Our First Time Hiking with Kids
We recently went hiking in Shenandoah National park with our 3 littles and some friends and let me just say we've never been hiking, let alone with kids but oh my heart, did I enjoy it!
We talked about it all week with the kids so they knew what to look forward to. Thank God we had experienced friends and they gave us lots of tips & tricks to prepare.
We prepped the night before, laying out clothes, packing our bag & the car, being sure not to forget anything or overpack.
We packed:
PB&J sandwiches.
Reusable Water Bottles for each of us.
Protein bars.
2 Diapers for each small child.
Wipes.
First Aid Kit (which we ended up using right away. Jax fell when getting out of the car and scraped his knees which put him in a bad mood the rest of the hike)
Our HappyBaby Carrier
We dressed in layers, which I'm glad we did. It was warm during the hike and very chilly and windy at the peak.
Jordan (my oldest) did great! She was so engrossed in everything and really enjoyed herself.
Jax was so unhappy. He was uninterested and did not want to walk. Let’s be real, he screamed the majority of the hike. Honestly, he's 3 and he started off on the wrong foot by scraping his knee, so I get it. This was a new experience for him and we didn't expect much. He had some good moments but ultimately my husband had to carry him a good portion of the way. I think it'll get better the more we do it.
Jada (my youngest) was fine. She was carried in our carrier and loved walking around at the peak despite the wind chill. As long as she had snacks she was happy.
The hike was about 1.5 miles up and 1.5 miles back, so a total of 3 miles, maybe a little more. It took us about 2 hours, not including the amount of time hanging out at the top.
I was honestly shocked at how little time it took. The way down of course seemed a lot quicker than the way up.
Overall, I would say we would do it again. The views were absolutely stunning. Walking through the forest and seeing how big the trees were was so peaceful to my soul. Not having phone service and being present was the absolute best. And just experiencing something new with my family is something I'll remember forever.
If you're going hiking with kids, give grace. ESPECIALLY if it's their first time. I think with more exposure they'll do better. The good thing is that we committed despite the crying and screaming. He may have not enjoyed it in the moment but in the car ride home, he said he liked hiking and would want to go again. So there's that.
Have you ever been hiking with kids? How did it go?
Love & light,
Jalesa
Update: We went hiking again and Jax did great! No screaming, no crying. He walked the majority of the time and even took a few tumbles going back down the mountain. He did so well and I’m glad we chose to do it again.