Family Hiking Safety Tips

Inside: Do you love connecting with your kids and nature? The best way to do that is by hitting the hiking trails. Check out these family hiking safety tips you need to know before hitting the trail with your kids. 

If there is ever a message you hope never to receive, it is this one:

I got lost last night in the woods. RCMP found me at 4 A.M.

We are avid hikers, and I knew the friend this message was from wasn’t a newbie to the woods.

She was also a regular trail hiker. She had done everything right, she had taken a friend, she had her cell phone, she took a whistle and water.

And she got lost!

Family Hiking Safety Tips For Before You Leave Home

The fact that my friend, who was an experienced hiker, got lost reminded me of the importance of making sure we are prepared and that our kids know what to do if they find themselves separated and lost in the woods.

5 Family Hiking Safety Tips

Hiking safety starts before you even leave your home.

1 Always plan ahead.

The first thing you need to do is take time to scope out the new trails before you hike them.

Things you want to check are:

• the difficulty level
• the time it takes to hike the trail
• the weather

Although not this may not be 100% accurate, having this information allows you to have informed expectations. Make sure to take time and teach your children where they can find this information.

For example, Nova Scotia Trails.com shows a map, directions on how to get there, what seasons are best, when the trail has been updated, and more.

You need this type of information to be prepared.

 2. Tell A Friend

When you are hitting the trails, make sure to tell a friend, even when you are going as a group.

Always let a family member know:

• where you are going and include the exact location
• how long you plan on being on the trail and out of contact
• when to expect you to be home
• a method of communication such as sending a text when you are home
• and what to do if they do not hear from you when the deadline hits

A simple text asking them to contact help if they do not hear from you by a certain time and for them to call you at an exact time can be a lifesaver.

3 Wear Suitable Clothing

Remember, you can always take clothing off if you are wearing too much, but you can’t put on what you don’t have.

Things to bring are:

• extra socks
• lightweight rain gear
• hoodie or sweater
• windbreakers

Even a large plastic bag can be a poncho if needed to protect you from the rain.

4. Wear The Right Footwear

Wear footwear with good treads designed for hiking because wet leaves this time of year and mud can be very slippery and cause injury to both you and the kids.

Do not wear brand new hiking shoes on a long trail. You need to break them in first and save yourself some pain.

RIE Co-op recommends starting with wearing your new hiking shoes inside the house, which the kids will love!

Next, wear them around town while you and your family run errands. And THEN hitting small trails.

A note about the type of hiking shoes you get, make sure they fit right and they are made for the trails you will be hitting. It was one of the first things I learned after my hiking injury. 

5. Take A Day Pack.

Always take a packed backpack.

Now you might think this is overkill for a short hike however I prefer to be prepared. You can also use fanny pack styles or whatever you have.

It does not need to be fancy but needs to be comfortable and able to handle the supplies you put in it.

We recently got a stowaway pack from Eddie Bauer and we LOVE it. I seriously use it every time I take the dogs for a hike on the trails or the beach.

What To Pack In Your Day Pack:

We carry items for a family of four. Here is a quick list of some of the times you need to take with you for safety reasons:

• Flashlights – I use this mini one in my pack.
• Whistle -each child has their own whistle, my son has it on his coat zipper, and my daughter likes her whistle on her sneaker!
• Small First Aid Kit -you can build your own but be sure to have a waterproof case!
• Knife with fire steel-My husband loves bush crafting, so he uses a knife to start fires.
• Matches in a waterproof case.
• Small knife order to cut the rope, bandages, etc.
• Paracord/nylon rope. We prefer paracord as it doesn’t kink or keep knots!
• Garbage bags
• Water
• Food-trail mix and/or dried fruit that keeps and is lightweight. (Check out our list of snacks here!)
• Cell phones for maps, compasses, GPS, flashlights, and more. Kathleen reminded me to make sure your cell phone is charged before you head out! We have a car cell phone charger for those times we notice it is not fully charged but have already left the house.

Please Note: This is a suggested list of items; please use your own judgment depending on the particular trip you are planning. You can check out our full camping and hiking list on Amazon here.

7 Family Hiking Safety Tips For On The Trail

Once on the trail, teach your kids to  “notice things.”

Here are ways to teach your kids what to notice in a fun way while you are on a family hiking trip.

1. Play “I Spy”

One way to teach your kids to notice important things is to play I spay.

In the parking lot, have them notice where you come in on the trail by pointing out landmarks as part of the game. You can also include things such as:

• Where the sun was located
• What are the ground conditions
• What animal tracks do they see

All of these things are important things hikers need to be aware of.

