{"id":22718,"date":"2017-12-05T14:01:28","date_gmt":"2017-12-05T22:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=22718"},"modified":"2023-06-21T12:38:54","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T19:38:54","slug":"kids-camping-gear-how-to-get-started","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/kids-camping-gear-how-to-get-started","title":{"rendered":"How to Gear Up and Get Your Kids Started Camping and Backpacking"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"cb-itemprop\" itemprop=\"reviewBody\"><p>As we hiked uphill toward Gunsight Pass in Glacier National Park, on a three-day family backpacking trip, a couple in their 50s stopped to talk with us. They smiled at our 9-year-old son, Nate, and 7-year-old daughter, Alex, and said, \u201cWe\u2019re impressed! We never had any luck trying to get our kids to backpack when they were young.\u201d After a bit more chatting, we headed off in opposite directions.<\/p>\n<p>Then Alex turned to me with a very serious expression and said, \u201cYou didn\u2019t <em>get us<\/em> to do this. We <em>wanted<\/em> to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her words, of course, warmed my heart. But her comment also spotlighted the biggest lesson for parents hoping to turn their kids into eager backpackers: Create experiences that make them want to go out again.<\/p>\n<h4>General Tips<\/h4>\n<p>As a parent who wants to get kids out on the trails, two of my most important hard-earned lessons are to \u201ctear up your agenda\u201d and \u201ctalk and listen.\u201d Young children thrive on their parents\u2019 attention\u2014and believe it or not, even your teenagers want your approval, no matter how much they seem to want nothing to do with you. Give them your attention and approval in an outdoors setting, and they\u2019ll associate the outdoors with that reward.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some other hard-earned tips on backpacking with kids:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How far should you hike? Whatever their ages, start easy and make incremental increases in difficulty\u2014you don\u2019t want kids to think it\u2019s hard, at least until they\u2019ve learned they sometimes have to endure difficult moments for the larger rewards. The first time, just hike a few miles (or less) to a lake and make camp, and use it as a base for short day hikes, fishing and afternoon swims. Have a quick bailout to the car in case of a sick child, terrible weather or gear failure.<\/li>\n<li>Get lightweight gear. Backpacking with young kids means parents carry just about everything, and lighter gear can make the difference between you hauling under 50 pounds versus over 60 pounds. That\u2019s money well spent.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s <em>always<\/em> all about food. Many times I\u2019ve been reminded: A grumpy child is often just a hungry child. An energy bar or other snack will usually shift a tired, complaining kid\u2019s mood 180 degrees, whether they\u2019re 4 years old or 14. Or just stop and have lunch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cIf you want to go hiking as a family, don\u2019t ask your child, \u2018Do you want to go hiking?\u2019 Just say, \u2018We\u2019re going hiking.\u2019 Trust me on this. You\u2019re in charge, and if you\u2019re serious about wanting a family that hikes and spends a lot of time outdoors, be the captain.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014Shelli Johnson, adventure guide, <a href=\"http:\/\/yourepiclife.com\/\">yourepiclife.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_22756\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22756\" class=\"wp-image-22756 size-article_body\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/12\/Eagle2-010-In-camp-E.-Fork-Eagle-Creek-Eagle-Cap-Wilderness-OR.jpg?resize=1024%2C680\" alt=\"Backpacking in the Eagle Cap Wilderness \" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22756\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex, at age 9, hanging out at camp in the Eagle Cap Wilderness, OR. (Photo Credit: Michael Lanza)<\/p><\/div>\n<h4>Age-Specific Tips<\/h4>\n<p>Kids grow fast and backpacking trips with them evolve as quickly as their abilities. Follow these tips to achieve the desired end result: that everyone\u2019s happy. Modify <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/learn\/expert-advice\/backpacking-checklist.html\">this backpacking gear checklist<\/a> to suit each trip.