Sun Protection: Don't Forget Your Hat

“I want to go home!” whined my almost 3-year-old as he sat down in a huff on the trail. My usually adventurous little dude had lost his desire to explore, and I couldn’t blame him. It was a hot, humid summer morning in upstate New York, and we were only about a half-mile into our hike. I realized then that I had made a number of mistakes when planning this adventure: 1) I chose a trail that had little shade and no water, 2) We started the hike later than expected and it got hot FAST, and 3) There wasn't enough water. I decided to forgo the rest of the hike, strapped my kiddo on my back in a carrier, and quickly made my way back to the air-conditioned car. I needed to re-think and better prepare for hiking in summer and the weather it brings! Whether you are hiking, camping, playing at the beach or taking in a gorgeous sunset, summer is a wonderful time of year for families to enjoy outdoor fun in the sun. However, as temperatures increase, it can be hard to enjoy the outdoors with the constant “it’s too hot!” complaints coming from our tiniest explorers. Whether you have a baby in a carrier or an older child, here are some tips and tricks from our Hike it Baby community for keeping your kiddos cool on the trail in summer. Location and timing are everything We started doing shorter toddler walking/carrier hikes to alpine lakes where we can take a nice break to cool down! – Shari, Reno-Tahoe, NV I have a 1.5-year-old who is mostly in the carrier. We go early in the morning to beat the bugs and heat, and typically go for a trail with a water source. This time of year, we stay away from the beaches because of tourists, so we cool off in streams and freshwater ponds. – Lauren, Rhode Island We go in the morning and try for shaded trails or trails near a splash pad for the kids to get wet after. I also want to add that kids who wake up at the crack of dawn helps. LOL – Tracy, Louisville, KY Water parks and shorter hikes that begin or end somewhere with A/C, such as a coffee shop. – Jeannie, Kansas City, MO We include water of some sort in most of our hot-weather hikes. Hikes that don't include a water element start earlier. I like to be done or onto the water portion by 10:30 a.m. We wear loose-fitting natural fibers and hats. And of course, we pack plenty of water. We usually fill our water bladder with ice on hot days. – Courtney, Charleston/Lowcountry, SC Peppermint oil on the back of the neck! Hikes near creeks or shaded places. We also tend to hike earlier in the morning, but we are from the land of the midnight sun. So it’s hot all day! – Juliana, Fairbanks, AK Carrier tricks When putting the kids in soft carriers, I tend to strip them down to just shorts (and sunscreen). That way they have fewer layers. Mine get super hot easily and this seems to help. In strollers (if they let me), a muslin blanket helps shade them and keep bugs out. – Tracey, Anchorage, AK A towel wrapped in an ice pack between baby and me while I wear her. – Martha, Annapolis, MD For my son, I 86 the pants and shoes and utilize the sunshade on our pack. I carry a water bladder that we share to keep us hydrated and him entertained. – Lauren, Rhode Island My second child was born in May and she went hiking a lot her first 6 months. I could not have lived without our Luv Bug UPF towel. It is thin and light, has a hood, and is UPF 50+. I'd have baby in a onesie, put her in our wrap, put the towel hood over her head, tie the side corners around my waist, and then tuck the bottom corner under the carrier. Her entire body was protected from the sun and we were both comfy! – Vanessa, San Diego, CA I’d use the Osprey sun shade so she didn’t have to wear a hat.– Sandy, South King County, WA The mesh Lillebaby toddler carrier has helped keep us cool on long hikes. – Cherise, Eugene, OR For carriers, I stick to single layer carries in a cotton or linen woven wrap and ring slings, and my husband uses a Kinderpack with koolknit. While babywearing in the heat, especially with younger babies, dressing them in one less layer of clothing than yourself (often just a diaper) and frequent breaks are the best way to prevent over heating. – Courtney, Charleston/Lowcountry, SC Clothing and accessories to keep you cool Two favorites: misters and umbrellas. I bought this professional hair mister on Amazon. It provides continuous fine mist for 3 seconds each spray. I've found some pretty cool pump misters on lanyards at the county fair; there’s so many misters you can’t just have one. Evapotranspiration baby. Also a rain umbrella shades you and baby WAY better than the hat they will pull off. – Christine, Reno-Tahoe, NV We have been using a Luv Bug towel with a hood. SPF 50 makes me feel like he's protected on the beach and in the sun. When we hike in full sun, we toss it over him. If you get it wet first, it adds a layer of cooling moisture. It's a swimsuit-like material so it's very lightweight. – Kyla, Vancouver, WA Frogg Togg neck coolers, a portable fan that can clip on either stroller, frame carrier and even SSCs. If I can find breathable sunshirts, I try to use those. I keep myself as cool as possible so I’m not sweating on them. I sometimes wear a sun shirt that is very breathable meant for horseback riding. – Keira, Lexington, KY Hats, popsicles, Frogg Toggs! – Mindy, Myrtle Beach/Conway, SC I've been known to soak the hat before putting it on to keep my 3-year-old cool. Also, use bandanas you can get wet and wear around your neck. It's not heat-related exactly but I also prefer using a zinc stick sunscreen on my kids' faces (mine too). I've found it runs less with sweat than other options even if they