How to Get Kids Into Hiking (Without the Moaning Every Five Minutes)

Let’s be honest.

Most parents don’t avoid hiking with kids because they don’t like the outdoors.

They avoid it because they can already hear the chorus…

“Are we nearly there?”

“My legs hurt.”

“I’m boooored.”

“I’m hungry.”

“I need a wee.”

“I’m still hungry.”

And all of that usually happens before you’ve even left the car park.

But here’s the good news: kids actually love hiking… once you stop trying to make it a grown-up walk.

Because the secret isn’t finding the perfect trail.

It’s making the walk feel like an adventure.

1. Stop calling it a “walk”

This is genuinely step one.

A “walk” sounds like something you’re forced to do. It sounds like boredom in trainer form.

Call it what it really is:

An adventure. A mission. An exploration. A trail. A woodland quest. A secret route. A “let’s see what we can find”.

It sounds silly, but the language matters, and kids buy into the story faster than they buy into the plan.

2. Let them lead (even if it’s painful)

If kids feel like they’re being dragged along, they’ll act like it.

If they feel like they’re in charge, they suddenly become explorers with a purpose.

Let them pick the path at junctions. Let them decide whether you go left or right. Let them be the “trail leader” for ten minutes at a time.

Yes, you might end up taking the slightly longer route.

But you’ll also end up with a child who’s invested, and that’s the entire game.

3. Use snacks like the powerful parenting tool they are

Snacks are not just fuel. Snacks are morale.

The mistake a lot of us make is saving the snacks for the end, like some kind of reward.

Don’t.

Do regular snack stops. Make it part of the adventure. “We’ll stop at the big rock” or “snack break at the stream”.

And always pack more than you think you need. Even if you know you have enough. Pack more anyway.

You might not need it, but the moment you don’t pack it… you will.

4. Keep the goal small (and pretend it was bigger)

If you want kids to enjoy hiking, you need easy wins early on.

Don’t start with a 6-mile trail and a steep ascent and then wonder why everyone’s angry by mile two.

Start shorter than you think.

And here’s the little psychological trick: act like it’s a bigger achievement than it is.

A 2-mile walk can be framed as “a proper hike” if you make it feel like one. Boots on. Backpack on. Snacks packed. Mission underway.

Kids don’t care about mileage. They care about the story and the feeling.

5. Give them something to look for

Nothing changes a kid’s attitude faster than giving them a purpose.

Try things like:

who can spot a robin first find three different leaf shapes spot a feather, a pinecone, and a “perfect stick” find signs of animals (prints, droppings, burrows) “treasure hunt” for something natural to photograph

The key is simple: when kids are searching for things, they stop focusing on how far they’ve walked.

This is basically hiking wizardry.

6. Plan a “feature”, not a route

Adults like routes.

Kids like destinations. Even tiny ones.

Pick walks with one good feature:

a stream stepping stones a bridge a cave-ish bit (kids love a cave-ish bit) a viewpoint a waterfall ruins a big fallen tree

Even better, don’t mention the full plan. Let it be a surprise.

If you tell them “we’re going to see a stream where you can throw stones”, you’ve basically already won.

7. Don’t battle the weather, embrace it

UK parenting lesson: if you wait for perfect weather, your kids will be 43 before they go outside.

Honestly, some of the best adventures happen in drizzle, wind, and mud.

Just dress for it properly, lower your expectations, and accept that the car will get ruined. That’s what the boot liner is for.

Mud is not the enemy of hiking with kids. Mud is the point.

8. Keep the energy light (because they copy yours)

If hiking feels like a chore to you, it’ll feel like one to them.

If you’re relaxed, upbeat, and not taking it too seriously, they’ll follow your lead.

It doesn’t need to look like a magazine cover.

Sometimes it’s chaotic. Sometimes it’s slow. Sometimes you only get half the distance you planned.

Still counts.

You got out. You did it. That’s the win.

9. Walk with other families (it changes everything)

This might be the biggest “cheat code” of all.

Kids complain far less when they’ve got other children around. They explore more. They race ahead. They get distracted (in the best way). They stop seeing it as “mum/dad making me walk” and start seeing it as a proper day out.

And that’s exactly why Coddiwomple Club exists.

If you want family hiking to feel easier, more fun, and way less like hard work, come along to one of our walks and events.

We keep it relaxed, kid-friendly, and genuinely adventurous, with loads of natural stopping points and exploration along the way.

Final thought

The aim isn’t to raise kids who love hiking.

The aim is to raise kids who feel at home outdoors.

Kids who know how to move through woodland. Kids who aren’t scared of mud. Kids who can handle a bit of rain. Kids who feel proud when they reach the top of a hill.

And when you get that… the moaning fades. Slowly. Not instantly. But it does.

(Well… most of it 😄)