Written & Photography by Cathy Coletti
So, you have a toddler or preschooler and would like to show this little person the wonder of the outdoors by trying out some local hikes. Here’s seven tips from a mom and nature lover who hopes to instill the foundation for a sense of stewardship (not abomination) for NH’s Seacoast in her 3 ½ year old daughter!
#1. Bring More Water and Snacks than You Think You’ll Need.
Set yourself up for success! My daughter Karen is a different person when she’s hungry (and frankly so am I!)—everything feels harder when you’re hangry. We’ve found that fueling up right before walking helps, but Karen usually asks for a snack while we’re on the trail too. And I’m always surprised by how much water we drink on our hikes!
#2. Bring Alternate Means of Transportation.
If you have a rugged stroller, you can bring it if it’s a wide enough path. For instance, at the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge trail and at Stratham Hill Park’s trail up to the fire tower, our stroller came in handy. Or bring a carrier for your back if your kid can still fit in it. Remember that ErgoBaby in the back of the closet?
#3. Scope out the bathroom situation before you go.
These are the potty training years and everybody has their own unique adventures to share. Some families just know that going back to a diaper again, even once, is a risk you can NOT take! It could set you back months of work! Sometimes we throw the potty in the car when we’re not sure about the situation.
#4. Beware the Playground.
Watch out—some of our local hikes have playgrounds in plain sight of the hike! At Stratham Hill Park for instance, bathrooms are next to the playground and you have to go past it to get to the trail up to the fire tower. Odiorne State Park has a playground also next to the bathrooms. At the Great Bay Discovery Center, you’ll pass a Gundalow replica that you can climb and play on while on the way to the trail. My plan so far has been playground first and hike second with promises to return to the playground at the end to keep the spirit of the trip fun.
#5. Turn Around While It’s Still Fun!
Karen will run for hours on a playground, but on a hike will last about 15 minutes before saying her legs are tired. At the Urban Forestry Center, we were having a lovely hike on one of those beautiful days. You know what I’m talking about… blue skies, low ‘70s, no humidity, and it’s just a pleasure to be alive out there. My husband and I would have enjoyed going on, but we knew that it was likely Karen would get bored. We decided to turn around after the second footbridge. And sure enough Karen said only minutes later, “I’m tired and hungry. Can you carry me?” For now, keeping it on the shorter side helps Karen feel positive and proud about doing “hikes.”
#6. Build on Your Kid’s Imagination.
When we hiked at the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge trail, Karen expected to see an elephant! Luckily she was equally enthralled with the duck taking off on Great Bay and the turtles we saw sunning themselves on rocks. When Karen got tired of walking on this trail, I came up with an idea that worked for a bit. I said, “I’ll be the Mommy elephant, and you be the baby, and you have to hold onto my tail with your trunk.” She liked that and held onto my shirt and walked. Then she got tired and we pushed her in the stroller (See tip Number 2).
#7. Surprises and Perspectives – Mommy’s Moss Meditation
The biggest surprise so far on a hike was Karen’s HUGE UNENDING desire to climb the fire tower at the top of Stratham Hill. I wanted so much to sit on a bench and enjoy the view, but instead found myself a human barricade between Karen and the fire tower. Eventually, she began to pick up handfuls of dirt, which helped calm down her “fiery” determination. Then we saw some moss and talked about what it looked like and felt like. It became Mommy’s moss meditation and she got to experience nature at the same time. Even though it initially felt super frustrating, Karen’s perspective brought me closer to what was under my feet on Stratham Hill than I would have if I had gone with a bunch of grownups with our heads glued to the horizon.
So there you have it! By keeping these tips in mind, and with a little extra prep, you and your kids can enjoy plenty of wonderful adventures hiking the trails of our little slice of New England. Have fun!
This blog post was provided by the NH Department of Environmental Services, a proud partner of the Every Drop Alliance.
#EveryDropMatters
