Having Kids Increased My Appreciation of the Outdoors
My husband and I have always been passionate about the outdoors and the environment. Our appreciation of the trails and land has become significantly greater since becoming parents. Unfortunately, the amount of excuses that we have for not practicing trail stewardship has also increased. However, we try not to let that stop us. My younge...
One of the biggest challenges I face during a Hike it Baby 30 challenge is not the miles, but rather the hungry faces at the end of the day. Did I forget dinner prep? Oops! Looks like it's time for sandwiches again. Recently, I switched over to meal planning. Not only meal planning, but meal planning for the whole month. It changed my life. My biggest problem now is remembering to defrost or ex...
Candy hearts notwithstanding, February offers plenty of opportunities for family fun! And, depending on where you live and hike the most, February can mean lots of things. It may herald a few more months of winter … or the start of spring! Or, if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere where the weather is all over the place, it could mean both. Looking for an outdoor activity to do ...
Whether you’re new to hiking with toddlers and young children or you’re looking for a different trail to explore, the Hike it Baby community is a valuable resource for finding family hiking trails around the country. In this article, we share three kid-friendly hikes in South Carolina to explore with babies and young children.
Hunting Island Loop (Hunting Island State Park, S.C.)
Hunting Island...
Losing a child: it’s every outdoor parent's worst nightmare – something distracts you momentarily and you turn around to find your child nowhere in sight. Calls are unanswered. A hasty search of the immediate area yields no sign of them. You don’t know where they are – and chances are they don’t know where they are either. Does your child know what to do?
They will if you take the time to prep...
There are over 60 protected areas that make up the national parks. The national parks are a great way to expose young hikers to nature in so many different forms. From mountains to wildlife and everything in between, there's so much to explore.
Tips for Exploring the National Parks with Kids
America's national parks have something to offer visitors of all ages. To make the most o...
"How do you feed your baby on trail?" This is easily one of the most common questions new parents ask when they decide if they’re ready to hit the trail with their baby. Between figuring out what to wear for a nursing mother or how much formula to bring to satisfy your growing baby, it can be enough to make you want to stay close to home and use the “maybe they aren’t ready yet” excuse to avoid...
There was once a time when camping was a simple thing for my husband and me. Load up your gear in a backpack and hit the trail. The lighter, the better. Once, he even rigged up a used tuna fish can, punched holes in it, poured in white gas and that was our stove for heating water for dehydrated food packets. Then we had a baby.
While you can hang tough and go with minimal when you have a baby,...
CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT STONZ
Spring is here! For most of us, that means blossoming flowers, warmer weather, and lots of rain. While the rain is excellent for all those spring flowers, sometimes it is easy to feel like you are stuck inside. But fear not! The rain absolutely does not mean you and your children need to remain indoors. In fact, rainy weather is another way ...
After two pregnancies, two nursing babies, and four years working in the outerwear department at R.E.I., I’ve had the chance to figure out what clothing works best for getting outdoors while pregnant or breastfeeding in cold winter weather. I’ve been disheartened to notice that pregnant and nursing mothers are a greatly underserved population for gearing up for the outdoors, which is a shame a...
