Are you the parent of tweens and teens? Do you want to find a way to make hiking more fun for them? I personally love the tween and teen years. These kids can now hike without needing much of a hand and are able to explore on their own without me worrying too much. If you’re thinking about hiking with your teens and tweens but need to find a way to inspire them to enjoy hiking, then you’ve come to the right place! I’m sharing my tried and true tips to inspire your teens and tweens to hike. 

During the past four months, our family has been on quite the adventure. It’s a case of “bad situation turned into a positive”. That’s how we roll as a family. While making the best of our current circumstances, we’ve started a new weekend routine … hiking! Each weekend we select a New England travel destination based on a search of cool and unique places to check out. 

5 Hiking Tips To Inspire Teens and Tweens to Hike

Bring a Friend

If you have room then let your tween and teen bring a friend! This is a great way to get to know your kids’ friends and it gives your kids someone to relate to and have fun with on the trails.

Pack Snacks

OMG, I don’t know how many times we’ve been a mile into a trail and our youngest is being a hungry grumpy butt! That’s why we always make sure we have some form of a healthy snack or protein bar in the van to prepare for a family hike. 

Have Them Plan

We love having our kids take part in the planning stage of a family hike! While our middle will often complain, “hiking is dumb” there are times he’s into the planning stage. Allowing your tween and teens to help with planning a hike will make it more interesting for them. 

Let Them Roam

As I said, I love this age because I can let our tween and teens roam more. The kids love having the freedom to explore the various areas we explore. During our family hiking trips, they learn a lot about history and such since we usually hike in areas that are rich with Northeast history.

Encourage Them to Share

There have been countless times that I’ve seen the eldest child share our family hikes on social media. This warms my heart to see that our kids truly enjoy our family hikes. Encourage your tweens and teens to share their stories about the family hike on social media or their own blog. 

These are the top 5 Hiking Tips To Inspire Teens and Tweens to Hike that I have to offer you. If you’ve found some other tips that worked well for your kids, then please do share them in the comments below. Remember, it takes a village to raise children and I want you to help others find ways to inspire their kids to hike more often. 

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