Some of this advice might seem a little obvious to anyone who has children. At this point we are all probably used to leaving the house with a bag full of snacks! I wanted to give a few pointers to those who are weary of braving a day outdoors with the kids. My husband and I met rock climbing and we strive to impart that love of nature and sports to our three children. This might seem like a lot to pack but I promise after a day of messy adventure and priceless memories your kids will thank you for it!
1.) Water
Water is your most obvious and important item on the list! We are a family of 5. 2 adults, a five year old, a two year old and a breastfeeding baby. For all of us I usually take two 1,5 liter bottles (I buy the refillable ones and take from home). This generally lasts us a full day out from around 10 in the morning until 5 or 6 in the afternoon. I also pack a child friendly bottle. One that is small and easy enough for them to grab and drink out of without our assistance or spilling. When multiple children are involved this is vital! I also take an extra kid friendly bottle and a few extra liters of water in the car so they can stay hydrated and we have reserves to fill the smaller bottles. With water it’s always better to have more at the end of the day than not enough.
2.) Towel and chair
Normally I opt for getting cozy on whatever landscape we find ourselves in. But when my kids are babies who are napping in the baby carrier or i’m breastfeeding for big chunks of time, I make it a priority to carry a foldable camping chair all the way out there. In case we forget and get stuck with a sleeping kid on our bodies, lean a backpack against some rocks and try to get comfortable. Then of course a sheet or blanket for the kids to play and picnic on is always useful. We love our Decathlon blanket for the little bit of cushion and easy cleanup the plastic side provides.
3.) Toys
I have a small cloth bag of toys I reserve exclusively for outdoor nature trips. The kids are always eager to play with these toys for that reason! With the inspirational scenery, natural props, and infinite imagination of your little explorers, you would be surprised how few toys are needed. Here are some ideas of toys I bring.
– Magnetic blocks set – this is my go-to toy for travel. The possibilities are endless.
– A set of small plastic animals or people
– A few empty cloth bags for collecting pine cones,rocks, leaves, bird feathers etc.
– UNO for the bigger kids.
– Memory game for the bigger kids
I always bring one or two busy books with lots of photos as opposed to a story line. Author Richard Scarry is a favourite of ours of this style. Also Charlotte Demotions.
If I know we will be by water I will take some cups or empty containers for water play, my son loves catching tadpoles.
4.) Gear/Clothes
I was in Valencia last week for easter break and you would be surprised the extremes of weather we experienced. On our hike to the climbing area summer clothes were necessary. We arrived to a river in the gorge and then we needed swimsuits, towels and water shoes (though my two year old refuses the water shoes, my older son and I are not so brave as to wade in the river without our water shoes! Algae! Rocks! Ouch!). Then once we were in the shade and some clouds would come accompanied by a breeze, we were pulling out our light jackets.So my advice is to always pack for all weather variable when spending a day in the mountains. In the winter, even if it seems to be a warmer day I will always pack gloves, hats and scarves. It’s always better to be prepared for all types of weather when exploring in nature!
5.) Food
After an hour walk to arrive wherever we are going on our nature exploration (or two hours if you are going at toddler speed), the last thing you want are some salty chips or peanuts. For inspiration along the way I like to take fruit. I have found that promising the kids some delicious winter oranges or juicy summer watermelon is very motivating! Then as snacks I like to take more food like items instead of junk foods. Things like carrot sticks, apples, boiled eggs, peanut butter, cucumbers, hummus, rice cakes, cherry tomatoes, etc. Occasionally I will make sandwiches but usually I opt for a meal in a box. Some examples for a meal in a box are pesto pasta salad with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, tuna with brown rice and avocados, quinoa with chicken sausages and tomatoes. My kids will generally be picky about food at home but when we are out in nature and they know all we have is meal in a box they are less difficult! Finally, towards the end of a long day, I pull out some juice boxes. Good for a little energy boost and a fun reward. To motivate the kids to walk back I will save the extra special treats, for my kids these are fruit pouches, fruit leathers or popcorn. The walk back is usually the toughest as everyone is most tired, so use whatever tricks you have at that time. I find with kids its important to bring out the food in stages like this. I usually even separate it in my bag so they can’t see it all at once.
So there are my tips for a family friendly day outdoors! Happy hiking!