Hiking with kids can turn an ordinary day outdoors into an adventure full of discoveries. Keeping little hikers motivated along the trail can sometimes be as important as choosing the right trail.
A beautiful view might be enough motivation for adults, but kids often need something more along the way. A waterfall to discover, animals to spot, a favourite snack waiting at the viewpoint can completely change their experience.
So what actually works for families who regularly hike together? Beyond outdoor bloggers that will inspire you to explore new trail, discover the most practical tips from the family hiking bloggers.
Choosing an amazing destination for a family hike in Europe is only a part of the adventure, but kids love the outdoor fun regardless the destination.
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I asked family travel bloggers to share the simple tricks they use to keep their kids interested, curious and excited about hiking. Their answers have one important thing in common: make the journey part of the adventure.
Turn the hike into a little adventure
Children don’t necessarily need a spectacular destination to enjoy hiking. Sometimes, giving them a small mission along the trail can make an ordinary walk much more exciting.
Ask them to find an unusual rock, identify a flower or look for signs of wildlife. Even spotting trail markers can become a game.
Paula from Gone With the Gastons recommends turning the hike into an adventure.
„Make a hiking trip an adventure to kids by setting small goals, like finding a certain rock or plan tor spotting some animals along the way. Or let them be part of the decision-making when choosing the trail and show them what you can see while walking. That will make hiking more exciting for kids.“
Letting children help choose the trail is another great idea. Instead of simply telling them where you’re going, show them a few photos beforehand. Is there a waterfall? A wooden bridge? A castle? An interesting mountain hut?
Giving them some ownership over the trail can make them much more curious about what they’ll discover.
Give kids something to look forward to
When tired legs appear, small rewards along the route can make a surprisingly big difference.
The reward doesn’t need to be anything elaborate. It could simply be a favourite snack that only comes out when you reach the viewpoint.
The family behind Take The Kids Everywhere focuses on enjoying the journey rather than simply reaching the end of the trail:
„When hiking with my kids, we try to make the hike itself part of the fun, rather than focusing on getting to the end. My kids love looking for trail markers along the way and we usually bring plenty of snacks. With a favourite one saving for a viewpoint, waterfall or halfway point, we don’t notice the kilometres. Giving them little things to look for and look forward to makes a big difference when their legs start getting tired.“
And this comes from a family with plenty of hiking experience. Their children have completed everything from short trails to a 23 km hike over the years.
Focusing on the next small goals
It is a lovely remider that hiking with children doesn’t always have to about covering kilometres. Breaking the trail into smaller milestones can make a longer adventure feel much more manageable.
Instead of „we still have two hours to go“, try focusing on the next small goal. It might be finding the next trail marker, reaching the bridge or finding a snack beside the waterfall.
Pick a destination kids will be excited about
Sometimes, the easiest way to motivate children to hike is to give the hike an exciting purpose.
For adults, reaching a summit might be enough. For a child, the possibility of finding a playground, castle or ice cream at the end can be far more exciting.
The Atlas Expeditions uses exactly this approach:
„I’ve found that hiking with kids goes much more smoothly when there’s something to motivate them. It makes the adventure more exciting and gets everyone on board. Are you hiking to a playground? Stopping for ice cream at the end? Maybe there’s an amazing view, a castle or a waterfall waiting along the way.“
This is also something worth considering when choosing family hiking trails. Instead of looking only at distance and difficulty, ask yourself: What will make this trail memorable for a child?
A short hike leading to a waterfall or castle might create much more excitement than a technically similar trail without an obvious destination.
Let kids notice the little things
One thing that stands out from all these family hiking tips is how important the small moments are.
A hike doesn’t have to be about getting from the trailhead to the summit as quickly as possible.
Stop to look an unusual flower. Search for animal footprints. Count butterflies. Collect memories of interesting things you see. Let kids draw something they discovered when you stop for a break.
This is also one of the reasons I created my Hiking Journal for Kids. It encourages young hikers to observe nature, draw, and write about their adventures to remember afterwards.
Instead of asking „How much further?“, they have something else to think about: „What can I discover next?
Choose family hikes with motivating stops
When planning a family hike, think beyond the number of kilometres. Look for trails that naturally offer several little highlights along the way. Waterfalls, caves, viewpoints, mountain huts, streams, castles, wildlife and picnic areas can all become mini goals.
Even the end of the hike can become part of the adventure. Maybe there’s a playground nearby or a place to get ice cream afterwards.
You don’t need to turn every hike into a reward system. The idea is simply to create positive associations with spending time outdoors and give children reasons to stay curious about what comes next.
Final thoughts: Make the journey an adventure
The best family hikes don’t necessarily have to be the longest or most impressive.
What matters is finding ways to make children feel involved in the experience.
Let them help choose the trail. Give them little missions. Look for wildlife together. Plan a snack stop beside a waterfall. Find a castle at the end of a path. And sometimes, promise that ice cream waiting after the hike.
As these family travel bloggers show, small things can transform a simple walk into an adventure children genuinely want to be part of.
And perhaps, that’s one of the best ways to raise little hikers: not by teaching them to reach the finish line, but by helping them enjoy everything they discover along the way.
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