| Hiking with your children can be great experience for | | | | Ideally, your kid's shoes or boots should be broken in |
| all of you, but it can also be miserable if you don't | | | | before you leave. Tying boot laces either too loosely |
| prepare well. Stave off grouchy kids with this | | | | or too tightly can cause blisters, so ask the clerk at |
| checklist: | | | | the outdoor store how to tie the laces when you |
| - Choose the trail carefully. Not all trails are | | | | buy the boots. |
| appropriate for all ages, or all kids. A flat three-mile | | | | - Prepare for the weather. Weather can be |
| hike may be challenging but fun for your best friend's | | | | unpredictable, so bring rain gear, sweaters, hats and |
| six-year-old and too much for yours. Guidebooks will | | | | sunscreen. You don't want cold or sunburned kids. |
| often provide some idea of a trail's difficulty level, | | | | - Don't forget the First Aid kit. Despite your best |
| and park rangers are also a great source of | | | | efforts, blisters, scrapes, and bug bites will inevitably |
| information. | | | | happen. A small First Aid kit with items like moleskin, |
| - Bring extra water. Dehydrated children are grouchy | | | | athletic tape, antibacterial ointment, bug bite lotion, |
| children, and dehydration can be dangerous. Kids have | | | | band-aids and tweezers will help you deal with most |
| a tendency to spill their water bottles, so be sure | | | | problems. |
| you have backups and remind them to drink water | | | | - Know what to do in an emergency. Find out before |
| regularly. | | | | you leave: will your cell phone work? How close is the |
| - Bring healthy snacks. Hungry children are also | | | | nearest ranger station if you're hiking in a park? What |
| grouchy children, and kids (and adults) may not be | | | | should you do if your child has a severe allergic |
| able to make it all the way to lunch without food. | | | | reaction? Talk to your child's doctor if your child has |
| Healthy snacks like dried fruit, granola bars, apples, | | | | special medical concerns. |
| little wax-wrapped cheeses and nuts will help keep | | | | Hiking with your kids can create unforgettable |
| kids going without complaint until lunchtime. | | | | memories for everyone. Make sure those memories |
| - Make sure their boots are broken in. Blisters are a | | | | are the good kind of "unforgettable" and prepare |
| major cause of misery and whining on hiking trips. | | | | well. |