do look like Casper when I put it on. – Jeannie, Kansas City, MO Cold snacks End with getting ice cream! – Juliana, Fairbanks, AK Cold, juicy fruits to snack on. – Martha, Annapolis, MD Frozen yogurt tubes are our go-to summer snack. While on the trail they melt a bit but still end up being a cool snack. – Jennifer, Houston, TX Frozen grapes! – Lacey, Kanai Peninsula, AK Be prepared I’d carry 3+ liters of water for a day hike, 2 liters in a bladder and the other in a water bottle. Leave a couple hydroflasks in the car full of ice water for a refreshing drink when you get back to the trailhead! Hike to lakes so you can all cool off when you have lunch and bring extra socks for yourself, putting sweaty wool socks back on is terrible. – Sandy, South King County, WA We like to freeze small Gatorade bottles and take them with us to enjoy in the middle of the hike or at the top of a peak. They are super refreshing! We also try to keep a small cooler with colder drinks and snacks in the car to enjoy a picnic after the hike. Be sure to know the signs of heat exhaustion and how to treat it just in case. – Becca, Kistsap Peninsula, WA How do you keep your little explorers cool on the trail in summer? Let us know in the comments below! Read more: Benefits and Tips for Enjoying Water Play this Summer 10 Fun Ways to Keep Cool this Summer How to pack trail snacks for hiking in summer Photos by Kyla Phillips and Arika Bauer. ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org    EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach

It’s officially winter! While many people cringe at the thought of trying to convince our kids (and ourselves) to layer up and get outside, there are numerous benefits to getting outside in the cold! Between fewer crowds on trails, a boost to your mood and a reduction in stress, getting outside in the winter months is absolutely worth the extra effort! However, we know that this can be easier said than done. That’s why we have compiled this list of tips, tricks and hacks from our awesome Hike it Baby community to help make it easier to gear up for winter and keep the whole family motivated to enjoy all that these colder months have to offer. General Clothing Tips My favorite hack is putting my socks on my babies/toddlers so they go up to the knee and pull the pants down over. I also use my socks on their hands instead of mittens when they are little so the socks go up to their elbows and the coat pulls over. That way they aren't constantly taking them off. My favorite are my fleece-lined, knee-length boot socks. – Nicholl, Charleston/ Lowcountry Branch I've stopped fighting my kids to wear coats, hats and gloves. I offer them right off and have them readily available for them when they are ready. It beats forcing my boys to wear them and having them be miserable because they are dressed correctly. 9 times out of 10 coats and hats go on within the first 10-15 minutes. – Jessica, Winchester Branch We are on a super-tight budget so spending the money on proper base layers seemed superfluous, but once we finally did, it was pretty much life-changing. I was still nursing my son when I got some of mine, so I got a 1/2 zip base layer and 1/4 zip fleece from REI so I could nurse without having to pull my shirt up. I've cheated and bought cheaper base layers for my kids since they outgrow them so fast, but I still follow the 3-layers rule – a wicking layer, a warm layer, and a weatherproof layer – for all of us, and it has allowed us to camp in 30-degree weather and hike in the single digits. Also a fun hack I got from an old neighbor: use babylegs on toddlers' arms to keep their gloves on! Put on the gloves, then a pair of babylegs overlapping their hands but leaving their fingers free, then their coats. Since it's hard to find good snow gloves for tiny hands, that keeps them from sliding off/being pulled off as easily. – Stephanie, Chattanooga Branch I love this zip-in panel for my coats from Make My Belly Fit. I've used it with two kiddos and through one of my pregnancies. As long as I can wear on the front, they stay toasty warm and can nap inside my coat. I also love this baby-wearing hoodie where my daughter has a little hood, too. – Lindsay, Front Range Foothills Branch My son was miserable when I dressed him in ski bibs and coat; he could barely move. I decided to layer up and use his rain suit and, man, it was a full game changer! No more snow getting in the waist and wrists! We use a wool or synthetic (cuddlduds or 32°) base layer, then a fleece layer, then his Oaki suit. If it's colder than 30° then I add his puffy coat over the fleece layer. We've always used smartwool socks, Veyokids Mittyz or Stonz Mittenz, fleece hat or fleece-lined knit hat and Columbia or Stonz snow boots. When your kid is comfortable, dry and warm ,they will play outside for hours! – Joey, Utah County Branch Clothing on a Budget Last winter I bought a yard of 5-6 designs of fleece material on sale and made my own seamless two-layer neck gaiters. They act as both scarf and can be folded up to cover head and ears. I made around 15 so there's plenty to go around for the whole family and cost much, much less than buying. – Vong, Kansas City Branch Kid gear is expensive and they grow fast. Adult wool socks can be used in so many ways! Tied or cuffed around the head or neck as a head warmer or scarf. Pull them on arms and legs to basically cover the entire limb while holding the layers in place and offering easy access to diapers. Even over boots of small kids in a carrier to keep the shoes on. And a pocket stove is small enough to carry anywhere for access to instant hot cocoa. – Elizabeth, Gettysburg