9 Tips for Easy Outdoor Adventures with Kids
How to Make Outdoor Adventures with Kids Easy: 9 Tips You Need to Know
As any parent well knows, everything with kids is harder. Take the common task of getting out the door. Before kids, this activity looked something like this: Grab car keys, open door, walk outside, close door. However, with kids it looks something like this: Try and get toddler to stop playing long enough to go potty. Search house for missing shoe. Pack diaper bag. Grab snacks. Find keys. Stop baby from trying to go outside when toddler escapes without shoes. Get toddler back inside and put on shoes. Find out toddler hasn’t gone to the bathroom yet. Take screaming toddler to the bathroom. Struggle through the door while holding keys, phone, diaper bag, car seat, and screaming toddler. Get outside and realize you are too tired to go anywhere.
It is definitely true that kids have a way of complicating things. That is why today I want to share with you some tried and true tips for making adventuring with kids easy! We all know we want to get outside more, so let’s talk today about how to make that happen.
Tip #1: Know Your Why
To begin, you want to define why you want to do more outdoor adventures with your kids. Is it because you enjoy being outdoors and want to share your love of nature with your children? Are you concerned about your kids not getting enough vitamin D or physical movement? Do you want to give your kids an adventure filled childhood or create more memories as a family? Or are you trying to decrease screen time?
Whatever it may be, it’s important to pin down your “why”. This is helpful in three ways: 1) it makes it easier to pick activities if you understand what it is you are trying to accomplish. 2) It is easier to find the motivation to put in the work to make the adventures happen. And 3) it makes it easier to stick it out when the going gets tough.
Now let’s talk about the nitty-gritty of how to plan and execute a successful outdoor adventure!
Tip #2: Start small
Whether you are an avid hiker or homebody, when it comes to that first outdoor adventure with kids, it is best to start small. For an avid hiker that might mean finding a short kid-friendly hike (1/2 -1 mile round trip) and for the homebody that might mean going to the park. It is better to have a short and sweet adventure than to bite off more than you can chew.
Tip #3: Pick an activity that YOU enjoy
That’s right! For your first outdoor adventure pick something that you (the parent) enjoy doing. This will increase the likelihood of the activity being successful and your kids having a good attitude. Why?! Because your kids will follow your lead. If you have a good attitude and are excited about the activity they are more likely to have a good attitude and be excited about the activity. And given that as the parent you are the one putting in all the work, it’s a lot easier to make the effort if you are doing something that you already enjoy.
Tip #4: Bring friends
Inviting friends is not only easy but super helpful. Even the surliest of teenagers will be up for an adventure if their friends are coming. Some other benefits of friends tagging along are:
- Your child(ren) may be willing to try different activities or do things they find scary.
- It makes it easier to stay out longer.
- You are more likely to keep your cool if things go amiss.
- And if things don’t go as planned (e.g. scrapped knee or blow out diaper) you have another adult there to help you with damage control.
Tip #5: Do Your Homework
Before you go it is always good to do some research on your chosen activity. If you are taking a hike, look up blog posts on the hike or if possible hike it by yourself first. If you are going to a new park, stop by the park one day without your kids or talk to other parents that have been there before.
Now, this may sound like a lot of work, but believe me you won’t regret it. And the good news is as you do more outdoor adventures you will begin to create a shortlist of activities your family enjoys doing.
For some awesome apps to help you research your outdoor adventure check out my post 10 Must-Have Outdoor Apps
Tip #6: Be prepared
Now obviously you don’t want to pack the whole house for your adventure, but there are a few things that I would definitely recommend bringing. No matter what time of year it is you will want the following: sunscreen, water, snacks, diapers/wipes (if you have kids that aren’t potty trained), a small first aid kit, and an extra layer. If you have multiple kids and are worried about carrying all that stuff, have your kids help.
This is crucial! Nothing makes an outdoor adventure go sideways faster than not having one of these items.
Looking to get a daypack to hold all your stuff but not sure how to pick one?! Check out my post How to Pick a Daypack: A Beginner’s Guide
Tip #7: Prep the night before
To reduce stress on the day of the activity, I would recommend packing all your gear the night before. This is the best way to ensure you don’t forget something and will help you not feel rushed the day of. Nothing is worse than starting your chosen activity already frazzled and/or fighting.
Tip #8: Remember it’s about the journey not the destination
Kids tend to experience nature differently than adults. For example, you may have a toddler that insists on picking up every single rock on the trail or a child that wants to stop at every tree to give it a hug. This is when it is important to remember that the purpose of your activity is to spend time in nature with your kids. It wasn’t to finish the hike, make it around the pond, or stay at the park for a certain amount of time. The more you are able to stand back and allow child-led exploration the better experience everyone will have.
Tip #9: Dress appropriate for the weather
This tip is important all year long, but especially for the winter months. Nothing will make you or your child miserable faster than not dressing appropriately. The goal should be to dress in such a way that you are able to stay outside for at least a couple of hours even if you only plan on staying out for a short time.
For more information on dressing for cold weather check out my post Best Winter Gear for Kids
Happy Adventuring!
I hope you found these tips helpful and realized that a little bit of prep can go a long way in making adventures with kids SO MUCH EASIER! Cheers to creating an adventure filled childhood for your kids! Please leave a comment below and share your adventure plans. I would love to hear from you! And be sure to share this post with family and friends to encourage them to join you on your next adventure.