<\/p>\n<h4>Ages 3 and Under<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Up to around age 3, a child can be carried in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/c\/baby-carrier-packs\">a front or back child-carrier pack<\/a> and cover more ground than when that kid is walking\u2014and sometimes that\u2019s necessary. But don\u2019t get too goal-oriented. You want to teach your child that she or he is a hiker, not just along for the ride. And it\u2019s more fun for a child to explore nature rather than be carted through it.<\/li>\n<li>Forget a sleeping bag for little children\u2014a squirming, sleeping tyke will slip out of it several times a night. Dress your babies or toddlers in a fleece bunting or light long underwear, and cover them with their favorite blanket. Use a short foam pad like a <a href=\"\/product\/829826\/therm-a-rest-z-lite-sol-sleeping-pad\">Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol<\/a> or the <a href=\"\/product\/177650\/rei-co-op-kindercamp-sleeping-pad-kids\">REI Co-op Kindercamp Sleeping Pad<\/a> for insulation.<\/li>\n<li>Small kids run out of gas quickly. Stop frequently for drinks, snacks and short rests.<\/li>\n<li>In cool or cold temperatures, periodically check a baby\u2019s or toddler\u2019s hands and feet. If they feel warm, their body\u2019s warm, too, indicating your child is fine. If hands or feet feel cold, check spots like neck and chest to determine whether he or she needs more clothing or just better mittens or boots\u2014or if it\u2019s time to cut the hike short.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Bring: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/c\/backpacking-tents\">an ultralight tent<\/a>. Little kids need little sleeping space, and you definitely need a lighter pack. When our kids were little, we spent a lot of nights in the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 4, which had adequate living space for us; its successor, the <a href=\"\/product\/110292\/big-agnes-copper-spur-hv-ul-4-tent\">Copper Spur HV UL 4<\/a>, is even lighter at just over 5 pounds.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cFigure out how many diapers to bring and how to pack them out. Ask a toddler every 15 minutes if he has to pee, especially before putting him in the child-carrier pack.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014Melissa Avery, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.chasquimom.com\/\">chasquimom.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h4>Ages 4 and 5<\/h4>\n<p>During these years when a child is too big to carry and too small to walk very far, day hiking and car camping work fine for many families. But backpacking isn\u2019t impossible, and hiking with a child at this age, as memories are forming, makes it a \u201cnormal\u201d family activity in her or his eyes.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Plan short backpacking trips that take in lakes warm enough for swimming and streams safe to play in.<\/li>\n<li>Invent word games to occupy kids while hiking. My family played \u201cThe Story Game\u201d for years: We would make up a fictional story (it usually involved protagonists that resembled our kids), taking turns adding to the spoken narrative, with the plot growing increasingly crazy.<\/li>\n<li>Give a young child simple responsibilities, like helping to pitch the tent, to encourage her or his sense of self-confidence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Bring: favorite stuffed animal, an e-reader for tent time and patience\u2014plus a first piece of gear for a child, to make her feel \u201cbig.\u201d Little kids love headlamps, like the <a href=\"\/product\/130553\/princeton-tec-bot-headlamp-kids\">Princeton Tec Bot for kids<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWe invented a system called \u2018Trail Fairy.\u2019 I\u2019d be in in the front, and [my husband] would be in back, and &#8230; if one of the boys was complaining or falling back &#8230; one of us would fling a baggy into the air that would magically fall from the sky. &#8230; Inside the baggy was a treat with a note from the Trail Fairy complimenting him on his amazing hiking abilities. This trick worked every time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014Shelli Johnson, adventure guide, <a href=\"http:\/\/yourepiclife.com\/\">yourepiclife.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_22761\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22761\" class=\"wp-image-22761 size-article_body\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/12\/Zion2-67-West-Rim-Trail.jpg?resize=1024%2C680\" alt=\"West Rim Trail Zion \" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22761\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Michael Lanza&#8217;s family travels on the West Rim Trail in Zion National Park. Nate (left) at age 9, wife Penny Beach, and Alex (right) at age 6. (Photo Credit: Michael Lanza)<\/p><\/div>\n<h4>Ages 6 to 10<\/h4>\n<p>Children make significant advances in physical ability every year. Sometime between ages 6 and 8 many kids are ready for \u201creal\u201d backpacking trips, hiking up to several miles a day in the mountains.