Branch Due to kids growing so quickly, I love using fleece sleepers as a base layer when they’re really little. We picked some up cheap from Walmart specially for a camping trip when my oldest was little. Worked like a charm! – Rosalind, Calgary Branch I’d say a special incentive helps!! HiB Tokyo, Japan Branch did a “Mottanai Fest”! It’s a freecycle event where we brought all our kids/babies clothing to a park n play and swapped. It was 4-8C but we had a bunch of families come, and everyone really enjoyed it!! We also had three pregnant moms come and get s bunch of used clothes for their babies!! – Joelle, Tokyo Branch Schedule Your Outings Ahead of Time Schedule the month ahead of time; it will help you not make excuses. I have some parents who plan which hikes they will attend at the beginning of the month so I know they are counting on me. – Lacey, Kenai Peninsula Branch I try to host a hike at least once a week. Sometimes the day I choose ends up not being the nicest day, or maybe I'm not in the mood to get off of the couch, but because I committed to hosting, we show up. And I am ALWAYS glad that we did. – Shannon, Lehigh Valley Branch I schedule all my hikes a month in advance. If it’s on the calendar, I’m much more likely to get out and do it than make some excuse. I also keep all of my little guy's outside stuff in one place where he can help get it out and get ready. I do the same with my stuff. When we don’t have to look for anything, it makes it much easier to get out the door. – Ann, Bucks County Branch Provide Incentives Hot chocolate hikes. Even when I'm ready and willing to hike, that doesn't mean my kids are! So I promise hot chocolate or having a picnic (lunch or dinner as opposed to just snacks), and that usually gets them really excited. We use our 50/50 bottles since it keeps their cocoa warm until it's time to stop and it don't leak in their backpacks. – Stephanie, Chattanooga Branch Post-hike goodies! We brought hot cocoa and cookies after our first official snow play hike. The mamas and kiddos both enjoyed the refreshments! – Shari, Tahoe Branch We use Smarties, I have a friend who uses M&Ms, and we call them moose poop. We go ahead a little bit and put on a rock for the little ones to find. It helps keep them going once out. The main incentive to going out in the first place is seeing and meeting new friends. We also like to go and look for animal prints in the snow. – Rosalind, Calgary Branch Plan Fun Cold-Weather Activities Last winter, we hosted a "Nature Craft and Snowshoe Hike" at a state park near our branch. The Environmental Educator who works in the Creekside Classroom (similar to a nature/discovery center) let us use her classroom space. The BAs teamed up to provide a different nature craft every week and then we were allowed to borrow the snowshoes for FREE. We were able to get the kiddos all bundled up in the classroom and then headed out for a VERY short snowshoe hike. It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved and we are planning on doing it again this year! – Natalie, Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks Branches A few years ago we hosted a "muddiest hike" event. We get rain, not snow. We encouraged puddle jumping and playing in mud. The winner got a little crown made of sticks. – Samantha, Portland Branch An easy and cheap winter activity is to fill small spray bottles with colored water to decorate the snow. It helps kids practice their fine motor skills while they squeeze. And for the younger crowd, a travel shampoo or lotion bottle can be used instead to drip colored water onto the snow. No cleanup and it is easy to do again and again! – Kate, Morrison County Branch First, we like to aim for “first tracks” on trails after a big snowfall. My school-aged kiddo loves this, especially on snow days. It motivates us to get out of the house right after breakfast and spend hours outside instead of inside with TV, etc. Second, we hike some areas only in winter due to how busy they are in summer. Sometimes we are the only hikers or we’ll see maybe a handful of other hikers when we visit the popular places in the off-season. The feeling of solitude is so rewarding, especially when it’s a super crisp and quiet day! – Elizabeth, Holland, MI Branch Adjust Your Expectations We make it an adventure and set no expectations on distance or accomplishing any more than enjoying the fresh air and getting outside. Because we live in a “snow belt” with cold snowy winter weather from late October to early April, so we dress as waterproof and warm as possible and just have fun. Making sure we get outdoors is very important, even if it’s a “hike” we’ve only traveled 200 yards playing in the snow and snowmelt. – Corie, Cleveland and Akron Branches We completely throw distance and time expectations out the window and focus on taking in the nature around us. We like to choose some of our favorite trails and bring along photos of them in different seasons so we can compare what we see in spring/summer vs. what we see in winter in the same spots. On particularly chilly days, we will stay close to the parking lot and just explore the nature nearby or look for signs of animal life. – Becca, Kitsap Peninsula Branch Do you have any tips, tricks, or hacks for getting your family outdoors in the winter? Let us know in the comments below! Read more: How to layer when babywearing in the cold 8 Ways to get out and enjoy winter with kids How to keep your family warm on trail in winter Photos by Amy Diebold, Laura Castro and Kim Ives.     ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org    EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.