Tips for introducing kids to backpacking and recommendations for backpacking as a family. Written by James Christensen, a licensed marriage therapist in Roseville, California who lives with his wife and children in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
Click to read also: How to Have a Great Hiking Experience with Kids
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How to Introduce Kids to Backpacking
What You'll Find on This Page
I have always loved backpacking in the mountains, and I was determined to introduce my own children to it. I exposed them gradually to the idea of backpacking
We started with picnics when they were young, and then extended picnics I called day-camping. We would drive to a mountain lake and spend a whole day there, cooking food over a fire if it was allowed. Eventually, I managed to gather up enough backpacking gear for the whole family to spend a night in the mountains together.
Backpacking gear for kids
Modern backpacking gear is much lighter than the gear I grew up with. We often head into the mountains for a one-night trip with everyone’s pack weighing less than 20 pounds.
We practice a minimalist form of backpacking that works in the sierra nevada mountains where we live. Here is a sample packing list for a one-night stay in Tahoe National Forest:
- Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, down jacket
- Water bottle, water filter
- Stove, cooking pot, food (freeze-dried food which we prepare by adding hot water, plus snacks to provide energy during the hike.)
- Bug spray, swim suit, lighter, first aid kit
We don’t have to bring tents and rain gear because it rarely rains in the summer here, and weather forecasts are highly reliable. Nighttime temperatures drop into the high thirties, but we stay warm with down sleeping bags and down jackets. We always sleep under the stars, but that is only possible because it’s easy to predict temperature ranges, insect populations, and precipitation.
I pick easy backpacking destinations that only require a few hours of hiking before we reach our campsite. We always camp near a lake or a stream, which we use for both water and recreation.
For food, we usually pack freeze-dried food which we prepare by adding hot water. We also bring candy and snacks to provide energy during the hike.
Once we’ve set up camp, my kids spend their time swimming and exploring the local area. My daughter always brings her Kindle to read after the sun goes down. When my kids were young, I would set up games where we took turns trying to hit targets by throwing rocks or sticks.
Backpacking safety
Backpacking gets safer every year. My cell phone can call for help via satellite if needed, and weather forecasts are accurate enough to avoid thunderstorms.
The most important part of my first aid kit is superglue in case anyone gets cut.
Dehydration is one of the dangers of backpacking with kids. I make sure everyone has a full water bottle when we start out, and I refill everyone’s bottles by filtering water from streams we cross on the trail. My kids call me the “liquid lieutenant” because I always make them drink more water. Carrying a pack on a warm day in the mountains requires much more water than what my kids would drink normally, so I make sure they compensate well.
Why Take Your Children Backpacking?
It takes a lot of effort to prepare, plan, and organize a family backpacking trip. I loved every minute of the two backpacking trips I went on when I was young, and I wanted my children to have that same experience.
Most of my children have only experienced easy, two-day backpacking trips, but one of my sons came on a 10-night adventure with me in the High Sierra Nevada last year. We made memories during that trip that will last a lifetime.
I will always treasure the memory of watching my children wake up to the scent of pine and clear mountain air, with morning sun filtering through the trees.
I’m grateful that all of my children feel comfortable sleeping out under the stars, surrounded by the pristine wilderness that can only be found when you leave your car behind.
Have you taken your kids backpacking yet? What tips would you add to this post?
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James Christensen
James Christensen is a licensed marriage therapist in Roseville, California. He lives with his wife and children in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
I like the theory of backpacking but we have never actually taken the kids backpacking.
My brother wrote this post instead of me for a reason :)