<\/p>\n<p>At this age, a child can begin carrying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/c\/kids-backpacks\">a child-size backpack<\/a>\u2014but keep it light (sleeping bag and pad, water, snacks, personal clothing and small items), and don\u2019t force the issue. I let my kids ask for their own backpack: They perceived it as something adults and big kids do, rather than something they were told to do. Give them a <a href=\"\/c\/reservoirs\">1.5-liter reservoir<\/a> (barely more than 2 pounds full), and they can drink more easily than digging out a bottle.<\/p>\n<p>Children this age need constant reminders to drink water, and they burn through their energy reserves fast. Bring more food that they like and will eat than you think you need. They need the calories, and special treats can help make it a memorable experience for them. Don\u2019t worry, they\u2019re burning it off, and there\u2019s no such thing as having too much energy when hiking.<\/p>\n<p>Start teaching them hiking, camping and safety skills now. They\u2019re quick learners and respond eagerly to new, big-kid responsibilities, like lighting the stove, reading the map, pitching the tent, and when they\u2019re ready, building a campfire.<\/p>\n<p>Bring: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/c\/kids-swimwear\">swim suits<\/a>, ingredients for s\u2019mores, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/c\/binoculars\">binoculars<\/a> for viewing wildlife, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/b\/swiss-army\/c\/knives\">a child\u2019s own Swiss Army knife.<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cInclude your kids in the planning phase of the trip\u2014let them read maps, load backpacks, choose snacks, etc. They feel more invested in it rather than being dragged along.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014Stacey Wilcox, <a href=\"http:\/\/anoutdoorsfamily.com\/\">anoutdoorsfamily.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy 9- and 6-year-old kids like to be hiking in front, being the leader and setting the pace. It gives them a sense of empowerment to watch for trail signs and crossings, and allows them to set a pace that is manageable for them\u2014they won\u2019t worry about getting left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014Kristina Bourne, <a href=\"http:\/\/outsideinduluth.com\/\">outsideinduluth.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_22757\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22757\" class=\"size-article_body wp-image-22757\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/12\/Eagle22-066-Trail-1820-to-Hawkins-Pass-Eagle-Cap-Wilderness-OR.jpg?resize=1024%2C680\" alt=\"Eagle Cap Wilderness, OR\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22757\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nate, at age 11, and Alex, at age 9, hiking to Hawkins Pass in the Eagle Cap Wilderness, OR. (Photo Credit: Michael Lanza)<\/p><\/div>\n<h4>Ages 11 to 13<\/h4>\n<p>Your kids have reached an age where they can do almost anything adults can do\u2014sometimes more. They\u2019ll want an adventure, so deliver it. Even if it means challenging your own comfort zone or learning new skills (or hiring a guide or taking a guided tour), consider climbing a mountain, exploring a slot canyon or hiking hut-to-hut.<\/p>\n<p>Give kids this age more freedom, for instance, to explore on their own or share a tent with friends.<\/p>\n<p>Bring: a waterproof camera\/phone or a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/b\/gopro\/c\/all\">GoPro<\/a>. Install a fun phone app like Skyview (it\u2019s free), which identifies constellations and other celestial bodies. Double-check your child\u2019s pack to make sure she or he has everything. (My son, then 11, once forgot a rain jacket, insulation layer and warm hat for a five-day backpacking trip. Guess whose he wore?)<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cPlan leisurely morning starts\u2014waking up early is a mood killer for teens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014Laure Latham, <a href=\"https:\/\/frogmom.com\/\">frogmom.