas to, maybe a magnyfying glass for checkn out little bugs or burning ants   

[300rum]

I always have the girls start a fire on all of our hiking trips.  I stand back and let them do what they think is right and don't say much.  They are 5 and 8 years old.  I change the way they have to do it, sometimes they get a book of matches, sometimes strike anywhere matches and other times a cotton ball/Vaseline and flint or char cloth/flint/rope.  Since we go in the woods at least once a month they are getting pretty good at it, especially now with everything wet.  They really work together on this and I enjoy that the most. 

[Broken Arrow]

My kids loved going on hikes where there were geocached items.

[vandeman17]

a little single cock bb gun will do wonders  they can plink bugs and birds maybe the back of your boot or butt if they aint paying attention  that and teach them how to keep a pace count or something that keeps track on how far they have walked, i like icemans ideas to, maybe a magnyfying glass for checkn out little bugs or burning ants   

This is what I always did growing up. I was hunting with my old man since I could walk and I would carry my little daisy bb gun and try to shoot dragon flies and other little things. Of course I was only allowed to shoot on the walk in or back but it still made me feel like I was hunting with my dad. It improved my shot and also got me comfortable with guns and gun safety. Great teaching aid at that age. We also used to like to ID different types of trees, plants, birds etc which was fun and I always felt successful when I got it right. 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Our Four year old daughter has a real nice Petersons try fold pamphlet that has most of the north american game animals, there tracks and poop. She identifies our finds as we tule  along. Its laminated so its waterproof and derable.

[jackmaster]

a little single cock bb gun will do wonders  they can plink bugs and birds maybe the back of your boot or butt if they aint paying attention  that and teach them how to keep a pace count or something that keeps track on how far they have walked, i like icemans ideas to, maybe a magnyfying glass for checkn out little bugs or burning ants   

This is what I always did growing up. I was hunting with my old man since I could walk and I would carry my little daisy bb gun and try to shoot dragon flies and other little things. Of course I was only allowed to shoot on the walk in or back but it still made me feel like I was hunting with my dad. It improved my shot and also got me comfortable with guns and gun safety. Great teaching aid at that age. We also used to like to ID different types of trees, plants, birds etc which was fun and I always felt successful when I got it right. 

thats how i grew up, my dad made me walk in front after i shot him in the back of his boot while i was playing with the trigger and safety, i was 5 or 6 so after i picked myself up out the ferns, i got to lead  it helped me tremendously as a point man in the service to   

[timberghost72]

Thanks for more suggestions.  Cabin fever has set in (for me) so I'm gonna get her out now since the snow pack is so low around here. I went to the library to look for some kids books but didn't find much. I'll see if I can print something out from the interwebs.

[wafisherman]

REI often has their free packet for kids that includes a journal, scavenger hunt, animal track identification, and other fun things to focus on.

We always have a few fun marching songs.

For boys, we do what my dad used to do - play imagination games like pretending we are in a war and we are being trailed by Nazis, Russians, etc...  If we slow down or stop for too long, they gain on us.  My boys can really move fast when motivated in a fun way...

Treats are a big deal.  Some from the trail, and something extra special when they reach their destination.  As they get older, the promise of a cheeseburger and milkshake after the hike is usually pretty enticing.