2. Stay On The Trail.

I know that flower, animal, plant, and a cave is really neat, but please try to stay on the trail.

Once you wander off the trail, even for just a few steps, it can be hard to find it again.

Teach the children to look for markers. Most trails are clearly marked.

We like to play a game called “find the next marker.” This teaches the children and reminds us to keep a lookout for the next marker and prevent getting lost and stay on the hiking trail.

Also, remind the children not to touch animals or plants unless you say it is OK. There are poisonous plants and animals. Do your children know what they are?

3. Hike In Groups!

Wear bright-colored clothes that make finding each other in the woods easier. Teach your children before you leave why hiking with a buddy is important!

If you need to relieve yourself, also known as “go pee,” you will need to venture off the trail momentarily and do not want to be seen by your companions. Let them know that you need to go, and in the general location you will be in.

Pro tip: Ladies, take a throw-away cup, baggie, and wipes with you. Peeing in a cup reduces the chances of peeing on a foot or clothing! Dump the cup, wipe it out and store the used wipe and cup in a baggie for disposal at home.

4. Take Breaks

Take breaks when needed. If eating, please do not leave trash in the woods. Take it with you.

Tired hikers make mistakes. Tried hikers fall and get injured.

Even allowing 5-10 minutes to rest is important.

5. Never Play “Hide & Seek”

While playing games while hiking is great fun, Hide & Seek should not be one of them.

It is easy enough to lose a child when hiking, you don’t want to encourage them to hide.

6. Keep Kids In View

This is one of those rules no one seems to follow, even though it makes perfect sense.

Even if trails are well marked, you should always keep kids in view.

For your younger children, you want them within arms reach. For older kids, such as teens, try within sound.

I always say to my kids, “If I can’t see you, you can’t see me.”

7. Always Wait At Forks

Many trails we hike have forks or turns.

Even if you’ve done your research, not everyone may know which way to go. Wait at the fork to make sure everyone goes the same way.

Family Hiking Safety Tips For When Lost

As shown by the message I received from a friend, even the most prepared, experienced hikers can find themselves lost.

Does your family know what to do?

3 Teach Your Family To Do When Lost

If you or your kids are enjoying the trail and find themselves lost, here are 3 things to do right away!

Step one: STOP

Teach your children to STOP and look around well. Try not to panic.

Encourage them to take a moment to look for a clear spot for rescuers to find them. Remind them not to wander off too much, but find a spot and stay there.

Teach them to sit on the dry ground if possible. If not, gather leaves, needles, or moss to sit on together. Sitting on cold ground can speed up the process of getting cold.

If it gets dark, teach them not to wander around, especially in the dark. Your child can easily fall and cause injury in the dark.

Wandering also makes it harder for rescuers to find you as you are now a moving target.

Step 2: THINK

The next step you teach your children is to THINK.

Use the whistle you brought and start blowing it. Blow 3 times and wait. Listen for your hiking buddy to return your call. If you don’t hear anything, blow the whistle again.

Teach your child that the whistle is not a toy but a tool to be used to help you when you are lost.

Step 3: PLAN

The truth is that lost family members are normally found before dark.

If by chance, this is not the case, teach your child how to look for shelter and use the flashlight.

Types of things to look for in a shelter:

• Rocks
• Trees
• Fallen logs

Again, teach them to gather leaves to sit on to help keep them warm, not to sit on the wet ground if possible, and to get out of the wind.

Remind them to keep blowing on the whistle.

3 Family Hiking Safety Tips When You Get Home:

Now that you are all home safe and sound, it is time to do a few more tasks so that your next family hiking trip will go smoothly and safely.

1. Empty & Restock

Be sure to empty out your backpack and restock missing items.

Double-check your first aid kit and restock anything that you’ve used. Be sure to check pockets of coats for souvenirs your kids may have collected.

2 Clean Your Gear

Clean out the treads on your footwear and the footwear of your kids, or show them how to clean them out.

Wipe down your rain gear and check for holes. Hang them up to dry.

Check for rips and tears in your clothing. Check the batteries in your flashlights.

3. Check For Bugs.

Do a bug check, especially if you are hiking in an area known for ticks!

We use tick spray before we head to the trail, but it is always important to check when home.

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Walking in the woods is one of our favorite family activities!

I love how refreshing it is to unplug and get back to nature. There is no reason you can’t enjoy this activity with your family-be prepared and be safe! 

Take care

Jen

PS. We love hiking with our kids because it is a great way to connect with your kids no matter how old they are. 

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