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_22760\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22760\" class=\"wp-image-22760 size-article_body\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/12\/Saw18-030-Above-Baron-Lakes-Sawtooth-Mountains-Idaho..jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"Above Baron Lakes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22760\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nate, at age 15, backpacking above Baron Lakes, Sawtooth Mountains, ID. (Photo Credit: Michael Lanza)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Before becoming a dad, my main concern was the age at which my kids would \u201ccatch up\u201d to my abilities. I had no idea how much I\u2019d enjoy spending time outdoors with them. Now, I realize the single greatest value of our family time on backpacking and other trips has been that we have only one another and nature for entertainment\u2014no electronic devices that erect virtual walls between us. On our family wilderness trips, we spend hours a day just talking, listening and laughing.<\/p>\n<p>As my young daughter said so many years ago, we didn\u2019t \u201cget\u201d our kids to do those things with us. They want to do them\u2014and our lives are better for that.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"cb-button cb-white cb-normal cb-none\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/learn\/expert-advice\/backpacking-kids.html\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"follow\">Learn more about backpacking with kids<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" role=\"presentation\"><path d=\"M16 12a.997.997 0 0 0-.288-.702l-5.005-5.005a1 1 0 0 0-1.414 1.414L13.585 12 9.29 16.295a1 1 0 0 0 1.417 1.412l4.98-4.98A.997.997 0 0 0 16 12z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As we hiked uphill toward Gunsight Pass in Glacier National Park, on a three-day family backpacking trip, a couple in their 50s stopped to talk with us. They smiled at our 9-year-old son, Nate, and 7-year-old daughter, Alex, and said, \u201cWe\u2019re impressed! We never had any luck trying to get our kids to backpack when [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":22758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[15,447,156,1044,727,1499],"internal-tag":[1672,1442],"class_list":["post-22718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camp","tag-backpacking","tag-camping-tips","tag-family","tag-kids","tag-latest-posts","tag-weare-gear","internal-tag-pre-redirect-camp","internal-tag-seo"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/camp\/kids-camping-gear-how-to-get-started","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"How to Gear Up and Get Your Kids Started Camping and Backpacking","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/kids-camping-gear-how-to-get-started","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/kids-camping-gear-how-to-get-started"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/12\/Gla5-49-Nate-and-Alex-Gunsight-Pass-Trail-Glacier-NP.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/12\/Gla5-49-Nate-and-Alex-Gunsight-Pass-Trail-Glacier-NP.jpg?fit=4288%2C2848"},"articleSection":"Camp","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["backpacking","camping tips","family","kids","latest posts","weare gear"],"dateCreated":"2017-12-05T22:01:28Z","datePublished":"2017-12-05T22:01:28Z","dateModified":"2023-06-21T19:38:54Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"How to Gear Up and Get Your Kids Started Camping and Backpacking\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/camp\\\/kids-camping-gear-how-to-get-started\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/camp\\\/kids-camping-gear-how-to-get-started\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2017\\\/12\\\/Gla5-49-Nate-and-Alex-Gunsight-Pass-Trail-Glacier-NP.jpg?resize=150%2C150\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2017\\\/12\\\/Gla5-49-Nate-and-Alex-Gunsight-Pass-Trail-Glacier-NP.jpg?fit=4288%2C2848\"},\"articleSection\":\"Camp\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Michelle Flandreau\"}],\"creator\":[\"Michelle Flandreau\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Uncommon Path \\u2013 An REI Co-op Publication\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"backpacking\",\"camping tips\",\"family\",\"kids\",\"latest posts\",\"weare gear\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2017-12-05T22:01:28Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-12-05T22:01:28Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-21T19:38:54Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/rei.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/12\/Gla5-49-Nate-and-Alex-Gunsight-Pass-Trail-Glacier-NP.jpg?fit=4288%2C2848","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22718"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":190624,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22718\/revisions\/190624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22718"},{"taxonomy":"internal-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-tag?post=22718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}